The English Program at Montessori Palo Alto

For the Montessori Palo Alto School it is very important to give our students the opportunity to acquire an excellent bilingual education. Having a bilingual education is a great privilege that few people have, that opens doors with great advantages, which prepares people for a worldwide encounter. We want our students to be ready for this competitive world. Students will enjoy a lot of great advantages and one of the most important is the ability to comprehend and respect people from diverse cultures. They will become productive citizens who will make a difference and leave a mark on whichever career path they choose to follow.

The English Language Program is designed to provide our students with reading, writing and oral skills. The English curriculum will broaden students' experience and enrich their knowledge of language and literature. The curriculum emphasizes skills needed for the Response to literature, editing and interdisciplinary sections.

In our school both English and Spanish are used as a medium of instruction at different points throughout the program for different functions and purposes. Both languages hold a position of equal prestige and importance.

Emphasis is placed on the following:

Reading

Phonemic Awareness
Print knowledge and Concepts of Print
Emerging Reading / Writing Skills
Comprehension
Critical Thinking

Phonics, Word Analysis, Spelling, Vocabulary and Fluency

Phonics and Decoding Skills
Sound and Letter Patterns
Word Structure
Meaning Relationship
Common Spelling Errors
Context Clues
Vocabulary Building

Literature

Genres
Literary Devices
Author's Style
Literary Response and Appreciation

Language and Communication