English Language Arts (ELA) for Grades K-5
Our curriculum material and resources will reflect the culture of our children, families, and staff. In Grades K-5, Global Citizens School will build the foundation for lifelong readers and writers through the implementation of The Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP) Reading and Writing workshop, including the use of culturally responsive texts. The TCRWP model allows teachers to support children in taking the initiative to create, work, and learn in a meaningful way. The Units of Study for Kindergarten to 2nd grade include one foundational unit and three units to address reading fiction and informational texts. For 3rd to 5th grade, the Units of Study for each grade includes two units in reading fiction and two in reading informational texts that focus on different genres. Our children will learn about each genre’s characteristics through reading and studying mentor texts which allows children to experience reading as a way to learn about writing. Another way we will support learning is by ordering extensive leveled classroom libraries for each classroom. The libraries will consist of books from all genres of fiction and non-fiction. We will use Anti-bias books that bring many voices and perspectives in the classroom. Students will engage with text from authors across the world to gain an authentic understanding of the world.
Each child will be taught how to choose the right leveled books, which are books that a student can read independently but enable the child to push themselves to use all of 34 the strategies that they will learn to decode and comprehend the text. The leveled books that will be provided will display a wide range of genres, authors and topics to satisfy each child’s interests. Read-aloud texts are another resource that presents rich and authentic literature to support the units of reading and writing. Read-alouds provide an interactive experience in which each child is given a voice to express his or her thoughts and opinions, and questions about a text referred to as an “Interactive Read-aloud.” Teachers introduce new vocabulary, model comprehension strategies, and demonstrate the thought processes of confident readers. During an Interactive Read-aloud, teachers frequently incorporate various tools to improve comprehension, such as graphic organizers and props to use specific writing practices to enhance reading abilities. Selecting TCRWP is also significant to the vision of Global Citizens School because the resources available within this curriculum provide our teachers with tools such as diverse supplemental read-alouds to engage the strengths and voices of our children.
A very meaningful component that is enriching for our teachers and beneficial to our children is teacher guidance provided within the units on ways to reflect on personal biases and guided ways to facilitate conversations about race and racism in the classroom. TCRWP also provides teachers with specific work time, conferring, and small group considerations for English Learners - such as helping children to learn academic English vocabulary, pronouns, and verb tenses; adding dramatizations, visuals, times for children to chorally read with you, time for partner talk, time for children to try something a second time; as well as bringing them into the social life of the classroom.