Student Learning
Page Navigation
-
Overview
Our kindergarten through fifth-grade classroom instruction includes interactive read-alouds, literature discussions, phonics, spelling, word study, grammar, vocabulary strategies, independent reading, small group instruction, oral communication, technological communication, and writing. Our sixth through eighth-grade language arts classroom instruction includes interactive read-alouds, literature discussions, close reading, spelling, grammar, vocabulary strategies, independent reading, small group instruction, oral communication, technological communication, and writing. Students in all grades are exposed to a range of increasingly complex literature and informational texts and tasks.
-
Standards
Illinois adopted the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts in 2010, which are now referred to as the Illinois Learning Standards. District 25 schools have successfully aligned the Illinois Learning Standards into their curricula and continue to refine instructional practices to improve student achievement and prepare students for lifelong success.
The Illinois Learning Standards for English Language Arts establish clear and coherent expectations for what students should know and be able to do at each grade level. The Illinois Learning Standards for English Language Arts ensures students are provided a comprehensive understanding of key concepts.
-
Contact
Kim Kusiciel
kkusiciel@sd25.org
Curriculum Coordinator
Literacy, SS, SELResources
Illinois College and Career Readiness English Language Arts Learning Standards
-
Instruction
District 25 reading instruction is designed to develop students' ability to:
- Identify key ideas, themes, and topics in text;
- Ask and answer questions as they interact with text and construct meaning;
- Use prior knowledge and textual information to draw conclusions, make predictions, and form interpretations;
- Synthesize important textual information with existing knowledge to summarize what was read and form new ideas and opinions;
- Find the meaning of unfamiliar words and broaden their range of academic and curriculum specific vocabulary;
- Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support research, analysis, and reflection;
- Use various text and genre features to identify important information and construct meaning; and;
- Read closely from a wide range of texts in order to gain deeper understanding of meaning, and/ or knowledge.
District 25 writing instruction is designed to develop students' ability to:
- Identify and experiment with various forms and purposes for writing;
- Use their own experiences and areas of interest to generate ideas for writing
- Conduct research using several sources;
- Elaborate on ideas and develop topics with relevant facts and details;
- Draft a well-organized piece of writing that follows clear structure and employs technical features;
- Read like a writer, analyzing text structures, features, and craft elements;
- Strengthen writing through revising and editing techniques; and;
- Collaborate with peers, share ideas, and support one another as writers.
-
Kindergarten
Reading
Kindergarten classrooms implement a reading workshop model completing five reading units of study. These units of study are as follows: Launching, Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, Content Literacy.
Teachers provide targeted instruction using the units of study by:
- Modeling explicit skills and strategies through Interactive Read-Alouds using high-interest text,
- Reading shared texts with students during Mini-Lessons to practice focus skills and strategies,
- Supporting students’ application of skills and strategies through guided and independent reading, and
- Differentiating and extending learning through guided and independent practice.
Teaching materials include Schoolwide Reading Fundamentals Units of Study, Independent Classroom Libraries, Guided Reading Libraries and Digital Resources.
Writing
Our kindergarten classrooms utilize a variety of resources to teach our youngest learners. The foundational skills taught include the following: letter formation, sight words, sentence writing, interactive writing, story writing, and informational writing.
Word Study
The goal of word study is to help our students become excellent readers and writers. Word study allows students to participate in focused instruction examining words and word elements.
Kindergarten students are instructed in the following nine areas of word study:
- Early Literacy Concepts
- Phonological Awareness and Phonemic Awareness
- Letter Knowledge
- Letter/Sound Relationships
- Spelling Patterns
- High Frequency Words
- Word Meaning
- Word Structure
- Word-Solving Actions
The comprehensive Teacher Resource Guide, Phonics Lessons: Letters, Words, and How They Work, by Heinemann, provides both instructional and content support to implement and manage an effective word study program for kindergarten students.
-
1st Grade
Reading
First grade classrooms implement a reading workshop model completing five reading units of study. These units of study are as follows: Launching, Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, and Content Literacy.
Teachers provide targeted instruction using the units of study by:
- Modeling explicit skills and strategies through Interactive Read-Alouds using high-interest text,
- Reading shared texts with students during Mini-Lessons to practice focus skills and strategies,
- Supporting students’ application of skills and strategies through guided and independent reading, and
- Differentiating and extending learning through guided and independent practice.
Teaching materials include Schoolwide Reading Fundamentals Units of Study, Independent Classroom Libraries, Guided Reading Libraries and Digital Resources.
Writing
Our first classrooms utilize Being a Writer. This curriculum provides a full year of research-based whole-class writing instruction. Using a workshop model, the Being a Writer program teaches the writing process while developing intrinsic motivation for the craft of writing through immersion in the narrative, informational, and opinion/argumentative writing genres. Instruction encourages students to write regularly with passion and intent as it builds an understanding of and appreciation for the skills and conventions of writing.
