Middle Grades Language Arts

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Students will understand what constitutes a well-rounded, theoretically sound middle school language arts curriculum that is responsive to the academic, personal, and social needs of young adolescents
• Students will understand, from a critical perspective, common instructional approaches in middle grades language arts programs
• Students will learn how to arrange for student engagement in reading, writing, and classroom talk.
• Students will learn to plan instruction that is responsive to student differences
• Students will explore ways of searching for, learning about, and identifying relevant, engaging young adult literature to be used in middle grades English language arts classrooms
• Students will examine Young Adult literature for its complexity and the meanings adolescents create based on their purpose, context, and motivation for reading
• Students will learn to design instruction that incorporates literature written for young adults.
• Students will examine multiple approaches for teaching English language arts concepts related to reading and writing.
• Students will critically examine formative and summative assessment practices in middle grades English language arts.

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure	Percentage/Points
Young Adult Book Discussion Reflection	10%
Professional Book Discussion Reflection	10%
Midterm Examination	20%
Language Arts Project Plan	20%
Final Exam	20%
Participation/Professionalism	20%

Attendance/Participation:

Teacher licensure is an example of a professional program mandated by the state which requires a minimum number of contact hours for students. Therefore, in accordance with department policy, students’ final grades will be lowered if there are an excessive number of absences. Everyone will get one “freebie” absence. Each subsequent absence (no matter if it is “excused” or “unexcused”), will result in the final course grade being lowered (e.g., two missed classes = one letter grade lower, three missed classes = two letter grades lower). Four or more absences will result in failure of the course. In addition, three tardies (arriving late or leaving early) will equal one absence from class

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

Write Like This: Teaching Real-World Writing Through Modeling and Mentor Texts — Kelly Gallagher, 1st Edition, Taylor, 2011, ISBN 1571108963 (also available online through UNCG Library)