Middle schools that differentiate English instruction?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's strange that this differs by school.

sort of.. different schools also have different electives and "focus", or signature programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid in TP magnet is taking "advanced" English (the course is labeled "ADV ENGLISH 6"), but it appears as "G" on her transcript in the column labeled "GT or HONORS."

That's interesting. Are the magnet kids grouped together with other non-magnet high ability students for this class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid in TP magnet is taking "advanced" English (the course is labeled "ADV ENGLISH 6"), but it appears as "G" on her transcript in the column labeled "GT or HONORS."

That's interesting. Are the magnet kids grouped together with other non-magnet high ability students for this class?

The question is still are there any sections that aren't Adv English 6, because at some schools every sixth grader gets a "G" next to the English grade (and science and world studies). It's really that as a school they use the MCPS advanced curriculum rather than the English 6 curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:bump.

Any schools besides SSIMS? TPMS actually doesn't differentiate.

My daughter is in advanced English 6 at Farquhar. The teacher doesn't play. She is following the guide and reinforcing some very difficult literary concepts. (I know; I'm a HS English teacher.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At Sligo there is both advanced and regular English. To be in advanced you need to be at a reading level w at the end of 5th and 215 on MAP R. These are on grade level. So
I imagine that the regular is actually remedial and advanced is at grade level and above.

So at SSIMS there is a similar benchmark but it's for the Reading class. 6th grade students who aren't above grade level take a Reading class in addition to English (the name has changed, think it's now called Digital Literacy) anyone above the benchmark has the option of beginning a foreign language instead.

At my daughter's MS, DL is required, as it should be. All 6th graders take it and then have the option of taking a language in grade 7. Regardless of reading level, DL offers all students important skills in reading expository text and understanding the basics of research. There are websites that will allow students to level the text. So while all students may be reading about the science behind a volcano eruption, those at higher levels will read more challenging articles.

[Anonymous]

What is Digital literacy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At Sligo there is both advanced and regular English. To be in advanced you need to be at a reading level w at the end of 5th and 215 on MAP R. These are on grade level. So
I imagine that the regular is actually remedial and advanced is at grade level and above.

So at SSIMS there is a similar benchmark but it's for the Reading class. 6th grade students who aren't above grade level take a Reading class in addition to English (the name has changed, think it's now called Digital Literacy) anyone above the benchmark has the option of beginning a foreign language instead.

At my daughter's MS, DL is required, as it should be. All 6th graders take it and then have the option of taking a language in grade 7. Regardless of reading level, DL offers all students important skills in reading expository text and understanding the basics of research. There are websites that will allow students to level the text. So while all students may be reading about the science behind a volcano eruption, those at higher levels will read more challenging articles.

DD has done that type of research project once every marking period in fifth grade. She also researches things she is interested in all the time anyway.
I think SSIMS offers the 6th grade world language option because it is an IB school, and also has the immersion program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm pretty sure Pyle has advanced and regular. My kid's teacher said they are reading different books.

Nope. Pyle English is all "advanced" but the teachers try to differentiate in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is Digital literacy?

18:19

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At Sligo there is both advanced and regular English. To be in advanced you need to be at a reading level w at the end of 5th and 215 on MAP R. These are on grade level. So
I imagine that the regular is actually remedial and advanced is at grade level and above.

So at SSIMS there is a similar benchmark but it's for the Reading class. 6th grade students who aren't above grade level take a Reading class in addition to English (the name has changed, think it's now called Digital Literacy) anyone above the benchmark has the option of beginning a foreign language instead.

At my daughter's MS, DL is required, as it should be. All 6th graders take it and then have the option of taking a language in grade 7. Regardless of reading level, DL offers all students important skills in reading expository text and understanding the basics of research. There are websites that will allow students to level the text. So while all students may be reading about the science behind a volcano eruption, those at higher levels will read more challenging articles.

DD has done that type of research project once every marking period in fifth grade. She also researches things she is interested in all the time anyway.
I think SSIMS offers the 6th grade world language option because it is an IB school, and also has the immersion program.

DL's emphasis is on research and reading.

Your reference to "that type of research project" is most likely a common task found in the English guides, as the emphasis now, with CC leading the way, is on research and expository text. So if a student is studying poetry, the expository research framing the poem may include analyzing different poetic forms (sonnet versus free verse, for example).

