Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services 

National Teachers College 

MODULE 3 
Teaching English in the Elementary Grades (Language Arts) 
 
YOUR GOALS 
 
This  module  allows  you  to  focus  on  the  technological,  pedagogical  and 
content  knowledge  and  skills  in  teaching  language  arts  to  address  the  needs  of 
elementary  learners  towards  developing  communicatively  competent  and 
multiliterate  learners.  At  the  end  of  this  learning  module,  you  are  expected  to 
demonstrate the following competencies: 
1. Demonstrate  knowledge  of  teaching  strategies  that  promote  the  different 
components of language arts in elementary learners; 
2. Exemplify  skills  in  the  selection,  development  and use of variety of teaching and 
learning resources to address learning goals; and 
3. Design  language  arts  lessons  that  are  culturally  relevant  and  developmentally 
appropriate for elementary learners. 
 
YOUR PROJECT 
When  you  have  finished  going  through  the  experiences  contained  in  this 
module,  you  will  design  a  semi-detailed  lesson  plan  on  language  arts  for 
elementary  learners.  Please  take  note  of  the  expectations  and  criteria  in  designing 
your lesson plan. 
 
Learning Objectives - ​The lesson plan demonstrates student-centered, SMART  20 points 
(specific, measureable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound) objectives, which 
are a balance of LOTS (lower-order thinking skills) and HOTS (higher-order 
thinking skills). 

Preparation and Planning - ​The lesson plan demonstrates thoughtful  15 points 

consideration to preparation and utilizes a balanced mix of various instructional 
materials. 

Preparatory Activity - ​The lesson plan displays an innovative and well-organized  15 points 
opening routine and preparatory activity and includes well-planned 
modifications for diverse students. 

Learning Experiences - ​The lesson plan shows highly engaging and relevant  20 points 
learning experiences that the students can easily integrate in their daily living. 
These experiences are also in congruence with the learning objectives. 

1 
Course Code – Teaching English in the Elementary Grades-Language Arts 
School of Teacher Education, First Semester, SY 2020-2021  
 Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services 
National Teachers College 

Assessment - ​The lesson plan utilizes authentic assessment tools and techniques  20 points 
that address and meet the learning objectives. 

Organization and clarity - ​The instructions and directions in the lesson plan are  10 points 
well-organized, clear, and uses the proper conventions in writing (grammar and 
spelling). 

TOTAL  100 points 

 
 
YOUR EXPERIENCE 
Be  guided  by  the  following  schedule  that  you  can  follow  in order to manage 
your learning experience well: 
 
WEEK  TASK  OUTPUT 

1  1  Flashcards  of  different  teaching  strategies  for  the  six  (6)  different 
  components of language arts 
2 

3  2  Survey  of  contextualized  best  practices  in  teaching  language 

arts to Filipino learners 
4 

5    Semi-detailed  lesson  plan  on  language  arts  for  a  specific  grade 

3  in elementary 
6 
 
TASK  1: ​Read the following article from Melissa Nelson (2011) on “The Six Language Arts 
Components.”  After  reading,  create  flashcards  with  different  teaching  strategies  for 
the six components of language arts. 
 
READING MATERIAL NO. 1 
“​The Six Language Arts Components” 
Melissa A. Nelson 
 
With  each  passing  year,  language  arts  have  allowed  mankind  to  thrive  and  to  reach  greater 
levels  of  knowledge  and  productivity.  You  often  hear  mathematicians  and  scientists  credited 
with  such  accomplishments,  but  what  if  those  innovators  could  not  read?  What  if  they  could 

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Course Code – Teaching English in the Elementary Grades-Language Arts 
School of Teacher Education, First Semester, SY 2020-2021  
 Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services 
National Teachers College 

not  write or otherwise clearly communicate their ideas? How could they promote their ideas or 
share  their advancements with others? No matter what specialty one excels in, a proficiency in 
language arts is the key to further cultivation of skills, talents, innovation and success. 
 
