Arabic Language Arts in Early Learning
The Arabic language provision for mother tongue learners in Pre-K and K is similar to the New York State English Language Arts (ELA) learning standards. Arabic language teachers follow the age appropriate ELA learning standards as much as possible to develop children’s literacy skills, vocabulary and language content knowledge in Arabic. Arabic language teachers substitute Arabic for English and modify curriculum where necessary without reducing learning outcomes. For instance, instead of children gaining awareness of reading left to right as in English, Arabic learners gain an awareness of reading right to left.
Pre-K: Arabic Language Arts is designed to prepare young children for later reading success by building foundational language and literacy skills. Materials and instruction provide age appropriate support for developing young children’s literacy, language and content knowledge.
K: Ignite School uses a balanced literacy approach to the teaching of reading and writing. In this approach, reading and writing are not compartmentalized but are combined to support children learning comprehensively. Instruction occurs in whole class, small group and individual settings.
K has two age appropriate strands; Listening and Learning Strand, and Skills Strand. The two strands complement each other, building the requisite decoding and comprehension skills that comprise fluent, mature reading. The Listening and Learning Strand is designed to help children build the background knowledge and vocabulary critical to listening and reading comprehension. The decoding skills needed for future independent reading are taught separately in the Skills Strand.