Teachers and students work cooperatively to develop skills across the curriculum. In addition to each student's personal improvement, the course also addresses the integration of each of the communication skills as they are developed in other curriculum areas of seventh grade. 1 English 7 is required of all students and focuses on the power of the English language. To utilize this power, students are taught the correct ways of speaking, writing, reading, and analyzing the spoken or written word. Means for doing this include reading and interpret several novels, short stories, poems, and plays.
Emphasis is placed on writing sample paragraphs, essays, and creative pieces.
Students prepare and present information orally. They also research topics, organize information, and construct a paper which supports a thesis. A continual emphasis is placed on using the parts of speech correctly, writing complete sentences void of fragments and run-ons, and using proper punctuation, correct spelling and capitalization. Increasing the students vocabulary usage is stressed by completing organized units from the vocabulary series and also by focusing on unfamiliar words encountered during reading. 1 English 8 is required of all students and focuses on the power of the English language.