Language  arts  development  in  elementary  aged  children  includes  all  skills  related  to  reading, 
writing,  speaking,  listening,  viewing,  and  visually  representing  ideas  and  knowledge  as 
designated  by  the  National  Council  of  Teachers  of  English  (NCTE)  and  the  International 
Reading Association (IRA) (1996). 
 
“These  six  areas  are  notably  different  from  one  another,  but  there  are  also  important 
connections  among  them…  reading  and  writing  involve  written  language,  listening  and 
speaking  involve  spoken  communication,  and  viewing  and  visually  representing involve visual 
language.” 
 
These  skills  are  all  part  of  effective  communication,  and though some go through life deficient 
in  one  or  more of these areas, the best communicators learn to use them all efficiently. For this 
reason, it is important we incorporate all six areas into elementary language arts instruction. 
 
By  this  point  in  a  child’s  life,  he  has  some  life  experience  to  help  him  make  sense  of  oral, 
written,  and  physical  forms  of  communication,  though  for  every  child  this  background 
knowledge  is  different.  Perhaps  one  child  had  great  exposure  to  sign  language  is  his  early 
years,  while  another  spent  most  of  his  time  watching  TV.  Another  may  have  listened  to  a 
great  variety  of  books  and  music,  while  still  another  had  nothing  more  to  listen  to  than  the 
conversation  of  those  around  him.  Whatever  the  case  may  be,  it  is  important  to  reach  each 
child  at  their  level  and  provide them with opportunities to explore all areas of language arts as 
often as possible. 
 
Students  develop  knowledge  of and skill in their use of the language arts as they listen, speak, 
read,  write,  view,  and  represent  in  a  wide  variety  of  contexts  and  for  a  range  of  purposes  -- 
expressive,  aesthetic,  and  pragmatic.  Students  study  the  language  arts  in  order  to  function in 
their  communities  and  cultures:  to  appreciate,  enjoy,  communicate,  interact,  solve  problems, 
think  critically,  and  make  informed  choices  that  will  enhance  the  quality  of  their  lives.  Many 
language  elements  (e.g.,  patterns,  mood,  symbolism,  symmetry,  transitions,  focus,  tone,  and 
emphasis) are similar in oral, print, and visual texts. 
 
 
 
 

3 
Course Code – Teaching English in the Elementary Grades-Language Arts 
School of Teacher Education, First Semester, SY 2020-2021  
 Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services 
National Teachers College 

Reading 
 
When  it  comes  to  the systems of symbols and markings we know as writing, there really is no 
reason  or  rhyme  or  reason  to  it  except  that  one  group  of  people  started  using  it  and  others 
continued  to  refine and define it until it got to where it is today. The basis of learning to read is 
nothing  more  than  learning  to  decode  the  message represented by such symbols, but reading 
does  not  stop  there.  Reading  also  involves  understanding  and comprehension, knowing what 
each  individual  word  means,  and  how  they  work  together  to  form  a  sentence,  a  paragraph,  a 
story,  and  a  book.  It  also  includes  interpretations  of  purpose  and  meaning,  such  as  knowing 
whether  a  book  was  written  to  teach  a  moral  lesson  or  written  to  teach  one  how  to  cook.  At 
the  elementary  school  level,  these  skills  are  just  developing,  and  thus  a  crucial  time  for 
matching  children’s  skills  with  texts  they  find  interesting  in  order  to  encourage  a  desire  for 
reading proficiency. 
 
