Middle school English options: Advanced English vs. Digital Literacy

[Anonymous]

I saw that MCPS offers 3 types of middle school English classes:
- On-grade level English (6, 7, 8)
- Advanced English (6, 7, 8)
- Digitral literacy (1, 2, 3)

Our MS only offers the advanced English and digital literacy classes (in addition to reading intervention classes) -- no on-grade level classes. Is digital litearcy taken in place of Advanced English, or is it just an elective for people who don't want a foreign language?

[Anonymous]

At our MS all 6th graders take digital literacy in addition to their core classes PE. So only one slot open for electives in 6th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Is digital litearcy taken in place of Advanced English, or is it just an elective for people who don't want a foreign language?

At our MS it's the latter. But after promoting it heavily for 6th graders for many years, they did a U-turn and now, not as many students take it.

[Anonymous]

My kid's MS didn't even offer digital literacy. Offerings (and what they encourage kids to take) are very school dependent. What school is your kid going to?

[Anonymous]

Yeah, Digital Literacy was a required class for all 6th graders when my son was in middle school. It wasn't considered an "English" class though I guess in practice, it really is.

[Anonymous]

What do you learn in digital literacy?

[Anonymous]

Here are the descriptions of the digital literacy classes our MS offers:

Digital Literacy 1

The Digital Literacy 1 curriculum focuses on developing critical and creative thinking through reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing in a 21st Century approach. Working through a problem-based process, students learn to define real world problems of interest, research the causes of those problems using real-time global texts and then create solutions to address the problems. Students will advance their understanding of comprehension, analysis, and evaluation of text as well as vocabulary acquisition through reading complex informational and argumentative texts in a technology-rich medium. Students will collaborate regularly both through the research and the solution phases of their investigations. Students’ curiosity and motivation will engage the students in their investigations while learning and refining the processes that will enrich all other courses and prepare them for college and career projects.

Digital Literacy 2

The Digital Literacy 2 curriculum focuses on increasing critical and creative thinking through reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing through an integrated approach. By participating in a problem-based process, students learn to define, analyze, and evaluate real world problems of interest related to standards-based curriculum topics. Students will use research skills to investigate problems using real-time global texts and then create solutions to address the problems. Students will participate in sustained inquiry, analysis, and evaluation of text through reading complex informational, expository, and argumentative texts in a technology-rich medium. Students will hone their communication, collaboration, research, and problem-solving skills and learn to give, receive, and use feedback to improve their process and products during complex tasks. Digital Literacy creates authentic work for students to engage in by allowing for presentation of their solutions beyond the walls of the classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What do you learn in digital literacy?

I think you learn how to evaluate online sources.

[Anonymous]

If your kid is smart and likes to read then digital literacy is a total waste of time. I made my very literate kid take it when we moved into the county, on his counselor's advice, and he was bored out of his mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If your kid is smart and likes to read then digital literacy is a total waste of time. I made my very literate kid take it when we moved into the county, on his counselor's advice, and he was bored out of his mind.

Me again, I should have added, at the time it was considered an elective instead of a foreign language. We should have let him take the foreign language.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your kid is smart and likes to read then digital literacy is a total waste of time. I made my very literate kid take it when we moved into the county, on his counselor's advice, and he was bored out of his mind.

Me again, I should have added, at the time it was considered an elective instead of a foreign language. We should have let him take the foreign language.

Thanks. It sounds like a good course from the write-up, so this is helpful feedback.

[Anonymous]

It's an elective, not a primary English class. In addition, there is no "regular" English class - all students get the class called "Advanced English (ditto history).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's an elective, not a primary English class. In addition, there is no "regular" English class - all students get the class called "Advanced English (ditto history).

There are two levels for history/social studies