Literature and Language Arts

Literature and language arts...

Every subject, every day

Communication is key. Our literature and language arts curriculum is intricately woven throughout the subject areas so that students gain experience in understanding a variety of content as well as expressing their grasp of concepts ranging from the concrete to the abstract.

Primary

Daily experiences with quality literature encourage a lifelong love of reading. At the most foundational level, our teachers use the Orton-Gillingham approach, providing explicit phonics and spelling instruction. Teachers reach a comprehensive range of developmental stages in their classrooms through small group instruction emphasizing phonemic awareness, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary.

Elementary

Reading is taught through a variety of approaches, and students are encouraged to read with different purposes. Reading and writing are taught as interdependent skills throughout the grade levels. Students participate in pre-writing, writing, conferencing, revising, and editing. Vocabulary building, grammar, and the mechanics of language are presented as integral parts of the language arts program.

Middle

In response to their reading, students write expository paragraphs and narrative essays. The emphasis in writing is upon the process: brainstorming, drafting, revising, proofreading. Students learn to support their ideas with evidence; organize their thoughts; employ transitions to make connections between points; vary syntax; choose appropriate and specific words; and revise their work for punctuation, spelling, and grammar. Students read and study literature (novels, short stories, drama, and poetry) and learn the language of literary analysis. Vocabulary skills are developed through context.