Information For Parents Regarding

6^TH Grade Language Arts

In my class your child will be working on reading and writing in a setting which includes a workshop for individual learning as well as small group and whole class activities. My hope for the students is that they will continue to grow as readers and writers, and become more independent and self-motivated. One way to accomplish this I believe is to sometimes provide them with choices of books for reading and topics for writing. This encourages them to develop a sense of responsibility and caring about their work as well.

Mechanics, usage, and grammar will be primarily taught in the context of individual writing, supplemented with short lessons and a few worksheets. We will make use of self-editing, peer advising, and teacher conferences. In addition, students will be required to maintain a language arts binder, which will include five sections, for assignments, graded reading, graded writing, word study, and journal.

Although spelling is no longer taught as a separate subject, it will be emphasized as an editing skill. I have high expectations for correct spelling (on final copies) of commonly used words. We will  study the four basic spelling rules, spelling patterns, and structural analysis (prefixes, suffixes, Greek and Latin roots).

Most assignments are spread over a period of weeks. Unlike daily assignments, it is sometimes more difficult for 6^th graders to pace themselves. I would like to stress the importance of using the assignment notebook to help your child complete work on time. It is my policy in the event of late work to deduct 10 points per school day. This is a serious penalty considering the few number of grades taken in language arts. I have found that the students who work daily on their long-term assignments produce work of higher quality.

Please feel free to voice your questions, comments, and/or suggestions.