Thomas J. Lahey Elementary School

Writing Lab

Thomas J. Lahey Elementary School has had a writing lab in place since the fall of 2009.  The writing lab program was designed based on the New York State English Language Arts Standards, the Harborfields School District Literacy Curriculum, and professional observations of the skills students need to master in order to be successful writers.

 Instruction in the writing lab is designed to meet the needs of participating students, and adjust as those needs shift throughout the school year.  Instruction is provided by a literacy specialist who infuses philosophies of leaders in the field of writing instruction into all aspects of the program.
    
Students who receive writing instruction meet in a small group setting, twice a week for 40 minute periods.  Instruction targets the specific writing needs of each student through the use of mentor texts, teacher observation, and continuous instructor/student dialogue.
    
The goal of writing lab instruction is for students to independently incorporate the skills necessary for effective written communication.