Our Language Art

program is a

balanced literacy

approach.

Our curriculum is designed to meet the individual needs of each child.  Let me share with you, briefly each component of our literacy program.

Read Aloud/Modeled Reading:

Children have daily experiences with read-alouds both fiction and non-fiction. During this time we find delight in books and model the joys of reading.

Shared Reading:

The children join the teacher in reading and follow along in a big book. These books have enlarged print so the children can read along with the text. The teacher points out key word features and teaches word attack strategies.

Readers Workshop:

Children with similar reading abilities work in small groups using books at their instructional reading level. During guided reading specific reading strategies are taught and practiced. Comprehension and vocabulary development are also taught.

We know that the more children read, the better readers they will become. Here the children are reading books that they can read with ease. We want this to be a -smooth reading-, where the children can read most of the words, and comprehend the story successfully and independently.

Here is a link to a Parent's Guide to Reading Workshop

Write Aloud/Modeled Writing:

During modeled writing time the teacher demonstrates to the class as she writes and talks about her own writing process. This includes brainstorming writing ideas and showing how she thinks of the sounds, and spelling of words as she writes. This often is integrated during writers workshop mini lessons.

Shared and Interactive Writing:

In interactive writing the children and the teacher write a story together. Often it is about a shared experience. Here correct spelling and punctuation is modeled.

                             Writers Workshop/

                       Independent Writing:

  At the kindergarten level, most of the children's topics are about themselves. They write about their stories, the things they like and things they have done. We also have information writing, writing "How To" and "All About Books" , and Opinion writing where students learn to express their opinions on topics, and explain why.  This often is done through letter writing.

Here children use inventive spelling, and write the sounds they hear.  As their skills grow in this area, their spelling improves, and more standard spelling appears.  The focus however remains on the purpose of the writing- sharing and communicating their stories.

Here is a video showing Writers Workshop in our class.