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Showcasing the Pride of Methacton

January 2020

Showcasing thePride of MethactonJanuary 2020

Feature of the Month: English Language Arts Program

As part of our monthly “Showcasing the Pride of Methacton” newsletter, the Methacton School District is pleased to feature the English Language Arts (ELA) Program in this January edition.

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Language arts, oftentimes referred to as English Language Arts (ELA), is a core academic framework that has been developed to deepen the learners’ understanding of the English language through reading, writing and speaking. Each of Methacton School District’s 12 grades focuses on ELA to cultivate high academic achievement through engaging students in meaningful learning opportunities, which enhance their abilities to read, write, and communicate effectively.

Showcasing the Pride of Methacton - English Language Arts Program
Our Elementary Schools (grades K-4) focus on foundational skills: writing; reading and literature; and speaking and listening. Through the exploration of these areas, students receive instruction that promotes the decoding and comprehension of the written language. Text and supplemental materials are used to reinforce skill development and to foster the acquisition of a robust vocabulary that helps all students develop strong reading and writing skills at an early age.

The middle level – grades 5 through grades 8 – continues to build upon the development of those primary foundational skills: reading on-level text with accuracy; appropriate rate and expression; knowing and applying grade level phonics and word analysis; comprehension; vocabulary; speaking and listening; writing; and conventions. In the upper middle grades (7/8), we introduce opportunities to challenge all students within a higher rigor learning environment. The ELA curriculum here focuses on the parts of speech; the writing process; research, memoir and argumentative writing; poetry; plot elements; short stories and novels, with a focus on further development and love of independent reading, among other areas. The literacy standards are incorporated into the other subject areas such as social studies and science at this level.

Courses at the high school level continue to promote critical reading skills and response to different forms of literature. There are numerous elective, honors and AP courses that provide the rigor and challenge to not only continue love for literature, but prepares students to excel beyond their peers when entering college. The curriculum focus is vast and includes research, short stories and novels, poetry, literature and film, vocabulary development, College and Career Readiness, and analysis of text. A more extensive listing can be found here.