ABSTRACT
Language arts education must encourage key learner outcomes related to critical reading, the iterative processes of writing, and the exploration of language as the foundation for the aesthetic and intellectual experience of communication. Some advanced learners may need additional support in developing these more foundational skills, even though their assessed and observed level of reasoning indicates strong ability; thus, their learning experiences should support development of foundational skills even as they are challenged with more advanced questions and tasks. The language arts curriculum should encourage students to develop habits of inquiry and critical reading, and it should provide them with opportunities to delve deeply into their language and all its complexities. At the center of all language arts curricula and instruction is the element of constructing meaning. A focus on universal concepts in the language arts also links to the necessity for a multicultural emphasis within the curriculum.
