9th Grade English

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9th Grade English

• Taught by Ms. Williams, Ms. April Ms. Webb

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Topics of this Presentation

• How are students assessed and placed into
  different English levels?
• How do (and can) students move from level to
  level?
• What levels are offered for this grade?
• What do students learn at each level?

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Level Placement

• When students arrive at our school, they are
  interviewed.
• The interviewer starts with easy questions and
  asks harder and harder questions.
• The interview is over when the student begins to
  have trouble answering the questions.

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After the interview

• The interview is the first assessment.
• The interview decides on the students oral
  English level and the student is given a written
  test that matches that level (LA, LB-A or LB-S).
  
• The test for LA contains a writing prompt.
• The test for LB contains a reading section and
  writing prompt.

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After the written exam

• The written test is the second assessment.
• An English teacher (usually the HOD) evaluates
  the two assessments decides on a level placement.
  
• When both exams (interview and written test) are
  the same level, the student is placed in that
  level.
• If a student tested at two very different levels
  (e.g. the interview results were LB-S but the
  written results were LB-A), the student is
  usually placed in the lower of the two levels.

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Further Observation

• During the first weeks of school, teachers take
  special notice of new students and evaluate
  whether or not that student has been placed in
  the correct level.
• Sometimes student will change levels within the
  first 2-4 weeks of school if the teacher truly
  feels the class is too easy or too difficult for
  the student.
• This decision to move new students is made based
  on the teachers opinion as well as the students
  work in the class.

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How do (and can) students move from level to
level?

• Every exam period (midterms and finals), the
  English teachers meet and reevaluate students.
• If a student has made a lot of progress and all
  of his/her levels are very high (7-8), the
  teacher may request moving the student up to a
  higher-level class.
• If a student is struggling and all of her/his
  levels are very low (1-4), the teacher may
  request moving the student down to a lower-level
  class.

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When are students moved?

• The English teacher, HOD and principal make the
  decision to move or not to move a student.
• We make our decisions out of the students best
  interests.

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What if I want to request a move?

• Once a year, a parent/student may formally
  request to move to a higher or lower level
  English class.
• You must fill out an application (which you can
  pick up from the HOD, principal or can find
  online) explaining your request.
• The HOD and principal will consider your request
  and make the final decision.
• If they dont agree, you may not submit another
  request that year.

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What levels are offered for this grade?

• LA
• LBA
• LBS

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9th Grade English LA

• Taught by Ms. Williams

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Textbooks

• Holts Elements of Literature Third Course
• All students should have their own copy, which
  they will return to the library at the end of the
  year.
• Most of the short stories and poems we read are
  found in this textbook, so the students should
  bring this book to class everyday.

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Other Resources

• Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet
• Lewis Carrolls The Adventures of Alice in
  Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass
• These novels are provided as class sets from the
  library.
• We will also use several resources to build
  vocabulary and grammar skills. I will provide
  copies of these for the students.

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Some Example Unit Questions

• How is fear presented in different media? How
  does one make things scary?
• Who am I? How can I establish myself as an
  individual amongst millions?
• How do immigrants deal with the experience of
  leaving their countries to make a new, hopefully
  better life and home?

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What the students will do

• Essays
• Speeches
• Debates
• Group and Individual Projects
• Creative Writing
• Editing
• Vocabulary and Grammar Exercises

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Homework

• Students can expect to have about 30 minutes of
  homework each night, which may involve finishing
  a story we began reading in class, answering some
  questions, vocabulary practice, grammar
  exercises, etc.

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Contact Ms. Williams

• Email swilliams_at_ibwya.net
• Website sites.google.com/site/ bwyawilliams

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9th Grade LB-A English

• Taught by Ms. April

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What is LB-A?

• LB-A is an advanced level English class. It is
  designed for English learners who have studied
  English for a while, but still have problems with
  grammar and vocabulary gaps. This class focuses
  on building sophisticated vocabulary, fixing
  grammar trouble sports, developing speaking,
  learning how to write proper essays and analyzing
  literature.

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Textbooks

• A Sense of Wonder
• This book is used only the first semester.
• It is a collection of a variety of literature
  (poems, short stories, essays, etc.).
• Grammar Troublespots
• This book is used all-year long.
• It is used to teach students how to avoid common
  and complex problems with grammar.

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Textbooks, cont.

• Holes
• This book is used only the second semester.
• It is a novel.
• Photocopies/Handouts
• Some of the readings, especially for the first
  semester, are photocopies.

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Topics Covered

• Experiences
• Presentations, poetry and narratives.
• Persuasive Speech
• Essays, debates and reports.
• Complaints
• Letters, role-plays and audience.
• A Novel
• Students will learn about characterization, plot,
  climax, themes, creative writing, destiny,
  racism/prejudice and redemption.

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Kinds of Assessment Tasks

• Speaking
• Presentations, debates, discussions, interviews
  and role-plays
• Writing
• Poetry, narratives, persuasive essays, reports,
  letters, adventure stories, compare/contrast
  essays and literary essays.
• Reading
• Reading tests, posters, presentations and essays
• Grammar (Extra)
• Grammar homework and tests

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Amount of Homework

• Students will have about 1-2 assignments every
  week.
• There is about one writing assignment every 1-4
  weeks.
• There is about one speaking task every 2-4 weeks
  (which only sometimes requires work outside of
  class).
• There is about one reading test every 4 weeks.
• Students will sometimes have reading homework
  (usually when we read our novel).
• There is about one grammar homework assignment
  every 1-3 weeks (and one test every midterm and
  final).

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Additional Information

• Grammar class is only one period a week (at the
  same time every week).
• Students are required to keep vocabulary diaries.
• There is a bi-weekly vocabulary game to review
  new words.
• There is bi-weekly discussion period to practice
  speaking.

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9th Grade LB-S English

• Taught by Ms. Webb

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Units (each approximately 8 - 10 weeks)

• Unit 1 How can you learn best?
• Unit 2 My school and my environment
• Unit 3 Sleep and Dreams
• Unit 4 Novel Diary of a Wimpy Kid

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Textbooks

• Passages Student Book and Exercise Book
• Strategic Reading
• Painless Grammar (still waiting for the order to
  arrive at the school library)

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Homework

• Writing assignments will be given over the
  weekend
• Smaller tasks, such as studying vocabulary or
  grammar points, may be given at any time during
  the week
• Students will sometimes have ongoing assessment
  tasks to work on (such as the essay that they are
  writing now Supporting a Position)

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Assessment

• Students writing, speaking and reading skills
  will all be assessed multiple times throughout
  the year
• Assessment tasks will include story-telling,
  presentations, role-plays, interviews, creative
  writing, essay writing and reading comprehension
  exams
• Grammar will also be assessed several times
  throughout the year in the form of written exams