AVID Elementary and College and Career Readiness

✍️ WICOR Framework

AVID Elementary uses the WICOR framework to create active, engaging learning experiences:  

• Writing: Students use writing to organize ideas, explain their thinking, respond to learning, and demonstrate understanding.
• Inquiry: Students ask meaningful questions, investigate ideas, solve problems, and think critically.
• Collaboration: Students work with others, participate in academic conversations, and learn to listen and respond respectfully.
• Organization: Students develop routines for managing materials, assignments, time, and learning goals.
• Reading: Students use purposeful reading strategies to understand complex texts, build knowledge, and support ideas with evidence.

📁 Organization & Study Skills

Students learn age-appropriate strategies that help them become responsible and independent learners. These may include:

• Organizing notebooks, folders, and digital materials
• Recording and completing assignments
• Managing time and long-term projects
• Setting academic goals
• Monitoring progress
• Preparing for assessments
• Reflecting on learning habits

These routines help students develop skills that become increasingly important as they progress through middle school, high school, college, and careers.

📝  Note-Taking & Academic Vocabulary 

Students learn to record, organize, and use important information from lessons, texts, videos, and classroom discussions. Depending on their grade level, students may identify key ideas, summarize information, ask questions, make connections, and revisit their notes as a learning tool.

Teachers also provide explicit instruction in academic vocabulary so students can understand grade-level content and communicate their thinking clearly in speaking and writing.

💡 Costa's Levels of Questioning

Costa’s Levels of Questioning help students move from recalling information to thinking deeply and applying their learning: 

• Level 1 – Gathering: Students identify, define, list, or recall information.
• Level 2 – Processing: Students compare, analyze, organize, explain, or make connections.
• Level 3 – Applying: Students evaluate, predict, create, justify, or apply their learning in a new situation.

Students learn to ask and answer questions at all three levels, helping them become more thoughtful, curious, and independent learners.

🗣️ Philosophical Chairs and Structured Discussions

Philosophical Chairs and other structured discussion strategies provide opportunities for students to explore important questions, consider different perspectives, and develop evidence-based ideas.  

Students learn to:  

• Listen respectfully to others
• Clearly state and explain a position
• Support ideas with evidence
• Ask relevant questions
• Respond thoughtfully to different viewpoints
• Reconsider or revise their thinking when presented with new information  

Teachers select age-appropriate topics and establish clear expectations to create respectful and inclusive discussions.  

🎓 College & Career Awareness

Elementary students begin exploring colleges, careers, and the connection between learning and future opportunities. Activities may include:  

• Learning about different careers and career pathways
• Exploring personal interests, strengths, and talents
• Meeting college students and community professionals
• Participating in college and career events
• Learning about the education and skills required for different careers
• Connecting classroom subjects to real-world professions
• Developing communication, teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving skills

These experiences help students understand that their daily learning, attendance, effort, and choices are building a foundation for their future.  

Connection to the CVUSD Instructional Framework

AVID strategies strengthen the CVUSD Instructional Framework by helping students actively participate in rigorous, grade-level learning. Both emphasize:

Together, AVID Elementary and the CVUSD Instructional Framework help students understand what they are learning, communicate their thinking, take ownership of their progress, and develop the skills needed to become college, career, and future-ready champions.