LANGUAGE ARTS The Language Arts curriculum is shaped by the ways in which reading, writing, speaking, and listening are interconnected. Reading and the study of literature are used to teach writing skills, as well as to model formal oral language and to develop good listening skills. Conversely, as a student becomes a fluent writer, reading abilities are enhanced. WRITING: Children launch into writing in much the same way that they embarked upon the process of developing traditional forms of speech. Just as the toddler was allowed to experiment with the spoken word and hear correct speech and syntax in the environment, so the emergent writer should be given a supportive, safe environment in which to explore written language. Learning to write is a natural, developmental process. Children's errors are markers for teachers to note in planning and implementing lessons. Writing is taught largely through a process that involves five basic steps: pre-writing, writing, revising, editing, and publishing. While pre-writing usually comes first, the steps are rarely in order, much in the same way that writing does not flow in a neat and orderly fashion for adults. Often children will get an idea, launch into writing, stop and reread, revise and edit, and then sit for a while to think about the next portion. The process of writing is honored with the special title of "Writer’s Workshop." Each workshop begins with a mini-lesson on a specific aspect of writing. Students come to realize the use of conventional spelling, mechanics, grammar, and usage in making their work understandable to others. In the production and amendment of their writings, children have the opportunity to share their work in student and teacher conferences in order to ascertain whether their messages or stories are clear, and to work on particular aspects of style, grammar, or content. READING: The ultimate goal of reading instruction is to create willing, eager, capable readers. Children begin to read much as they begin to write -- by experimentation, trial and error, and use of context, syntax, configurational, phonics, and structural clues. In the early years of reading and the study of literature, emphasis is placed on basic decoding skills, including phonics, structural analysis, and sight words; but also, from the beginning, it is understood that reading is not just a practice of sounding out words but a search for meaning. Reading is taught through the use of children's literature rather than through basal readers. Beginning in first grade, students select books appropriate to their modes and levels of reading. Vocabulary and comprehension activities are developed orally in the early years. Beginning in third grade, written comprehension questions and written reading skill strategies are formally practiced. In fourth and fifth grades, children read literature related to social studies themes. Reading skills continue to be developed using these literature books as the context. In addition, each grade level provides exposure to a different series of core literature books, usually derived from both the Newbery Award and California Young Readers Award lists. Therefore, despite different skills and interest levels in reading, all children will read, or will have read to them, an appropriate and challenging group of classic, multicultural, award-winning books. SPELLING: The ability to transfer an understanding of word patterns to new words and to make use of the correct spelling of specific words presented in class calls for a high level of cognitive ability. Often this competency lags significantly behind the ability to memorize accurate spelling; however, it is important for young writers to write questionable words without pausing for correct spelling in an initial draft, and then to identify words they question in a review of their work. As they are ready, students are held accountable for common words that have been part of practiced spelling lessons. Spelling is taught as a formal exercise beginning in first grade since it is at this time that children are ready for such instruction. A common core of words which follows certain spelling rules or which appears in great frequency in children's written and oral language is the heart of the spelling program. In addition, at each grade level children are given "challenge" or "bonus" words from the core literature and the social studies program, as well as from their own personal reading selections. HANDWRITING: Handwriting practice begins at the end of the kindergarten year when most children have developed the necessary small muscle control to hold a pencil correctly. Handwriting instruction in manuscript continues through first and second grades. At the end of second grade and throughout third grade, children make the transition to cursive writing. In fourth and fifth grades, students begin to develop their own styles of writing based upon the form most comfortable for them. At these levels the primary issues in handwriting are legibility, neatness, and uniformity. SPEAKING: Becoming an articulate, self-confident speaker is a primary goal of language arts instruction at the Elementary School. Children have many opportunities to express themselves orally, not only through classroom discussion, but also through Monday Morning Meeting, drama class, Friday Gathering, and Student Council. For children who tend toward reticence in large groups, the "council" process, where each student has the opportunity to address a group without interruption or response from others, allows every child the opportunity to develop comfortable speaking skills.