LANGUAGE ARTS AND READING
...ding opportunities or to reinforce specific skills. READING Students need to read widely in order to expand comprehension to higher levels, to increase vocabulary, to increase reading rate, to explore a variety of literary forms, and to develop a positive attitude toward reading. Moreover, reading enables students to think beyond themselves, to understand alternative viewpoints and ways of life, and to experience the richness of cultural heritage. The Language Arts program enables students to reach these goals by focusing on two types of reading experiences: independent (self-selected) reading and structured reading and discussion. Skill building is an important element of both types of experiences. Students read most enthusiastically, and often with the greatest comprehension, when they have ownership in the reading process. As often as possible, they need to select their own reading materials, set their own purposes for reading, and determine their own reading rates. Independent reading gives students a chance to enhance their acquired skills, as well as opening them to worlds unknown. Our independent reading program expects that students are reading self-selected reading materials as part of the schoolwork/homework routine every day. Teacher-student interaction is in the form of journal entries, formal oral book presentations and projects, or informal conversations and activities. The Middle School Recommended Reading List is available to all students and their parents. Structured literature lessons encourage students to expand their reading experiences by exposing them to a wide variety of literature. At each grade level, certain ¡°core literature¡± titles have been selected for use in reading instruction. Teachers design activities to hel...