Our elementary English Language Arts Program develops a strong functional literacy in reading, writing, listening, and speaking to facilitate learning in all areas of the curriculum. The New York State English Language Arts Standards and Core Curriculum are the basis of our locally developed Scope and Sequence of skills and processes. Reading and Writing Grade by Grade and Every Child Reading have also influenced our program. Subsequently, through our program students:
- read, listen, and respond to a variety of fiction and nonfiction materials.
- learn strategies through Guided Reading to recognize and decode unfamiliar words.
- learn strategies to increase comprehension skills and build vocabulary.
- develop communication skills through purposeful listening, speaking, oral reading, and on demand writings as well as the use of the writing process.
- learn to use reference materials and to organize information to communicate in a variety of ways.
Katie Weiss K-5 Chairperson
Bolivar Road Elementary
Chittenango Middle School offers a comprehensive and demanding English Language Arts program whose primary goal is to challenge its students in such a way as to inspire increased levels of literacy in its student body. To this end students at all grade levels are trained to read fiction and nonfiction for thoughtful literary response, analysis, and synthesis of information for written response. It is the belief of our department that purposeful reading and writing in the classroom helps cultivate a more thoughtful and informed student body.
The ultimate end to these efforts is the NYS ELA 6, 7, and 8 Examinations. These examinations are intended to test the schools of each district across the state in accordance with a rigid set of comprehensive standards.
Sarah Rife, 6-8 Chairperson
Chittenango Middle School
The English/Language Arts Program at the high school has three main objectives: to prepare our students for the tests that will be required for post secondary education, to continue the emphasis on the New York State Standards and to provide interesting extracurricular actives that support interest in English. The standards; reading, writing, listening and speaking are supported during each of the four years. Ninth, tenth and eleventh grade students must take general survey courses that include reading of various genre (poetry, plays, short stories and drama), listening exercises which include listening to peers as well as to instructors, delivering speeches to classmates and writing activities that complement the other three activities. Specifically, students will write essays that are similar to the ones required on the New York State Regents which is administered at the conclusion of their junior year. These essays are done in addition to many other types of writing assignments that are designed to prepare students for college. Further, grammar. vocabulary and spelling are emphasized on all levels to help students to write and speak correctly and to be successful on the SAT and/or the ACT tests which are requirements for entrance to most colleges.
As seniors, students may concentrate on specific English courses that fit their needs for the future. For example, that may take Creative Writing, Humanities, Journalism, Great Books, Public Speaking or English 12, which is again a survey course but emphasizes such skills as resume and application writing.
The High School English Program is supported by several extracurricular clubs that provide students with opportunities to have fun while pursuing a special interest. These include the student newspaper entitled The Bear Facts, the literary magazine called Fine Lines, the Mock trial Team, the fall play and the spring musical.
Chris Cashman, 9-12 Chairperson
Chittenango High School
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