English Language Arts
English Language Arts
This is the year of "putting it all together". Our focus will not be on individual elements of reading or writing, but on the "big picture". In reading, students will be analyzing texts overall to identify themes, the author's message, and how various elements interact to deliver that message. In writing, we will focus on finished products with an emphasis on structure as well as using elements effectively to achieve a purpose. We will cover the genres of academic essay, non-fiction, personal narrative, poetry, and fiction.
What activities can students/families do to improve reading and writing skills?
The short answer is anything. Anything is always better than nothing. Included in these resources are suggestions for reading and writing activities. However, reading and writing in any form is preferable to nothing at all. Giving students choice for their activities and the ways in which they respond to them will make things more enjoyable. For example, one way to respond to a story is with a written review. However, students may choose to respond to a story and show their understanding/thinking about a text through a picture, sculpture, poem, dance, or something I can’t even think of! In short, instead of thinking there’s only one “right” way to practice reading and writing skills, get creative, get fun, and remember that just staying engaged in the process of reading and writing will help students improve their skills.
AB Schools Summer Resources Website
Here is a link to the district’s website with summer resources: https://sites.google.com/abschools.org/summerlearning/home?authuser=0 Be sure to also check the ABSchools homepage for updates.
Resources for Reading & Writing
As of this writing, the Epic! student access will be available through the end of June. Students can continue to access through this link https://www.getepic.com/students and using the class code ina2672
Your local library has access to many online reading resources. https://www.actonmemoriallibrary.org/resources-research/e-resources
NewsELA - This is the website I used for homework assignments this year. This website offers the ability to change reading difficulty to match students needs. It also offers “read alouds” so students can listen while they read along. It also has writing and comprehension assignments for each article. Here is the link to NewsELA: https://newsela.com/ You can sign in using Google. I have also created a video describing this resource: https://youtu.be/HehgKuB_afI
Responding to Reading
First and foremost, reading for pure enjoyment is top on the list. However, when students return to school they will need to respond to the things they read in some way. To keep up this important skill, responding to reading is important. This response does not have to be written, although it can be. As I mentioned earlier, students can respond in many forms, including verbal discussion. When responding to reading, there are 3 basic areas to focus on:
About the Text - This is the most basic type of response where students focus on the “facts” of the text - those things that are a part of the story or text. These can include the plot, the setting, the characters, the problems, the solutions, and the details that are there in the text.
Beyond the Text - This is a response that involves “reading between the lines” or inferencing. They are not “what” questions, but more “why” questions. These can include themes, lessons, morals, character motivations, connections of the text to the bigger world or our own lives, and our own opinions of the characters, their choices, and the text.
Within the Text - This is a response that focuses on the author. This is where we look at the choices that authors make and our thoughts on why they made them. These can include the structure of the story, the features that are included (titles, subtitles, maps, drawings, glossary, etc.), the word choices, the author’s point of view or biases, and what an author includes or what they don’t include. The point is that authors make many choices when writing a text and there are reasons for those choices.
Notes about Writing
Any kind of writing is beneficial. The most important part of writing isn’t what students write about, it’s following the writing process. Here are some important writing reminders. Students should follow the writing process - practicing that process is much more important than the topic students choose to write about. Of all the steps, revision and editing are the most important. Students should ALWAYS reread their work, make improvements, and fix mistakes. Even just doing a quick revision is much better than none at all. Making revision a habit is the goal. These are the skills that are the most important to practice over the summer.
What activities can students/families do to improve reading and writing skills?
The short answer is anything. Anything is always better than nothing. Included in these resources are suggestions for reading and writing activities. However, reading and writing in any form is preferable to nothing at all - this includes audiobooks!. Giving students choice for their activities and the ways in which they respond to them will make things more enjoyable. For example, one way to respond to a story is with a written review. However, students may choose to respond to a story and show their understanding/thinking about a text through a picture, sculpture, poem, dance, or something I can’t even think of! In short, instead of thinking there’s only one “right” way to practice reading and writing skills, get creative, get fun, and remember that just staying engaged in the process of reading and writing will help students improve their skills.
AB Schools Summer Resources Website
Here is a link to the district’s website with resources: https://sites.google.com/abschools.org/summerlearning/home?authuser=0 Be sure to also check the ABSchools homepage for updates.
Resources for Reading & Writing
Your local library has access to many online reading resources. https://www.actonmemoriallibrary.org/resources-research/e-resources
NewsELA - This is the website I used for homework assignments this year. This website offers the ability to change reading difficulty to match students needs. It also offers “read alouds” so students can listen while they read along. It also has writing and comprehension assignments for each article. Here is the link to NewsELA: https://newsela.com/ You can sign in using Google. I have also created a video describing this resource: https://youtu.be/HehgKuB_afI
Responding to Reading
First and foremost, reading for pure enjoyment is top on the list. However, when students return to school they will need to respond to the things they read in some way. To keep up this important skill, responding to reading is important. This response does not have to be written, although it can be. As I mentioned earlier, students can respond in many forms, including verbal discussion. When responding to reading, there are 3 basic areas to focus on:
About the Text - This is the most basic type of response where students focus on the “facts” of the text - those things that are a part of the story or text. These can include the plot, the setting, the characters, the problems, the solutions, and the details that are there in the text.
Beyond the Text - This is a response that involves “reading between the lines” or inferencing. They are not “what” questions, but more “why” questions. These can include themes, lessons, morals, character motivations, connections of the text to the bigger world or our own lives, and our own opinions of the characters, their choices, and the text.
Within the Text - This is a response that focuses on the author. This is where we look at the choices that authors make and our thoughts on why they made them. These can include the structure of the story, the features that are included (titles, subtitles, maps, drawings, glossary, etc.), the word choices, the author’s point of view or biases, and what an author includes or what they don’t include. The point is that authors make many choices when writing a text and there are reasons for those choices.
Notes about Writing
Any kind of writing is beneficial. The most important part of writing isn’t what students write about, it’s following the writing process. Here are some important writing reminders. Students should follow the writing process - practicing that process is much more important than the topic students choose to write about. Of all the steps, revision and editing are the most important. Students should ALWAYS reread their work, make improvements, and fix mistakes. Even just doing a quick revision is much better than none at all. Making revision a habit is the goal. These are the skills that are the most important to practice to improve writing..