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Reading & Language Arts

At our USC elementary schools, we are committed to providing a comprehensive English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum that supports the development of essential reading, writing, and language skills in our students. The following is an overview of our ELA curriculum, highlighting the key areas of instruction and resources used at each grade level.

Instructional Practices

Our ELA program utilizes a variety of instructional practices to meet the diverse needs of our students:

  • Differentiated Reading Groups: Students are grouped based on their specific needs and receive targeted instruction in areas such as vocabulary, comprehension, and word work. This allows teachers to provide individualized support and challenge students at their appropriate instructional level.
  • Whole Group Lessons: Whole group lessons provide opportunities for shared reading experiences and the introduction of new concepts and skills. These lessons promote class discussions, critical thinking, and collaboration among students.
  • Instruction Support with Resource Teachers: Our resource teachers work in a number of ways to meet the specific needs of students. Depending on the specific learning needs of students, teachers may: 1.) push into classrooms to work with students, 2.) pull students out of the classroom for short amounts of time, 3.) collaborate with classroom teachers to reinforce instruction.

Instructional Modules

Our ELA program is structured around four key instructional modules:

Reading Module

This module focuses on developing essential reading skills such as decoding, phonological awareness, sight word recognition, and phonics to build students’ reading comprehension. Students engage in whole group lessons, differentiated small reading groups, and independent reading to strengthen their reading abilities.

  • Comprehension: Comprehension is the ability to understand and interpret texts. At USC Elementary School, we prioritize the development of comprehension skills through whole group and small group instruction. These reading lessons help students develop a deeper understanding of texts and enhance their critical thinking skills. During reading group sessions, students receive targeted instruction in comprehension, focusing on specific skills and strategies.
  • Writing about Reading: To strengthen students' ability to communicate their thoughts and ideas about what they read, we incorporate writing about reading into our ELA curriculum. Through differentiated small reading groups, students engage in activities that encourage them to respond to texts in writing to support students' overall writing development.

Word Work Module

In this module, students expand their vocabulary and develop word analysis skills through activities that emphasize phonics, spelling patterns, and word meaning. We provide targeted instruction and resources to support students in building a strong foundation in word recognition and fluency.

  • Phonics:  In the early grades (K-4), we focus on developing strong decoding skills through phonological awareness activities and word building instruction. Phonological awareness helps students recognize and manipulate sounds in spoken language, which lays the foundation for reading.
  • Vocabulary:  Building a strong vocabulary is essential for students to comprehend and express themselves effectively. 

Language Arts Module

The language arts module encompasses grammar, writing conventions, and language skills. Students learn to apply grammar rules, enhance their writing skills, and effectively communicate through various forms of writing.

Writing Module

This module focuses on developing students' writing skills through a writer's workshop approach. Students engage in the writing process, from generating ideas and drafting to revising and presenting a final product. They learn to write for different purposes and audiences, using a variety of modes and genres. 

Assessment and Progress Monitoring

Assessment plays a crucial role in our reading program to monitor student progress and inform instruction. We use a variety of assessment tools, including benchmark assessments, running records, and informal observations, to gather data on students' reading abilities. This data helps us identify areas of strength and areas that require additional support.

Parent Involvement

We believe that parents play a vital role in supporting their child's reading development. We encourage parents to engage in regular communication with teachers, attend parent-teacher conferences, and participate in literacy events and workshops. Additionally, we provide resources and strategies for parents to support their child's reading progress at home.

We are dedicated to fostering a love for reading and empowering our students to become confident and proficient readers. Our comprehensive reading program, combined with strong home-school partnerships, ensures that every student receives the support they need to succeed in their literacy journey.

Phases of Reading Development

As students progress through the reading curriculum in the Upper St. Clair elementary schools, they gain mastery of skills and strategies that enable them to read increasingly more difficult texts. The following information explains the typical reading behaviors that students exhibit as they progress and grow as readers.

Emergent Readers (grade range: K)
Emergent Readers are just becoming aware of print. They enjoy listening to stories and begin to understand the differences in syntax and vocabulary that are likely to appear in written (versus oral) language. They read orally and are learning to match word by word and to read left to right. At first, they point with their fingers, but their eyes will start to take over the process. They use information from pictures and rely on meaning and language to interpret simple texts. They use word matching, spaces, and some visual information to check themselves while reading. They are learning to hear sounds in words and connect them with letters; they recognize a few frequently encountered words.

Early Readers (grade range: K-1)
Early Readers read orally, mostly without finger pointing, and are beginning to read very softly or silently some of the time. They are familiar with most easy, frequently encountered words and quickly recognize them while reading. They know many letter-sound relationships, and use
letter-sound information to decode words while reading. On easy texts they read fluently and with phrasing, using punctuation. They are beginning to use several sources of information (meaning, syntax, and visual aspects of print) in combination as they process longer pieces of information. They still rely on pictures as an important source of information, but they are beginning to process print with less picture support.

Transitional Readers (grade range: 1-3)
Transitional Readers read silently most of the time; when reading aloud, they read with fluency and phrasing on appropriate levels of text. They have a large core of known words that they recognize automatically while reading continuous text. They use multiple sources of information (letter-sound relationships, word structure, syntax, and meaning) to check their reading and solve problems. They do not rely on illustrations but use them to enhance understanding, and they can draw information from graphic illustrations in informational texts. They analyze words in flexible ways and make attempts at new, multisyllabic words. They are beginning to expand their range in reading genres. They are also learning to sustain their reading over longer texts, including chapter books.

Fluent Readers (grade range: 4+)
Fluent Readers read silently; when asked to read aloud, they exhibit fluency and phrasing. They effectively use their understanding of how words work, employ a wide range of word-solving strategies, including making analogies to know words and using root words, base words, and affixes. They constantly acquire new vocabulary through reading and use reading as a tool for learning in content areas. As they read a wide variety of texts, they constantly develop new strategies and knowledge. They consistently go beyond the text to form interpretations and apply understanding to other areas. They are able to sustain interest and understanding over long texts; they read for extended periods of time. They notice and comment on aspects of writer’s craft and read to explore their world, including philosophical, ethical, and social issues. They actively work to connect texts. They develop favorite topics, genres, and authors that form the basis of life-long reading preferences.

Kindergarten Literacy

The kindergarten program involves activities that includes auditory, visual, and kinesthetic experiences throughout the day. The kindergarten literacy program focuses on three main components of literacy learning:

  • Comprehension– understanding, making connections and retaining what is read
  • Phonemic Awareness– process of hearing sounds that letters make  
  • Phonics– the addition of visual letters with the letter sounds

Students additionally learn concepts about print, and nonfiction text structure, as they learn about how print is organized. Writing is a daily part of the kindergarten curriculum as students write in journals and respond to text. Explicit writing lessons meet students at their instructional level as they develop emerging writing skills. Learning centers allow the kindergarten teacher to meet with small groups of students to address individual literacy needs. While the teacher works with a group, other students are engaged in a variety of independent activities that reinforce and extend prior learning. Ongoing assessment, formal and informal “kid watching,” allows the teacher to provide a learning environment that is both developmentally appropriate and instructionally challenging for each student.