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English Language Arts and Reading

Students reading with their teacher

This English language arts and reading web page provides clarification, guidance, and support to English language arts and reading stakeholders, including districts, schools, parents, educators, and students, for the development and implementation of the K–12 English language arts and reading Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).

Announcements

  • Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) Reviewers:  TEA is seeking educators and subject-matter experts across Texas to serve as instructional materials reviewers for the new IMRA review process. Anyone with relevant content expertise for K–5 English and Spanish language arts and reading, K–3 English and Spanish phonics, or K–12 mathematics is encouraged to apply. Selected reviewers will earn extra income while making a statewide impact. Reviewers will work in small teams to conduct quality reviews and collaborate with other educators to produce ratings and reports for assigned reading language arts, phonics, and mathematics products.  Learn more about IMRA, the review cycle, and the available roles through an information session. Fill out a registration form to join a meeting on one of these dates:
    • April 17
    • May 1

If you or your colleagues want to participate in the IMRA review process, please apply today! To learn more about the IMRA process, visit our website.

  • English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) Review: Last year, TEA began convening ELPS work groups to review and provide recommendations for revisions to a preliminary draft of the revised ELPS. The work groups’ draft recommendations for revision to the ELPS are scheduled to be presented to the SBOE for discussion at its April 2024 meeting. 

    Recommendations for revisions to the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) from the State Board of Education’s 2023–2024 ELPS review work groups are currently available for review and feedback on the English Language Proficiency Standards Review web page. Comments on the drafts can be submitted to TEA at teks@tea.texas.gov. 
     
  • ​​​​​​​National Poetry Month:  Launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month celebrates poets’ integral role in our culture and aims to increase appreciation for poetry.  Poetry uses various forms and conventions of writing and is considered a means by which to creatively express one’s feelings, thoughts, and experiences with the world.

    The English Language Arts Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) support students in understanding and analyzing genre-specific characteristics, structures, and purposes within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse texts, including poetry.

    Texas Gateway provides resources to support TEKS-aligned instruction of poetry.  To access these resources, go to Texas Gateway.  Click the search button at the top of the page. Enter the word “poem” or “poetry” in the search bar.  Select the resources that best fit the needs of your students. If you do not have a Texas Gateway account, you can create one by clicking here.

English Language Arts & Reading TEKS

The links below provide access to the web-based version of the current English language arts Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), which are the state standards for what students should know and be able to do. You can also access a PDF version of the TEKS.

TEKS Guide

The purpose of the TEKS Guide is to help teachers understand each student expectation in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and to provide valuable resources to support instruction. Currently, the TEKS Guide includes resources for K-8 English Language Arts and K-6 Spanish Language Arts.

Vertical Alignment

The following vertical alignment documents were created to reflect the alignment of the new English and Spanish language arts and reading TEKS across grade levels, kindergarten – grade 12.

Grade 7 Reading Instruments

In accordance with the TEC, §28.006(c-1), each school district and open-enrollment charter school is required to administer at the beginning of Grade 7 a reading instrument adopted by the commissioner to each student whose performance on the assessment instrument in reading administered under TEC, Section §39.023(a), to the student in Grade 6 who did not demonstrate reading proficiency, as determined by the commissioner. The district shall administer the reading instrument in accordance with the commissioner's recommendations under the TEC, §28.006(a)(1).

For more information and to view the 2023-2027 Commissioner's List of Approved Grade 7 Reading Instruments, visit the Grade 7 Reading Instruments web page.

Recent English Language Arts Communications

The recent newsletters and updates below have been shared with stakeholders by the TEA reading language arts team. 

Additional TEA Web Pages Related to English Language Arts and Reading

Commemorative Weeks and Months

  • Each year, during the week that includes September 17, Texas schools honor Celebrate Freedom Week (TEC § 29.907) to highlight the values and ideals on which the United States was founded as well as the sacrifices that were made for freedom in the founding of the country. Students learn about the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights.  Students also examine the relationship between the ideas in these documents and subsequent American history.
  • Celebrate Freedom Week web page
  • Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans who trace their heritage to Latin America or Spain. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period. The following websites provide instructional materials, activities, and lessons that can be used to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and to support instruction in Ethnic Studies: Mexican American Studies.
  • Hispanic Heritage Month web page
  • Each year, during February, we celebrate the history and cultural contributions of African Americans in the United States. Students learn about the achievements, perspectives, struggles, and experiences of African Americans throughout more than 400 years of American history. The following websites provide a variety of lessons, activities, and instructional materials that can be used to honor African American History Month and to support instruction in Ethnic Studies: African American Studies and other social studies courses throughout the year. 
  • Black History Month web page
  • SB 1828 was passed in 2019 in acknowledgment of the Holocaust’s ongoing significance. SB 1828 instructs the Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission (THGAAC) to develop or approve materials for public schools for a statewide Holocaust Remembrance Week. Counseled by the Commission, the Governor’s Office selected the week of January 27th as the date for Remembrance Week. (International Holocaust Remembrance Day is January 27, which is the date that Auschwitz was “liberated” by Allied troops.)
  • Holocaust Remembrance Week web page
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Contact Information

Curriculum Standards and Student Support

(512) 463-9581

For questions or additional information, please submit a Curriculum Request Form through the TEA Help Desk.

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Reading Language Arts and Social Studies Team

Jim Doris
Social Studies/Reading Language Arts Director

Tamara Robert
Reading Language Arts Content Specialist

Tim Bryant 
K-8 Reading Language Arts & Social Studies Content Specialist

Guiomar Andújar
Spanish Content Specialist

Jenny Gaona 
Social Studies Content Specialist