Middle School English Language Arts Instructional Guide

●​ Sample Multi-Genre Assignment ●​ Informative Writing Rubric ●​ Argument Writing Rubric

RISE Benchmark: Informative I

Testing Reason: Winter Jan. 4th - 29th

PLCs to administer and review before February 5th District Collaboration

Scaffolds General

●​ CSD Middle School ELA Resource Hub and Community

●​ On-Demand Writing Progression for an Extended Response ●​ Multigenre Mapper Tool ●​ NCTE Position Statement - Understanding and Teaching Writing: Guiding Principles ●​ Learning Through Writing Strategies

Writing

●​ Text Annotation ●​ Guiding Questioning ●​ Close Reading Route ●​ The Three Phases of the Critical Reading Process ●​ Think-Alouds and Structured Dialogue

Reading

●​ Text-Dependent Questions ●​ Accessing Complex Texts

●​ Structured Academic Discussions ●​ The Big List of Discussion Strategies (Cult of Pedagogy)

Speaking and Listening

●​ Student Ted Talk ●​ Narrative Journalism ●​ Create an infographic, podcast, profile, turning point essay, proposal, photo essay ●​ Submit to school’s newspaper or literary journal ●​ Turn it into an OpEd and submit to the local newspaper ●​ Submit for publication: learn how to write a query letter, research publications for submissions, submit essay or narrative for publication ​ ​ Multilingual Learners will construct informational texts in language arts that: ●​ Introduce and define topic and/or entity for audience ○​ Opening statements to identify type of information (describing, comparing/contrasting, classifying) ●​ Establish objective or neutral stance ○​ Declarative statements to provide objective, factual information ○​ Technical word choices to add precise and descriptive information without evaluative language (the effects versus devastating effects)

Extensions

Language Expectations for Multilingual Learners

Source: WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework, 2020 Edition

Essential Vocabulary

Morphemes/Roots

Last Updated June 2nd, 2026 Secondary ELA, Page 60