Middle School English Language Arts
Online Middle School English Course
This online English course for middle schoolers is designed to lay a strong foundation for reading literature and engaging in critical analysis of texts through close-reading, discussion, and writing. In our classroom of one, the student will explore texts by reading carefully to decipher meaning and arrive at paragraph- and text-level interpretations. The course texts—co-selected by teacher and student during the collaborative design phase—are selected in order to encourage debate and argumentative writing, and include themes like conflict between main characters and their larger surroundings; and the student will work to sharpen their critical thinking by exploring them from all angles. Even as they work to construct clear arguments and thesis-driven essays, they will begin to notice and unpack nuance and complexity in their understandings of literature.
Weekly Cadence & Style
We normally offer this course in semester-length halves—14 – 16 weeks per semester—with a weekly cadence of either 1 or 2 live sessions weekly, plus an additional 3-5 hours of work that the student does on their own.
We will very much follow an inquiry-based learning model in our weekly get togethers where together the teacher and student will explore the texts and ask open-ended questions about character development and themes.
Additionally, this course introduces the student to a process approach to writing—with drafting, peer and teacher review, and editing as integral components—whether the student is writing essays, fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry.
Suggested Reading
The following is an illustrative list of common texts that are read in this middle school English course. Keep in mind that each course is customized to the student, and the reading list will vary according to their interest and level.
- The Giver by Lois Lowry
- The Pearly by John Steinbeck
- The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
- Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
- 12 Angry Men by Reginald Rose
- Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare
Frequently asked questions
What does a middle school English course cover?
Reading, writing, and the analysis that connects them. A year typically covers several full-length works, regular analytical writing, some creative work, and direct grammar instruction where a student needs it. Texts are co-selected by teacher and student during the design phase.
What age is this course for?
Roughly grades six to eight, though because teaching is one to one a course is pitched at the reader in front of the teacher rather than at a grade average. A strong twelve-year-old reader can work with books a conventional class would hold back.
How is this different from a school English class?
In a class of thirty an essay comes back with a grade and a few marginal notes. One to one, the essay gets talked through while the student explains what they were attempting. That conversation is where writing improves and there is no substitute for it.
Can this prepare a student for high school English?
That is its purpose. The course builds the close-reading habits and paragraph-level interpretation that English 9 assumes, so a student arrives able to argue from textual evidence rather than learning how during their first high school year.
Book a free consultation. We'll talk through your options.
We'll discuss what your child needs and match them with the teacher who fits — no commitment either way.