At The Renaissance International School, we believe that the process of learning how to read should be as painless as learning how to speak.

We begin by placing our youngest students in classes in which the older students are already reading. All children want to do what the big kids can do, and because the intriguing work that absorbs the older students involves reading, there is a natural lure for the younger children.

The process of learning to read and write at The Renaissance International School comes naturally and begins with a child’s first interest.
Our students begin by learning the phonetic sounds of the alphabet, then going on to phonograms, and then to puzzle words. Mastery of these basic skills normally develops so smoothly that students tend to exhibit a sudden explosion into reading that leaves our young students, not to mention their families, beaming with pride.

Once our young students have made their first breakthroughs into reading, they tend to proceed rapidly.
There is typically a quick jump from reading and writing single words to sentences and stories. At this point, we begin a systematic study of the English language: vocabulary, spelling rules, linguistics, and grammar. We begin to teach the function of words to students as young as kindergarteners, just as they are first learning how to put words together in writing to express themselves. This leads them to master these vital skills during a time in their lives when it is a delight, rather than a chore. Before long, they learn to write naturally and well.

During the elementary years, we increasingly focus on the development of research and composition skills. Our students write every day, learning to organize increasingly complex ideas and information into well-written stories, poems, reports, plays, and student publications.

Finally, and most importantly, the key to our language arts curriculum is the quality of the things we give our children to read. Instead of insipid basal readers, we introduce them from an early age to first-rate children’s books and fascinating works on science, history, geography, and the arts. Students begin the Junior Great Books program at the first grade level. Literary studies continue every year thereafter through graduation.