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Language Arts

I. Philosophy

The Language Arts Department strives to prepare students as life-long readers and writers who use these skills to be resourceful, independent, and responsible thinkers. In each student, we aspire to cultivate an understanding and appreciation of literature and writing as an expression of human experience and an integral form of communication. Throughout each division, the curriculum is rich, innovative, and demanding, with an emphasis on learning through doing while embracing the process approach in developing competency as readers and writers. Across the curriculum, we emphasize in-depth study to enhance comprehension and application. Each division assesses and evaluates its students using developmentally appropriate assessment tools. Across divisions, teachers individualize book selections and writing assignments based on the students’ learning styles.

II. Performance Goals and Objectives

The goals and performance objectives for the Language Arts department are as follows:

  1. Critical thinking vs. rote memory
  2. Sequential and developmentally appropriate materials and curriculum
  3. Process approach to learning
  4. Cross- curricular connections
  5. Literature groups and assigned roles

III. Instructional Strategies

The instructional strategies employed by all grades to accomplish these goals are as follows:

  1. Traditional Strategies
    1. Such traditional methods as described at all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy
      1. Knowledge
      2. Comprehension
      3. Application
      4. Synthesis
      5. Evaluation
  2. Experience-based Strategies
    1. The following strategies, which include such current educational theories as Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and the 4Mat lesson design system are used by all grades, depending upon the needs of the students and the material presented:
      1. Active writing assignments
      2. Multi-sensory projects
      3. Current technological devices and material
      4. Interdisciplinary approaches
      5. Cooperative learning groups and projects
      6. Interpersonal activities
      7. Field trips
      Click here for Collabotation Goes Global, a published article written by Middle School English Teacher, Mrs. Gutierrez, on her 7th grade class' collaboration with a class in Marblehead, Mass.
  3. Guest speakers
  4. Journals

IV. Assessment Techniques

To assure that the Language Arts Department and its students are meeting these goals, the following assessment techniques are applied:

  1. Teacher observation
  2. Oral and written observation
  3. Homework
  4. Class participation
  5. Class work
  6. Oral and written presentations
  7. Conferencing
  8. Teacher-generated and text-generated testing

Upper School English Courses

These courses have been offered over the last few years:

Required
World Literature And Composition (English 9)
European Literature And Composition (English 10)
American Literature And Composition (English 11)
Literary Research And Analysis (English 12)
Public Speaking

Electives
AP English
Creative Writing