Language
The first grade begins with an introduction to “form drawing,” during which the children experience straight and curved lines in various combinations through movement, modeling, observations in nature and on paper. Precision and clarity of line, essential to good writing skills, are emphasized. Form
drawing helps develop eye-to-hand coordination, the sense of uprightness in space, right/left and up/down orientation, and ability to mirror, all skills that are needed in reading.
After this introduction, the children learn the consonants and vowels in imagery from stories, through the progression from story to picture letter. Next the story is constructed briefly as a class activity and written on the board by the class teacher. Students copy this story into main lesson books. Thus, writing precedes reading, and the main lesson books that the children create become their first readers. Phonics and basic
sight vocabulary are learned through song, verse, speech exercises, games and drills. In addition, through the telling of fairy tales and the recitation of poetry, skills in listening, re-telling, sequencing, and diction are practiced.
In the second grade, fables and legends from around the world serve as the backdrop for lessons in language arts. Typically, the students listen to a story and illustrate this story in their main lesson books. The next day, they are asked to recall the story in order, in detail, and in their own words. Then it is written on the board, and they copy it into their main lesson books. Thus the students refine their comprehension skills and their ability to sequence events, as well as their reading skills and handwriting. Later in the year, the children write their own compositions, which are corrected and then neatly rewritten in main lesson books. The children also study word families, digraphs and trigraphs and learn to use
context in order to read unfamiliar words. A large pool of sight words is developed throughout the year. Students sign books out from the class library to take home to be enjoyed with parents. Students are strongly encouraged to read with parents for at least ten minutes a day. The first grammar lessons are given in second grade, beginning with the introduction of nouns, verbs, and adjectives through
imaginative stories and activities. Every day the class recites poetry, tongue twisters and other speech exercises to encourage clear diction and enunciation. The class also performs a play, sometimes based on a story from their lessons. The children learn cursive writing.
