Writing in Content Areas Program

At Saint John Vianney High School, helping students develop and perfect writing skills is central to our philosophy of personal and academic growth. This is why we’ve implemented Writing in Content Areas (WiCA), a high school writing program that teaches written communication across department borders. On our Holmdel, New Jersey campus, students from Monmouth, Middlesex, and Ocean Counties can develop and hone the essential writing skills they need to succeed now, in college, and their future careers.

The Origins of Writing in Content Areas

Written communication is one of the most critical skills in the modern world. Few students, however, have the opportunity to practice outside of an English course. Saint John Vianney High School recognized this need in the 1990s when we implemented Writing across the Curriculum, a program designed to help students develop writing skills for every context – not just English class. Since then, the program has only grown, and today, it is known as Writing in Content Areas. Saint John Vianney High School remains one of the only establishments to offer this kind of program for high school students, better preparing them for success.

Program Goals

Writing in Content Areas stands on the same foundations and pursues the same goals as it did when it was first established. First and foremost, it exists under the philosophy that writing is important. We believe that writing skill development:

  • Is the responsibility of the entire community, not only English teachers or departments
  • Should be integrated through all departments and across boundaries
  • Must be continuous throughout a student’s high school attendance
  • Promotes learning in all contexts and across all academic disciplines
  • Is necessary for communicating effectively within all disciplines

In keeping with these principles, the Writing in Content Areas program seeks to educate students on various forms of writing. It covers the conventions in all academic areas, helping participants communicate more skillfully and effectively within every discipline.

What We Teach

At Saint John Vianney High School, we teach students the necessary skills to produce essays of all kinds and in all disciplines. This includes basic skills, like grammar and writing style, as well as abilities specialized to certain types of writing. Students will create works such as:

  • Research papers
  • Persuasive arguments
  • Comparison and contrast essays
  • Scientific reports
  • And more

This program enhances student performance in classes with higher-quality essays, better critical thinking skills, clearer communication, and other improvements to achieve higher grades. Those skills will also assist students in gaining acceptance to colleges and other post-secondary institutions, as well as come in handy when they’re beginning a fruitful career.

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