Starting in kindergarten, we review the letters and teach the sounds through the BJU curriculum. This approach helps students understand how English works; it is about more than memorizing letters and sounds. By the end of second grade, students will have a strong foundation in phonics and word knowledge to build on. Vocabulary development intensifies in kindergarten and continues throughout the Lower School. Weekly spelling activities, quizzes, and reading take vocabulary beyond rote memorization and allow students to apply their newly learned words to the context of reading and writing.

Fluency is an essential component because it is the bridge to comprehension. Teachers are well-equipped with various techniques to improve a student’s fluency level. Fluency levels are assessed multiple times a year.

Comprehension Strategies (Visualizing, Inferencing, etc.) are taught in kindergarten through fifth grade utilizing picture books. Teachers assess their students by the middle of kindergarten to determine their reading level. Reading levels are attained at least three times a year. The more a child reads materials appropriate for their class, the better their reading ability becomes. It is a muscle that needs to be worked for many hours. This approach to reading allows students to be working at their level.