Summit's English program covers all four strands in the Ontario Ministry of Education Curriculum including:

• Reading
• Writing
• Oral Communication
• Media Literacy

   Summit's Academic Language Assessment identifies grade level outcomes that students are expected to meet. Lessons are then tailored to suit each student's needs. Each lesson begins with Summit's innovative Cranium Calisthenics, which foster critical thinking, discussion and communication skills. These exercises work wonders with students who exhibit some level of learning "block". Whether a student needs to catch up or get ahead, Summit students practice higher level thinking skills at every session. Ask us about some of our student success stories!

   While at school, students are expected to read independently, to answer questions, to discuss, and to read aloud. When a student is struggling with reading, it can negatively affect his or her self-concept and make them reluctant to want to read at home or school. It is important to determine and remediate reading difficulties as soon as possible, so that a student can focus on their potential.

   At Summit, students learn to identify reading strategies they may already be using and to build upon them. Summit's Reading Program incorporates both phonics and whole language instruction. Emphasis is placed on developing reading comprehension skills, while at the same time taking students through the continuum of reading, from phonics, to fluency, to increased vocabulary. Summit's initial academic assessment ensures that no time is wasted on excessive review of elements that the student has already mastered.

   One of the biggest challenges for today's students is crafting a piece of writing from the initial planning stage to the finished product. Often students, regardless of age level, feel that their first attempt at writing is their good copy. Summit guides students through the Writing Process, taking them through the stages of planning and organization, rough copies, editing and revision, all the way to their final piece of writing. Summit educators ensure that proper attention is paid, every step of the way. Students learn to be proud writers and realize that they can craft excellent compositions.

Summit's Writing program, like all of our programs, is totally individualized.

We cover a variety of topics including:

• effective word
  • grammar
  • punctuation
  • sentence structure
  • paragraph writing
  use
• the writing process
• writing styles
• writing for different purposes
• vocabulary

   Summit also teaches essay and research report writing skills. Students learn how to gather information from a variety of sources, identify quality data, pinpoint the most important information, and plan and write papers in their own words. Once students are shown the keys to successful essay and research report writing, they are no longer intimidated, and become confident, independent writers. Applying the skills to research and write effective essays becomes second nature.

"My son enjoys coming; he often tells me he likes it more than the school he attends every day. He likes the personal attention, and it has give him a better, helpful, understanding about his school work."

-mother of a grade 2 student enrolled in Summit, Stoney Creek