Middle School Summer Reading
Research shows that the highest achieving students are those who devote leisure time to reading...Recently, the largest-ever international study of reading found that the single most important predictor of academic success is the amount of time children spend reading books, more important than economic or social status. And one of the few predictors of high achievement in math and science is the amount of time children devote to pleasure reading.
-from Nancie Atwell's The Reading Zone (2007)
Dear Parents and Students,
Middle school language arts classes read A LOT. In Language Arts, students will spend several hours per week reading self-selected books and materials. In addition, we read from a variety of genres that are teacher-selected for building skills in fluency, comprehension, critical thinking, writing process, grammar, and classroom community. Mostly, we read because we love to read. Our goals are to maintain (or boost) your appreciation for the magic of the written word, help you to see how being a reader opens worlds we never knew existed, and show you how much you can learn about yourself from other writers. If the that rationale doesn't grab you, read this:
Research indicates that
Students who do not read in their free time often lose academic ground, even if they werenot initially remedial (NAEP, 1992). Therefore, we strongly suggest that students read over the summer.
The books will be discussed in the forum of book talks and book reviews. Also, students will generate a Summer Readers' Recommendations list in their language arts classes.
We realize families travel over the summer and specific books are often difficult to find, so we recommend students read for pleasure three self-selected books from each of the following genres:
6th grade - fiction, mystery, and memoir or autobiography
7th grade - fiction, historical fiction, and memoir or autobiography
8th grade - fiction, historical fiction and biography
We hope you enjoy a safe, relaxing, enjoyable summer. See you in August!
Sincerely,
Ms. Naughter and Mrs. Ismail
Middle School Language Arts
American Community School
Amman, 11831 Jordan