Supporting the Struggling Student in This Class

Strategic Reading Plan	Cornell Note Taking Format
Listening Activity Social Studies version of common English Language Arts examination portion.

Middle School is aptly named: it stands in the middle between the more structured, externally-controlled environment of elementary education and the more independent, content-heavy self-discipline of high school. Our customers' genes turn on adolescence at different times, leaving our classrooms filled with widely varying degrees of maturity. Independent - mindedness, usually to the point of obstinence, is the hallmark of the age, and rightly so: it's a time to cut the apron springs and try out one's own wings. This also entails no small amount of crash landing.

To help students prepare to meet the demands of independence in high school, I try to provide some training in study skills as an integrated part of the course. Since the ability to read is one of the factors most influencing success in secondary education, my focus is there. I provide practice in some additional techniques to enhance the probability that the student can find success in secondary school.

Cornell Format Note Taking - This well-known technique involves the student dividing the page into sections: one for recording notes and one for creating questions on the notes. Some training in devising strong questions is provided using Bloom's Taxonomy and by the end of 7th grade, most students will have learned to take notes fairly well using skills such as abbreviating and diagramming. We practice using the notes to study in class on a regular basis.A training form for this activity is available.

3-Box Format Note Taking - This variation on the Cornell Format technique involves the student dividing the page into three sections: one for recording notes and one for creating questions on the notes and an additional section to summarize later. A training form for this activity is available.

Public Speaking and Oral Reports - Through the monthly debate and the opportunity to construct oral reports as an extended task, students have some lessons in the basics of public speaking. Besides the physical elements of projecting the voice, standing with good posture, and having well-designed visual aids, students are encouraged to construct organized and easy-to-follow presentations that do not entail just looking something up and reading it to the class. (See the Rubric)

Writing Strong Thematic and Persuasive Essays - Writing well unlocks many doors. Social Studies lends itself well to constructing essays on a theme in which the writer tries to prove a point and persuasive essays in which the author tries to get the reader to agree with a position. Students write formal essays every few weeks. Training in how to write each style well begins in grade 7. This is a gradual process. The features of good written work are repeated through 7th, 8th, and 9th grade, by which time some strong writing should be the norm among our customers.(See Thematic Essay Training Form, Persuasive Essay Training Form, Document Based Question Training Form)