The English Department of Brehm Preparatory School provides individualized instruction for students with learning disabilities in the core knowledge of literature, writing, and grammar.  The curriculum seeks to provide students with the skills necessary to become independent readers, writers, and thinkers.  Classes offered are:

• Reading & Writing Skills (r)*
• Jr. High Language Arts (m)**
• Language Arts (r)
• Language Arts Studies (m)
• Language Arts Analysis (s)***
• English (r)
• English Studies (m)
• English Analysis (s)
• Literature (r)
• Literature Studies (m)
• Literature Analysis (s)
• Literary Perspectives (r)
• Literary Perspective Studies (m)
• Literary Perspective Analysis (s)
• Composition/Communications (r)
• Creative Writing (s)
• Research (s)

* The remedial courses are for students that are not yet proficient in basic reading, comprehension, and writing skills. The focus of the class is to prepare the students for modified English classes.  Instruction consists of using group reading with visualizing and verbalizing.  When necessary this course moves at a slower pace while reading abridged texts.  Writing activities are more focused on teaching the writing process and consist of one to three paragraph essays.

**The modified courses are for students that require more direct instruction, but it provides more opportunities for independent performance of skills.  The focus of the class is to prepare students for standard English classes.  Instruction consists of mostly group reading and limited opportunities for independent reading depending on individual student’s abilities and/or skill levels.  This course moves at a moderate pace while reading a mixture of abridged and standard texts.  Writing activities are performed at a guided practice level and consist of three to five paragraphs. 

***The standard courses are for students that have sufficient skills in reading, writing and comprehension to perform at a more independent level.  The focus of this class is to improve on the student’s overall understanding of literary components, and verbal and written expression.  Instruction consists mostly of group reading with more opportunities for independent reading.  This course moves at an average pace depending on individual student’s ability and/or skill levels while reading standard texts.  Writing activities are performed with prompts and opportunities for more independent writing and consist of the typical five-paragraph essay. 

The department’s general objectives include teaching concepts and skills so the student will:

• Improve reading skills while reading a variety of literary genres
• Utilize literary elements that include thinking about the concepts and ideas presented in literature
• Evaluation of literature in its historical perspective
• Improve basic writing skills by examples, models, and trials of different writing styles
• To speak clearly and concisely on a specified topic
• Refine vocabulary and knowledge of English grammar
• The use of assistive technology and software (Inspiration, Kurzweil, Co-Writer)

Description of Courses:

Reading & Writing Skills:
This class is for students who need direct instruction in the processes of written language.  This course is intended for students who continue to need direct instruction in the processes of reading, writing, and comprehending.  Specific instruction includes:

• Spelling and basic rules of punctuation
• Simple and complex sentence construction
• Creating one to two subject outlines using the Inspiration Program
• Creating simple essays from constructed outlines
• Editing process
• Decoding vowel and consonant sounds and patterns
• English grammar and spelling rules applied to writing
• Recognition of sight words in and out of context
• Vocabulary building using contextual clues
• Reading a variety of materials using Visualizing and Verbalizing
• Paragraph writing including topic and concluding sentences

Junior High Language Arts:
This class is for students in the middle school program.  The class offers exercises in the areas of reading, comprehension, writing skills, and vocabulary building.  Specific instruction includes:

• Direct instruction and guided practice in the strategies needed to make sense of the written word (visualizing and verbalizing).
• Recognizing and applying vocabulary words found in print.
• Identifying and defining idioms found in print
• Creating one to two subject outlines (Inspiration Program) to construct essays
• Reading Comprehension (facts, inferences, main idea, sequencing)
• Literary Elements (plot, character, setting, conflict, climax)
• Adding detail to various writings using grammar, spelling, and vocabulary skills

Language Arts/Studies/Analysis:
This class is intended for students who need more practice in the areas of reading, comprehension, writing skills, and vocabulary building.  Specific instruction includes:

• Direct instruction in the strategies needed to make sense of the written word (visualizing and verbalizing and decoding)
• Specific strategy practice using a variety of reading materials.
• Recognizing, applying and spelling sight and vocabulary words found in print
• Identifying and defining idioms found in print
• Creating one to two subject outlines (Inspiration Program) to construct essays
• Reading Comprehension (facts, inferences, main idea, sequencing)
• Literary Elements (plot, character, setting, conflict, climax)
• Adding detail to various writings using grammar, spelling, and vocabulary skills

English/Studies/Analysis:
This course is intended for those who have demonstrated a proficiency in the above concepts and skills, which will expose students to a variety of literary genres.  Specific instruction includes:

• Creating and writing a research project
• Increase vocabulary, knowledge, and application of literary terms and movements
• Comparing various genres and writing styles with emphasis on application
• Improving on reading and writing analysis and creative thinking
• Writing in a variety of genres and perspectives
• Literary Elements (plot, character, setting, conflict, climax)
• Adding detail to various writings using grammar, spelling, and vocabulary skills

Literature/Studies/Analysis:
This course is intended for those who have demonstrated a proficiency in the above concepts and skills, which will expose students to a variety of genres.  Specific instruction includes:

• Organizing, synthesizing, and writing a research paper
• Classify and apply vocabulary, knowledge, and application of literary terms and movements
• Comparing various genres and writing styles with the emphasis on comprehension
• Improve on reading and writing comprehension, application, and analysis
• Reading and writing in a variety of genres

Literary Perspectives/Studies/Analysis:
This course is for students who have demonstrated a proficiency in the above concepts and skills but need to improve those skills.  This course will expose students to a variety of literary genres from the 1800s through current times. Specific instruction includes the above courses plus:

• Formal and informal writing with purpose
• Journals to increase understanding of stories, characters, and themselves
• Development of short essays
• Understanding literature at an analytical level
• Introducing figurative language (simile, metaphor, homonym, antonym)
• Structure of basic and complex sentences to create 5-paragraph essays

             
Composition/Communications:
This course is designed to improve weaknesses in written language.  The students use prior knowledge of sentence and paragraph writing to write short essays after models and examples are given.  There is a strong emphasis on the writing process, writing strategies, and compensatory strategies using assistive technology software.  Specific Composition instruction includes:

• Researching information for a specific topic using Encarta, The Curriculum Resource, and the Internet
• Reading and highlighting main points of the research using Kurzweil
• Creating outlines using the Inspiration Program
• Creating 5-paragraph essays and creative stories from constructed outlines
• English grammar, spelling rules, and editing process applied to their writing

Specific Communications instruction includes:

• Verbal and nonverbal communication
• Highlighting and writing notes over research information for presentations
• Creating outlines to compile researched information
• Oral presentations with visuals
• Evaluation of own and fellow students’ presentations

Research:
This course is intended for those who have demonstrated a proficiency in writing, which will expose students to an in depth research paper.  Specific instruction includes:

• Researching information on a selected topic
• Reading, interpreting, and analyzing materials from a variety of genres
• Copulation of materials into original cohesive essays using APA format
• Critically editing various writings from fellow students and self evaluation

Creative Writing:
This course is for those who have demonstrated a proficiency in writing.  Specific instruction includes:

• Reading, interpreting, and analyzing short stories in a variety of genres
• Imaginatively and creatively writing in a variety of short story genres
• Critically editing various writings from fellow students and self evaluation
• Orally presenting original short stories and informative speeches