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Executive Summary for K-12 Language ArtsPurpose StatementThe K-12 Language Arts Curriculum is Easton, Redding, and Region 9’s (ER9) plan for instruction. It provides the framework for what students need to know and be able to do in order to apply the language arts in a real world environment. Guiding PrinciplesThe language arts curriculum is framed by a set of guiding principles taken directly from the Connecticut Common Core of Learning and the Connecticut Framework that ensures that all students will develop proficiency, confidence, and fluency in reading, writing, listening, speaking, and viewing to meet the literacy demands of the 21st century. This expectation includes the following program goals:
Standards
The Language Arts Committee has adopted the content standards from the Connecticut Framework (Scroll down to Language Arts) for language arts that are developmentally sequenced for K-4, 5-8, and 9-12. Performance standards, against which students are measured, are listed under the content standards. The curriculum is presented at each grade level using the content and skills that are developmentally appropriate. These are laid out in the Language Arts Competency Grid and the Vertical Skill Documents (grades 6-10). Each grade level curriculum contains key text lessons and common assessments that are directly aligned to state standards. The CurriculumThe Language Arts Committee designed the curriculum around the concept of a Learning Spiral. Within the framework of the K-12 structure, language arts concepts and skills are introduced and reinforced at specific grade levels. Student have many opportunities to demonstrate mastery of these concepts and skills within increasingly complex learning environments. The K-12 curriculum is designed to use grades K-3 as the developmental phase of learning where a number of language arts concepts and skills are introduced and reinforced, but are not yet mastered by students. All students are expected to have developed mastery in the basic reading skills by the end of grade 3. As students move through grades 4 and 5, they begin to demonstrate mastery of some developmentally appropriate concepts and skills. In this developmental phase, students read from a combination of required and supplementary literature titles and respond to them using more and more complex skills of writing, listening, and speaking. Students complete common, locally developed assessments aligned closely to the language arts standards designated for these primary and elementary years. Students take the first Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) in the fall of grade four. Instruction in grades 6-8 is designed to have students demonstrate mastery in language arts concepts and skills through specific common assessments aligned closely with an agreed to set of language arts standards for the middle grades. These learning experiences are also structured around a core of common literature titles selected for each grade level. In addition to the common assessments, students take the CMT’s in language arts in the fall of grade six and eight. When students enter the high school, they pursue two years of English I and II were the instruction reinforces previous concepts and skills, but require the student to demonstrate competency in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and literary analysis at much more sophisticated levels. Students demonstrate these competencies on the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT) given in the spring of the sophomore year. Students complete the language arts requirement by successfully completing English III and IV and at least two electives selected from the language arts course of studies. Types of InstructionTeachers use a variety of instructional strategies to deliver and build language arts concepts and skills with students. These include directed instruction with the teacher working with the whole class to introduce a concept or skill. The teacher will also use structured questioning to lend productive discussions about the material. In addition, the teacher will employ a variety of grouping strategies designed to have students construct their own literary interpretations. Students will do independent work by completing homework or by completing performance-based tasks applying the appropriate language arts concepts and skills to authentic situations. The Language Arts Committee has developed "Writing Tools" for the various grade levels. By linking to your son or daughter’s school and the appropriate grade or courses, you can examine sample lessons or descriptions of learning activities that are generally used by language arts teachers. You can link there now by clicking on one of the hyper links below. At the school's Web page, click on curriculum and follow the path to the appropriate grade level. If you choose to link to a school now, remember you can return to this page by using your browser back button. Types of Assessment Directly Aligned to the Language Arts CurriculumCommon Assessments Teachers in ER9 have developed common assessments for each grade level to evaluate student progress with respect to the specific standards listed for the grade level or in the course of study. These assessments can have a variety of formats, i.e. quizzes, exams and performance-based applications of language arts. If you want to view samples of these assessments, please click on the link to the Learner's Palette and click again on the Writing Process or Reading for Understanding. This will take you to particular assessment instruments with samples of student work and how they have been evaluated against specific language arts standards. There are a variety of scoring rubrics that are used:
Students keep writing folders every year structured around specific writing standards for that year. In the middle of the junior year, all students submit a writing portfolio for assessment by the professional staff. The portfolio has very specific requirements for what goes in it and what concepts and skills are assessed. The high school is in the initial stages of introducing a similar portfolio assessment for reading. Connecticut Assessment In addition to these common assessments, the State of Connecticut assesses students on the various language arts skills through the administration of the CMT at grades 4, 6, and 8. Students take the CAPT in the spring of grade 10 and may repeat it in grades 11 and 12, if they choose to make the goal standard that is considered a high level of mastery. Recording Student Performance Since the curriculum activities and assessments are closely aligned to specific language arts concepts and standards, the teachers use a variety of recording devices to track each student's progress as measured against the standards. These devices include:
SummaryThe K-12 Language Arts Curriculum is consistently delivered in all grade levels and at each school. It is aligned closely to state and national standards. Teachers have developed common approaches to instruction that are represented in sample lessons closely aligned with core literature selections. These can be located at the school level of the Web site. The students are assessed using an agreed upon set of assessments directly aligned to the content and skill standards appropriate to the grade level. As you explore different facets of the language arts curriculum, you may generate questions or feed back. Please click on the Web master name below to communicate with us. |
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