Language Arts 800

Language Arts 800 continues to build on the sequential development and integration of communication skills in four major areas—reading, writing, speaking, and listening. It most specifically focuses on deepening and furthering students’ understanding in the following ways:

• Reading–reinforces reading comprehension skills by teaching students how to analyze propaganda and other forms of writing, including biographies, autobiographies, formal essays, and informal essays; shows students how to make denotative, symbolic, and connotative readings of a text; introduces both Old English and Middle English languages and literature to develop students’ understanding of English language formation and development; prepares students for the higher level literary comprehension skills required in the upper grades.
• Writing–develops students’ understanding of sentence structure, providing hands-on experience with conjunctions, transitions, clauses, and common sentence errors; teaches language histories and etymologies to help students build on knowledge of word structures, including topics like prefixes, roots, and suffixes; expands on students’ vocabulary and spelling skills; gives students the opportunity to develop their abilities in writing business letters, friendly letters, informal essays, and basic literature analyses.
• Speaking–offers students experience in delivering oral reports; teaches skills that enable students to become effective speakers and communicators, weaving these skills together throughout the course.
• Listening–teaches effective listening comprehension skills, weaving these together throughout the lessons; builds upon students’ study skills, as well as helping them become reliable and efficient note takers.

Curriculum Contents

Reading Comprehension Skills

• Analysis of Propaganda
• Denotation, Connotation, and Symbolism
• Elements of Narrative Prose
• Following Written Directions
• Reading Formal and Informal Essays
• Reading Skills—Fact versus Opinion, Validity, and Authority

Composition

• Essay/Report—Structure and Process
• Paragraph Elements and Structure
• Writing Informal Essays
• Writing Paragraphs
• Writing Business and Friendly Letters

Grammar and Usage

• Conjunctions—Subordinating, Correlative, and Coordinating
• Clauses—Adjective, Adverb, and Dependent/Independent
• Capitalization
• Grammar Errors—Sentence Construction Errors
• Introductory Expressions—Interjections, Participle Phrases, and Adverb Clauses
• Levels of Language Use—Standard/Nonstandard
• Parts of Speech—Nouns, Verbs, Pronouns, Adverbs, Adjectives, and Interjections
• Punctuation—Apostrophes, Hyphens, Italics, Commas, and End Punctuation
• Sentence Structure—Tense, Number, Person, and Transitions

Literature Studies

• Nonfiction—Biography and Autobiography
• Survey of English Literature—Old and Middle English

Speaking and Listening

• Direct/Indirect Communication
• Following Instructions
• Listening Skills—Strategies, Comprehension, and Note-Taking
• Nonverbal Communication
• Oral Report
• Speaking Skills—Purpose, Organization, and Delivery

Spelling

• Affixes
• Homonyms
• Borrowed Words
• Confused Spellings
• Silent Letters
• Words with “ei” and “ie”
• Words with “-ize,” “-yze,” “-ise,” “-ent,” “-ant,” “-ance,” “-ence,” “–able,” and “–ible” Endings

Vocabulary Building

• Confusing Words
• Connotation/Denotation
• Dictionary Skills
• Etymology
• Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes
• Word Categorization
• Word Relationships

Special Topics

• Diacritical Marks
• English Variations
• Etymology
• Media Comprehension
• Note-taking
• Origin/Development of Language—Indo-European, Old and Middle English, and American English
• Use of Reference Materials

Literature List

The literary works students will encounter in Language Arts 800 include, but are not limited to:

Literature—Featured Nonfiction

• Byrd, Richard. Flight to the South Pole (excerpt)
• Hackle, Sparse Gray. “Every Dog Should Own a Man”
• Leacock, Stephen. “My Financial Career”
• “Pain: the Tool of the Wounded Surgeon”
• Stuart, Jesse. The Thread That Runs So True (excerpt)

Literature—Discussed Poetry

• Chaucer, Geoffrey. Canterbury Tales
• “The Ruin”
• “The Seafarer”
• “Widsith”

Required Resources

Some assignments in this course require the use of resources that must be acquired separately. These outside resources are listed by assignment.

Suggested Resources

In addition to the default course program, Language Arts 800 includes extra alternate projects and tests for use in enhancing instruction or addressing individual needs. These resources are not included in this course and must be acquired separately.