Writing 
The  bunch  of  lines  and  squiggles  on  paper,  or  another  medium,  to  create letters is what most 
think  of  when  we  talk  about  teaching  elementary  aged  children  to  write.  Yet,  this  is  a  small 
piece  of  this  very  critical  area  of  language  arts  proficiency.  Not  only  do children need to know 
how  to  form  letters  and  make  words,  they  need  to  learn  how  to  use  these  words  effectively 
and  clearly  to communicate their ideas and thoughts to others. This involves an understanding 
of  spelling  and  grammar  rules,  sentence  and  paragraph  structure,  style  and  voice,  and  other 
complexities  that  have  come  to  make  our  language  richly  diverse  and  interesting.  For  today’s 
elementary  aged  child,  this  skill  also  takes  on  a  great  deal  more  than  paper  and  pencil 
handwritten  assignments  of  yesteryears.  It  often  involves  word  processing  software,  touch 
screens,  interactive  smart  boards,  and  other  technologies  that  have  reduced  a  need  for 
developing  refined  handwriting  prior  to  the  ability  to  express  one's  thoughts  and  ideas  with 
written words. 
 
Speaking 
In  order  to  develop  meaningful  speech,  children  need  to  learn  how  to  use  emotion,  volume, 
tone,  and  inflections  to  fully  communicate  the  meaning  of  their  words.  This  skill  often  comes 
naturally  while  listening  to  others,  but  not  always.  In  some  cases  elementary  aged  children 
need  to  be  taught  this  skill,  particularly  when  they  are  reading  aloud  because  they  are  often 
focused  only  on  recognizing  the  words  and  not  the  meaning  behind  them.  Also  at  the 
elementary  level, children quite often need instruction in understanding time and tense as they 
learn  to  communicate  when  an  event  or  story  takes  place. It is not at all uncommon for a child 
of  this  age  to  talk  about  a  party  from  a  year  ago  as  if  it  were happening today. This of course 
can  be  confusing  to  the  listener.  Rounding  of  this  language  arts  skill,  a  well  developed 
vocabulary  makes  speech communication more effective and efficient. Thus, at the elementary 
4 
Course Code – Teaching English in the Elementary Grades-Language Arts 
School of Teacher Education, First Semester, SY 2020-2021  
 Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services 
National Teachers College 

level,  it  is  important  that  children  continue  to  receive  diverse  experiences  and  exposures  that 
will increase the word bank in their developing minds. 
 
Listening 
For  most  people,  this  is  the  first  of  the language arts skills we learn to develop. Before we can 
see  clearly,  before  we  can  speak,  and  before  we  can  gesture  for  things  we  desire,  we  are 
learning  to  listen  for  clues  about  the  world  around  us.  Newborn  babies  today  hear  others 
speaking,  they  hear  the  sounds  of  nature,  and  they  hear  the  sounds  of  technology  all  around 
them.  Unfortunately  they  quite  often  learn  to  tune  out  much  of  what  they  hear  and  to 
selectively  receive  and  process  what  they  desire  to  fulfill  their  basic  needs.  When  they  enter 
the  elementary  ages,  however,  it  is  important  that  children  learn  to  process  what  they  are 
hearing  for  deeper  meaning  and  purpose.  It  can  be  quite  difficult  for  some  to  learn  what  to 
ignore  and  what  to  pay  attention  to,  and  even  then  what  to  do  with  the  information  they 
heard.  Still, such skills are crucial to learning content and should receive considerable attention 
during  the  elementary  school  years.  Reading  aloud  to  children  and  asking  comprehension 
questions  is  a  great  way  to  improve  their  listening  skills.  Having  children  complete  an activity 
while  listening  to  audio  stories  and  music  selections  is  also  helpful.  Activities  could  include 
putting  character  cut-outs  in  the  order  they hear them presented, or sculpting images of what 
they  think  they  are  listening  to.  Other  strategies include rewarding good listening habits, such 
as giving a sticker to all the children who put away their books as soon as they are told. 
 
