Philosophy Statement 

The goal of language arts instruction in Community Consolidated School District 59 is that all students will have the opportunity and resources to develop competent language skills.
Through the integration of reading, writing, listening, speaking and viewing, students will be immersed in the literacy skills that will enable them to become informed, literate and productive members of society, now and in the future.

Students are expected to accomplish the following State of Illinois Goals in reading:

• Read with understanding and fluency
• Read and understand literature representative of various societies, eras, and ideas

Through reading instruction students learn the skills and strategies to comprehend literature as well as written material in all subject areas. The aims are to develop an appreciation for reading as a life-long skill and to enable students to independently read different kinds of books with understanding. The district curriculum uses a balanced literacy framework that includes a variety of reading experiences:

• teachers read aloud to students to model good reading practices;
• teachers work to provide instruction and practice in the use the reading skills and strategies;
• students read independently for enjoyment and learning.

Children of different ability levels are appropriately challenged and supported through a combination of whole class and small group instruction. The skills and strategies necessary for effective reading are also taught and reinforced during the study of the school subjects, such as science, social science and math. The instruction in the primary grades (K-1-2) provides a foundation of reading and literacy experiences for students to become proficient readers.

Language Arts (Writing, Speaking, Listening)
As well as reading, instruction in language arts addresses the development of other communication skills: writing, listening and speaking. Students are expected to accomplish the following State of Illinois Goals:

• Write to communicate for a variety of purposes
• Listen and speak effectively in a variety of situations
• Use the language arts to acquire, assess, and communicate information

In the primary grades much time is devoted to reading instruction. The skills taught in reading enhance growth in writing. The Illinois Primary Writing Rubric is used as a framework for teaching and evaluating writing. The rubric requires students to understand the concepts of focus, support/elaboration, organization, and conventions in written work.

Teachers in the primary grades structure activities to develop and practice effective communication skills during the study of all subject areas such as science, math and social science. The instructional program in the primary grades emphasizes continued growth in written and oral communication to lay the foundation for future school work.