While language proficiency is important across content areas, reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills are especially important in the Language Arts classroom. In each unit of Connect, students learn strategies they can apply to Language Arts activities as well as the academic language they need to understand and express their ideas about different types of texts and media. They read texts that connect to the unit theme. Students learn about literary devices and have the opportunity to read and discuss narrative, informational, and opinion texts which prepares them to more successfully access the complex texts they will encounter in the Language Arts classroom (Corrin et al, 2022). References Corrin, W., Zhu, P., Shih, M., Brown, K. T., Teres, J., Darrow, C., Nichols, A., & Lack, K. (2022). The Effects of an Academic Language Program on Student Reading Outcomes (NCEE 2022-007). U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance. http://ies.ed.gov/ncee LANGUAGE ARTS Instructional routine • Explore and learn Preview all texts with students. Take time to discuss the type of text students will explore in the activities and give them a chance to share what they recall about similar texts they have encountered. Recall any genre-specific reading strategies they have learned. Ask students to share any background knowledge they have about the content. Help students understand the connection between the text and the unit theme. • Practice Follow reading routines with students. Give them ample opportunities to re-read the texts in pairs and independently. Help students identify the strategies they use to read, discuss, and respond to texts. This will support their generalization of listening, reading, and writing strategies to Language Arts classes. Repeat and reinforce the genres students are exploring and the text structures they are learning to interpret. • Communicate Facilitate discussions about the Language Arts activities. Have students use newly introduced academic language terms as they review with peers what they have learned. Allow time for students to discuss connections between reading and writing activities they complete in the unit to those they have experienced in the Language Arts classroom. • Assess Language Arts activities provide numerous artifacts from which teachers can gather data about students’ language development. Review written responses and observe conversations. Use data collected to tailor instruction. Txxix
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