Language Arts
Our English Language Arts department is committed to developing literate students who demonstrate the reading, writing, and critical thinking skills necessary to make them successful in today's global society. By engaging with rich and diverse texts across a variety of genres, time periods, perspectives, and cultures, students will be prepared to navigate complex concepts and acquire the skills necessary for living and learning in the 21st century.
Resources
- ELA/ELD Framework
- Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects
K-5 Readers and Writers Workshop
The Reading and Writing Project’s approach to instruction recognizes that “one size fits all” does not match the realities of the classrooms and schools in which they work. When you walk into a workshop classroom at any given moment, you’ll see instruction that is designed to:
- help teachers address each child’s individual learning,
- explicitly teach strategies students will use not only the day they are taught, but whenever they need them,
- support small-group work and conferring, with multiple opportunities for personalizing instruction,
- tap into the power of a learning community as a way to bring all learners along,
- build choice and assessment-based learning into the very design of the curriculum,
- help students work with engagement so that teachers are able to coach individuals and lead small groups.
The routines and structures of reading and writing workshop are kept simple and predictable so that the teacher can focus on the complex work of teaching in a responsive manner to accelerate achievement for all learners.
K-2 Fundations
Fundations® utilizes a structured literacy approach grounded in the science of reading to make learning to read fun while laying the groundwork for lifelong literacy. The program’s research-based approach and extensive materials allows teachers to confidently present a carefully structured reading, spelling, and handwriting curriculum using engaging, multisensory techniques. Fundations is aligned with the science of reading and guides teachers to provide effective instructional practices. Fundations will be a supplemental program integrated into our existing ELA curriculum.
K-5 Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI)
The Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention is a powerful, short-term intervention that provides intensive, small-group instruction, which supplements classroom literacy teaching. LLI uses engaging leveled books with systematically designed lessons. LLI is utilized in the classroom as a means to personalize learning.
6-8 StudySync
StudySync ELA is a comprehensive ELA curriculum for students in grades 6-8 that is designed to meet the rigorous academic needs of today's classroom. HBCSD implements StudySync online to engage students. The StudySync curriculum includes:
- Integrated reading and writing.
- Embedded skills lessons focusing on comprehension, reading, writing, and research.
- Lessons that emphasize explicit vocabulary instruction, language acquisition, and reading comprehension.
- Extended writing instruction through a combination of writing process and skill lessons guide students through the stages of planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.
- Self, peer, and teacher evaluations are embedded in every unit lesson.
Resources: