+ Language Arts

The Beginners program strives to create a literacy-rich environment, which fosters curiosity and a love of reading and writing. This is done through constant exposure to books and environmental print and opportunities for informal and teacher-directed writing. Language activities are designed to lay the groundwork for developing skills in listening, following directions, reading readiness, communicating with others, and creative thinking.

A set of B- Grade VIII standards provides the framework for our work in language arts. Below are some of the skills we expect Beginners to develop in Language Arts over the course of the year.

Maintaining focus and listening to others
Contributing during meetings and discussions
Following multi-step oral directions
Developing a love of literature
Recognizing and naming all uppercase letters
Demonstrating letter-sound correspondence for most letters
Writing name and recognizing most classmates’ names
Identifying and generating rhyming words and alliteration
Clapping or counting syllables in words of up to three syllables
Engaging in different kinds of writing, such as labels, letters, and stories
Developing an understanding of character, setting, and plot
Self-identifying as a story-teller and author

One way we incorporate these skills into our program is through our multi-step Build A Story Project. Students generate characters and settings, build them in 3-D with various materials, and author and illustrate their own imaginative stories. Many literacy opportunities arise in our dramatic play area, where students write menus, signs, letters, and lists as part of their play. Students also see connections between literacy and other subject areas as they speak, read, and write about their observations and discoveries.

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