To promote rigorous and relevant literacy instruction in every classroom across the District, we have carefully selected all programming and resources. These curricular materials support teaching and learning in the four English Language Arts (ELA) strands outlined in the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework. Those strands are Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening, and Language.
Our Approach to Literacy Instruction
In the Fall of 2025, Falmouth Public Schools will begin implementation of EL Education’s ELA curriculum in Kindergarten through Grade 6. This high-quality, knowledge-building curriculum was unanimously selected by the district’s High Quality Instructional Materials Team and a group of field-testing teachers, following an extensive review process. Designed to promote student engagement, equity, and achievement, EL Education’s curriculum supports deep literacy development by integrating reading, writing, speaking, and listening across rich thematic modules rooted in complex, high-quality texts.
A key strength of EL Education’s curriculum is its strong alignment with the Science of Reading—a comprehensive body of research drawn from disciplines such as literacy, developmental psychology, educational psychology, cognitive science, and cognitive neuroscience. This research outlines what matters most in effective early literacy instruction: systematic and explicit teaching of foundational skills (such as phonemic awareness and phonics), development of vocabulary and background knowledge, and frequent opportunities for students to read, write, and discuss meaningful content.
In grades 7-12, every grade offers an English course taught by certified English teachers. English teachers have received training in differentiation, co-teaching, and use of digital tools to provide targeted feedback to students.
In 2019, the 7-12 English Department engaged in the DESE pilot text inventory to study the extent to which the texts our students encounter represent diverse cultures and perspectives. In response to our findings and through continuous professional learning, English teachers have developed companion text units for many of our core texts. The focus of the department’s professional development since 2020 has been to expand student choice in the curriculum and increase opportunities for students to develop their unique voices as writers and communicators.
In grades 9-12, courses are grouped under the following designations: College Preparatory (CP), Honors (H), and Advanced Placement (AP). Grades 6-12 English Language Arts teachers incorporate rigorous lessons and materials that prepare all students for advanced courses including honors and AP courses at the high school level.