Language Arts/English Curriculum Frameworks - Albemarle County ...

Albemarle County Language Arts Program
Purpose
The purpose of the ASPIRE document is to assist teachers and administrators in understanding
curriculum, assessment, instruction as it relates to delivering the language arts curriculum. This document
is in no way intended to replace the language arts curriculum. The language arts curriculum lists the very
specific skills and processes students are to learn at particular grade levels. Delivery of this curriculum in
its entirety is crucial not only to student success in subsequent grade levels but also to potential success
on the Virginia English Standards of Learning tests. ASPIRE should be viewed as a framework that helps
describe the crucial categories of language arts instruction identified by the Virginia State Department of
Education and the Federal No Child Left Behind Act. An explanation of the categories followed by potential
activities is intended to assist teachers in instructional knowledge and decision-making.
Philosophy
Albemarle County identifies its language arts program as balanced and comprehensive, containing a
steady daily learning “diet” for students. Component categories of this diet are fluency,
comprehension/vocabulary, writing and word study. Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) does
not align itself in camps of whole language or skills-driven instruction. Instead, it commits itself to the
philosophy of combining explicit instruction with authentic and purposeful learning experiences, employing
© ASPIRE K-12, Albemarle County Public Schools, 2003
Appendix B
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