The expansion of the paragraph into the unified essay is the major composition skill taught. Other genres of writing covered include short stories and poetry. Basic skills of note taking and outlining are stressed to serve as tools to help students prepare for the ELA exam. Vocabulary and spelling are reinforced by quizzes on words taken from reading selections and from the vocabulary workshop. Types of literature include plays, poems, short stories, novels, and works of non-fiction.
Students also enhance speaking and listening skills when they read and perform a full length play.
The course offers intensive help to those lacking skills in reading and composition. The class work includes all five strands of the regular 8th grade English program but concentrates on basic skills. The eighth grade reading course has many of the same components as the seventh grade course, but there are some exciting and useful additions. This year focuses on nonfiction, including periodicals, trade books, memoirs, essays, biographical accounts, editorials, and speeches. Students will also be introduced to practical study strategies including note taking and researching.