English Classes for Grades 7, 8 and 9

Overview of English Class Curriculum

You can check your state educational agency to find the English language arts standards for 7th-9th grade. Most state standards are also aligned with the national Common Core State Standards, which provide consistent guidelines and expectations for what children should be learning at each grade level.

Below, the information for 7th and 8th grade has been combined because the English classes at these grade levels usually cover similar content. The difference is that, in 8th grade curriculum, the emphasis is on building increased reading fluency, literary analysis and editing skills.

7th-8th Grade

Reading

In 7th and 8th grade, your child will be expected to read and comprehend stories, poems and dramas with a high level of proficiency. Students will be expected to analyze a piece of writing for its theme, setting and plot. They will also be expected to support their analysis by citing specific examples from the reading.

Writing and Language

Students will learn how to retell or summarize and make connections through writing. For example, they'll be asked to retell significant events in sequence, summarize information from literary or informational text and connect that information to their life. Middle schoolers will also be expected to revise and edit their work to strengthen organization, word choice and sentence fluency. They should also use correct spelling and fix grammatical errors.

Speaking and Listening

Students in 7th and 8th grade will learn and practice the process of presenting information in conversations, group discussions and oral presentations. Your child will also learn how to communicate ideas and information appropriately in classroom settings. For example, he or she should know the proper protocol for getting a point across as well as how to ask and respond to questions.

9th Grade

Reading

By the end of 9th grade, students will analyze and interpret novels, stories and poems. In addition, your child will be asked to differentiate between fact and opinion, discuss themes and settings in literary works and identify figurative language. For example, your child will be expected to thoroughly analyze how the words and phrases are used to create a particular effect in a story or poem.

Writing and Language

In writing, the objectives for 9th grade students will be to evaluate information, interpret ideas and demonstrate thinking through their writing. The writing assignments will probably focus on college and career readiness, including research reports and essays to inform and persuade.

The writing produced will be expected to have a unifying theme, a logical order and cite examples to illustrate statements. Revision and editing for fluency and grammar will also be an important objective.

Speaking and Listening

Students will understand the process of relaying information in conversations, group discussions and oral presentations. For example, your child will be expected to participate in small group discussions as a leader or member, research information and present it to the class or group and respond articulately to class discussions.