Week 4: article Nine strategies for Reaching All Learners in English Language Arts

Today I read the article "Nine strategies for Reaching All Learners in English Language Arts."  I really enjoyed this article because I have a extreme challenge this coming fall. I have taught middle school language arts (and science) for years. For the most part my students have been relatively at the same point as far as their level.  Next year is the year of extremes.  In the class of 20 (parochial school) I will have four students who are at a high school level as far as their writing and reading skills go, I will have about five students who at slightly higher than grade level, a few that are at grade level and then two individuals that are at a third grade level.  We do not have a resource room for these students to go to, we can't hold them back because they are almost 15 and only going into 6th grade.  The parents actually pulled them from public schools and placed them with us simply because they do not want their child labeled.  Its a sad situation for both of the students. 

My goal for this summer is to stock pile any and all resources that I can get my hands onto that might help the students also looking for different ways to be able to keep ALL of the students challenged so that they continue advancing.  I liked the suggestion of "design product-driven reading and writing instruction" as well as the "immerse students in the genre".  I know that both of the students enjoy mythology and other science related topics so I actually think I might start off the classes with those types of this and slowly meander to other genres.