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Improving Reading Comprehension & Breaking Standardized Test Barriers (5th & 6th Grades)

In this ongoing course, taught by current middle school English teacher, students will strengthen comprehension skills and learn test taking skills for reading success, in a fun and engaging way.
Nicky Locklear, M.Ed, National Board Cert. Teacher
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:
(63)
Star Educator
Class

What's included

1 live meeting
45 mins in-class hours per week

Class Experience

US Grade 5 - 6
Intermediate Level
Improve reading comprehension skills while learning test taking strategies and gain confidence on standardized reading tests!  This ongoing course will prepare your child for standardized reading tests by learning test taking tips, while focusing on a Common Core Reading Comprehension skill each week. I believe in first teaching reading comprehension skills and using them in an authentic way, and then integrating those comprehension and test taking skills together, so students not only become better test takers, but better life long readers.  

My goal as a teacher is to engage students by using a variety of materials in my classes, such as high interest reading passages, visuals, or short films to apply the reading skill of the week.  The format of the class will vary based on the skill for that week.  Later in the course we will apply the comprehension strategies learned while completing practice reading test passages.  At the end of each day's class we will practice the skill we learned that day with a fun game of Blooket or Gimkit.

*Note: Classes do not build upon the prior class each week; students may join class at any time.*

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SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2024-SPRING 2025:
September 9 - Inferencing and Text Evidence 
September 16 - Summarizing
September 23 - Character Change
September 30 - How an Author Develops Point of View
October 7 - Point of View and How Point of View Affects How a Story is Told
NO CLASS OCTOBER 14
October 21 - Compare and Contrast Two Themes
October 28 - How a Setting Affects Characters 
November 4- How a Setting Affects Plot
November 11 - How Visual Elements Contribute to Meaning and Tone
November 18- Figurative Language (Similes, Metaphors, Idioms)
NO CLASS NOVEMBER 25
December 2 - Context Clues
December 9 - Test taking strategies with fiction passages
NO CLASS DECEMBER 16-JAN 3
January 6 - Nonfiction Central Idea
January 13 - Nonfiction Summarizing
January 20- Author's Purpose
January 27 - Author's Reasons and Evidence
February 3 - Test taking strategies with nonfiction passages
February 10 - Figurative Language
NO CLASS FEBRUARY 17
February 24 - Figurative Language
March 3- Poetry
March 10 - Poetry
NO CLASS MARCH 17
March 24 - Poetry
March 31 - Test taking strategies with poetry passages

Each weekly class will be structured as follows:
Introductions/Ice Breaker
Review of skill 
Modeling of skill as we begin to read the text/short story/short film of the day
Guided and Independent Practice of skill while reading the text of the day
Blooket or Gimkit game to review skill to end the class (As time permits/if applicable to skill)
Learning Goals
Students will review and practice Common Core reading comprehension skills to be successful taking standardized reading tests.
learning goal

Other Details

Supply List
Handouts will be provided prior to class.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
Students do not need an account for Blooket; I will provide link and game code. We will be using this website to play a game that reviews content from students' reading for the day.
5.0
63reviews
Star Educator
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
North Carolina Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts
North Carolina Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education
Master's Degree in Education from University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Hello! My name is Nicky Locklear and I live outside of Charlotte, NC.  Thank you for visiting my profile!

🍎 Teaching Experience (27 years total)
Elementary Teacher 15 years (Grades 2, 3, 4)
Middle School Teacher 12 years (Grade 6 Math, ELA, Social Studies)
Elementary Lead Teacher/Literacy Coach/Interventionist Grades 3-5
Middle School Reading and Math Interventionist Grades 6-8

📚 Education 
Bachelor's in Elementary Education (K-6)
Master's Degree in Elementary Education (K-6)
Master's Degree in Reading Education (K-12)

✏️ Teaching Certifications 
General Education K-6
Reading Education K-12
National Board Certification (Middle Childhood Generalist) 
GLEE (Gifted Local Educator Endorsement)

💻 Outschool Class Offerings 
Reading Comprehension
Book Clubs
Middle School Math Prep
Gifted Education
1:1 Tutoring
 
I believe in establishing relationships with students, and creating a safe environment that students feel they are able to take risks. Learning should be fun and personal, and students take a vested interest in his or her learning.  I also believe in using a variety of media and materials to teach to engage students.

When I’m not teaching, I love traveling with my family and playing with our mini labradoodle Lucy!

Reviews

Live Group Class
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$18

weekly
1x per week
45 min

Completed by 15 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 10-12
3-8 learners per class

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