Using Keystone

Introduction

This guide introduces the features of the Pearson Longman Keystone

program and explores how Keystone accelerates academic vocabulary
acquisition, develops transferable language skills, and provides an
easy-to-use road map to academic success and language proficiency.

What is the
Pearson
English
Learning
System?

Pearson English Learning System is a comprehensive and integrated

solution that addresses the needs of English language learners (ELLs).
The U.S. Department of Education has reported that by 2025, one out
of every four students will be designated as an ELL. In addition, more
than 85% of ELLs struggle to achieve academic proficiency by high
school. Because ELLs are so diverse in their language needs, you need
a comprehensive ELL system that links instruction, assessment, and
professional development.
This guide explores how the Pearson English Learning System
highlights key features and language development, using Keystone
materials. Keystone integrates language development by focusing
on proficiency growth and grade-level content in Grades 612.
This guide also shows you the necessary tools to monitor academic
progress using valuable assessments on real ELL normative data using
AIMSweb and Stanford English Language Proficiency Test2 (SELP2).
Integrated into Keystone are additional instructional supports such as
SIOP in Practice and A+RISE. SIOP in Practice is a framework for
teaching both academic content and language skills in ways that are
proven to be more effective for ELLs. A+RISE presents standardsaligned strategies to help all students achieve academic success.
These supports work together to allow you to target instruction to
the needs of ELLs as part of a comprehensive ELL system.

Integrating
Keystone

Keystone is a rigorous reading program that accelerates students

academic achievement. The program uses scaffolded, sustained
instruction and language development strategies for middle and high
school studentslevels A, B, and C for middle school and levels D, E,
and F for high school. Keys to Learning and Building Bridges provide
additional supports to building language.

Copyright 2012 Pearson, Inc. or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

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Each of the six thematic units begins with a Big Question at every
level. The Big Question serves as a framework for language,
vocabulary acquisition, and concept development. Each reading in the
unit asks students to consider different aspects of the Big Question.
This leads to deeper levels of understanding by reading, writing,
listening, and speaking.

Use the unit projects as built-in differentiated instruction. These

projects are designed to provide evidence of student understanding
at the conclusion of a unit. In addition, Keys to Learning and Building
Bridges are additional supports to building language. Students have
opportunities to learn and practice language skills that focus on
building academic language.

Program
Features
Academic
Language
Acquisition

Program features include academic language acquisition, instructional

support, embedded resources, and support in ancillaries.
Keystone increases academic language usage in the classroom.
As students discuss the Big Question throughout the unit, they
demonstrate their understanding of the content and develop
transferable academic skills.
Preparing to Read begins with building background, vocabulary
building, reading strategies, and activities for comprehension,
grammar, and writing. You explicitly teach them in a comprehensible,
step-by-step format, ensuring that students know when and how to
apply the strategies to their reading.
A balance of literature and informational text provides the perfect blend
of high-interest reading with a high incidence of academic vocabulary.
Each reading concludes with a series of scaffolded activities that build
on prior learning, reinforce expressive language skills, and provide
opportunities for students to demonstrate understanding.
The retelling activity called In Your Own Words reinforces academic
language structures while helping students employ key vocabulary as
they summarize the reading.
The Read for Fluency strategies help students develop the ability to
read a text quickly and accurately with expression and understanding.

Copyright 2012 Pearson, Inc. or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

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Readers Theater literary selections conclude with a fun Readers

Theater activity where students re-enact scenes from the reading to
reinforce comprehension, listening, and speaking skills.
Grammar concepts are explicitly taught with each reading through
extensive use of modeling. Each skill is reinforced with plenty of
practice. The modeled writing activities that support each reading give
students guided practice in key skills for every writing domain.
In Link the Readings, students make text-to-text comparisons
in a scaffolded activity that links to the Big Question and provides
students a chance to use oral communication as a vehicle for
demonstrating comprehension.

Each unit culminates in a Put It All Together section, featuring a

listening and speaking workshop and writing workshop.

These two connected learning activities provide an opportunity for

students to demonstrate their mastery of the skills covered in the unit
and to apply them in formal academic speaking and writing.
The writing workshop is the culminating writing activity of the unit.
Each unit focuses on a particular mode of writing and gives students
multiple opportunities to build skills in each mode.

Copyright 2012 Pearson, Inc. or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

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The lessons offer visual literacy with a unique glimpse into the
American experience as seen through the eyes of artists from all
walks of life, as the lesson content is arranged with the Smithsonian
American Art Museum.

Instructional
Support

The Teachers Edition features clear, step-by-step teaching suggestions

that guide you through each part of the lesson. Each unit has a content
and language objective and supports the instructional framework of
SIOP. Standards at the bottom of every page identify which reading
and content area standards you should teach at any point within the
lesson. Teaching Resources are summarized on the planner and listed
at point-of-use to help make lesson planning simple and easy.

Copyright 2012 Pearson, Inc. or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

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This well-organized instruction helps you structure daily lessons,

making every component of the Pearson English Learning System
transparent. You will find point-of-use suggestions for SIOP, A+Rise,
SELP2, and AIMS2 in every lesson below the student pages on a blue
background in the Teachers Edition.
Leveled Support boxes provide specific teaching strategies to help you
tailor instruction to individual learners needs and provide for Culturally
Responsive Instruction (CRI).

Because the needs of ELLs are so diverse, the Accelerate Language

Development and Linguistic Note boxes can assist you in highlighting
potential trouble spots in language development for certain learners and
provide built-in remediation and additional language-building activities.
There are arrays of assessments you can use to monitor student
progress. For instance, you will find boxes such as the Learning
Strategy box that will provide metacognitive activities for students.

Embedded
Resources

Keystone resources support you with planning and instruction. The

Phonics and Word Analysis Kit is a resource that you can use to help
students build foundational phonics and phonemic awareness skills.
The Readers are adapted from popular tales and stories and use
controlled vocabulary that is appropriate for lower-proficiency readers.

You also have access to an eText version of the Teachers Edition which
is available on iPad, CD-ROM, and online.
Copyright 2012 Pearson, Inc. or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
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Assessment resources include Exam View Test Generator and

Success Tracker. Here, you will find customizable formative and
summative online tests that allow you to provide students with
instant feedback.

Support in
Ancillaries

In the Teachers Resource Book, your one-stop lesson planner includes

useful resources to support students reach academic success. You
will find daily lesson plans, graphic organizers, transparencies,
workbook pages, and reading summaries in English, Spanish, Chinese,
Cambodian, Hmong, and Vietnamese. You will also find Home Letters
written in English and Spanish for each unit.
The Readers Companion promotes active reading skills by reprinting
the readings from the student edition.
The Student Workbook provides additional practice and extension
activities for each skill taught in the student edition, including
Vocabulary, Reading Strategies, Reading Comprehension, Response to
Literature, Grammar, and Writing.

Review

This guide introduced the features of the Pearson Longman Keystone

program and explored how Keystone accelerates academic vocabulary
acquisition, develops transferable language skills, and provides an
easy-to-use road map to academic success and language proficiency.

Copyright 2012 Pearson, Inc. or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

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