Viewing 
The  skills  involving  observation  and  interpretation  are  all  included  within  the  category  of 
viewing,  whether  one  is  watching  television,  studying  a  photograph,  or  looking  at  a  chalk  art 
on  a sidewalk. Today, the visuals that surround elementary aged children are far more plentiful 
than  those  just  twenty  years  ago,  and  nearly  every  moment  there  is something new available 
for  them  to  look  at.  It  is  important  to  help  young  children  learn  to  observe  these  images 
critically,  process  the  content,  and  comprehend  the  meaning.  This  may  sound  complex,  but  it 
starts  with  simply  asking  what  the  purpose  is  behind  what  one  is  looking  at.  Is  it  an 
advertisement?  Does  it  want  to  convince  others  of  something?  Is  it  just  to  tell  a  story  or  to 
entertain?  Teaching  elementary  aged  children  to  consider  such  questions  will  set  a  firm 
foundation  for  the  critical  thinking skills they will need when they reach more complex content 
and higher levels of learning. 
 
Visually Representing 
Naturally  on  the  other  side  of  viewing  we  find  the  creation  of  collages,  posters,  photographs, 
dramatizations,  videos,  charts  and  graphs…  to  some  this  may  seem  like the most advanced of 
all  the  language  arts  sub-areas,  but  really  it  can  be  the  simplest.  Stick  drawings  and  crayon 

5 
Course Code – Teaching English in the Elementary Grades-Language Arts 
School of Teacher Education, First Semester, SY 2020-2021  
 Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services 
National Teachers College 

pictures  can  be  far  easier  to  make  and  interpret  than  letters  and  symbols  one  may  be 
unfamiliar  with.  For  this  reason  when  we  study  ancient  history  we  find  it  far  easier  to 
understand  cultures  that  recorded  their  stories  with  pictures  rather  than  those  who  used 
letters  or  other such text symbols. Thousands of years later, technology has allowed man-kind 
to  complicate  this  form  of  communication  with  computerized  graphics  arts  programs, 
electronic  display  boards, and pocket sized smartphones that display photographs and videos, 
and  stream  digital  content  around  the  world.  Still,  the  concept  is  still  the  same.  Visually 
representing  ideas  on  the simplest level merely involves organizing thoughts or events in such 
a  manner  that  another  can  observe  and  understand  the  content.  With  elementary  aged 
children,  this  can  be  as  simple  as drawing a picture of a boat to tell what they did on vacation, 
pasting  the  elements  of  a  story  in  order  on  construction  paper.  What  matters  is  not  the 
complexity of the medium used, but rather that a viewer can make sense of it. 
 
Integration of the Language Arts 
Though  each  of  the  six  areas  of language arts discussed above can be defined separately, it is 
clear  that  not  one  of  them  can  truly  stand  alone.  In  certain  circumstances,  teachers  may need 
to  isolate  one  language  art  for  assessment  purposes.  Written  tests,  for  example,  may  not  be 
the  only  way  to  assess  reading  proficiency,  for  students  who  have  difficulties  in  writing  may 
not  clearly  express  ideas  they  have  comprehended in their reading. Teachers may need to use 
a  variety  of complementary assessment methods, such as skills conferences and observations, 
to  obtain  an  accurate  picture  of  a  student’s  reading  skills.  The  use  of  language  centers  on 
people,  involving  communication  between  at  least  two  individuals.  It  does  one  no  good  to 
eloquently  and  intricately  write  the  details of a story if no one else can understand the writing. 
And  to  receive  communication  with  no  understanding  of  how  to  interpret  it  is  equally 
ineffective,  as  is  the  case with many ancient texts discovered by archeologists. In order for the 
language  arts  skills  to  fully  serve  a  meaningful  purpose,  they  must  be  used  effectively, 
understood,  and  systematically  passed  down  to  future  generations.  This  begins  in  the  home 
during  the  first  days  of  life,  and  continues  on  into  the  elementary  school  years  and  beyond. 
Recognizing  each  of  these  six  areas  and  creatively  incorporating  them  all  into  a  variety  of 
learning  activities  will  make  an  elementary  school  level  language  arts  program  a  success. 
Without  artificially  separating  the  language  arts,  teachers  need  to  strive  for  balance  in 
programming,  taking  inventory  of  learning  experiences  from  time  to  time  to  ensure  that  they 
are providing instruction in all the language arts. 
 
