English Language Arts

At Shen, our ELA curriculum is based on the the New York State Standards. ELA or English Language Arts encompasses reading, writing, listening, and speaking. These skills are the foundation for learning for all students in all disciplines. At Shen, we are committed to and strive for excellence in ELA for all students.

The standards are robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills needed for success in college and careers.

The English Language Arts standards encompass the following strands:

Reading Literature and Informational Text
Foundational skills (K-5 only)
Writing
Language
Speaking and Listening

NYS Assessments

New York State Assessments are aligned with the Next Generation Learning Standards.

All students in grades 3 through 8 are required to take the computer-based NYS assessment in ELA to identify students who are not meeting the state standards and provide those students with the help they need to be on grade level. These are typically given in the spring.

The NYS English Regents Exam is typically taken in the spring of junior year. Students must achieve a minimum of a 65 on this exam.

Elementary School ELA and Literacy

At Shen, the Language Arts—Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening are a major part of our elementary program. Students are expected to master more complex material in these areas as they progress through the grades.

Our elementary literacy curriculum is designed to foster a strong community of readers and writers, starting from Kindergarten and continuing through fifth grade. We implement a knowledge-building curriculum that is informed by the latest research in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Our focus is on helping students develop essential skills such as phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and oral language. These skills are not only taught in isolation but are reinforced through writing about what they read, creating a cohesive and engaging learning experience that promotes literacy development for all students.

Students who demonstrate higher abilities in ELA are challenged through enrichment options. In gr. 4 and 5, the district has an enrichment program called QUEST.

Middle School ELA

At Shen, our Middle School ELA curriculum is aligned to the the Next Generation New York State Standards for English Language Arts.

Middle School Program of Studies – list of course offerings at the Middle School
The English Progressions illustrates the progression of courses gr. 6-12 with links to their course description.

Students in grades 6-8 take the district's universal screener, Star Reading, three times per year (fall, winter, spring). This is a nationally-normed assessment of reading comprehension.

The ELA program in grades 6-8 offers a variety of courses to meet the needs of all students. This includes academic support, grade-level, enrichment, honors and accelerated courses.

High School ELA

Shenendehowa High School offers a variety of courses and sequences for ELA to challenge students’ within their abilities. We provide a strong foundation for students so they are well prepared for college and/or a career.

High School Program of Studies – list of course offerings at the High School
The English Progressions illustrates the progression of courses gr. 6-12 with links to their course description.

At the high school, students are challenged in ELA through a wide range of honors, acceleration and Advanced Placement courses.

Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate with a Regents/Advanced Regents diploma, students must take and pass four units (year-long course) of English.

In order to graduate with a Regents/Advanced Regents diploma, students achieve a minimum score of 65 on the English Regents Exam.

Students struggling in ELA

For learners struggling with grade level expectations, the district uses Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) that matches instructional interventions to students’ specific skill deficits. Progress is closely monitored and changes in instruction are based on data collected from on-going assessment. Academic Intervention Services (AIS) are provided to any student who does not meet or is in jeopardy of not meeting the state standards. Students are identified for AIS in ELA based on several points of data which include but are not limited to their performance on the gr. 3-8 state exams, standardized assessments and locally developed assessments.