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Language
The ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, is an essential skill. While computers are an educational tool used by our students, we at Richmond Hill Montessori Private School still believe in the basic understanding and comprehension of the English language.
Our Language program equips students with the literacy skills required to communicate in all fashions, whether writing a letter or an essay, or communicating with others in everyday English. We have divided the program into three areas of concentration: Reading, Writing, and Grammar. These subjects are integrated tightly in order to create an exciting educational format to teach students.
Reading, Writing, and Grammar concepts resonate better when taught through creative and inventive language activities.
Reading
The literature we provide students with is very stimulating with highly educational content. Accompanying the text is a multitude of reading comprehension exercises that require imagination, critical thinking, and attention to detail. Our students are encouraged to read independently and, in doing so, actively participate in a Reading Log program that expands on their reading choices. Students also write book reports to enhance their reading comprehension abilities. Exploration of literature allows for an extensive analysis of vocabulary. Building and elaborating on this new vocabulary provides students with a tool to research and discover all possibilities that the world has to offer.
Writing
In personal, academic, and workplace situations, students need to write clearly and coherently with precision and style. While doing so, they must also accurately apply the conventions of language, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Our extensive program gives students the tools to develop confidence in their writing skills.
At RHMS, our elementary students use the Six Traits writing program to develop their writing skills using six contributing traits: ideas and content, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions. Students begin by brainstorming for ideas, creating a writing plan, and a first draft. Once they have mastered a particular level they can increase the complexity and sophistication of their style. Oral and written errors are corrected by teachers in a positive manner. Students are given feedback about their errors and how best to correct them. They are also encouraged to review their own written material for corrections as well as the work of their peers. This strategy greatly enhances the editing process and leads the way to polished work.
Students are given a variety of meaningful writing assignments. The forms and genres explored may include essays, reports, short stories, journals, letters, biographies, articles, reviews, poetry, scripts, resumes, and advertisements, among others. Our students also plan, draft, write, and present a speech on the topic of their choice as part of our school-wide, annual Language Arts Competition. This develops their writing abilities and gives them confidence with their public speaking skills.
Grammar
Grammar knowledge is an integral and vital component of our Language Program. By the age of five, students are taught the parts of speech, although it is not until the elementary level, beginning in Grade One, that students study, in depth, the rules of grammar and punctuation and apply these rules to their written and oral communication. Their knowledge of grammar is reinforced through detailed and challenging textbook exercises, sophisticated worksheets, and throughout all writing assignments and oral presentations. Each student is taught to review their written work for grammatical errors and mechanical correctness. Our students are also encouraged to regularly review and comment on the written work with their peers helping them to produce written work of high quality.
Language Arts Competition
In addition to the regular curriculum content, students are also challenged through participation in: RHMS’ annual Language Arts Competition, where every student is responsible for choosing a topic and writing his/her individual speech presentation. With the teacher as a guide, students are expected to write their speech presentation in complete sentences and to edit their own grammar and spelling. Teachers provide guidance during the writing and revision process. Speeches Presentations will be practiced and presented in a class with the students’ peers. The top three speech presentations in each grade receive a gold, silver, or bronze medal.
Richmond Hill Montessori Private School
A Private School Located in Richmond Hill, Ontario and serving the greater Toronto area since 1986.