In this strength-building course we will partner to learn and practice ELA (English Language Arts) concepts that include: reading fiction and nonfiction, analyzing texts with various thinking skills for greater comprehension and test practice, spelling and vocabulary expansion, punctuation rules and application, and grammar rules. We will also explore different writing styles and creative expression.

This course is designed with a flexible, less-is-more format for learners on the move or those who need less time in the classroom; you are welcome to join and leave the class as needed. Every class is a unique set of exercises designed for maximum flexibility and efficient practice with the ultimate goal of connecting language arts to daily life.

Additionally, learners can use this weekly class as the basis of a full curriculum (please ask me for workbook recommendations to use as extension exercises for non-class school days; all workbook pages that are turned in through the classroom will receive teacher feedback).

Knowing that each student has a different schedule and comes from a unique background -- that includes schooling history, regional standards, personality, online engagement, individual talents, (among other things) -- this class integrates a variety of language arts skills and exercises designed to meet each individual learner where they are, fill in gaps of content that they may have previously missed, and help them to take steps to the next level of well-rounded reading, writing and language usage. 

This course integrates multiple United States national and state standards, standardized test preparation, TESOL certification, as well as executive functioning and metacognitive development.

Please ask me for a free PDF pretest if you are interested in gauging your learner's fit with this class level before signing up, or testing your learner's output at any time during the course of the class. Learners who demonstrate consistent mastery in this class by their spoken or written answers will be invited to level up to my more advanced class.

I strive to help learners feel connected by working alongside them, so that each person feels accompanied in their work, even if the class size is small. I am committed to teaching on all scheduled dates, even as the class size goes up and down, and will not cancel due to low enrollment. 

My classes are taught in focus mode to promote targeted, goal-oriented collaboration. Learners work together by answering questions -- with the option of answering aloud or writing in the chatbox. I incorporate these learner-led responses to model thinking skills and help the entire class move toward the correct answers. Since every family has different learning goals when it comes to class participation and responses, please let me know if you have specific expectations for your learner.  

NEW for the 2024-2025 School Year! This course now has printable PDF worksheets that accompany the live class as an additional participation and tracking option.

Learners also cooperate to complete the interactive class exercises (I screen-share a Canva presentation as the virtual "workbook/whiteboard" for classwork that learners are able to annotate). 

Each class will cover the following:
-- Vocabulary, Spelling (10 min.): We will learn and practice four new PSAT vocabulary words with pronunciation and spelling to broaden the word toolkit and help with standardized test prep.
-- Reading (20 min.): Each week will feature a brief demonstration of a reading comprehension skill. Then, learners will be given a short fiction or nonfiction passage to read in class. Finally, learners will answer questions in a group discussion format to practice the reading comprehension skills and analyze the author's style. 
-- Writing (10 min.): Learners will write a short story or essay-style paragraph in every class to answer a question about the reading passage or to practice the featured literary technique. Although this writing practice is time-limited to practice standardized testing skills, individual learners can use this section to ask for real-time tips or coaching through the chatbox, and then complete the assignment outside of class. 
-- Grammar, Punctuation, Word Usage (10 min.): Each week will focus on learning or reviewing different language arts rules -- including grammar, punctuation and word usage -- and practice through group editorial exercises.

Class topics by week:

~~ FALL TERM ~~
Week of Sep. 8-14: Vocabulary list 1a; Reading Skill: facts vs. inferences; Reading Passage Genre: realistic fiction; Writing: reading skills paragraph; Punctuation: periods, commas, and quotation marks.
Week of Sep. 15-21: Vocabulary list 1b; Reading Skill: main ideas vs. details; Reading Passage Genre: animal science nonfiction; Writing: reading skills paragraph; Capitalization rules
Week of Sep. 22-28: Vocabulary list 1c; Reading Skill: characters and point of view; Reading Passage Genre: realistic fiction; Writing: character sketch; Grammar: correct usage of I vs. me.
Week of Sep. 29-Oct. 5: Vocabulary list 2a; Reading Skill: plot; Reading Passage Genre: realistic fiction; Writing: plot summary; Punctuation: apostrophe, hyphen, dash, ellipsis. 
Week of Oct. 6-12: Vocabulary list 2b; Reading Skill: facts vs. inferences (part 2); Reading Passage Genre: social science nonfiction; Writing: reading skills paragraph; Grammar: correct usage of adjectives, verbs, and adverbs.
Weeks of Oct. 13-26: Vocabulary list 2c; Reading Skill: prediction; Reading Passage Genre: cooking science nonfiction; Writing: personal narrative short story; Punctuation: colons, semicolons.
FALL BREAK: NO CLASSES OCT. 17th, 19th, 21st
Week of Oct. 27-Nov. 2: Vocabulary list 7a; Reading Skill: cause and effect; Reading Passage Genre: instructional nonfiction; Writing: explanatory paragraph; Grammar and Spelling: commonly misused words.
Week of Nov. 3-9: Vocabulary list 7b; Reading Skill: literary devices; Reading Passage Genre: realistic fiction; Writing: reading skills or creative writing paragraph; Grammar: prepositions and conjunctions.
Week of Nov. 10-16: Vocabulary list 8a; Reading Skill: figurative language; Reading Passage Genre: realistic fiction; Writing: poetry analysis paragraph; Grammar: capitalization.
Week of Nov. 17-23: Vocabulary list 7c; Reading Skill: Cause and Effect 2 (signal words); Reading Passage Genre: science nonfiction; Writing: reading skills paragraph or personal narrative; Grammar: clauses and phrases. 
Week of Nov. 24-30: Vocabulary list 8b; Reading Skill: fact vs. opinion; Reading Passage Genre: science nonfiction; Writing: opinion paragraph; Spelling: affixes. (NO CLASS on Thursday, Nov. 28)
Week of Dec. 1-7: Vocabulary list 8c; Reading Skill: conclusions and inferences; Reading Passage Genre: realistic fiction; Writing: creative writing paragraph; Grammar: clauses and phrases (part 2). (NO CLASS on Monday, Dec. 2nd)
Week of Dec. 8-14: Vocabulary list 9a; Reading Skill: multiple causes and effects; Reading Passage Genre: realistic fiction; Writing: explanatory paragraph (science/math connections); Spelling: homophones, diagraphs, special spelling rules.
Week of Dec. 15-21: Vocabulary Semester Review; Reading Skill: multiple skills review; Reading Passage Genre: realistic fiction; Writing: short story; Grammar rules: mixed skills.
**END OF FALL TERM**
The 34-week class cycle will resume in January.

Please note: If you are interested in this class but cannot find an open spot, thank you for your support and I am sorry that I have not been able to accommodate all requests. I encapsulated five weeks of this class into a video course (mostly for families like yours), and invite you to check it out here: https://outschool.com/classes/english-language-arts-ela-thinking-skills-infer-yTx8x4Wq