The goal of the Secondary English Language Arts program is to create literate, thoughtful communicators, capable of controlling language effectively as they negotiate an increasingly complex and information-rich world. As students leave elementary school, they encounter new academic expectations such as analyzing varied and complex texts, developing arguments, synthesizing information from multiple sources, examining different perspectives, and engaging in self-reflection. Students work to acquire specific skills and strategies in reading literature, reading informational text, writing, speaking and listening, and language.