Unlock the Text: Ongoing Reading Comprehension Skills for SAT
Getting ready for the SAT can feel overwhelming for students and parents. Start now. In this ongoing class we work together on varied classic readings, types of questions, vocabulary, strategies, practice tests, keeping track of progress.
Miss Sue MA MLIS
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(8)
What's included
1 live meeting
45 mins in-class hours per weekMastery Evaluation
1 hour per week. Reading Comprehension standardized practice tests will be available.Class Experience
Advanced Level
Weekly Structure: We will start with a short introduction to the reading material. Students read a text (fiction or nonfiction) in class or for homework. Discussion follows with comprehension questions. End with reflective or deeper analysis questions. No End Date Structure: Each lesson is self-contained, so students can join at any time without missing essential previous material. The readings are varied (short stories, articles, poems, essays, excerpts from classic literature) to keep the content fresh and engaging. Interactive Engagement: Discussions to explore themes, tone, and deeper meaning. Activities like role-play or group annotations to develop critical thinking. Week 1 Jan. 3: "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson Reading Focus: Irony, tone, and theme. Week 2 Jan. 10: "The Gettysburg Address" by Abraham Lincoln Reading Focus: Rhetorical devices, purpose, and historical context. Week 3 Jan. 17: "To Build a Fire" by Jack London Reading Focus: Character development, naturalism, and survival themes. Week 4 Jan. 24 "If" by Rudyard Kipling Reading Focus: Poetry analysis, themes of resilience and character. The following texts are more challenging, aligning with SAT-level reading passages, and will push students to think critically, analyze complex arguments, and improve their comprehension skills. Week 5 Jan. 31: "The Metamorphosis" (Excerpt) by Franz Kafka Reading Focus: Symbolism, alienation, and existentialism. Week 6 Feb. 7: "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift Reading Focus: Satire, tone, and rhetorical strategies. Week 7 Feb. 14: "The Death of the Moth" by Virginia Woolf Reading Focus: Themes of life, death, and human experience. Week 8 Feb. 21: "Civil Disobedience" (Excerpt) by Henry David Thoreau Reading Focus: Philosophical argument, government critique, and moral duty. Using an ongoing schedule I will cover all the types of reading comprehension questions and strategies to answer them correctly: using context to determine meaning; main ideas, author's purpose, predictions, inferences, questions on genres, historical forms of prose, structure and meaning in poetry, point of view, figurative language, and literary devices. Please see reading focus by date. My style is friendly, encouraging, empathetic when we come to hard questions, encouraging, and motivating. There will be interaction between students. I will share my screen to show the readings, or attach to family email in advance.
Learning Goals
1. Remembering
Goal: Students will recall essential SAT vocabulary words and their meanings, as well as key reading comprehension question types.
Weekly vocabulary quizzes and reviews of SAT-specific question types (e.g., inference, main idea, tone, etc.2. Understanding
Goal: Students will explain the meanings of complex vocabulary words in their own words and summarize passages accurately.
Students summarize short passages to confirm comprehension of central ideas and main themes.
Other Details
Learning Needs
i am a reading specialist experienced and educated in the Science of Reading, and research-based language comprehension, word recognition, and skilled reading approaches.
Supply List
Required: The Complete Guide to SAT Reading 5th edition, Erica L. Meltzer. https://a.co/d/d0f0MbM Not required: I use and recommend the SAT Prep Black Book, 3rd edition. https://a.co/d/chNAbeE Students are responsible for accessing the novels listed on the calendar by purchase, from the library, or on Project Gutenberg.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined May, 2024
5.0
8reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Washington Teaching Certificate in Secondary Education
3 Degrees
Master's Degree in Information Technology from University of Washington
Master's Degree in Theatre Arts from University of Washington
Bachelor's Degree in Education from University of Washington
As a certified teacher K-12 I have taught English Language Arts for 30+ years. Since retirement I have tutored standardized test prep for many years, both individually and in group classes sponsored by a high school. I have proctored the SAT and helped with accommodations so I know how the tests are run. I'm familiar with the changes to the new digital test. Since I am new to Outschool I am including testimonials from my tutoring business, Threshold Tutoring, in Seattle.
I highly recommend Ms. Sue as a tutor. Her exceptional skills and experience in test preparation helped my son improve his SSAT score from 1490 to 1941 in just five months. Ms. Sue's dedication and ability to create an engaging learning environment have made a significant impact on my son's academic progress. With Ms. Sue's help, my son was able to get into his preferred school, which speaks to her effectiveness as a tutor. I strongly recommend Ms. Sue's tutoring services to anyone looking for academic support that can make a significant impact on their child's educational journey.
Parent of 5th grade male SSAT Prep student
Excellent tutor! So thankful for how Sue educates and the breadth of material she covers. Above and beyond!! Parent of 5th grade girl at Cincinnati Country Day creative writing and drama.
Fabulous, thoughtful, insightful tutor! Same parent of 8th grade brother at Cincinnati Country Day receiving enrichment ELA tutoring focusing on literature and academic writing.
Sue, thank you so much for your time and for sharing your expertise with our team and students! I appreciate your dedication towards finding the strengths and motivations for each of our students.
Teacher at the Seattle Children's Hospital School.
Ms. Sue is a very helpful tutor. She helped me pull up my grades. When we started a year ago I was below average. Now I am advanced. My reading scores went up. I have more confidence. She helped me become a better writer. It was fun to read play scripts with Roderick. She also taught me better coping skills. I don’t burst out crying now. I don’t always think I’m gonna fail stuff anymore. Without her I don’t think I would have made it to where I am now. I’m ready for middle school. Most definitely ask if Ms. Sue can help your kid.
5th grader from Washington D.C. (note: This student’s scores on “The Reading Inventory” given by her school 8/31/22 and 1/18/23 went from Lexile 788 to 1162; Percentile Rank 47 to 95; NCE (normal curve equivalent) 48 to 85; and Stanine 5 to 8.
Ms. Sue is kind and loving and smart. I could hardly read in 2nd grade and I just took the STAAR Reading and felt confident. I feel fine to read out loud in class. I’m sure you will like Ms. Sue as much as I do. She is forgetful sometimes and that makes her cool and so fun.
4th grader from Texas who I have worked with for two years on word recognition using explicit, systematic instruction in phonics, spelling and sight recognition; and teaching language comprehension including background knowledge, vocabulary, grammar and syntax, verbal reasoning, and reading fluency.
Reviews
Live Group Class
$22
weekly1x per week
45 min
Completed by 1 learner
Live video meetings
Ages: 14-17
5-12 learners per class