Moreover,  a  student’s  facility  in  certain  language  arts  may  be  an  expression  of  his  or  her 
particular  intelligence.  Sketching  may  be  the  first  and  most  natural  way  for  highly  visual 
students  to  clarify  thinking  and  generate  ideas,  and  students  who  process  ideas  best  orally 
may  find  dictation,  rather  than  writing,  the most natural way to produce a first draft for a print 

6 
Course Code – Teaching English in the Elementary Grades-Language Arts 
School of Teacher Education, First Semester, SY 2020-2021  
 Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services 
National Teachers College 

or  oral  text.  These  strengths  can  be  used  to  support  development  of  other  language  arts. 
Visual  images,  for  example,  may  bridge  students  to  an  understanding  of  abstract  concepts 
such as verbal metaphor. 
 
Reference:  
Nelson, M. A. (2011, September 30). The Six Language Arts Skills. Melissa A. Nelson Portfolio.  
http://manelsonportfolio.blogspot.com/2011/09/six-language-arts-skills.html 
 
DIRECTIONS:  ​Having  understood  the  six  (6)  different  components  of  language  arts, 
develop  strategies  and  techniques  in  teaching  these  components  to  elementary 
learners  on  the  flashcards  provided  below.  Please  mind  the  following  criteria  in 
creating your list of teaching strategies. 
Appropriateness of  Conventions  Organization and  Creativity and 
content  (spelling, grammar,  clarity  innovation 
(25%)  word choice)  (25%)  (25%) 
(25%) 
 
Reading  Writing 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Speaking  Listening 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

7 
Course Code – Teaching English in the Elementary Grades-Language Arts 
School of Teacher Education, First Semester, SY 2020-2021  
 Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services 
National Teachers College 

Viewing  Visually Representing 

   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TASK  2:  ​Read  the  following  article  by  Deane  et.  al  (2015)  about  “Key  Practices  in 
English  Language  Arts.”  Afterwards,  do  a  survey  on  contextualized  and  localized  best 
practices in teaching English language arts. 
 
READING MATERIAL NO. 2 
“Key Practices in the English Language Arts (ELA)” 
Paul Deane et. al  

8 
Course Code – Teaching English in the Elementary Grades-Language Arts 
School of Teacher Education, First Semester, SY 2020-2021  
 Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services 
National Teachers College 
 

9 
Course Code – Teaching English in the Elementary Grades-Language Arts 
School of Teacher Education, First Semester, SY 2020-2021  
 Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services 
National Teachers College 

 
 

10 
Course Code – Teaching English in the Elementary Grades-Language Arts 
School of Teacher Education, First Semester, SY 2020-2021  
 Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services 
National Teachers College 

 
 
 
 
 

11 
Course Code – Teaching English in the Elementary Grades-Language Arts 
School of Teacher Education, First Semester, SY 2020-2021  
 Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services 
National Teachers College 
Reference: 
Deane, P., Sabatini, J., Feng, G., Sparks, J., Song, Y., Fowles, M., O’Reilly, T., Jueds, K., Krovetz, R., &  
Foley, C. (2015). Key Practices in the English Language Arts (ELA): Linking Learning Theory, Assessment, 
and Instruction. ETS Research Report Series, 1–29. h ​ ttps://doi.org/10.1002/ets2.12063 
 
DIRECTIONS:  ​Keeping  in  mind  the  general  best  practices  of  teaching  English  language 
arts,  determine  the  best practices in teaching ELA specifically for the students around your 
locality.  Do  a  quick  survey  and  interview  parents  and  guardians  within  your  community 
about  the  needs  and  interests  of  your  locale’s  elementary  learners.  Maintain  proper 
practice  of  health  and  quarantine protocols in doing your quick survey and interview (you 
may  also  opt  to  use  text  messaging  or  social  media  messaging  in  surveying).  Afterwards, 
on  the  following  page,  write  five  (5)  best  practices  in  teaching  language  arts  to  your 
community. Please take note of the expectations and criteria in writing. 
 
