The Legacy Approach to Language Arts

Carden Technicques

• Building a mental image of the material being read
• Vocabulary development to ensure an accurate, vivid mental image of the words in context
• Classifying the key word of a sentence in order to unlock the main idea
• Summarization of a sentence, paragraph, and chapter
• Questions to ascertain literal understanding and stretch critical thinking ability

Reading and Literature

The Carden Method is a phonetic approach to teaching reading. Reading begins in our preschool, where students learn the consonant names and sounds. In kindergarten, students blend consonant and vowel sounds, and the true reading process begins. Many lessons are taught in a small group setting that enables the teacher to focus on each child's progress.

In addition to its strong phonetic approach to decoding the written word, the Carden Method places a strong emphasis on comprehension. Comprehension soars as students focus on critical aspects of the passage being read through a variety of techniques (see above).

Students read a variety of quality literature during their years at Legacy. These works provide the basis for instruction regarding elements of plot, types of conflict, characterization, point of view, theme, genre, literary devices, and literal, inferential, and analytical comprehension skills. Literature selections in the elementary school include Charlotte's Web, Grimm's Fairy Tales, Island of the Blue Dolphins, The Phantom Tollbooth, and "Julius Caesar." Middle school selections include Out of the Dust, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, and several plays by William Shakespeare.

Writing and Speaking

Legacy places a strong emphasis on developing students' ability to communicate clearly, creatively, and accurately in written and spoken language. Students understand and refine their skills in the six traits of writing: organization, ideas, voice, word choice, sentence structure, and mechanics. They receive comprehensive instruction regarding technique and varying formats for narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive writing.

By sixth grade, students have created original poetry, stories, fables, fairy tales, legends, tall tales, historical fiction, and myths as well as well-structured paragraphs and essays. In middle school, students strengthen organization and writing skills to produce meaningful and concise research reports, persuasive compositions, narratives, and responses to literature.

Legacy students become confident and capable public speakers. Beginning in kindergarten, students memorize and recite poetry in front of classmates each month. In first grade, students present their first oral informational reports. As the years pass, students write and give many oral presentations, including book reports, persuasive and narrative speeches, how-to presentations, and research-based reports. Within the supportive classroom environment, students gain confidence and skill in using eye contact, expression, clear articulation, poise, props, and gestures.

Grammar, Spelling, and Penmanship

Language and grammar skills are taught sequentially and comprehensively. Beginning in kindergarten, students learn the function of the noun and verb in a sentence. Through the years, they master parts of speech, capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, and word parts. Students also learn to use the dictionary and thesaurus as important tools for writing and speaking.

The Carden Method of spelling is phonetically- based and emphasizes sounds and patterns in English. Students do not merely memorize lists of words. Rather, they learn to apply spelling rules which then assists them in spelling and reading new words. In upper grades, students also learn spelling patterns in suffixes, prefixes, and Latin-based words.

In penmanship instruction, emphasis is placed on proper formation of manuscript and cursive letters. Individual cursive letters are introduced at the end of first grade. By the end of second grade, students write fluidly in cursive. Penmanship is considered part of clearly communicating one's thoughts.

Middle school English courses stress the study and application of written and oral language conventions such as sentence structure, advanced grammar, and use of punctuation (hyphens, dashes, semicolons, etc.).