8/3/2019 English Honors Letter 2012 Gr 6

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Dear Current Grade 6 Parents,

An English Honors Program is offered in Grade 7 in the Middle School. This program offers

opportunities for students who want to enrich their English experience with literature and improve their

reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. The published aims and objectives of the English Honors

Program at ISM are:

y To broaden and deepen student appreciation of literature by engaging in a study of challengingliterary texts

y To foster a greater sense of the artistry and artfulness of language and writingy To extend each students English skills beyond the regular English curriculumy To foster a deeper understanding of how communication skills enrich and enhance the learning

experience across the curriculum

The Honors Program: What is it and why do we do it?

The English Honors Program is primarily about enrichment; it is not used as a prerequisite for future

English courses such as the IB Program in the High School. The Middle School English Honors Program,

however, is good preparation if a student wants to pursue English studies in the future.

While the English Honors Program focuses upon enrichment, it is not for everyone. Parents should talk

to their child about the challenges of the class. You need to be honest and think deeply about your

reasons to apply. Does your son or daughter fit the profile of an Honors student? Before you consider

applying, look at the following criteria of what makes an ideal Honors student:

Honors profile: What does an Honors student look like?

y Students in our Honors Program see the communication skills of reading, writing, speaking, andlistening as essential components to their lives both in and out of an English classroom.

y They consistently demonstrate mastery of the skills taught in English and therefore functionmore independently as English learners.

y They achieve and maintain the highest standards of English at ISM as reflected by their Englishgrades at ISM and in external testing.

y They want to extend and deepen their English skills beyond the regular English curriculum.y They want greater formal exposure to challenging and varied literature.y They are avid readers and writers who practice these skills beyond required coursework.

How does my son or daughter apply for Honors?

If students presently in Grade 6 want to be considered for Honors in the next school year, they must first

meet the minimum requirement of a first semester grade of B+ to apply. If they have achieved this

cutoff grade, they can then submit the slip at the end of this letter as an application of interest. This will

allow each student to be assessed in the four areas of consideration:

1. First semester English grade: The minimum requirement is a B+ in English.

8/3/2019 English Honors Letter 2012 Gr 6

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2. Teacher Recommendation: Teachers will look at each students educational dispositions todetermine whether they are reflective, self-directed critical thinkers and creative problem

solvers.

3. External assessment scores: The first semesters MAP and ERB scores for language and readingwill be considered as another piece of data.

4. Honors Exam: On Tuesday March 6 after school, prospective Honors students will sit a 60minute exam that will ask students to read and respond to various writing prompts. Students

will be expected to write extended responses (essays) that will examine each students ideas

through comprehension, analysis/interpretation, and evaluation as well as technical writing

ability as described by voice, word choice, and sentence fluency. Students do not need to do

anything to prepare for the exam except reflect on the skills they use regularly in English classes.

A teacher panel will conduct a careful review of the information outlined in the four areas for each

potential Honors student. After reviewing the criteria, the panel will select the top candidates for grade

6 to be offered a place in the English Honors class for next year.

Timeline:

Dates ActionsFebruary 10 Parent Letter, Rationale and Honors Profile go out to Grade 6 familiesFebruary 27(Monday after

CWW)

Deadline for Expression of Interest slip- turned into English teacher

(School must receive this slip for a student to be considered for Honors, including

both parent and student signatures)March 6 Tuesday- Grade 6 Honors exam after school- location TBAApril 10-13 Letters sent to parents on school decisions

What is my first step to apply for English Honors?

If you have read the requirements for the Honors Program, know that your son or daughter has met the

minimum grade requirement and feel that he or she is a potential candidate, then please fill in and send

back the intent slip at the bottom of this letter byF

ebruary2

7,2

012

. This slip expresses your interest;you must hand this in if your child is to be considered for the program.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at burked@ismanila.org.

Sincerely,

David Burke Simon Gillespie

Middle School English Program Leader Middle School Principal

8/3/2019 English Honors Letter 2012 Gr 6

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English Honors Program

Expression of Interest

Full Name: _________________________________________________

Current Grade Level: _________________________________________

English Teacher: _____________________________________________

I am expressing interest for my son/daughter __________________________ (first name) to be

considered for next years English Honors program. I have read the course rationale, student profile and

schedule. I understand that applying for the program will allow my son or daughter to participate in the

selection process and does not mean automatic inclusion in the Honors Program.

Parent Signature: Student Signature:

Please return to your grade level English teacher no later than February 27, 2012.