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What Is ELA and Why Is It Important for All Students?

ELA is a crucially important academic subject throughout school. As an experienced reading tutor, I’ve used my expertise to define what is ELA in simple terms, highlight the benefits of this class, and show you why it’s worth spending extra effort on helping your child master ELA.

Key points

• ELA is a school subject that teaches how to use English in an academic setting.
• The core principles of ELA include reading, writing, communication, collaboration, and creativity.
• 1:1, individualized tutoring, like the Brighterly reading program, is the most efficient way to help your child become an ELA pro and excel at school and in life. 

What is ELA?

ELA is a core academic subject in the United States education system. It is taught independently in elementary and middle school and is also studied in high school, usually integrated with other subjects. The ELA meaning covers the learning and usage of the English language in an academic domain. It is crucially important for students’ success in other subjects as it builds primary language skills.

What does ELA stand for in education?

ELA stands for English Language Arts in the United States academic system. The abbreviation is official and is widely used within the US school environment.

Typically, the English Language Arts has five strands, or evaluation standards, listed below.

What do you learn in ELA?

• Reading
• Writing
• Communication
• Collaboration
• Creativity

1. Reading

Reading is the first basic skill that the study of ELA subjects at school develops. Students need to be able to read different types of texts in order to comprehend and learn new information and communicate effectively in the classroom and outside of it.

During ELA classes, children learn not only how to increase reading speed (to absorb new facts faster) but also how to boost reading comprehension (to extract more knowledge from texts). This is done through the teaching and practical application of various strategies, such as skimming, scanning, building sight word vocabulary, and reading daily.

Without solidifying reading capabilities, you cannot move forward with the other ELA strands.

2. Writing

Writing is the second ELA evaluation standard. Writing refers to the way in which you structure and express your thoughts and ideas in order to convey them to others and communicate in a clear and effective manner. While writing is intensively used at school, it’s a lifelong skill that continues to ensure smooth communication throughout your entire life.

The learning of writing covers both grammar and vocabulary as well as developing ideas, working out a coherent message, and using different genres as appropriate. For students, it’s important to practice different styles of writing and to work on it on a regular basis to become good writers and communicators.

3. Communication

The study of the subject ELA also develops communication skills, where communication is defined as the ability to share and spread information between people. At school, students need to be able to communicate their knowledge and ideas to the teacher to get good grades and to classmates to build friendships. Later on, effective communication is at the core of personal relationships and professional success.

ELA students learn how to communicate by practicing active listening, speaking clearly, adapting communication to different settings and purposes, and expressing themselves with confidence. They can also engage in activities such as public speaking to further accelerate the development of communication capabilities.

4. Collaboration

The ELA class meaning and purpose are further supported by the development of cooperative capacities in children from a young age. As an essential standard of ELA, collaboration comprises the ability to work together with other people – whether classmates or teachers – in order to fulfill a shared aspiration. In the long term, this supports the enhancement of teamwork, cooperation, and even cultural exchanges.

In ELA classes, collaboration is taught via group projects, small group discussions, and peer feedback.

5. Creativity

The last but not least important principle of ELA in school is creativity, which is the competence to think differently from others and to work out new ideas and solutions.

ELA encourages the development of creativity in a number  of  various ways. Reading is important as it introduces children to innovative concepts and builds new knowledge that helps them open their minds. Creative writing, on the other hand, teaches them how to think on their own and express themselves in new ways. It also boosts analytical thinking, which is crucial for children’s minds.

What is ELA in Brighterly school?

The Brighterly ELA school meaning refers to an integrated subject that helps students in grades 1-9 develop crucial English language-related skills and become A+ students. This is done through 1:1, real-time, personalized tutoring that focuses on the strengths and learning gaps of each child with highly qualified reading tutors and adaptive materials. Meanwhile, the Brighterly award-winning curriculum follows the Common Core to ensure compliance with the US learning requirements.

The Brighterly reading tutoring platform emphasizes the critical areas of elementary, middle, and high school education ELA.

Core areas covered by Brighterly ELA program

• Reading and comprehension
• Speaking and listening
• Writing
• Language strand

😍Watch the video below to learn more about the Brighterly ELA program and the interactive tutoring sessions.

In addition to teaching core reading and writing skills, each Brighterly reading class also strengthens comprehension, communication, and confidence. Tutors are not only unmatched professionals in the subject area but also fun and entertaining to work with, which boosts student engagement and long-term knowledge building. Many parents highlight in their  Trustpilot reviews how much their children enjoy the lessons and progress they make.

