Grade one English immersion

Monday, 10 September 2007

Grade one is a year of important transitions in a child’s school life, as well as when the acquisition of new skills is accelerated. The grade one teachers at Kinderville believe that each child progresses at his/her own rate, acquiring skills as he/she develops. Maintaining each child’s self-esteem and building a secure foundation for future growth are a priority in our classrooms. We create an environment that challenges children to learn through hands-on activities set up for the child’s needs and interests. The grade one program focuses on providing students with the skills necessary to become strong readers, writers and speakers. A “whole language and phonics” approach, ensures students participate in reading, writing, and oral activities simultaneously. Using “whole language and phonics” provides a balanced learning environment. Our target is to provide our students with the strategies necessary to become efficient in language arts. Furthermore, students are expected to communicate messages, listen, and respond to stories, as well as express their thoughts through oral language and simple to elaborate theatrical productions. By focusing on language-based skills, students will be able to transfer them to other subject areas. This is accomplished through the use of manipulation and pictorials, as well as oral language. We work on developing strategies that promote mathematical reasoning. Students’ prior knowledge is also drawn upon, as well as the application of various concepts to real world situations, so that a greater understanding is achieved. In social studies, we examine the various aspects of our immediate world: the family, feelings, school, and the community. In science, the students observe, hypothesize, experiment and evaluate through hands-on activities. While most public schools are still in transition from instruction-centred to child-centred education, Kinderville has always put the child first. The new reform for the Quebec Educational system uses cross-curricular teaching centres, project-based themes and cooperative learning to create a child-centred environment; methods the teachers put into practice. Putting the child’s needs first is at the heart of the new reform and the Kinderville ideology. Our teachers welcome change and new ideas. This openness has led to highly successful teaching results and will continue to provide superior education that will benefit your child for years to come.