Curriculum and Instruction

 

Asheboro City Schools supports a balanced approach to literacy instruction throughout the elementary grades. 

In Kindergarten through fifth grade, balanced literacy means teachers plan purposeful instruction around three primary components, reading, writing, and word study/vocabulary.   Small group strategy instruction is a key component of the balanced approach to literacy. It allows teachers to instruct students on texts they can read and then move them forward in the manner and time best suited for each child. Children read and write a lot in every subject area using a variety of text types and purposes. Project-based learning is encouraged as teachers work collaboratively to integrate literacy with science, social studies and math.

Students are supported by a gradual release of responsibility. This includes teacher models; teacher and students work together with the teacher guiding the students; and then students work independently.   Ongoing reading and writing assessments inform daily instruction and ensure that teachers are responding to observable/measurable student needs.

The foundation for Asheboro City School’s balanced literacy instruction is the NC English Language Arts Standard Course of Study. The primary goal of English language arts education in North Carolina is to ensure that all students learn to read and write on a level that is developmentally appropriate.