Courses

English 6

The English 6 course is designed to emphasize Next Generation ELA standards and develop students’ skills in  the areas of reading, writing, listening and speaking. Students in grade 6 are expected to apply close reading  techniques to analyze both fiction and nonfiction works and are exposed to a wide variety of literary works as an  introduction to the formal study of literature and literary analysis.  

The elements of grammar, usage, punctuation and capitalization are taught, through the student’s own written  work and through literature. Spelling and vocabulary requirements are drawn from assigned texts and other  resources.  

Effective writing techniques are emphasized and considerable time is devoted to the writing process. Most  writing is done in response to texts read. In 6th grade we utilize peer evaluation, conferencing and other  techniques, which are designed to improve written communication. Students will engage in whole class novel  studies as well as in discussions and activities based on independently selected books. Students will be prepared  to successfully complete the NYS grade 6 English Language Arts assessment.

English 7

The English 7 course is aligned with the Next Generation English Language Arts standards and instructional  learning activities are designed to emphasize skills and strategies in the areas of reading, writing, listening and  speaking. Students apply close reading techniques to analyze both fiction and nonfiction works and are exposed  to a wide variety of literary works.  

The elements of grammar, usage, punctuation and capitalization are taught, through the student’s own written  work and through literature. Spelling and vocabulary requirements are drawn from assigned readings and  supplemental lists, and an integrated approach is used in the teaching of these skills. 

Effective writing techniques are emphasized and considerable time is devoted to the writing process. Most  writing is done in response to texts read. In 7th grade we utilize peer evaluation, conferencing and other  techniques, which are designed to improve written communication. Reading is, of course, emphasized and  students will engage in whole class novel studies as well as in discussions and activities based on independently  selected books. Computer instruction, stressing word processing, is also included in the seventh grade language  arts curriculum. Students will be prepared to successfully complete the NYS grade 7 English Language Arts  assessment.

English 8

The English 8 course is aligned with the Next Generation English Language Arts standards and instructional  learning activities are designed to emphasize skills and strategies in the areas of reading, writing, listening and  speaking. Students apply close reading techniques to analyze both fiction and nonfiction works and are exposed  to a wide variety of literary works. 

The eighth grade program is designed to provide students with a strong background in English language arts  skills. The development of reading, writing, listening and speaking skills is stressed within the language arts  classroom. Students will be required to read several class taught novels as well as independently chosen  titles. Students are expected to demonstrate their ability to appreciate and to respond to quality literature through  discussion and independent writing assignments. Spelling and vocabulary requirements are drawn from literature  and other teacher resources. This course stresses the need for effective written expression with an emphasis  placed on the writing process and the mechanics of language. Students will be prepared to successfully complete  the NYS grade 8 English Language Arts assessment.

English Foundations

An English class based upon NYS standards that focuses on building reading, writing, speaking, and listening  skills. The instruction is differentiated based upon students’ literacy abilities and IEP goals. The student- teacher  ratio is 15 to 1.