Communication is essential to a successful life. At Thea Bowman Preparatory Academy, our goal is to challenge each student to read, write, speak, listen, and think with precision and imagination. Our students will engage in a variety of learning activities that will teach them how to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate what they read, hear, and observe. Through classroom discussion and personal reflection, they will draw on their experiences, on their interaction with others , on their knowledge of word meanings, and on their understanding of the written word to enable them to think critically and imaginatively. Our students will apply their knowledge and their understanding of the conventions, techniques, genres, and use of figurative language to write and to discuss print and non-print media critically and creatively. They will develop an understanding of language use, patterns, and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles by reading selections from a wide range of world literature, including the classics.
Our language arts program is based on these four principles:
Reading must be integrative. Thea Bowman Preparatory Academy’s students will be proficient readers by the time they graduate, having explored their world through quality literature that crosses the subjects, cultures, and human history. In addition to the books read in class, students will read independently from a comprehensive list of novels prepared for each grade level. Through the promotion of reading across the curriculum and by having a literature-rich environment we will produce strong, fluent, and lifelong readers.
Literate people write in clear, concise, organized language that varies in content and form for different audiences and purposes. Our students will be prepared to communicate using technology, whose foundation is in the ability to express their thoughts in writing. In writer’s workshop, our students will learn about techniques to make writing effective. Teachers will instruct students in techniques based on author and genre studies and provide guided practice so that students can develop writing skills with confidence. Core reading and writing activities will develop each student's writing abilities. Students will work to complete at least nine pieces of writing each year. From creative writing activities to research and reporting, our students will write to express points of view and share information, and use writing as a tool for self discovery and personal expression. Literate people speak for a variety of purposes and audiences. Our students will learn to acquire information from a variety of sources and practice presenting it for a variety of purposes. Socially interactive environments within each classroom foster an appreciation of language that encourages students to listen, question, discuss, debate and share all that they learn. This principle will produce articulate and expressive students. Literate people gather information using technology and a variety of media sources. Thea Bowman Preparatory Academy will provide students with a variety of multimedia experiences. Through use and observation, students will form a critical perspective and be responsible and effective users of innovative communication tools and technology. Making sense of their information rich environment requires visual literacy as well as an attentive ear. Thea Bowman Preparatory Academy believes that all teachers are responsible for teaching reading and to support this principle our Literacy Specialist will work closely with classroom teachers to provide them with strategies to support our schools’ literacy goals. Our language arts and reading curriculum in grades five and six is supported by Reading Street and is published by Pearson/Scott-Foresman, 2008.
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