Language Arts

The Language Arts are incorporated into Caedmon’s curriculum in a developmentally appropriate manner throughout all of our classrooms.

Using research-based methods for delivery and instruction in the areas of reading, writing and vocabulary, and speaking and listening, our students demonstrate passion and derive great meaning from the world around them. We invite you to learn more about our Language Arts program below.

Reading

Every reader is unique and our faculty supports each child in developing his or her reading and comprehension skills in a variety of ways. Teachers engage in ongoing assessments to determine independent and instructional reading levels. Children choose books from their classroom libraries as well as the school library, at their own appropriate reading level, to read during frequent “Drop Everything And Read” (DEAR) periods. During daily reading periods,  teachers gather the class to present a new reading skill or strategy, or they form small groups of children based on instructional level, and work on specific skills in “guided reading” sessions. In addition to these sessions, our children read short stories, both fiction and non-fiction, and answer both implicit and explicit comprehension questions , and summarize the texts in their own words. This directly supports developing comprehension skills and strengthens children’s test-taking skills.

Writing and Vocabulary

At all levels, our children engage in the recursive writing process of brainstorming, drafting, revising, and editing. At the early levels, the children work closely with a teacher to put their thoughts on paper, with the focus on develop­ing and communicating ideas. The Montessori Grammar curriculum is introduced in our lower elementary grades, and as children study grammar, spelling, and vocabulary, their teachers support them in applying the lessons to their writing through small group and individual conferences. Children learn to be constructive critics of their own work, as well as that of their peers, and become skilled at communicating their understanding of a topic, or their vision of a fictional place or event. During each year children explore and experiment with writing in many different genres, including fiction, opinion, information, narrative, poetry, and memoir. At the higher levels children learn to write research and analytical essays. Older students study the etymology of vocabulary words, so that they can dismantle a word into meaningful parts (root, pre-fix, suffix) and discover the reasons behind its definition as well as its position in a network of related words. For Third, Fourth and Fifth graders, Latin class provides an important forum for the exploration of English etymology and enhances their understanding of the English vocabulary.

Speaking and Listening

At Caedmon, we are conscious of the power of language. Throughout their career at the school, students work to refine the clarity of their expression. Our classrooms are interactive, responsive environments in which collaboration and dialogue are highly valued. Throughout each class day, students enjoy a myriad of forums for the development of their speaking and listening skills. During daily morning meetings, students and teachers greet one another and discuss their plans for the school day. Classwork is cooperative and project-driven, and there are many opportunities to present work to classmates, teachers, and other members of the Caedmon community. Students engage in dialogue about the published texts that they study together, thus continuing to develop fluency in their oral expression. Frequent public speaking provides the opportunity for students to develop their confidence and poise.