Language Arts
Our language arts program is rooted in the belief that oral and written communication skills are essential to helping students develop a sense of themselves and share their diverse experiences and perspectives with others.
Pre-K 3 and Pre-K 4 students begin their journey as natural oral storytellers. Homeroom and drama teachers nurture this talent and build upon it with opportunities to reenact events or dictate ideas, laying the foundation for the writers they will become.
As students move into Kindergarten and progress through the grades, writing grows directly out of their reading. Students write within and across genres, including narrative, informational, and opinion, building on the structures and craft moves they encounter as readers. They learn to emulate authors, experimenting with word choice, voice, and technique to express their own ideas and perspectives. Writing is not just a creative act but a tool for communicating knowledge and ideas across subject areas, including science, social studies, and beyond.
Instruction is intentionally structured to develop all dimensions of writing: transcription skills such as spelling, handwriting, and keyboarding; sentence construction and grammar; organizing ideas through paragraph structure and patterns of organization; and the critical thinking involved in planning, generating ideas, and using writing to learn. Grammar and vocabulary instruction is woven into writing class and across subjects, helping students become precise, effective communicators in every discipline.
Handwriting instruction formally begins in Kindergarten with print letter formation, strengthened through First and Second Grade alongside phonics. In Third Grade, students are introduced to cursive and begin keyboarding.
NPS students excel at:
- Understanding and applying the connection between reading and writing
- Thoughtfully planning, composing, revising, and publishing their writing
- Incorporating sophisticated vocabulary, precise word choice, and strong writing craft into their work
- Confidently and eloquently expressing themselves, both orally and in writing
