LANGUAGE ARTS 

OVERVIEW 

 Number of faculty: All Primary and Intermediate Classroom Teachers, Two Middle School Teachers 

The Language Arts curriculum at St. James Academy encourages students to become confident listeners, speakers, readers, writers, and thinkers through an integrated program combining reading/literature, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and composition. In the primary grades, skills are modeled which address varied learning styles. Through phonology, sight-reading, and context clue skills, students develop their reading potential. As students gain confidence in their reading ability, less time is dedicated to the specific instruction of reading. Students are no longer learning to read, but rather reading to learn. Older students read across the curriculum and often use trade books related to their study in Social Studies or Science.  

Writing skills are essential for all students to develop. Students write frequently and receive teacher and peer review of their writing assignments. Students are exposed to traditional spelling, vocabulary, and grammar instruction. Handwriting skills are practiced in Grades Kindergarten through Four. The skills developed in these classes provide necessary tools for effective communication. The Language Arts curriculum is structured to build confidence in each student's understanding of the writing process and his/her ability to communicate. St. James Academy encourages each student to become an enthusiastic lifelong reader. 

GOALS: KINDERGARTEN - GRADE EIGHT

LANGUAGE ARTS

Students will: 

• Build reading skills, confidence, independence, and curiosity;
• Read for recreation, research, personal growth, and awareness;
• Read and evaluate a variety of formats including; books, computer accessed information, periodicals, and newspapers;
• Develop critical thinking skills and problem solving strategies by responding to literature in both written and oral formats;
• Apply a variety of comprehension skills, phonological awareness, sight-reading, and context clues to develop fluency and understanding;
• Communicate effectively using receptive and expressive language;
• Identify a variety of literary genres;
• Develop abstract thinking skills through the examination of literature.

SPELLING/VOCABULARY

Students will: 

• Become familiar with and analyze the sound-symbol relationship and structural characteristics of the English language;
• Apply spelling rules and correctly spell exceptions across the curriculum;
• Incorporate spelling/vocabulary lists as part of daily activities;
• Demonstrate dictionary skills;
• Develop and apply proof-reading skills;
• Derive the meaning of vocabulary words from related readings at appropriate levels.

 GRAMMAR

Students will: 

• Apply grammar understanding to develop strong written language at appropriate levels;
• Develop an appreciation of the importance of words as the basic building blocks of language structure;
• Learn and incorporate grammar rules for usage in written and oral communication both academically (formally) and personally (informally);
• Develop confidence in receptive and expressive communication skills in varied settings.

 COMPOSITION 

Students will: 

• Develop an understanding of the writing process;
• Participate in teacher directed and independent writing exercises;
• Learn and continue to demonstrate editing and revising skills;
• Share work with classmates for peer evaluation;
• Submit writing exercises for teacher evaluation.