Reading I

Description:

Reading I is designed for freshmen reading 2.5 or more years below grade level.  The course has as its primary objective the improvement of students' reading comprehension skills and vocabulary.  Skills-based and metacognitive models will be utilized to achieve this goal.  Recreational reading both at school and at home is an expectation that will be monitored by the classroom teacher.  Instruction in KEY TRAIN^©, an individualized and prescriptive computer software program, is an integral part of the course. 

Expectations: Students are expected to:

1. Accept responsibility for your education
2. Communicate with the teacher
3. Respect your classmates
4. Build your skills
5. Contribute to the class and the learning process, not detract from it.

Text and Resources:

Hampton Brown, Edge: Reading Level B Text

Hampton Brown,Edge: Text Grammar Series

Selected short novels

Selected supplementary materials KeyTrain Computer Program

Supplies:

Student needs: folder and notebook paper, pens, pencils, highlighter, notebook (most will use at least 2 spirals during the year). Also, many students will want a flash drive/ISB so computer work can be transferred between school and home. 

 Important Dates to Remember

Grading Points are given for graded work with some activities worth more than others. The school’s standard grading scale (see below) will be used, converting the points into a percentage based upon the type of activity to determine the overall letter grade.  It is important to remember that even a single zero can drastically affect the grade. 

Grade Updates

Students receive grade update sheets weekly, usually on Tuesdays.  Please contact me if you fail to receive the report.

Make-up/Late Work Policy  - -Being in class and taking part in the learning process is crucial to your success, please strive to be responsible and timely with assignments that are given.

 - -Not handing in assignments or missing assignments and not putting forth the effort to make them up is the major cause of failure. 

 An assignment that is turned in one to two days late will be worth ¾ credit. An assignment turned in 3-5 days late will be ½ credit. Any assignments turned in later that 5 days would receive a maximum of ¼ credit. Students who are absent will receive the time allotted according to school policy to make up work (one day for every day missed). It is the student’s responsibility to find out and complete work missed due to an absence. E-mail or call me, if needed. This is the number one reason why students get behind. 

Classroom Conduct

Students are expected to arrive to class on time, complete all required work, act respectfully towards others, and work quietly.  Students may not eat, use products such as lotion or perfume, and/or groom hair in class.  These actions are disruptive to the learning environment and will not be tolerated.  Hats or any other head covering item are not allowed in school.  Students will not be admitted to class without removing the item.
 

Disciplinary Procedures

Failure to comply with classroom conduct rules will result in an after-school student conference (detention), dismissal from class to Room 40 (not an excused absence and also includes a scheduled detention), and, finally, a referral for conduct with a request for suspension (in-school (ISS) or out of school (OSS) ).  All disciplinary measures include a phone call to parent(s)/guardian(s) to ensure the behavior infraction will not reoccur. 

Passes

Passes to the bathroom or nurse will be provided on an as needed basis. Students are expected to sign out and in to the classroom log.  Overly frequent requests will be denied as students should utilize as much time in class as possible.  Students will not be issued passes for the locker. 

Homework

The usual homework is nightly reading. The expectation is a minimum of 30 minutes of reading at least four nights per week. Students will also be expected to complete any class work not completed during class time that evening to turn in the next day.