Language Arts

Reading

Reading provides students with a means of accessing the ideas, views and experiences of others. By using effective reading skills and strategies, students construct meaning and develop thoughtful and critical interpretations of a variety of texts.

With the focus on developing word recognition skills and comprehension strategies students will explore reading in a variety of ways such as:

  • silent reading (at home and at school)
  • reading aloud
  • novel studies
  • non-fiction research
  • poetry
  • reading buddies

Writing

Writing is a highly complex task that requires time, practise and hard work to master. Everyone is at different levels of ability for their writing, and hopefully through consistent practice we will all make improvements during the year. Through the the six traits of writing students will improve their ability to explore shape and clarify their thoughts, and to communicate them to others. The six traits are: Ideas, Voice, Word Choice, Organization Sentence Fluency and Conventions.

Writing projects focus on writing a sentence, paragraph, story (setting, character, events, conclusion), creative writing,  and non-fiction research.

 

Home Reading

Home reading is up and running in 4T. We are still working on making good choices for our Home Reading books and learning about the expectations for 4T's home reading.

 

Each student should be reading approximately 20 minutes a night, 5 nights a week. If a student misses a night, please make it up on a different night.

 

Along with reading a guided reading book at the RIGHT level, each student will be working on a written skill to help demonstrate their understanding of the book. For EACH SKILL:

  1. We will practice together in class.
  2. We will talk about what a good example looks like, and what it should NOT look like.
  3. Students will have the rest of the week to finish the written work in their HOME READING scribbler. Students should bring this home every night.
  4. Their written work will be due EVERY MONDAY MORNING. If they are unable to finish, we will work on it together during recesses until it is finished. If Monday is a holiday, it will be due the next school day.
  5. If a student finishes early, they are free to submit their Home Reading scribblers in class.
  6. Remember to KEEP reading even if you have finished your written response.
  7. The skills will start out at a level that all students should have no problem completing. They will continue to grow and develop during the school year, so check back often to see what skill we are working on.

Students should also be bringing home a Home Reading response journal. Unless otherwise noted, students should be working on a skill associated to the reading that they have learned in class.  Please check their agenda to know what skill the students are working on for that day. You can also check the Home Reading button on the previous screen (or click below). Each skill will last one or two weeks, unless otherwise noted. If students and/or parents are unsure of what they should be doing, please don't hesitate to contact me. If students have forgotten their scribbler at school, please have them write their responses on a piece of paper (Which they can later paste into their scribbler).

Students should be reading the same book at school (silent reading) and at home (Home Reading).

Please return their Home Reading book and scribbler to school every day.

 

Click HERE for examples of the current Home Reading skill.

 

Spelling

Spelling lists are available on this plone. Click HERE to access this list. I will go through the list with students on the first day of school for the week and discuss the meaning for each word. Spelling tests will occur on the last day of the week and will be returned the following week.

 

 

Click Here to access the Program of Studies for Language Arts.

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