This document is a syllabus for the sixth grade reading program at Mountain View Middle School. It outlines the reading curriculum and group placements. Students are placed into reading groups based on assessments administered at the start of the year. These groups - Progressing Readers, Readers on the Go, and Benchmark + Readers - are leveled according to students' reading abilities and needs. The groups meet on alternating days from PE and cover material from the core Language Arts and Social Studies classes tailored to each level.

1. Mountain View Middle School
Sixth Grade Reading Syllabus
Ms. Buck Mrs. Donahue
(503) 554-5102 (503) 554-5123
{buckl@newberg.k12.or.us} donahuek@newberg.k12.or.us
Mr. Masenhimer Mr. Willing
(503) 554-5112 (503) 554-5103
masenhimerd@newberg.k12.or.us {willingt@newberg.k12.or.us}
Reading instruction at the Sixth Grade in Mountain View Middle School has two parts. The first part is
covered by the Language Arts and Social Studies curriculum in Core classes. The second part is covered
in reading groups that are leveled by reading skill, which allows us to focus reading instruction more in
line with the instructional needs and reading abilities of the students. The class meets on alternating days
with students’ P.E. class occurring every other day. The leveled reading sections are drawn from the
Language Arts and Social Studies Core classes in such a way that schedule changes are unnecessary, even
when a student’s instructional needs change due to growth in reading skills.
Reading Class Placement
Students are placed in their reading sections based on a variety of assessments and consultation among
the teachers of the sixth grade Language Arts and Social Studies Core Team during the first few weeks of
school in September. We evaluate each student’s Oregon Reading Benchmark test scores. We administer
a variety of written and oral assessments before placing the students in their groups. When appropriate,
we consult the student and/or parents to determine what the best placement will be for each child’s level
of reading development. Lastly, we remain open to adjusting our placements so that every child is
appropriately placed according to her/his performance ability, growth, and instructional needs.
Progressing Readers: Ms. Buck
Progressing readers work in slightly smaller class sizes to build decoding, literal comprehension, fluency,
and retention skills. The class employs both prepared materials and authentic texts (fiction, non-fiction,
poetry, drama, etc.) to build these skills. Most students placed in this class are working to attain the State
of Oregon Benchmarks for Reading by the end of sixth grade.
Readers on the Go: Ms. Bryant, Mrs. Donahue, Mr. Masenhimer
This grouping has those students who consistently meet the reading benchmark and perform at grade
level. Instruction focuses on building additional reading strategies and inferential comprehension, as well
as recognition of the literary elements and devices. Students placed in this section are considered at grade
level in their reading skills and have usually met the fifth grade reading benchmark.
Benchmark + Readers: Mr. Willing
This group have demonstrated solid reading skills and strategies. Instruction for this group challenges
students to use higher order thinking skills as they acquire upper level strategies for fully independent
reading across a broad range of carefully selected texts, including novels, plays, poetry, newspapers, and
Internet sources. These students consistently read above their grade level and/or exceed benchmarks.
Performance Expectations
Each teacher on the sixth grade Language Arts and Social Studies Core Team adjusts expectations and
requirements appropriately to the performance level of the student and the class. This will make grading,
homework, and in-class assignments look very different from one group to the next. If there are concerns
about our expectations or your child’s placement for reading, please contact your child’s reading teacher.
6th
Grade Reading Syllabus (Rev. 9/2010) Page 1 of 1