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Secondary English Language Arts > Program Philosophy
Secondary English
Program Philosophy
By the time they come to the
language arts classroom, learners have already internalized and
can use the basic structure of their language. A strong language
arts program builds upon this ability and fosters thoughtful,
fluent, and responsible use of the language.
However, children come to school
with varying degrees of language proficiency. In a pluralistic
society, the English language arts program addresses the needs
of all students. Each program tailors instruction to accommodate
the varying needs, abilities, knowledge, and experience of
learners.
The English language arts
curriculum has two purposes.
1. To enable students to gain
conscious control of their thought and language, and
2. To help students enjoy language as art and entertainment.
Both these aspects -- cognitive
and affective -- have content and process that are taught within
the context of a balanced, integrated program. Thus, English
language arts consists of six integrated elements: four
components of the communication process reading, writing,
speaking, and listening and the two content areas of language
and literature.
Speaking, writing, reading, and
listening involve similar processes. Each has a preliminary
stage during which the learner engages in preparatory activities
such as establishing a purpose for reading or generating ideas
for writing. In the next stage, the learner performs such
task-oriented behaviors as organizing ideas for a composition
and selecting information while reading or listening. In the
following stage the learner makes adjustments and changes
revises the organization of a paper, reviews the adequacy of
information gathered, or adjusts the content according to
listener feedback. Finally, in the evaluation stage the learner
determines the effectiveness of the communication. In each of
these stages, the learner studies and applies thinking skills.
Literature and language are the
content of the English language arts. The study of these content
areas includes their historical development and their various
structures. It gives students a sense of the capacity of
literature and language for both power and play the power to
express ideas and move people and the ability to entertain and
amuse. And it further enables students to appreciate the living,
changing nature of our language and literature.
Contact:
Zeleana Morris, Secondary Language Arts
Coordinator
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