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Our Vision of Literacy
Rockville Centre School District is committed to supporting our learners to develop as skilled and knowledgeable readers, writers, and communicators. Our Kindergarten through Fifth-grade teachers crafted a literacy vision for the district based on the science of learning:
We are all teachers of literacy. Our vision is to support learners in developing a passion for reading and writing by cultivating the skills and dispositions necessary to become effective listeners, speakers, readers, and writers. Our ultimate goal is to empower learners to become independent, productive problem solvers and lifelong learners who can successfully meet the challenges of an ever-changing diverse and global society.
We believe:
All children have the ability to learn,
Learning is a lifelong process,
Literacy is at the core of all learning and each component of literacy is equally important,
Literacy can empower our ability to communicate,
Differences and successes are celebrated,
Incorporating learners’ histories, experiences, and identities into reading and writing experiences is crucial,
Teachers and students together set attainable goals to become proficient, confident learners that perform to their fullest potential
Knowledge-Based Interdisciplinary Units
These interdisciplinary inquiry units enrich and fortify the fourth-grade curriculum by seamlessly weaving together Science, Studies, English Language Arts, and The Habits of Mind. The focus is on nurturing effective thinking habits, promoting critical thought, adaptability, and collaboration. These inquiry units for our fourth-grade students center around the essential question:
"To What Extent Are We In Our World Constantly Changing?"
This question propels exploration, research, and collaborative learning. Real-world examples highlight practical applications and collaborative group work encourages the sharing of ideas. Performance assessments provides opportunities for our learners to dive deeply into an area of exploration while showcasing their understanding and integration of the various content areas, theme, and essential question. This approach fosters an interactive environment, empowering students to establish meaningful connections between subjects and extend their skills beyond the classroom. Explore the five inquiry units below to see how we are nurturing a passion for learning!
Word Study
Our Word Study Program is an enriching educational approach designed to cultivate students' comprehension of words, encompassing meanings, spelling, phonics, and diverse language components. This guide outlines a comprehensive strategy to amplify students' vocabulary, bolster reading comprehension, and fortify overall language skills by systematically exploring word structures and patterns. Our program integrates fundamental principles from "Words Their Way," while embracing content words from our Knowledge-Based Interdisciplinary Inquiry Units to ensure a well-rounded word study experience.
Core Components:
Phonics and Phonemic Awareness: Immerse students in the sounds of language, elucidating how individual letters and letter groups symbolize specific sounds (phonics). Encourage manipulation and blending of these sounds (phonemic awareness) to enhance linguistic proficiency.
Spelling Patterns and Rules: Introduce students to diverse spelling patterns and rules in English. Foster comprehension of the rationale behind word spellings and empower them to apply these patterns when both spelling and deciphering words.
Vocabulary Development: Expose students to an expansive array of words, encompassing meanings, synonyms, antonyms, and contextual utilization. Explore meanings, synonyms, antonyms, and contextual applications, fostering a more nuanced vocabulary.
Word Meaning and Usage: Delve into the word meanings, connotations, and appropriate usage across varying contexts. Promote nuanced expression and comprehension.
Word Analysis: Encourage learners to dissect words into smaller units (morphemes) to comprehend roots, prefixes, and suffixes. This analytical approach unlocks insights into meanings and bolsters word recognition.
Contextual Reading: Engage students in purposeful reading activities that emphasize extrapolating meanings of unfamiliar words from the surrounding context. Foster contextual comprehension for effective reading.
Word Games and Activities: Through interactive endeavors like word sorts, games, and hands-on tasks, students will solidify their grasp of word study concepts, ensuring an enjoyable and effective learning process.
Differentiation: Tailor instruction to individual students' requirements, offering diverse levels of challenge and support to accommodate their unique language proficiencies.
Home-School Connection:
An interactive reading program that provides hundreds of interactive, leveled books in school, at home or on the go.
An engaging and safe digital research tool that provides multimedia informational articles and ready-made literacy activities for all abilities.
An interactive online reading platform with over 40K children's books that will build curiosity and reading confidence by letting kids freely explore their reading interests.
Comprehension
Our Fourth grade learners are taught comprehension through various strategies to enhance foundational reading skills, fluency, and cognitive processes. These learners engage in activities such as generating questions, monitoring understanding, summarizing, inferring text structure, building background knowledge, and expanding their vocabulary. Encouraging them to write about their reading experiences deepens understanding by encouraging personal reactions, analysis, interpretation, and summarization. Additional methods like top-down topic webs, column notes, and generating questions further amplify their comprehension skills.
Vocabulary
Strategically teaching vocabulary involves incidental and explicit learning, focusing on understanding word meanings, relationships, and contextual usage. Target words are introduced before encountering them in context, with multiple exposures in various situations. This approach fosters a deep understanding of word nuances, encourages meaningful usage, and promotes connections to prior knowledge and real-life applications.
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