DL's emphasis is on expository text and research. Introducing students to expository reading strategies and leveling the text so that students can grasp meaning at their own reading level are two examples of instructional practices. Furthermore, DL teachers show students what a credible source is and introduce them to valuable databases like ProQuest.

While "that type of research project" is important, it often isn't enough to 1) allow students to fully grasp the difference between expository and narrative text and 2) ensure that they are confident in choosing appropriate resources (peer reviewed, for example) to support their claims.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At Sligo there is both advanced and regular English. To be in advanced you need to be at a reading level w at the end of 5th and 215 on MAP R. These are on grade level. So
I imagine that the regular is actually remedial and advanced is at grade level and above.

So at SSIMS there is a similar benchmark but it's for the Reading class. 6th grade students who aren't above grade level take a Reading class in addition to English (the name has changed, think it's now called Digital Literacy) anyone above the benchmark has the option of beginning a foreign language instead.

At my daughter's MS, DL is required, as it should be. All 6th graders take it and then have the option of taking a language in grade 7. Regardless of reading level, DL offers all students important skills in reading expository text and understanding the basics of research. There are websites that will allow students to level the text. So while all students may be reading about the science behind a volcano eruption, those at higher levels will read more challenging articles.

DD has done that type of research project once every marking period in fifth grade. She also researches things she is interested in all the time anyway.
I think SSIMS offers the 6th grade world language option because it is an IB school, and also has the immersion program.

DL's emphasis is on research and reading.

Your reference to "that type of research project" is most likely a common task found in the English guides, as the emphasis now, with CC leading the way, is on research and expository text. So if a student is studying poetry, the expository research framing the poem may include analyzing different poetic forms (sonnet versus free verse, for example).

DL's emphasis is on expository text and research. Introducing students to expository reading strategies and leveling the text so that students can grasp meaning at their own reading level are two examples of instructional practices. Furthermore, DL teachers show students what a credible source is and introduce them to valuable databases like ProQuest.

While "that type of research project" is important, it often isn't enough to 1) allow students to fully grasp the difference between expository and narrative text and 2) ensure that they are confident in choosing appropriate resources (peer reviewed, for example) to support their claims.

I'm talking about research projects on types of renewable energy or on social justice movements. She had to research enough to chose one type (solar power, wind power or civil rights or women's suffrage, etc) and then research and write about that topic.
It's great that you are happy with DL. DD's ms just doesn't require it for those reading above grade level who want to start a wold language in 6th.

[Anonymous]

At TPMS, all English classes are honor class. Magnet kids are evenly mixed with local kids. My DC said what he learned in 5th grade in a HGC are far more challenge than his middle school English classes and the books they have been working on in MS were covered in 5th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At TPMS, all English classes are honor class. Magnet kids are evenly mixed with local kids. My DC said what he learned in 5th grade in a HGC are far more challenge than his middle school English classes and the books they have been working on in MS were covered in 5th grade.

+1
And that is exactly the same for 7th grade in Takoma too.
My child began to write again in Takoma only in 8th grade. By that time pretty much forgot everything that learned in HGC in 4th and 5th.

TPMS magnet is not for writing...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At TPMS, all English classes are honor class. Magnet kids are evenly mixed with local kids. My DC said what he learned in 5th grade in a HGC are far more challenge than his middle school English classes and the books they have been working on in MS were covered in 5th grade.

+1
And that is exactly the same for 7th grade in Takoma too.
My child began to write again in Takoma only in 8th grade. By that time pretty much forgot everything that learned in HGC in 4th and 5th.

TPMS magnet is not for writing...

Which is to say the same for regular MS English instruction in MCPS generally. My DC had a similar experience returning to home MS after HGC.

And as of now, no one has posted an example of a school (other than humanities magnet) that doesn't place all students in Advanced English.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At TPMS, all English classes are honor class. Magnet kids are evenly mixed with local kids. My DC said what he learned in 5th grade in a HGC are far more challenge than his middle school English classes and the books they have been working on in MS were covered in 5th grade.

+1
And that is exactly the same for 7th grade in Takoma too.
My child began to write again in Takoma only in 8th grade. By that time pretty much forgot everything that learned in HGC in 4th and 5th.

TPMS magnet is not for writing...

Which is to say the same for regular MS English instruction in MCPS generally. My DC had a similar experience returning to home MS after HGC.

And as of now, no one has posted an example of a school (other than humanities magnet) that doesn't place all students in Advanced English.

Another poster said her child at SSIMS was placed in a class designated Advanced English GT.