English and Language Arts Program
The Language Arts curriculum at Saint Bridget School consists of courses which develop the skills of reading, written and oral expression, listening and meaningful vocabulary development; tools that are essential for learning, personal expression, and future educational success. These are the tools by which students demonstrate their acquisition of knowledge in all content areas. The objectives are to insure students achieve a level of reading competency and reading comprehension; basic skills of proper usage and the more complex skill of communication through extended writing in diverse forms; and basic skills of organized expression of thoughts through various forms of oral communication. The student is provided with a variety of experiences on all levels in order to become a logical thinker, proficient reader, effective writer, confident speaker and a careful listener. As students develop these skills, the tasks required of them will become increasingly more complex in both content and organization.
Goals Of The English/Language Arts Program
- Reading
- Students use a variety of grade level materials, applying strategies appropriate to various situations.
- Students read classic and contemporary fiction, nonfiction, and basal texts including materials recognizing cultural differences.
- Students use a variety of comprehension strategies, including prediction, sequencing, cause/effect, fact/opinion, main idea, compare/contrast, vocabulary development, summarizing, drawing conclusions, and making inferences.
- Students analyze stories and literature for the literary elements of main idea, point of view, plot and conflict, setting, and characterization.
- Students identify and describe the literary techniques/devices of similes, metaphors, personification, flashback, and foreshadowing.
- Students recognize a universal theme in literature (i.e., survival, prejudice, war, etc.).
- Students read informational materials to produce oral or written work that relates new information to prior knowledge and experiences, summarizes information, and makes connections to related topics.
- Writing
- Students use the John Collins "Writing Across the Curriculum" process of prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing to create descriptive, narrative, and expository writing for various purposes and audiences in all subject areas.
- Students write for a variety of purposes and audiences with sophistication and complexity appropriate to the grade level.
- Students in Grades 3-8 use the Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Instruction Program, which supports the core reading program.
- Students write logically, chronologically, and coherently with strong beginnings, supporting sentences, transition, and conclusions.
- Students use word processing capabilities to draft, edit, and present final copies.
- Listening
- Students listen for a variety of purposes appropriate to the grade level.
- Students follow a series of oral directions and apply information necessary for the completion of tasks.
- Students demonstrate active listening skills such as paraphrasing, appropriate feedback, eye contact, body language, note taking, and questioning.
- Students listen to another’s point of view in resolving conflict, increasing knowledge, and expanding ideas.
- Students explain speaker’s purpose.
- Speaking
- Students speak for a variety of purposes and audiences with sophistication and complexity appropriate to the grade level.
- Students use traits of effective speaking including a solid idea with content, organization, audience appeal, and conventions (eye contact, posture, poise, gestures, enunciation, and volume) in formal and informal situations.
- Students participate in classroom discussions by speaking to the topic, asking relevant questions, speaking in turn, and respecting others’ ideas.
- Students offer and accept constructive criticism.
- Students select appropriate multi-media tools to enhance oral presentations.
