Middle School English Language Arts Instructional Guide

Writing

Teachers will provide students with opportunities to write in order to express learning, gain knowledge, engage with text, demonstrate growth, and communicate with the world around them. Teachers will develop opportunities for students ● to write daily, ● for a range of purposes, ● Audiences, ● and lengths of time To learn more, see the Canyons Secondary Writing Framework in the Resources section of this guide. Teachers will provide students with opportunities to discuss in order to express learning, gain knowledge, engage with text, demonstrate growth, and communicate with the world around them. Teachers will develop opportunities for all students ● to speak daily, ● for a range of purposes, ● Audiences, ● and lengths of time. Teachers will teach conventions explicitly based on current tasks and student needs. Teachers will develop targeted lessons that students will apply to their own writing. Teachers will develop lessons that are student-centered, cognitive, and interactive. ● Instruction, including questioning strategies, moves students to higher level thinking skills including analysis and synthesis. ● Teachers structure lessons with scaffolding and utilize a gradual release of control to allow students greater independence and opportunities to show individual growth and acquisition of skills. Teachers should develop and use assessments which make students' thinking visible. Teachers create multiple assessment opportunities and expect all students to demonstrate learning.

Students should engage in writing in order to express learning, gain knowledge, engage with text, demonstrate growth, and communicate with the world around them.

Structured Academic Discussion

Students should engage in speaking in order to express learning, gain knowledge, engage with text, demonstrate growth, and communicate with the world around them.

Language and Conventions

Students should engage in improving understanding of language and conventions by applying lessons to their own writing through revision and editing. Students actively participate in the lesson, reading, writing and speaking in order to express learning, gain knowledge, engage with text, demonstrate growth, and communicate with the world around them.

Lessons

Use Authentic Assessment

Students will use academic language, evidence from their work, and metacognitive strategies to assess their learning.

Last Updated June, 2023 Middle School ELA, Page 5