ParrishMiddle School

Angel Blanco

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8th Grade DL Language Arts

Course Syllabus—2017-2018

Course description:

This Language Arts course is designed to work on and improve students’ skills on literature and literacy in English and Spanish. Language Arts class is a place where students can explore the four arts of language (reading, writing, speaking and listening)by exploring and analyzing a variety of texts and authors and by creating their own texts. Additionally, students will broaden their understanding of the world through books, inferring, interpreting and drawing conclusions. Reading and writing workshop is the instructional method used in class.

Academic content:

Focus

Reading strategies: Predicting, visualizing, asking questions, making connections, identifying, inferring, and evaluating.

Reactions to the reading: Identifying and summarizing a sequence of events, main ideas, facts, and supporting details.

Literary Genres: Non fiction and fiction (informational and narrative texts)

Literary Elements:Figurative language.

Vocabulary Development: Use texts to enrich vocabulary; determine meaning of words and phrases using contexts clues.

Analysis of texts: Examine texts using evidence; examine text structure to understand ideas and themes as well as their development.

Compare and contrast texts: Examine similarities and differences amongst texts and genres.

Course Grading:

Academic grades will reflect student proficiency in reaching 7th grade Common Core State Standards in the areas of Reading (Informational and Literature), Writing, Speaking and Listening. All assignments and assessments that contribute to a student’s overall grade will be graded on a 4 point scale.

4: Exceeds Standard

3: Proficient in the Standard

2: Developing toward proficiency

1: Does Not Meet the Standard

If a student receives a 1 or 2 grade, this indicates they are not working at grade level.

Attendance/Late work:

GOOD ATTENDANCE IS VERY IMPORTANT.To achieve academic success as well asan enriching social and personal growth is essential that your child comes to school regularly. Frequent absences make it very difficult for children to keep up with school work and progress as well to establish strong and long lasting ties that will provide emotional and physical stability. IT IS THE STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY to request any missing and late work. Missing work will be accepted at the discretion of the teacher.

Behavior expectations:

Students will…

  • have all their materials at the beginning of class and be ready to learn.
  • listen when others are speaking.
  • show respect to themselves and their belongings, to their schoolmates, to teachers as well as to school property.
  • have a positive attitude.
  • take their education seriously.
  • take responsibility for their actions.
  • be resilient.

Dual Program Probation Policy:

The DL Program requires a high level of commitment, both academically and behaviorally. It is very important that students’ performance in those two areas beoptimal to guarantee their success in the program. If a student shows signs of low performance, a gradual plan will be set in motion to help the student succeed.

Academic Probation Process Steps

1)Teacher identifies low grades. Guardians are notified. Student completes grade progress check form.

2)Student/Teacher conference. Student completes Action Plan (2-3 weeks to improve).

3)Probation. Guardians notified. Action Plan continues 6-9 weeks. Possible removal from program at next progress grading period if no improvement.

Behavioral Process Steps

1)Teacher identifies behaviors and records observations. Guardians notified.

2)Teacher Behavioral Conference to identify patterns that might be present in other classes. Teacher/Student Action Plan. Student completes progress check form (2-3 weeks to improve).

3)Probation. Guardian notified. Progress checks continue 6-9 weeks. Possible removal from program at next progress grading period if no improvement.

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