Language Arts

Ministry of Education
Gr 8 LA outcomes/indicators

Saskatoon Public Schools places significant emphasis on literacy skills. LA consists of six strands; reading, writing, listening, speaking, interpreting, representing. Each day, one or more of them is addressed. Ongoing efforts to improve literacy skills this year will include:

• formal reading assessments

• specific instruction for reading strategies

• scheduled reading periods

• stories and novels read by me with response activities

• instruction and practice of various writing techniques such as the newspaper format, short essay, letter and poetry

Reading Requirements and Lists

Our classroom has a reading requirement. Choice reading plays a large role in the assigned work throughout the year. For the most part, students choose their own books with communicated expectations for level and content. Completed books are recorded in a log kept in the classroom. A sample version is linked below. A log update will be due about every three weeks, usually on a Friday. In class reading time is offered at least once, sometimes twice a week. Regular visits to Alice Turner Library are planned to support reading.

• Reading log - sample

Current Focus - Using Rich, Precise Language, Paraphrasing

An important skill for students heading into high school is the ability to paraphrase and/or summarize text. Both techniques show that a student understands the meaning of what they have read. The first technique rewords and makes clearer. The second shortens/abbreviates the central focus of a given text. Activities in class practice these skills which will be assessed multiple times across subjects this year. An extension of paraphrasing is using citation methods in research assignments. That skill is taught during Social Studies.

• paraphrasing assignment duplicate