Roy C. Ketcham High School

Reading/Literacy Syllabus

2024-2025

Mrs. Bradley/Mrs. Kodnia

Mrs. Mahon

I am looking forward to working with you this year.  I am confident that this year will be GREAT!  The goal of this class is to cultivate independent and strategic readers and writers who are capable of engaging in a variety of literary tasks.  My goal is to equip each of you with the proper tools to complete a variety of rigorous academic challenges and to help improve comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, and writing, which will enable you to grow towards your academic goal, career and life goals.  I will be using a Functional Curriculum where experiences and activities are selected for each student to gain skills that you will need to become competent in a regular environment as a young adult.  Topics may include, but are not limited to reading, comprehension, grammar, functional vocabulary, reading/writing schedules and writing. When reading, the aim is to encourage thoughtful discussion and a love of reading in young people.

          All students will be responsible for having a book (of THEIR choice) and bringing it to class each day.    These books can be a personal book from home, the school library or from my personal “in-class” library.

To be Covered:

• decoding and/or comprehension
• phonics, vocabulary, strategies, and integration of all three as they apply to daily reading needs.
• Understanding the IEP – Explain the purpose of the document to promote self-advocacy
• Learning Styles
• Organization Skills – Strategies
• Note-Taking Skills
• Listening Skills and Strategies
• Skimming/Scanning
• Inferencing
• Summarizing
• Prediction
• Group work - discussions

I am so excited to begin this school year by reading a memoir by Phil Knight, entitled "Show Dog." So many of our teens wear Nike sneakers and don't know the story behind them.....we will find out.  This is a story of a crazy idea and determination. PLEASE ask your children about this book when we start reading. Now, I am crossing my fingers that all of the copies I ordered on Ebay will come in SOON! 

Grading:

This course will be graded by pass/fail.  In order to receive a passing grade, students must receive a 65% or higher grade. Students will be graded on the student’s classwork, quizzes, projects and participation in their daily work. Grades are calculated on a “whole points” grading system.

~Classwork Assignments

-Participation/Preparedness/Attendance -  Make sure you have all the materials you need for class.  Make sure you are on task (it will be difficult NOT to be since my classes are just that EXCITING

Late Work Policy

A student who is absent for any reason will be given the opportunity to make up the missed work, and will receive credit for any made-up work. A student will have the same number of days to make up work as the number of days missed.  YOU are responsible for getting any missed work.

* If you are absent for a test, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to speak to me for information.  You are then expected to take the test/quiz during a free period within 3 days of your return.  After 3 days, a score of ZERO will be given*

 Attendance is mandatory for success.  Not only will you be acquiring academic skills to be a successful student, but you will also strive to achieve those “soft skills” that society expects of you to be a successful person.  You must be willing to put in the extra effort needed to achieve this.  I expect you to accept responsibility for your choices regarding behavior and priorities and to develop and maintain a work ethic that will enable you to be successful.

Please note that ATTENDANCE is a critical part of your grade.   Chronic absences or failure to get to class on time can be a detriment to your grades.  In addition to attendance, having a positive attitude, showing effort and maintaining appropriate behavior is necessary to attain success in the class.

Please talk to Mrs. Bradley in private about any concerns you may have regarding the class.