A literate classroom environment is one that stimulates and supports meaningful language use.  It is an environment in which there is a wide and rich variety of printed materials.  It is built around the philosophy that language should not be separated into component parts, but is best learned through use in authentic situations that have meaning for the learner.  In this environment, there is an integrated approach to teaching and learning language arts based on the principle that listening, speaking, viewing, reading, and writing are interrelated functions of communication that are developed concurrently, rather than as distinct hierarchical skills.  Curriculum and instruction in this environment reflect the knowledge that we learn language through meaningful context and experiences, rather than through the practice of isolated skills.
