Curriculum for Third-Grade Language Arts
The curriculum for third-grade language arts includes a variety of standards deemed necessary by local governments. Teachers use multiple methods to teach an understanding of grammar, communication, spelling reading and other elements of language arts. Schools use formal testing to ensure third graders possess the knowledge needed to move on and often adapt the curriculum to suit students with disabilities.
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Standards
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Curriculum standards for third-grade language arts vary depending on the school's state and district. Part of the school's duty includes conforming the curriculum to meet the government-created standards. The 2009--2010 Tennessee English Language Arts Standards for Grade Three offers a typical description of curriculum standards, including language, communication, writing, research, logic, informational text, media and literature. Each standard contains detailed subareas for study. For example, the language standard includes understanding nouns and verbs and using commas appropriately.
Features
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Students in the third grade complete required activities to obtain skills necessary for advancement to the fourth grade. For example, the language arts standards includes reading independently. Additionally, students create book reports demonstrating knowledge of grammar and an understanding of the literature. Presenting the book report to the classroom develops communication and speaking skills, which fulfills another component of the standards.
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Style
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Although the necessary information remains standardized, teachers use various methods to implement the curriculum. Michigan State University notes two different types of widely acknowledged teaching styles: teacher-centered and learner-centered.
The teacher-centered style relies heavily on lecturing and presenting information with little interaction from students. For example, a teacher teaching third-grade language arts will dictate information such as rules of grammar and sentence structure. Teachers that use the alternate style of teaching, learner-centered teaching, engage students by setting up interactive activities relevant to the language arts curriculum. Examples of using the learner-centered style include creating songs to reinforce grammar rules and grouping children together to practice speaking with others.
Assessment
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As reported in 2010 by the "Times-Herald" in Georgia, parents and educators assess student knowledge of curriculum standards through testing. Each state's government names the tests differently. For example, Georgia uses the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT).
Considerations
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Teachers adjust curriculum methods for students with special needs. Students with disabilities or a specific learning style require an adaptation of the standard methods of teaching third-grade language arts curriculum. Visual learners are often provided with a picture of a word to learn its meaning or spelling. Auditory learners have difficulty reading and understanding text unless teachers read it aloud. A third grader with social impairments in their conversational skills needs extra practice and patience. In accordance with laws of congress such as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), teachers adapt the curriculum to each child's level of ability so every student learns the mandatory language arts standards.
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References
- State Of Tennessee Government: Education: Tennessee English Language Arts Standards
- Michigan State University: Teaching Styles
- "Times-Herald": Exams Test Mastery of Reading, Language Arts, Math
- Family Education: Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic Learners
- Georgia Department of Education: Standards, Instruction and Assessment: Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT)
Resources
- Photo Credit some more reading image by Paul Moore from Fotolia.com chldren teaching image by Julia Britvich from Fotolia.com
