The Mail-Journal, Volume 6, Milford, Kosciusko County, 9 March 1969 — Page 7

Language Arts Dept. Busiest And Largest

The busiest and largest department at Wawasee high school is the language arts department, in which 10 teachers instruct 1,058 students in 58 classes daily. The areas of instruction include grammar, composition and literature in grades 9-12, journalism, creative writing. modern literature, speech and dramatics, developmental reading, Latin I and H, Spanish I, n, and HI, French I and German I. The fact that 1,058 students are enrolled in language arts indicates that nearly one half the student body at Wawasee high school is enrolled in more than one language arts course; this, of course, is a healthy situation. In the English language arts one is always dealing with communication in the four areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening. The total program is solidly built around these. The school’s basic purpose is to enable students to communicate more effectively and intelligently in a complicated world and to understand that world more keenly. The courses in the English language arts are the foun-

Congratulations On A Dedication Worthy Os Recognition

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dation courses in any curriculum, because communication skills are vital for one to understand what he is doing in other fields of study. In the ninth grade, literature and grammar and composition are taught separately, one semester being devoted to each. The grammar instruction includes composition; and the grammar, employing a semi-linguistic approach, is designed as an intensive course in which students learn to use the grammatical principles needed for intelligent communication. Writing is stressed; it is always the most difficult area for students, but it is felt that students need to know early how to express themselves clearly in writing. In literature the values of human experiences are stressed. It is felt that literature is a reflection of life and a study of man and his reactions to problems that all of us face. It is also pointed out to students that reading can be an interesting and profitable pasttime. Therefore, outside reading is stressed, and instructors talk to students about the books they are reading outside of class and

what the students’ opinions are of their reading. An analysis of literature assigned takes place so that students may get more from their reading and develop discriminating tastes in what they read. Beginning in the 10th grade, literature, grammar and composition are unified, and the courses are literature - oriented. In the 10th, 11th and 12th grades there is an intensive review of grammar; and specific grammatical constructions are taught when the need arises from student writing. Literature at the sophomore level is a survey of world, English and American literature. Os course the idea of appreciating and understanding literature that was begun in the ninth grade is continued. In the junior year there is a great emphasis on American literature from the very beginnings of our country down to the present time. This enables a student to have a rich understanding and knowledge of our great literary heritage. Writing assignments are frequent and are usually based on experiences from literature. A short research paper is

done so that students will have the experience of organizing, studying and writing about a particular topic of interest in depth. English is not required for seniors; however, college - bound students are strongly urged to take it. Seniors may elect to take English literature, a full - year couse which is. a survey of our English literary heritage; the history and development of the English language is also studied. In this course novels of world literature are studied for six weeks. Journalism students study thoroughly how daily and weekly newspapers function, how they are put together, and how to write various newspaper articles. A considerable amount of time is devoted to the planning and writing of the “Smoke Signals”, the school newspaper. This course is open to both juniors and seniors. Seniors may elect to take a one-semester course in creative writing (a course for collegebound seniors) in which the principles of essay writing are studied intensively and extensively.

Students may experiment with writing poetry, short stores, etc., but the emphasis is on writing the formal and the informal essay. Another senior elective is a one-semester course in modem American literature, in which American literature from 1910 to the present time is examined very carefully. It, too, is primarily intended for those students who plan to go to college. The developmental reading program on the secondary level has as its single overall objective the systematic development of the complex skills by which an individual efficiently obtains meaning from the printed word. It is especially designed for students who can read, but do not do so as efficiently as they are capable of doing. The program is integrated into the language arts program at the freshman level; and this year it is also offered to college-bound seniors. The importance of effective speech in our society cannot be overlooked. Accordingly, all freshmen at Wawasee high school must take one semester of speech in addition to their two semesters of English- By taking speech early in their high school training, it is hoped that students will be able to speak more confidently and to speak more intelligently, as well as to apply the basic principles of public speaking to practical situations in school. An advanced course is offered in speech and dramatics for those juniors and seniors who wish to develop their speaking abilities further — to master the finer points of oral communication. Foreign Language Too In foreign languages the following are taught: Latin I and II; Spanish I, II and III; and French I and German I. Latin is increasing in popularity in the United States. In addition to its being a language rich in cultural and historical content it also has considerable meaning to language students who wish to have a more penetrating knowledge of the English language. The modern foreign languages are designed not only to teach students to speak the language studied more fluently but also to teach them the customs and historical, social and cultural background of the country/ A student cannot really speak a foreign language until he learns basic vocabulary and can “think” in the language; he must also have a general background of the country. The latest and most efficient equipment is used in teaching modem languages, particularly with the use of extensive tape recordings. The tapes help the student to hear the correct pronunciations of words by a native of the country; the students imitate these pronunciations and then listen and compare their pronunciations with those of the native speaker. All this time the teacher has the opportunity of listening and correcting his students. The language arts department staff is comprised of the following persons: Max Ellen Smith, Donald 'Decker, Ruth Angle, Terry Iden, David Dombek, Norma Rush, Roberta Powers, F. Lee Gehrig, Adele Beveridge and Philip K. Fawley, department chairman. School colors are forrest green, old gold and white.