The English Program in the Middle School emphasizes the skills of perceptive reading and effective writing at all levels. Work in reading increases in difficulty each year, moving from distinguished children’s books to some of the classics of English and American literature. Writing is developed as a process, with drafts, peer feedback, revision, editing and grammar review stressed at all levels. The reports and shorter writing assignments of Groups V and VI grow into more elaborate research papers and critical essays in Groups VII and VIII. Word processing, which the Department regards as an integral tool for thinking and writing, is developed each year. The basis of our program is the belief that the abilities to read, to discuss and to write with increasing clarity and sophistication are vital for those seeking to understand themselves and to contribute actively to society.

Group V:
Group V English gives students the opportunity to explore important issues through reading, writing and speaking. Students are exposed to and asked to experiment with various types of writing. Important writing skills such as grammar and punctuation are introduced through mini-lessons during writer’s workshops. Students also keep a “writer’s portfolio” which enables them to continue to revise and edit their works throughout the year. By connecting the process of writing to their own reading, students become aware that the two are not separate activities but rather that they complement each other. Students learn such valuable skills as note taking, highlighting, and annotating of texts, as well as appropriate study strategies. They also gain an understanding of the importance of expressing their thoughts articulately before a group.

Group VI:
Who tells stories? Who are the stories about? How do we tell stories? Why do we tell stories? Why do we write them down? Which do we try to save through the ages? Has the way to tell stories changed? Have the reasons to tell stories changed? In Group VI students read various types of literature from different moments in history so that they may begin to form their own opinions about why and how we tell stories. Students look closely at character, setting, and other literary elements as students learn more formal ways to analyze literature and to describe their ideas about that literature. Students study grammar and vocabulary to help them read and write more effectively. Then they begin to tell their own stories!

Group VII:
Historically, how have people found their place in any society? How much freedom does the individual have in a society? How many rights does the individual have in a society? What responsibilities does an individual have to that society? As students analyze a wide range of American literature, respond to it, discuss it, and explore it through creative and expository writing, they discuss these questions, and more. Students investigate what an individual’s responsibility is to her society. Students also begin to uncover where and how they fit into our society here at GA and in America, and they ponder how they might have fit into American society in other times.

Group VIII:
Adolescence bridges the gap between childhood and adulthood and brings with it the challenges and rewards of both. In this course, students explore books in several genres whose principal characters go through this stage. They examine how each protagonist encounters and copes with the difficulty, disillusionment, success and revelation that accompany "coming of age," and examine the relevance of their approaches to their lives.

Additionally, students concentrate on refining skills in written and oral expression through frequent expository, analytical and creative written assignments, oral presentations, and student-centered class discussion. Vocabulary building and grammar mastery are integral to the course. Laptop technology is used to assist in writing and revision, organization, research, presentations and on-line communication.

At the end of the year, students compile all their written work into a portfolio. They then revise and organize the pieces into creative and critical categories, adding an introduction that discusses their growth as a writer and as a person, and a cover depicting their interests and personality. The vignettes, taken together, form a personal "coming-of-age memoir" that students can look back on as a snapshot of their childhood and early adolescence. Ideally, they keep their portfolio as a reminder and record of their lives as eighth graders.