Reading/English Language Arts
Reading/ English Language Arts deals with the development of literacy. The Reading/ English Language Arts program is committed to enabling all students to become life-long readers, writers, listeners, and speakers. All of these processes are recursive in nature which necessitates an understanding that growth and development are never-ending. This is accomplished through systematic instruction that focuses on the development of attitudes, strategies, and processes which empower students to become active listeners, proficient speakers, and independent readers, writers, and thinkers. Early intervention opportunities are provided to foster students' reading and language acquisition. Students of Prince George's County Public Schools will be able to demonstrate proficiency on assessments which measure program outcomes.
Literature, Informational text, and language comprise the content of and frame the processes in the Reading/Language Arts program. The program integrates the processes of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Through writing and speaking students compose language to express, create, and synthesize knowledge. Through reading and listening, students interpret language to derive meaning, to stimulate thoughts and feelings, and to learn. These four processes (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) are the vehicles for communication that provide the foundation for school success.
Language is a system of signs through and within which we represent and make sense of the world and of ourselves. The study of language is reflected in three major strands in our curriculum: oral language, reading, and writing. Oral language is a cooperative interaction between listener and speaker. Through social interactions, using the language they hear around them from birth, students entering school have developed vocabulary syntax, and underlying rules of grammar that give meaning to the world as they see it. Reading is the process of constructing meaning from written text. It is a complex skill requiring the coordination of a number of interrelated sources of information. The nature of reading is based upon five generalizations:
Reading is a constructive process.
Reading must be fluent.
Reading must be strategic
Reading requires motivation.
Reading is a continuously developing process.
Writing is a disciplined way of making meaning by generating text and a powerful method used to monitor thinking. The writing process includes the stages of pre- writing, drafting, revisiting, proofreading, and publishing. The process is guided by the following constructs:
Writing is recursive-the writer passes through the process many times, emphasizing different stages each time.
Writing requires a response-writers learn best when they are encouraged to write and then share the writing with others to discover strengths and needs.
Writing is an interaction of content and personal voice with language conventions and grammar.
Reading and writing do not exist in a vacuum. The link between reading and writing is crucial. It is vitally important that teachers understand the power between this relationship and the importance of both processes in teaching students how to read and write. Therefore, the approach to reading/language arts instruction should be integrated and should flow together in a seamless fashion.
Reading instruction incorporates the teaching and modeling of both reading strategies and skills in meaningful contexts. The teacher must be a facilitator, observer, and analyzer of students as they interact with text. Students must apply their reading strategies and skills as they read text. Writing instruction incorporates the teaching and modeling of the writing process, writing strategies, and grammar and usage skills. Teachers must be facilitators, observers, and analyzers of students as they interact with the writing process and the writing purposes. Students must apply their writing strategies and skills as they write text.
Instruction in phonics, spelling, and vocabulary is also integral to a balanced reading and English language arts program and should be part of the daily instructional plan.
Balanced Reading Program
A Balanced Reading Program is the core reading program for Prince George's County Public Schools. All teachers and support staff receive ongoing training throughout the year on this new framework. The Balanced Reading Program is made up of five components that provide a comprehensive program that is research based. It combines the development of phonological awareness skills with literature-rich activities, and provides practical assistance to children as they learn to read:
Phonemic Awareness - the ability to hear, identify, and utilize individual sounds - or phonemes - in spoken words
Phonics - the relationship between the letters of written language and the sounds of spoken language.
Fluency - the capacity to read text accurately and quickly.
Vocabulary - the words students must know to communicate effectively
Comprehension - the ability to understand and gain meaning from what has been read.
ISSC; 9201 East Hampton Drive; Capitol Heights, MD 20748
TEL: 301-808-8284 Middle and High School Programs
TEL: 301-808-8280 Elementary Program