Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Standards (ICLS)
The Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Plan is designed to support students in developing strong foundational reading skills. All teacher candidates are expected to meet the Idaho Core Teaching Standards and the standards specific to their discipline area(s) at the “acceptable” level or above. The following knowledge and performance statements for the Core Teacher Standards are widely recognized, but not all-encompassing or absolute, indicators that teacher candidates have met the standards. The evidence validating candidates’ ability to demonstrate these standards shall be collected from a variety of settings including, but not limited to, courses, practicum, and field experiences. It is the responsibility of a teacher preparation program to use indicators in a manner that is consistent with its conceptual framework and that assures attainment of the standards.
The standards have been grouped into four general categories and represent the interrelationship between written and oral language, which are key skills for student learning and success. These standards outline the four competencies of effective reading, writing, and communication instruction necessary to meet the Idaho Comprehensive Literacy requirements and Idaho ELA/Literacy Standards.
- Standards 1 and 3 apply only to All Subjects K-8; Exceptional Child Generalist K-12; and Literacy K-12
- Standards 2, 4, and 5 apply to all endorsements
The teacher candidate demonstrates knowledge of the following foundational concepts of literacy instruction and their typical developmental progression, oral language, emergent literacy, concepts of print, phonological awareness, alphabetic principle, phonics skills, automatic word recognition, orthographic knowledge, fluency, linguistic development, and English language acquisition. The candidate teaches these concepts using evidence-based practices including systematic, explicit, and multisensory instruction. The teacher candidate understands learners with reading difficulties require codebased explicit, systematic, sequential, and diagnostic instruction with many repetitions. (Applies to the following endorsements: All Subjects K-8, Blended Early Childhood Education/Early Childhood Special Education Birth through Grade 3 and Pre-K through Grade 6, Deaf/Hard of Hearing K-12, Early Childhood Special Education Pre-K-3, Exceptional Child Generalist K-8, 6-12, and K-12, and Visual Impairment K-12)
The teacher candidate understands: the importance of automatic word recognition, reading fluency, reading comprehension, and motivation to read; the impact of vocabulary knowledge in oral and written language comprehension; and factors that contribute to deep listening and reading comprehension. The candidate demonstrates the ability to analyze the complexity of text structures, utilize a variety of narrative and informational texts from both print and digital sources, and make instruction accessible to all, including English language learners. The teacher candidate demonstrates the ability to apply these components by using evidence-based practices and explicit strategy instruction in all aspects of literacy and/or content area instruction. (Applies to all endorsements that can be added to a Standard Instructional Certificate)
The teacher candidate understands formative literacy assessment concepts, strategies, and measures. The candidate knows the basic principles of formal assessment construction and types of assessments including: screening (Idaho Reading Indicator), progress-monitoring, diagnostic, and outcome assessments (Idaho Standards Achievement Test); appropriate uses and administration; and interpretation of results. The candidate understands basic statistical terminology commonly utilized in formal and formative assessment including reliability, validity, criterion, normed, percentile, and percentage. The candidate uses assessment data to inform and design differentiated literacy instruction. In addition, the teacher candidate demonstrates the ability to use appropriate terminology in communicating pertinent assessment data to a variety of stakeholders. (Applies to the following endorsements: All Subjects K-8, Blended Early Childhood Education/Early Childhood Special Education Birth through Grade 3 and Pre-K through Grade 6, Deaf/Hard of Hearing K-12, Early Childhood Special Education Pre-K-3, and Exceptional Child Generalist K-8, 6-12, and K-12, and Visual Impairment K-12)
The teacher candidate understands the benefit of incorporating writing in the content areas. The candidate uses evidence-based practices for teaching developmental spelling and handwriting, written expression, content area writing, and conventions. The candidate understands, models, and provides instruction in the writing process, including pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. The candidate knows how to structure frequent, authentic writing opportunities that encompass a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. The teacher candidate provides opportunities for written, visual, and oral communication in a variety of formats, including the use of appropriate assistive technology. The candidate understands the components of effective writing, the role of quality rubrics, and how to assess different types of writing in order to provide individualized constructive feedback and support. The teacher candidate incorporates ethical and credible research practices into instruction. (Applies to all endorsements that can be added to a Standard Instructional Certificate)
The teacher candidate understands how reading and writing difficulties vary in presentation and degree. The candidate understands the characteristics of struggling readers and writers, identifies appropriate accommodations, and adapts instruction to meet student needs. The candidate advocates for meeting the needs of struggling readers and writers within the available structure of tiered support. The candidate understands how federal and state laws pertain to learning disabilities, including dyslexia. The teacher candidate understands the (2003) International Dyslexia Association (IDA) definition of dyslexia and recognizes the distinguishing characteristics of dyslexia. (Applies to all endorsements that can be added to a Standard Instructional Certificate)