The teaching of reading, writing, and oral communication permeates the entire curriculum, but receives special emphasis in the language arts program. Teachers place great importance on providing a language-rich environment throughout the school. A variety of books and teaching methods provides for the sequential acquisition and reinforcement of decoding and comprehension skills, which form the core of the reading curriculum for students in first through third grades. Upper-grade students use both basal texts and selected paperbacks in their reading curriculum. Spelling, vocabulary development, and the mechanics of grammar are taught in conjunction with the reading program and in the context of writing assignments.
Writing is a vital part of the language arts program.
Since students learn to write by writing, journals, book summaries, research reports, poetry, and the making of books all have a place in the curriculum. Oral communication is part of the daily experience in classrooms, as students respond to reading and writing, both formally and spontaneously.