At our Westwood Regional Middle School, we utilize the Readers and Writers Workshop Model for English Language Arts in grades 6-8, a highly effective instructional approach designed to cultivate independent and skilled readers and writers. This model, often associated with the work of Lucy Calkins, centers on a three-part structure: a mini-lesson, a workshop period, and a debrief.

The workshop model is built to provide targeted instruction followed by ample practice and reflection:

• Mini-Lesson: This brief, focused segment kicks off the workshop. During this time, teachers introduce and demonstrate a specific skill, strategy, or a step within a larger project. The emphasis here is on conciseness and clarity. While direct instruction can be part of a mini-lesson, our teachers often prioritize open-ended lessons that equip students with flexible strategies or thinking routines they can apply independently or in small groups. The goal is to model a concept efficiently so students can quickly move into applying it themselves.

To help students find books that are "just right" for them, we use a few different tools. Our district diagnostic assessments provide each student with a Lexile range, which is a numerical indicator of their reading level.

In our digital library catalog, you'll find most books clearly marked with either their Lexile level, Fountas & Pinnell (F&P) level, or sometimes both. We've also used a color-coding system in the past for easy identification. As we add new books to our collection, we'll ensure their leveling information is conveniently printed directly on the book label.

For quick reference, you can use the reading levels correlation chart provided below, which helps align these different leveling systems.

Our comprehensive digital search engine provides access to all resources within both the Media Center and our classroom libraries. This means you have a single point of access to discover a wealth of books and materials.

How to Search

• To explore a specific classroom library: Simply click the drop-down arrow next to "Sublocation" and select the teacher's library you wish to browse.

• To find specific titles: Use the "Find" search field to type in the book's title.

• To search by subject or category: Enter your desired subject or category into the "Find" search field. This will display all titles that contain those words in their title or are listed under those subjects in our digital system.

We believe in fostering a supportive and open environment for reading. If you prefer that your child not read a particular title that is a part of the student's Independent Reading, classroom libraries, or the school library, simply email their teacher. We'll make a note of your request and/or provide an alternative text. We encourage you to explore the titles available in each classroom library through our Library Catalog. To view a specific classroom's collection, use the "Sublocation" dropdown to find the teacher's name.

As students progress through middle school, the complexity and themes of the texts available to them evolve to match their increasing maturity. We recognize that developmental levels vary greatly, even within the same grade and classroom, and our diverse selection of texts reflects these individual needs. We highly encourage parents to review their child's reading selections and to contact their teacher with any questions or concerns.

The Westwood Regional Middle School Academic Support Pilot Program for

ELA offers targeted assistance to students in grades 6-8 who require

additional support in ELA. Our goal is to help students succeed in their core

ELA classes. 

We use two main approaches to provide instruction:

• Push-in support: A support teacher works directly with students in their regular classroom, alongside the classroom teacher.

• Pull-out sessions (when applicable): A student works in a small group or individually with a support teacher outside of their regular classroom.

A student's need for support is determined by a combination of teacher and parent referrals and a review of various assessments.

Please click on our manual for more information about our service.