Oneonta City

School District

English 9 RM

English 9 is a full year course designed to build upon students’ reading and writing skills, communication skills, decision-making skills, cooperative learning skills, and researching skills to name a few. Because this class is co-taught involving a special educator and English teacher, students are afforded a host of benefits.

Benefits to Students in a Co-Taught Classroom:

All students gain the attention of a second teacher.
It multiplies the amount of individual attention each student can receive.
It multiplies the expertise students have available to them.
Student learning problems can be identified earlier.
Students with disabilities can receive a more enriched curriculum than they would in a more segregated setting.
Students with disabilities have more opportunities to develop more effective social interaction skills.
All students have the opportunity to receive instruction through a richer variety of teaching styles.
All students have the opportunity to work in flexible groups, not just in groups based on readiness.

Textbooks
Elements of Literature – Third Course - Holt Reinhart Winston
Reader’s Handbook: A Student Guide for Reading and Learning – Great Source

Possible Novels to be Covered (We are still getting to know our students and their interests and abilities, so this list may shift a bit as we discover more).
The Pearl – John Steinbeck
Romeo and Juliet – William Shakespeare
Waiting for the Rain – Sheila Gordon
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Homework: Students should expect homework almost every evening. Students will be made aware of lengthy assignments well in advance of due dates. Late policy:
Late policy: Late assignments will be accepted in the case of absence with no credit lost. Other late work will be accepted within 5 days of it being assigned with 10 points per day late deducted. Exceptions to this are when the class has gone over the work together.

Grading
Quarterly grades are computed with the following components:
10% participation/preparedness
15% homework
25% writing
25% quizzes
25% tests
Year averages are computed using the 4 quarterly grades, plus the midterm grade and final exam divided by 6.