Language Arts

All humans have a basic need to share information through communication with other people. Through shared experiences, we learn about our past, exchange information, and invent our future.

English language arts builds the foundation students need to communicate effectively. Through reading, writing, listening, speaking, and viewing, students acquire the knowledge and communication skills necessary for understanding the world around them.

The MSAD #16 language arts curriculum translates state and national standards into classroom practice. It represents what students should know and be able to do from kindergarten to twelfth grade in order to demonstrate their understanding.

The standards and benchmarks in the language arts curriculum are derived from state and national standards including the State of Maine Learning Results, the New Standards, and documents prepared by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English. Performance indicators are designed for the local level, are fairly specific, and reflect the types of activities that should go on in classrooms throughout our school district.

English language arts is developmental in nature. Therefore, many of the benchmarks which are included at early grade levels also appear at higher ones. However, performance indicators address similar benchmarks with increasing complexity of skills and tasks. It is also anticipated that assessment practices throughout the district will call for more accomplished skills, higher levels of thinking, and raised levels of performance at each stage of testing. Students will progress through coordinated, comprehensive practice of language arts skills to attain levels of sophistication which will prepare them for successful and fluent communication.

MSAD #16 Framework for Academic Standards Fall 1997

Language Arts 18