Kindergarten – Grade 2
Phonics, letter–sound mastery, sight words, oral storytelling, listening comprehension, sentence writing, handwriting and vocabulary growth through read-alouds.
Core Academics
English Language Arts & Literacy
Grade bands served: Kindergarten through Grade 12
English Language Arts is the backbone of the Stars Ablaze academic programme. Learners move from letter sounds and oral language in Kindergarten to fluent reading, disciplined writing and evidence-based argument by Grade 12. Every year combines four strands — reading literature, reading informational text, writing and language, and speaking and listening — so that learners can read anything placed in front of them, write clearly for a real audience, and speak with confidence in Liberian and international settings. Texts are drawn from Liberian and West African writers, wider African literature, and world classics, so learners see themselves in what they read while preparing for examinations and study beyond Liberia.
Why this subject matters
Reading and writing determine access to every other subject, to examinations, to employment and to civic voice. A learner who reads closely and writes precisely can teach themselves anything else. In an age of AI-generated text, careful reading and honest authorship matter more, not less.
Overall learning goals
- • Read grade-level texts fluently, accurately and with understanding.
- • Write clear, organised, well-evidenced texts across narrative, informational and argumentative forms.
- • Build a broad academic and technical vocabulary.
- • Speak and listen effectively in discussion, presentation and interview settings.
- • Read critically — including AI-generated and online text — and judge credibility.
Core competencies & skills
- • Phonemic awareness, decoding and reading fluency
- • Comprehension, inference and textual evidence
- • Structured writing and revision
- • Grammar, mechanics and standard usage
- • Research, citation and academic honesty
- • Oral communication and active listening
Scope by grade band
Grades 3–5
Reading fluency and stamina, main idea and supporting detail, paragraph and multi-paragraph writing, dictionary and reference use, short research reports and read-aloud presentations.
Grades 6–8
Literary analysis, theme and author's purpose, argument writing with sources, summarising and paraphrasing, note-taking, formal presentation and media text analysis.
Grades 9–12
Close reading of complex literature and non-fiction, rhetorical analysis, extended essays, research papers with citation, literature seminar discussion, and professional and academic writing.
Typical learning activities
- • Daily independent and guided reading
- • Writer's workshop with drafting, feedback and revision
- • Socratic seminars and structured debate
- • Vocabulary study rooted in real texts
- • Oral reading, recitation and presentation
Project examples
- • Class anthology of learner-written stories and poems
- • Research report on a Liberian community issue with cited sources
- • Persuasive campaign speech delivered to a live audience
- • Literary podcast or recorded book review series
Assessment methods
- • Running records and fluency checks (lower grades)
- • Written examinations and timed essays
- • Portfolio of drafted and revised writing
- • Oral presentation and seminar participation rubrics
- • Research paper with source verification
Real-world & career connections
- • Journalism and communications
- • Law, policy and public administration
- • Teaching and academia
- • Any profession requiring reports, proposals or correspondence
FutureTech & AI integration
Learners use word processing and collaborative documents from Grade 3, study how AI writing tools work from Grade 6, and from Grade 9 practise disciplined, disclosed use of AI for brainstorming and feedback while all submitted analysis remains their own work.
Expected learner outcomes
- • Graduates read complex texts independently and critically.
- • Graduates write a structured, cited argument of several pages.
- • Graduates present and defend ideas before an audience.
Where it appears by grade
Related subjects
Mathematics
Number sense to algebra, geometry, statistics and pre-calculus pathways.
Science
Inquiry, laboratory work and the Biology–Chemistry–Physics sequence.
Social Studies & Geography
Communities, geography, world history and economics in context.
Communication, Public Speaking & Media Literacy
Speaking well, presenting clearly and evaluating media critically.