8 English Language Arts
English Language Arts -
Middle
Language Arts - 8, Language
Arts - 8 AIG
*Eighth grade language
arts provides a foundation for literacy growth for
students as they begin preparing for high school and beyond. Reading, writing,
listening, speaking, and viewing skills are strengthened through a structured
program that encompasses unlimited opportunities for reading and writing
expression.
*Eighth grade students will study the use of oral language, written language,
and other media and technology for expressive, informational, argumentative,
critical, and literary purposes as related to the
Specifically, the eighth grade student will
• use language to express individual perspectives through analysis
of personal, social, cultural, and historical issues.
• develop and apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read,
heard, and viewed.
• continue to refine understanding and use of argument.
• continue to refine critical thinking skills and create criteria to evaluate
print and non-print materials.
• respond to various literary genres using interpretive and evaluative
processes.
• apply conventions of grammar and usage.
*Students in the eighth
grade are developmentally capable of employing higher level thinking skills
when interpreting literature; therefore, discussions will be inquiry-based and
relative to the nine thinking processes: Calling up, Connecting, Predicting,
Organizing, Generalizing, Imaging, Self-Monitoring, Evaluating, and Applying.
In addition, eighth graders are prepared to be self-sufficient writers who can
employ the writing process in order to produce organized, coherent writing
samples. Portfolios of these samples are compiled and maintained.
*Eighth graders will be assessed on reading comprehension skills according to
their performance on the North Carolina End of Grade Test. Students must
perform at grade level or above by answering reading questions based on the
following categories: cognition, interpretation, critical stance, and
connections.
*The goal of eighth grade language arts instruction is to prepare students for
a variety of literacy behaviors as evidenced by reading comprehension and
writing performance throughout the course of the year.
Prepared by the DPS English Leadership Team