English Language Arts
The English Department courses develop the students’ ability to read, write, speak and think critically, and introspectively. By examining and responding to various genres, students deepen their insights about human nature, society, and themselves (e.g. drama, poetry, novels, short stories, and non-fiction).
Hillside Arts & Letters Academy supports reading practices that allow students to...
- Think, write, speak, and listen to understand
- Read often and widely from a range of global and diverse texts
- Read for multiple purposes, including for learning and for pleasure
- Self-select texts based on interest
- Persevere through challenging, complex texts
- Enrich personal language, background knowledge, and vocabulary through reading and communicating with others
- Monitor comprehension and apply reading strategies flexibly • make connections (to self, other texts, ideas, cultures, eras, etc.)
The English Department also encourages writing practices that allow students to...
- Think, read, speak, and listen to support writing
- Write often and widely in a variety of formats, using print and digital resources and tools
- Write for multiple purposes, including for learning and for pleasure
- Persevere through challenging writing tasks
- Enrich personal language, background knowledge, and vocabulary through writing and communicating with others
- Experiment and play with language
- Analyze mentor texts to enhance writing
- Strengthen writing by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach