The Seventh Grade English course focuses on three main areas: oral expression, written expression, and reading comprehension. Students will be exposed to narratives, forms of fiction, persuasive writing, novels, poetry, and other forms of writing. Grammar, vocabulary, and writing skills will flow from these readings. Academic vocabulary will be taken from readings and classroom discussion. In addition, a systematic vocabulary development program of grade-level terms will be used to augment and reinforce language development. Writing assignments will parallel reading assignments, examining such constructs as the writing process, traditional structures in fiction, interview techniques, letter writing, and novel reviews. Students will learn how to conduct group discussions, discern between fact and opinion, and analyze arguments. Grammar concepts will be taught in direct relation to writing assignments, including such areas as sentence formation, punctuation, and word choice. All areas of study correspond to traditional Seventh Grade S.O.L. proficiency areas.