The Grammar Stage focuses on presenting information, the broad acquisition of facts and laying the foundation of knowledge. Grammar refers in this context to the simple concrete artifacts, basic building blocks or fundamental rules which inform a subject matter or exercise. This is the critical stage when students are learning “how to go to school,” how learning works and what behavior, conduct, and intellectual involvement are appropriate.
Grammar Stage students explore in simple and concrete ways the basic elements of reading, math, art, language and science. Memorization and simple observation in a rich environment, both of which come quite naturally and with delight at this stage, are maximized. Reading and being read to are at the heart of this stage as all students become fully fluent in reading and develop a love for stories, poetry, and the spoken and written word. The student becomes familiar with various parts of disciplines and future skills, in a basic but comprehensible way. The student’s developing intellect will more fully appreciate and synthesize the elements of this fact-focused stage as he grows in age and wisdom.
Ensuring Donahue Academy students are prepared to encounter Christ and pursue excellence in all things requires a shared vision among students, teachers and parents. With this in mind, we began the Community & Culture Night series. These evening events focus on one particular stage of your child’s education and help outline what makes Donahue Academy so successful for so many students.
Lists of texts below are illustrative and not exhaustive. Age-appropriate versions of certain works may be used.
Description: Recalling or remembering something without necessarily understanding, using or changing it.
Skills: Define, describe, identify, label, list, match, memorize, observe, point to, read, recite, recall, re-tell select, state.
Description: Understanding something that has been communicated without necessarily relating it to anything else.
Skills: Alter, account for, annotate, calculate, change, convert, dictate, group, explain, generalize, give examples, illustrate, infer, interpret, paraphrase, review, summarize, and translate.