Advanced English Program

Revised 1/5/22

Marston Middle School English Language Arts Programs:

A Guide for Parents and Students

Marston offers two options in English Language Arts (ELA) in grades 6, 7 and 8 - English and Advanced English. Both programs offer rigorous, standards-based curriculum that prepares students for college. The Advanced English course is an option for students who have a passion for literature and can advance through complex material more rapidly.

Both English and Advanced English have the following attributes:

●  Follow a rigorous curriculum.

●  Require students to work toward mastery of the California Common Core State Standards.

●  Prepare students for high school English.

●  Develop critical thinking skills.

●  Use the same textbook and interact with a variety of complex expository/informative, argumentative/persuasive and narrative texts.

●  Require students to write argumentative essays, informative texts, narrative texts, responses to literature, and summaries.

●  Provide opportunities for students to improve listening and speaking skills through a multitude of oral language activities and through oral presentation.

●  Utilize technology to help improve reading and writing skills.

Advanced English differs from English in the following ways:

●  Faster speed and higher complexity of study

●  Complete some tasks beyond current grade level standards and explore the skills addressed in the subsequent grade level standards.

●  Students work more independently, with teacher support as needed.

●  Because pacing is faster, students will read additional texts, some of which are done as homework.

●  Writing is more sophisticated (stronger vocabulary, more complex and varied sentence structure, greater depth of thought and analysis) and more extensively researched.

●  Assigned readings may be at a higher level of difficulty.

Qualified students will be preliminarily placed in Advanced English. Before accepting placement in Advanced English, please consider the following:

●  Due to scheduling restrictions, movement between English and Advanced English may not be possible after the school year has begun.

●  Students are expected to meet placement criteria on an annual basis

●  The ultimate goal is that each child is challenged and has a passion for learning

Any student who meets the Advanced English criteria will be offered a spot in the program. In very rare circumstances, there may be a classroom capacity issue for students that did not meet the Advanced English criteria but wish to enter that pathway.  In this very rare capacity circumstance, Marston would then implement a fair, objective ranking system to offer enrollment in the Advanced English pathway. 

6th Grade Criteria

  • Exceeds Standards on 5th Grade ELA SBAC
  • Mostly 4s in Literacy Standards on 5th Grade Report Card

NOTE: Marston may also consider 4th Grade ELA SBAC and other district assessments as needed.

7th Grade Criteria

  • Exceeds Standards on 6th grade ELA SBAC
  • Semester Letter Grades of A or B in 6th Grade ELA

NOTE: Marston may also consider other district assessments and teacher recommendation as needed.

8th Grade Criteria

  • Exceeds Standards on 7th grade ELA SBAC
  • Semester Letter Grades of A or B in 7th Grade ELA

NOTE: Marston may also consider other district assessments and teacher recommendation as needed.

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