Language Arts

Each classroom implements differentiated reading and language arts instruction to meet the needs of every learner. Different resources are incorporated to provide the most beneficial learning experience. Some materials used are:

• Harcourt Signatures Reading Series: This basal reading series exposes students to a variety of fiction and non-fiction text.
• Guided Reading Groups: Guided reading books provide text tailored to meet students’ needs. Teachers determine appropriate books, and individualize instruction accordingly. At PCES we have the Sundance and Newbridge guided reading sets as well as a collection of various chapter book sets.
• Houghton Mifflin Spelling and English offer Georgia Performance Standards (GPS)-based practice. (Choose Georgia and English textbook for resources.)
• The 6 + 1 Writing Traits program explores common characteristics of successful writers.
• Successmaker software is also a part of our reading instruction which includes 4 reading courses: Reading Readiness (.0 - .99), Initial Reading (1.0 - 2.99), Reading Workshop (2.8 - 6.0), Reading Investigations (6.0 - 8.0). We use this managed software in our 2nd computer lab. This is a knowledge-based interactive multimedia course designed to develop and maintain reading skills. The instruction combines individualized practice in comprehension and phonics skills. Each session is tailored to fit the students' state of knowledge, acquisition rate, and retention.
• Accelerated Reader is another piece of software used in our reading instruction to motivate and individualize reading progress for each student. AR is a voluntary reading incentive program in all kindergarten through fourth grade classrooms.
• STAR and SRI are computerized testing programs that determine individual reading levels. These scores are used for a variety of purposes including AR zones and monitoring reading progress.
• Georgia Lexile Framework for Reading - Lexile scores rank the reading level of a student and the difficulty of text on a single scale which is correlated to scores on the Georgia Criterion Reference Competency Test (CRCT) Reading Assessment. Most resources located in our media center are labeled with Lexile scores which helps students and teachers choose appropriate instructional materials. For more information on Lexiles you can visit Lexile.com.
• The Georgia Writing Assessment is administered to all 3rd and 5th grade students at our school. At the 3rd grade level the teachers score student writing samples in preparation for the state-scored 5th grade assessment. Writing assessment scores are used to gauge future writing instruction.

The Georgia Performance Standards for English Language Arts (ELA) provide the basic framework for our instruction. Our ELA Curriculum Map shows how these standards are implemented into our school year.

Our school language arts curriculum contact is Elisabeth Tiller. The Fayette County Reading/Media/Language Arts K-5 Coordinator is Debbie Wheat and can be contacted at the Fayette County LEC at 770.460.3990.