Reading & Writing Workshop

Betsy Ross teachers use a Balanced Literacy approach to teach language arts, which includes the Teachers College Readers and Writers Workshop model.

During Readers Workshop, children are allotted time to read literature that is "just right" for them, while being monitored by teachers. The model allows students to acquire skills through the use of strategy-driven mini-lessons; student/teacher reading and writing conferring sessions; small group instruction; mid-workshop teaching points, and teacher shares.

During Writers Workshop, students engage with units of study that provide instruction in narrative, argument (persuasive), informational, research, and poetic writing.  The program focuses on developing each student's understanding of the writing process, the use of writing, and the acquisition of the characteristics of great writers.  The workshop method helps develop writers that are focused, detailed, structured, clear, and insightful.

Our curriculum is aligned with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards and is designed to develop confident, critical, and skilled readers and writers.