English/Language

Mission: Saint Paul students become self-directed learners who value expanding knowledge, skills, and understanding through literacy. 

Vision: Saint Paul educators recognize and support all students as readers, writers, critical thinkers, and agents of social change.

Sixth graders take both Readers Workshop and Writers Workshop, and this double block of literacy lays the foundation for the complex reading and writing students will be asked to do throughout their day in middle school. We know that skilled reading depends on first recognizing and then comprehending language; therefore, opportunities to learn and practice vocabulary and comprehension strategies through reading and writing build on the skills begun in elementary grades. Linking daily instruction to lived experience throughout and at the end of each period encourages students to read and create in the world as well as at school.  

In seventh grade, we engage students in integrated and parallel instruction in both reading and writing to strengthen skilled reading and accelerate literacy learning. We know that skilled reading depends on first recognizing and then comprehending language; therefore, opportunities to learn and practice vocabulary and comprehension strategies through reading and writing build on the skills begun in elementary grades. Linking daily instruction to lived experience throughout and at the end of each period encourages students to read and create in the world as well as at school.  

In eighth grade, we engage students in integrated and parallel instruction in both reading and writing to strengthen skilled reading and accelerate literacy learning. We know that skilled reading depends on first recognizing and then comprehending language; therefore, opportunities to learn and practice vocabulary and comprehension strategies through reading and writing build on the skills begun in elementary grades. Linking daily instruction to lived experience throughout and at the end of each period encourages students to read and create in the world as well as at school.