The following units are taught in first grade: Writing Community, Getting Ideas, Telling More, Writing Stories About Me, Writing Non-Fiction, Exploring Words Through Poetry, Opinion Writing, Revisiting the Writing Community.
Word Study
The goal of word study is to help our students become excellent readers and writers. Word study allows students to participate in focused instruction examining words and word elements.
First grade students are instructed in the following nine areas of word study:
- Early Literacy Concepts
- Phonological Awareness and Phonemic Awareness
- Letter Knowledge
- Letter/Sound Relationships
- Spelling Patterns
- High Frequency Words
- Word Meaning
- Word Structure
- Word-Solving Actions
The comprehensive Teacher Resource Guide, Phonics Lessons: Letters, Words, and How They Work, by Heinemann, provides both instructional and content support to implement and manage an effective word study program for first grade students.
-
2nd Grade
Reading
Second grade classrooms implement a reading workshop model completing five reading units of study. These units of study are as follows: Launching, Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, and Content Literacy.
Teachers provide targeted instruction using the units of study by:
- Modeling explicit skills and strategies through Interactive Read-Alouds using high-interest text,
- Reading shared texts with students during Mini-Lessons to practice focus skills and strategies,
- Supporting students’ application of skills and strategies through guided and independent reading, and
- Differentiating and extending learning through guided and independent practice.
Teaching materials include Schoolwide Reading Fundamentals Units of Study, Independent Classroom Libraries, Guided Reading Libraries and Digital Resources.
Writing
Our second grade classrooms utilize Being a Writer. This curriculum provides a full year of research-based whole-class writing instruction. Using a workshop model, the Being a Writer program teaches the writing process while developing intrinsic motivation for the craft of writing through immersion in the narrative, informational, and opinion/argumentative writing genres. Instruction encourages students to write regularly with passion and intent as it builds an understanding of and appreciation for the skills and conventions of writing.
The following units are taught in second grade: Writing Community, Telling More, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Letter Writing, Poems and Words, Opinion Writing, Revisiting the Writing Community.
Word Study
The goal of word study is to help our students become excellent readers and writers. Word study allows students to participate in focused instruction examining words and word elements.
Second grade students are instructed in the following nine areas of word study:
- Early Literacy Concepts
- Phonological Awareness and Phonemic Awareness
- Letter Knowledge
- Letter/Sound Relationships
- Spelling Patterns
- High Frequency Words
- Word Meaning
- Word Structure
- Word-Solving Actions
The comprehensive Teacher Resource Guide, Phonics Lessons: Letters, Words, and How They Work, by Heinemann, provides both instructional and content support to implement and manage an effective word study program for second grade students.
-
3rd Grade
Reading
Third grade classrooms implement a reading workshop model completing five reading units of study. These units of study are as follows: Launching, Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, and Content Literacy.
Teachers provide targeted instruction using the units of study by:
- Modeling explicit skills and strategies through Interactive Read-Alouds using high-interest text,
- Reading shared texts with students during Mini-Lessons to practice focus skills and strategies,
- Supporting students’ application of skills and strategies through guided and independent reading, and
- Differentiating and extending learning through guided and independent practice.
Teaching materials include Schoolwide Reading Fundamentals Units of Study, Independent Classroom Libraries, Guided Reading Libraries and Digital Resources.
Writing
Being a Writer
Our third grade classrooms utilize Being a Writer. This curriculum provides a full year of research-based whole-class writing instruction. Using a workshop model, the Being a Writer program teaches the writing process while developing intrinsic motivation for the craft of writing through immersion in the narrative, informational, and opinion/argumentative writing genres. Instruction encourages students to write regularly with passion and intent as it builds an understanding of and appreciation for the skills and conventions of writing.
The following units are taught in third grade: Writing Community, Writing Process, Fiction, Expository Non-Fiction, Personal Narrative, Poetry, Opinion Writing, Revisiting the Writing Community.
Word Study
The goal of word study is to help our students become excellent readers and writers. Word study allows students to participate in focused instruction, examining words and word elements.
Third grade students are instructed in the following areas of word study:
- Letter Knowledge (Cursive Handwriting)
- Letter/Sound Relationships
- Spelling Patterns
- High Frequency Words
- Word Meaning
- Word Structure
- Word-Solving Actions
The comprehensive Teacher Resource Guide, Phonics Lessons: Letters, Words, and How They Work, by Heinemann, provides both instructional and content support to implement and manage an effective word study program for third grade students.
-
4th Grade
Reading
Fourth grade classrooms implement a reading workshop model completing five reading units of study. These units of study are as follows: Launching, Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, and Content Literacy.
Teachers provide targeted instruction using the units of study by:
- Modeling explicit skills and strategies through Interactive Read-Alouds using high-interest text,
- Reading shared texts with students during Mini-Lessons to practice focus skills and strategies,
- Supporting students’ application of skills and strategies through guided and independent reading, and
- Differentiating and extending learning through guided and independent practice.
