Learn advanced reading skills for success in middle school!
As students advance into middle school, they develop improved abilities to reason and problem solve. Additionally, they encounter increasingly difficult texts which require different techniques for effective engagement. This course is designed to support the transition from learning isolated facts and concepts to integrating ideas learned through reading.
Using readings in both fiction and non-fiction genres, students will learn to engage with texts on a deeper, metacognitive level. Drawing on reading methods that were developed for this age group, students will learn techniques such as reading aloud with a partner, writing down questions as they read, and taking effective notes.
Reading for school and learning is much different than reading for pleasure, which is why this course can prove valuable for even the most avid of readers.
Learning Outcomes
- Develop problem-solving strategies
- Learn to break down text
- Set and adjust reading goals
- Increase reading fluency, stamina, and range
- Foster confidence and persistence
Class Size: 6
Instructor: Ms. Deanna Heikkinen
Class Day: Main class held on Mondays 6:00-7:00p ET; second optional day for practice and reinforcement held on Wednesdays 6:00-7:00p ET
Dates: July 10 – August 31 (8 weeks)
Tuition: $25 registration fee, $560 for Mondays only (8 classes) or $1120 for Mondays and Wednesdays (16 classes)
Early Bird Registration
20% discount if you enroll by April 30!
Required Materials: Printer, 3-hole punch, one-inch binder with tabs, loose leaf paper, journal-style notebook
CURRICULUM
Lesson 1: We introduce the concept of reading for engagement. Students practice thinking aloud while reading a text.
Lesson 2: Students practice writing down their thoughts as they read.
Lesson 3: We continue practicing “think aloud” and “talking to the text” skills with fiction and nonfiction materials.
Lesson 4: We learn best practices for textbook reading.
Lesson 5: Students learn a double-entry note-taking method for reading texts to take note of evidence in one column and their thoughts, feelings, and questions in another.
Lesson 6: We expand to a triple-entry note-taking system, which incorporates information relating to the student’s assignment or prompt. This works well for literary analysis and higher-level conceptual assignments.
Lesson 7: We introduce the reading log to assist students in building and maintaining a reading list for school and enjoyment. We discuss getting comfortable reading about subjects that do not initially interest us.
Lesson 8: Students demonstrate how the tools introduced throughout the summer have assisted them in interacting with texts that initially appeared difficult or uninteresting.
The minimum enrollment required for this course is four (4) students. Rose Writing Center reserves the right to cancel this course in the event that fewer than four students enroll. Students enrolled in a canceled course will be duly notified and may choose to either receive a full refund or transfer to another course by Rose Writing Center.
In 2013, Ms. Lauren Bridgeford graduated with a BA in Languages, Literature, and Criticism from Hunter College. She has also obtained her DELTA (Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification from Cambridge University. Currently, Ms. Bridgeford is a Registered Instructor accredited by the Institute for Excellence in Writing, and she is pursuing her master’s degree in Secondary Education.
In 2013, Ms. Lauren Bridgeford graduated with a BA in Languages, Literature, and Criticism from Hunter College. She has also obtained her DELTA (Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification from Cambridge University. Currently, Ms. Bridgeford is a Registered Instructor accredited by the Institute for Excellence in Writing, and she is pursuing her master’s degree in Secondary Education.
Deanna Heikkinen has been privately teaching writing as well as history, literature, and art history to students grades 2-12 for over six years. Prior to that, she was a tenured professor of humanities at Los Angeles Valley College with a focus on teaching the Great Books of Western Civilization. Additionally, she taught world history, western civilization, Native American history, and anthropology at the college level. Whether teaching elementary, middle, or high schoolers for Rose Writing Center, Deanna's diverse background allows her to serve as our test prep, academic support, and custom lesson specialist.
