The Language Arts program encourages the integration of reading, writing, speaking, listening and critical thinking with the learning of language skills in meaningful context. Emphasis is on providing instruction and promoting a love of reading for all students
The daily teaching and learning activities used in the classroom ensure that:
- Students receive direct instruction according to their needs
- Students are immersed in reading and have daily opportunities to read
- Reading, writing, listening, and speaking are integrated since development in one area supports development in others.
- Reading is taught throughout the day in all subjects.
The Oak Knoll reading program contains an organized explicit skills program of phonemic awareness, phonics, and decoding skills to address the needs of the emergent reader. Students move from learning to read in to K-3 program to reading to learn in grades 4 and 5. Students must be able to read narrative and expository text fluently and accurately. They must recognize increasingly complex words, analyze idioms, analogies, and metaphors to infer literal and figurative meaning.
Oak Knoll provides a powerful early intervention program for students at risk of failure in reading. Two full time reading teachers provide one on one and small group remedial instruction
Oak Knoll employs the strategies of, Six Traits Writing, to help ensure that students learn to write clear coherent and focused essays and research projects. By grade five, students are expected to extend their writing applications as they compose narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive works of 500-700 words.