Furthermore, tutors track students’ progress at all times and frequently report to parents to keep them informed about their child’s improvement and further needs.

Another major benefit of developing ELA skills with Brighterly is the affordable price, which is significantly less than the average reading tutoring cost in the United States. That means that your child can have as many lessons for as long as needed to reach and exceed their academic goals. 

Besides the below-average price, Brighterly brings extra value to parents and students by offering free educational resources.

First of all, children can take grade-appropriate free reading tests to evaluate their initial ELA level and track progress over time.

Second, Brighterly has a library of free reading worksheets which students can use to practice outside the classroom and tutoring sessions to strengthen their skills. 

With its personalized approach, expert tutors, and rich free resources, Brighterly makes high-quality ELA education accessible, effective, and enjoyable for every child.

What is ELA in elementary school?

ELA elementary school lessons emphasize the early development of simple reading, writing, and communication skills. This helps build the foundation for English language learning and more advanced abilities later at school.

What is Language Arts in elementary school teaching? Topics covered

• Introduction to reading, writing, and communication
• Prolonged silent reading
• Simple text comprehension
• Vocabulary growth
• Basic grammar and syntax
• Oral language development
• Literary skills foundation

What is ELA in middle school?

In middle school, ELA emphasizes the development of advanced literacy skills that include all five evaluation standards that I listed above. One of the most important facts about ELA at this stage of education is that the subject is still taught independently, as a separate class.

What is an ELA class for middle school students? Topics and learning objectives

• Advanced reading comprehension
• Literary analysis of longer, more complicated texts on different topics
• Understanding diverse literature genres
• How to write both analytical and creative pieces
• Finding your own writing style and voice
• Development of research skills
• Integration of research findings in written and verbal communication
• Effective communication in various academic and non-academic settings

What is ELA in high school?

In high school, ELA is a subject that’s integrated with other classes, such as history or even science. This aims to support the application of language arts-specific skills across different academic subjects and prepare students for real life, where English is rarely used on its own, unless you become a writer.

What is ELA in education program at high school?

• Advanced literary comprehension and interpretation
• Argumentative writing
• Academic writing on various grade-appropriate subjects
• Understanding different literature genres
• Learning about and appreciating diverse cultures and perspectives
• Development of college and career-ready skills

Why is ELA important?

• Supports academic success across all subjects
• Builds strong, effective communicators
• Enhances critical thinking and analysis
• Prepares students for life after school

Supports academic success across all subjects

First and foremost, the English Language Arts meaning at school is to develop crucial skills that students need to succeed in all academic subjects. You need to use English efficiently to read quickly, understand deeply and comprehensively, write convincingly, and communicate effectively to score excellent grades in math, science, history, social studies, and all other core and elective disciplines.

Builds strong, effective communicators

I cannot emphasize enough how crucial ELA classes are for establishing communication skills, including both verbal and written communication. The ELA teacher meaning is to help students learn how to organize their thoughts and present their ideas in the most efficacious manner. Needless to say, being able to communicate is of indispensable importance both at school and for the rest of your life.

Enhances critical thinking and analysis

Through literary analysis and delving into different genres and texts, students grow and expand their abilities to think critically and analyze various texts and situations. Creativity and critical thinking are some of the most valuable skills in the 21st century, where innovation and thinking outside the box are needed in any college specialization and any career.

Prepares students for life after school

Finally, learning ELA helps children not only succeed at school but also beyond. Good reading, effective writing, strong communication, real collaboration, and outstanding creativity are in demand in all college disciplines and jobs.

ELA subject and its significance: Conclusion

Now you know what is ELA in school and why it is so important. As a core academic subject, ELA helps your child learn how to read, write, communicate, collaborate with peers, and be creative not only to cover the school requirements but to gain real-life skills. If you want your child to succeed at school and beyond, you should try the Brighterly reading tutoring program.

What you get with the Brighterly ELA program

✅ 1:1, tailor-made reading tutoring aligned with the Common Core State Standards

✅ Interactive tutoring sessions with the best of the best tutors

✅ Customized reading materials matching your level and interests

✅ Continuous progress tracking and feedback

✅ Affordable pricing and free practice resources

Ready to help your child master their ELA skills? Book 1st free lesson today to set up your child for lifelong success.