Dr. Kara Tanner
English Language Arts Coordinator K-5
Phone 203-452-2923 X3301
Learning to read and write ought to be one of the most joyful and successful of human undertakings. - Don Holloway
Living a literate life is the right of every childhood. Helping children grow into adults whose lives are enriched by the reading and writing they do every day and whose futures offer every opportunity is my goal.
The Monroe Public Schools are committed to the language and literacy development of each child in our district. We provide a strong language arts program that incorporates best practices in reading and writing following a continuum of literacy learning.
In the primary classrooms, phonemic awareness and direct phonics instruction is part of every day. Best practices include Shared Read Aloud, Interactive Writing, Shared Writing, Guided Reading Groups, Skills and Strategies Groups, and Readers and Writers Workshop. Students engage in discussions, and write about the books they are reading. They are introduced to a variety of genres which include literature such as fables, folk tales, and poetry. Students also read informational texts, as well as biographies, and memoirs.
Our upper elementary classrooms build on the foundations begun in the primary grades. There is an expanded focus on word work to include Latin and Greek prefixes and suffixes to build vocabulary meaning. Greater emphasis is placed on comprehension. Teachers focus on developing readers' strategic actions to think about the texts they are reading. As the stories become more complex students will learn to analyze author's point of view and craft. Further emphasis is placed on writing in response to reading and citing evidence from their reading. Informational writing and writing to form an opinion will be a key focus. Students will also expand their knowledge of using and integrating print and digital media to research topics.
The reading and writing language arts curriculum is aligned to the Common Core State Standards. Our mission is to provide our students with twenty first century skills.