Appropriateness  Conventions  Organization and  Creativity and 
and relevance  (spelling, grammar,  clarity  innovation 
(25 pts.)  word choice)  (25 pts.)  (25 pts.) 
(25 pts.) 
 
FINAL  TASK:  ​Having  learned  different  competencies  in  teaching  language  arts  to 
elementary  learners,  this  is  the  time  to  put  them  all  into  application  by  designing  a 
one-day  lesson  for  elementary  students.  Please  take  note  of  the  following  directions  in 
crafting your lesson plan. 
 
1. Choose a grade level to teach (Grades 1-6). 
2.  The  lesson  plan  must  integrate  the  teaching  strategies,  best  practices,  as  well  as  the 
learning  experiences  you  have  developed  in  the  last  three  (3)  modules  ​(you  may choose 
one  or  integrate  topics  around  these  concepts:  vocabulary  development,  phonological 
awareness,  print  and  book  knowledge  for  lower  grade  levels;  reading  and  listening 
comprehension, grammar, and the six components of ELA for higher grade levels). 
3.  The  lesson  plan  should  make use of real-life and interactive learning experiences as well 
as meaningful and authentic assessments. 
4.  The  lesson  should  run  for  only  a  minimum  of  30  minutes  (for  lower  grades)  and  a 
maximum of 40 minutes (for upper grades). 
5.  The  lesson  should  make  use  of  both  traditional  and  digital  media  as  instructional 
materials. 
6. Please take note of the following criteria in designing your lesson plan. 
 
12 
Course Code – Teaching English in the Elementary Grades-Language Arts 
School of Teacher Education, First Semester, SY 2020-2021  
 Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services 
National Teachers College 

Learning Objectives - ​The lesson plan demonstrates student-centered,  20 points 

SMART (specific, measureable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound) 
objectives, which are a balance of LOTS (lower-order thinking skills) and 
HOTS (higher-order thinking skills). 

Preparation and Planning - ​The lesson plan demonstrates thoughtful  15 points 

consideration to preparation and utilizes a balanced mix of various 
instructional materials. 

Preparatory Activity - ​The lesson plan displays an innovative and  15 points 

well-organized opening routine and preparatory activity and includes 
well-planned modifications for diverse students. 

Learning Experiences - ​The lesson plan shows highly engaging and  20 points 
relevant learning experiences that the students can easily integrate in 
their daily living. These experiences are also in congruence with the 
learning objectives. 

Assessment - ​The lesson plan utilizes authentic assessment tools and  20 points 
techniques that address and meet the learning objectives. 

Organization and clarity - ​The instructions and directions in the lesson  10 points 
plan are well-organized, clear, and uses the proper conventions in 
writing (grammar and spelling). 

TOTAL  100 points 

Semi-Detailed Lesson Plan 

Name of Teacher:  

Learning Area: ENGLISH 

Grade Level: 

13 
Course Code – Teaching English in the Elementary Grades-Language Arts 
School of Teacher Education, First Semester, SY 2020-2021  
 Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services 
National Teachers College 

Learning Objectives 

At the end of the period, the students are expected to: 

  

Learning Content ​(Topic to be discussed)  

Learning Materials ​ ​(Instructional materials to be used)  

Preparatory Activity 

14 
Course Code – Teaching English in the Elementary Grades-Language Arts 
School of Teacher Education, First Semester, SY 2020-2021  
 Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services 
National Teachers College 

Learning Experiences 

Learning Assessment 

15 
Course Code – Teaching English in the Elementary Grades-Language Arts 
School of Teacher Education, First Semester, SY 2020-2021  
 Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services 
National Teachers College 

CONGRATULATIONS!  ​You  have  finished  the  final  module  for  ​Teaching  English  in  the 
Elementary  Grades  -  Language  Arts​.  ​It  is  hoped  that  you  have  learned  substantially 
and meaningfully from these modules. :) 

16 
Course Code – Teaching English in the Elementary Grades-Language Arts 
School of Teacher Education, First Semester, SY 2020-2021