Saint Odilo Catholic School
Saint Odilo Curriculum 2005-06

Language Arts - Language Arts I

Language Arts

The Standards for the English Language Arts center around three core beliefs:
    * "First, we believe that standards are needed to prepare students for the literacy requirements of the future as well as the present. Changes in technology and society have altered and will continue to alter the ways in which we use language to communicate and to think. Students must be prepared to meet these demands."
    * "Second, we believe that standards can articulate a shared vision of what the nation's teachers, literacy researchers, teacher educators, parents, and others expect students to attain in the English language arts, and what we can do to ensure that this vision is realized."
    * "Third, we believe that standards are necessary to promote high educational expectations for all students and to bridge the documented disparities that exist in educational opportunities. Standards can help us ensure that all students become informed citizens and participate fully in society." The Illinois Learning Standards for English Language Arts goals and standards were developed using the 1985 State Goals for Language Arts, various state and national standards drafts, and local education standards contributed by team members. Through the achievement of these goals and standards, students will gain proficiency in the language skills that are basic to all learning, critical to success in the workplace and essential to life as productive citizens.

English language arts includes reading, writing, speaking, listening and the study of literature. In addition, students must be able to study, retain and use information from many sources. Through the study of the English language arts, students should be able to read fluently, understanding a broad range of written materials. They must be able to communicate well and listen carefully and effectively. They should develop a command of the language and demonstrate their knowledge through speaking and writing for a variety of audiences and purposes. As students progress, a structured study of literature will allow them to recognize universal themes and to compare styles and ideas across authors and eras.

Through Applications of Learning, students demonstrate and deepen their understanding of basic knowledge and skills. These applied learning skills cross academic disciplines and reinforce the important learning of the disciplines. The ability to use these skills will greatly influence students' success in school, in the workplace and in the community.

SOLVING PROBLEMS - Recognize and investigate problems; formulate and propose solutions supported by reason and evidence.

Solving problems demands that students be able to read and listen, comprehend ideas, ask and answer questions, clearly convey their own ideas through written and oral means, and explain their reasoning. Comprehending reading materials and editing and revising writing are in themselves forms of complex problem solving. The ability to locate, acquire and organize information from various sources, print and electronic, is essential to solving problems involving research. In all fields - - English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and others, the command of language is essential in stating and reasoning through problems and conveying results.

COMMUNICATING - Express and interpret information and ideas.

Communication is the essence of English language arts, and communication surrounds us today in many forms. Individuals and groups of people exchange ideas and information - -oral and written - - at lunch tables, through newspapers and magazines, and through radio, television and on-line computer services. From the simplest, shortest conversations to the most complex technical manuals, language is the basis of all human communication. A strong command of reading, writing, speaking and listening is vital for communicating in the home, school, workplace and beyond.

USING TECHNOLOGY - Use appropriate instruments, electronic equipment, computers and networks to access information, process ideas and communicate results.

Computers and telecommunications have become basic means for creating messages and relaying information. In offices and homes, people write using word processors. Audio and visual media are used for both creative and practical forms of communication. The use of on-line services is now commonplace among researchers, authors, farmers and auto mechanics. Skilled use of these technologies provides students with necessary opportunities to search and process information, be in touch with experts, prepare documents, and learn and communicate in new, more effective ways.

WORKING ON TEAMS - Learn and contribute productively as individuals and as members of groups.

In sports, the workplace, family and elsewhere, teamwork requires skill in the use of language. People must speak clearly and listen well as they share ideas, plans, instructions and evaluations. In researching and bringing outside information to a team, individuals must be able to search, select and understand a variety of sources. Documenting progress and reporting results demand the ability to organize information and convey it clearly. Those who can read, write, speak and listen well are valuable contributors in any setting where people are working together to achieve shared goals.

MAKING CONNECTIONS - Recognize and apply connections of important information and ideas within and among learning areas.

The parts of English language arts are closely interconnected. Reading and writing provide the means to receive and send written messages. Likewise, listening and speaking enable people to receive and send oral information. Speaking and writing are the creative components, while listening and reading are the receptive components of language through which people access knowledge and demonstrate its applications. Proficiency in these skills clearly supports learning in all academic areas. The Terra Nova Multiple Assessments for Reading/Language Arts "reflects current instructional practices. The skills essential for effective communication - - reading comprehension, language, vocabulary, and study skills - - are integrated into one test to provide a coherent assessment experience.

To help student succeed, the directions, passages, and test questions are linked by themes that provide context and stimulate interest. The arrangement of test questions leads to a deepening engagement with the material, much like the process a thoughtful teacher uses in exploring text with students.

The test reflects the diverse cultures and ethnic backgrounds and experiences of contemporary students, with the goal of providing equity in assessing achievement. It involves the students in constructing meaning, monitoring their own comprehension strategies, and thinking critically and creatively in response to texts." In Language Arts, students concentrate on reading operations, writing, speaking, and listening. Students engage in projects which require them to apply language arts skills in real-world contexts. In this area students concentrate on reading operations, writing, speaking, and listening. Students engage in projects which require them to apply language arts skills in real-world contexts.

Language Arts I

In this course students learn to construct meaning from newspapers, periodicals, resource materials, and fiction appropriate to the grade level, and to analyze the concrete and abstract elements of literature. Course work includes studying how language arts topics are related to each other, and to subjects across the curriculum. Students engage in activities which require them to practice transferring language skills (language mechanics, grammar, and spelling) to original written works. The course emphasizes the need for students to learn to identify, understand, and solve problems in real-world contexts.