English Workshop

LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM English Workshop Course Description

ENGLISH WORKSHOP

English workshop is an intensive semester-long course that improves student reading and writing abilities by engaging students in personalized literacy and writing instruction that is parallel with their primary English classes. Decoding words, reading comprehension, vocabulary acquisition, responding to text, and writing skills are emphasized. The instruction will connect to the primary texts presented in their English class. Additionally, companion texts will be drawn in to support student understanding. In addition, students will have the opportunity to work on reading and writing-related assignments from other courses in a guided environment that emphasizes metacognitive skills. Students are placed into English Workshop upon consideration of reading assessments, the recommendations of the classroom teacher, the basic skills coordinator, and the STAT team.

LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM English Workshop: Reading and Responding

Objectives:

Students read, comprehend and respond in individual, literal, critical and evaluative ways to literacy, informational and persuasive texts in multimedia formats. Students use appropriate strategies before, during and after reading in order to construct a meaning. Students interpret, analyze and evaluate text in order to extend understanding and appreciation. Students select and apply strategies to facilitate word recognition and develop vocabulary in order to comprehend text. Students communicate with others to create interpretations of written, oral and visual texts. Students recognize and appreciate that contemporary and classical literature has shaped human thought. Students recognize that readers and authors are influenced by individual, social, cultural and historical contexts.

Enduring Understandings:

Applying pre-reading, during reading and post-reading strategies improves comprehension of a text. Effective readers work through difficult texts by employing a variety of techniques. Reading is an active process. Good readers do re-read. Pre-writing, drafting and revising strategies lead to clear, organized, and thoughtful writing pieces. New vocabulary can be acquired by purposeful study. Performance in class is related to organization and studying.

Essential Questions: (Inquiry used to explore generalizations) What is interfering with my ability to succeed in English class? What can I do to figure out a word that I don’t know? What can I do if I read something but I don’t understand it? How can I use what I know to help me understand a text? How can I improve my writing? What helps me learn?

LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM English Workshop: Reading and Responding

Course Expectations

(These are based upon the Connecticut Standards for Language Arts 9-12. Bold items represent the power standards that will be emphasized in this grade level.)

Forming a General Understanding Activate prior knowledge, establish purpose for reading and adjust the purposes while reading. Determine and apply the most effective means of monitoring comprehension and apply the appropriate strategies. Select and organize relevant information from the text to summarize.

Identify, use, and analyze text structures. Independently draw conclusions and use evidence to substantiate them by using texts heard, read, and viewed. Make and justify inferences from explicit and or implicit information.

Analyze the meaning of words and phrases in context Develop vocabulary through listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Developing Interpretation

Generate and respond to questions about the text. Interpret information that is implied in a text.

Distinguish between fact and opinion. Make, support, and defend judgments about texts. Discuss and respond to texts by making text-to-self, text-to-text and text-to world connections.

Identify and discuss the underlying theme or main idea in texts. Choose a variety of genres to read for personal enjoyment.

Persuade listeners about judgments and opinions of works read, written and viewed. Discuss, analyze and evaluate how characters deal with the diversity of human experience and conflict. Analyze and evaluate the basic beliefs, perspectives, biases, and assumptions underlying an author’s work.

Instructional Strategies Evidence of Learning

 Differentiated instruction  Mini- lessons  Gradual release instructional design (explicit instruction>modeling>pr actice>independent application to new task)  Teacher modeling  Explicit instruction and practice of reading strategies  Explicit instruction related to CFA skills according to grade level  Teacher “Think Aloud”  Teacher/student conferences  Guided reading  Small group discussions  Independent reading  Shared reading  Sustained silent reading  Note taking  Journal responses  Flexible groupings  Written reading reflections  CFA(s) based on grade level benchmarks  CFA re-mastery  Free-writes  Open-ended and multiple choice worksheets  Timed writing assignments  Quizzes  Writing assignments  Vocabulary charts and organizers  Discussion  Student writing  Student reflections  Pre-writing activities

LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM English Workshop: Reading and Responding

Course Expectations

(These are based upon the Connecticut Standards for Language Arts 9-12. Bold items represent the power standards that will be emphasized in this grade level.)

Examining Content and Structure

Identify literary techniques an author uses that contribute to the meaning and appeal of texts. Develop a critical stance and cite textual evidence to support the stance.

Instructional Strategies Evidence of Learning

 Oral reading reflections  Interactive read aloud  Pair and Share  Book talks  Collaborative group activities  Use of graphic aids  Incidental and systematic multisensory vocabulary instruction

LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM English Workshop: Written and Oral Expression

Objectives: Students use descriptive, narrative, expository, persuasive and poetic modes. Students prepare, publish and/or present work appropriate to audience, purpose and task. Students use knowledge of their language and culture to improve competency in English. Students speak and write using standard language structures and diction appropriate to audience and task. Students use standard English for composing and revising written text.

Course Expectations

Instructional Strategies Evidence of Learning

Use oral language with clarity, voice and fluency to communicate a message.  Gradual release instructional design (explicit instruction>modeling >practice>independe nt application to new task)  Oral presentations  Teacher modeling  Writing mini-lessons  Note taking  Process writing  Free writes  Graphic organizers  Generating topics  Guided writing lessons  Collaborative writing  Shared writing  School-wide Rubrics  Focused peer editing  Peer / teacher conferences  Oral presentations Listen to or read a variety of genres to use as models for writing in different modes. Use the appropriate features of persuasive, narrative, expository or creative    Writing drafts Timed writing Multimedia writing with a focus on: presentations a. clarity  CFAs b. support c. fluency Determine purpose, point of view and audience, and choose an appropriate written, oral or visual format. Apply the most effective processes to create and present a written, oral or visual piece Cooperatively revise texts for organization, elaboration, fluency, coherency, and clarity with a focus on:  writing topic sentences using key words from the thesis  reordering the argument in a way appropriate for the audience, purpose, and thesis and  using logical transitions between and within paragraphs to improve fluency and coherence. Research information from multiple sources for a specific purpose. Use sentence patterns typical of spoken and written language to produce text with a focus on improving clarity and eliminating clichés. Evaluate the impact of language as related to audience and purpose.

LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM English Workshop: Written and Oral Expression

Course Expectations

Recognize the difference between standard and nonstandard English and use language appropriately. Demonstrate proficient use of proper mechanics, usage and spelling skills. (See Appendix H: Grammar Articulation)

Instructional Strategies Evidence of Learning

 Model texts  Sharing of Student

Writing

LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM English Workshop: Resources

The following resources are available for use with a whole class or in small groups.

Texts:

Reader’s Handbook Writer’s Inc.

Grade 9 Vocabulary texts:

Building Vocabulary Skills: Townsend Press (E) Vocabulary for Achievement: Third Course (D)

Grade 9 Anthologies:

Literature Gold: Prentice Hall Writer’s Inc: A Student Handbook for Writing and Learning: Write Source Man the Voyager Man the Myth Maker Mythology and You

Grade 10 Vocabulary texts:

Improving Vocabulary Skills: Townsend Press (E) Vocabulary for Achievement: Fourth Course (M)

Grade 10 Anthologies:

Literature and Language: 10 McDougal Littell (E) Elements of Literature: Fourth Course Holt, Reinhart, and Winston (M) Places I Never Meant to Be (short stories- teen issues/ censorship)- Judy Blume No Easy Answers (short stories- teen issues)- Donald Gallo Poetry by Doing Short Stories: Characters in Conflict