Teaching materials include Schoolwide Reading Fundamentals Units of Study, Independent Classroom Libraries, Guided Reading Libraries and Digital Resources.
Writing
Our fourth grade classrooms utilize Being a Writer. This curriculum provides a full year of research-based whole-class writing instruction. Using a workshop model, the Being a Writer program teaches the writing process while developing intrinsic motivation for the craft of writing through immersion in the narrative, informational, and opinion/argumentative writing genres. Instruction encourages students to write regularly with passion and intent as it builds an understanding of and appreciation for the skills and conventions of writing.
The following units are taught in fourth grade: Writing Community, Writing Process, Fiction, Expository Non-Fiction, Personal Narrative, Poetry, Opinion Writing, Revisiting the Writing Community.
Word Study
The goal of word study is to help our students become excellent readers and writers. Word study allows students to participate in focused instruction, examining words and word elements.
Fourth grade students are instructed in the following areas of word study:
- Letter/Sound Relationships
- Spelling Patterns
- High Frequency Words
- Word Meaning
- Word Structure
- Word-Solving Actions
The comprehensive Teacher Resource Guide, Words Their Way, Word Study in Action, by Savvas, provides both instructional and content support to implement and manage an effective word study program for fourth grade students.
-
5th Grade
Reading
Fifth grade classrooms implement a reading workshop model completing five reading units of study. These units of study are as follows: Launching, Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, and Content Literacy.
Teachers provide targeted instruction using the units of study by:
- Modeling explicit skills and strategies through Interactive Read-Alouds using high-interest text,
- Reading shared texts with students during Mini-Lessons to practice focus skills and strategies,
- Supporting students’ application of skills and strategies through guided and independent reading, and
- Differentiating and extending learning through guided and independent practice.
Teaching materials include Schoolwide Reading Fundamentals Units of Study, Independent Classroom Libraries, Guided Reading Libraries and Digital Resources.
Writing
Our fifth grade classrooms utilize Being a Writer. This curriculum provides a full year of research-based whole-class writing instruction. Using a workshop model, the Being a Writer program teaches the writing process while developing intrinsic motivation for the craft of writing through immersion in the narrative, informational, and opinion/argumentative writing genres. Instruction encourages students to write regularly with passion and intent as it builds an understanding of and appreciation for the skills and conventions of writing.
The following units are taught in fifth grade: Writing Community, Writing Process, Fiction, Expository Non-Fiction, Personal Narrative, Poetry, Opinion Writing, Revisiting the Writing Community.
Word Study
The goal of word study is to help our students become excellent readers and writers. Word study allows students to participate in focused instruction, examining words and word elements.
Fifth grade students are instructed in the following areas of word study:
- Letter/Sound Relationships
- Spelling Patterns
- High Frequency Words
- Word Meaning
- Word Structure
- Word-Solving Actions
The comprehensive Teacher Resource Guide, Words Their Way, Word Study in Action, by Savvas, provides both instructional and content support to implement and manage an effective word study program for fifth grade students.
-
6th Grade
Reading
- A Deep Study of Character
- Tapping the Power of Nonfiction
- Social Issues Book Club
Writing
- Personal Narrative
- Literary Essay
- Research-Based Information Writing
In addition to Units of Study, supplementary resources are used to provide additional fiction and nonfiction texts, writing tasks, and grammar practice. These resources are CommonLit (grades 6-8), NoRedInk (grades 6-7), and Patterns of Power (grade 8).
-
7th Grade
Reading
- Historical Fiction Book Clubs
- Dystopian
Writing
- Realistic Fiction
- Arty of Argument
- Writing About Reading
In addition to Units of Study, supplementary resources are used to provide additional fiction and nonfiction texts, writing tasks, and grammar practice. These resources are CommonLit (grades 6-8), NoRedInk (grades 6-7), and Patterns of Power (grade 8).
-
8th Grade
Reading
- Critical Literacy Unlocking Contemporary Fiction
- Research Skills for Teens
- Holocaust Unit
Writing
- Literary Essay
- Position Papers
- Investigative Journalism
In addition to Units of Study, supplementary resources are used to provide additional fiction and nonfiction texts, writing tasks, and grammar practice. These resources are CommonLit (grades 6-8), NoRedInk (grades 6-7), and Patterns of Power (grade 8).
-
Literacy Interventions
Each building in District 25 has a literacy interventionist to support struggling readers and writers. Students who participate in literacy intervention are identified using district assessment criteria. They participate in small group instruction using engaging leveled books. Systematically designed lessons empower students as they work toward attaining reading and writing proficiency.
Advanced Language Arts
We identify students for Advanced Language Arts in the spring of fifth grade. Advanced Language Arts classes are offered in sixth through eighth grade. For additional information on the advanced language arts placement process, please select the Advanced Language Arts Placement page.