READING PROGRAM

Reading Seminar
SEMESTERS: 2
CREDIT: 1
GRADE PLACEMENT: 9
GRADUATION REQUIREMENT: Yes.
COURSE SEQUENCE: This is a freshman required course beginning with the class of 2008.
OTHER PREREQUISITES: Incoming freshman who score below the 93rd percentile (national) and above the 42nd percentile (national) in reading as measured by the Explore test.
STUDENT AND STAFF ORGANIZATION: Conventional.
COURSE OVERVIEW: Lincoln-Way's Reading Seminar course will provide students with intensive and skills-based instruction in the art and science of reading. The main purpose of this course will be twofold: to provide SKILLS instruction and practice in the various types of reading that appear on high-stakes, standardized tests, and to encourage and develop enthusiasm for reading in all students, including the reading of novels, newspapers, magazines, internet sources, and a variety of text styles. Strongly research-based, this course will focus on the five key skills that students must master to become effective readers in our information age: (1) vocabulary development, (2) fluency practice, (3) comprehension, (4) purpose in reading, and (5) lifetime reading applications. Students in Reading Seminar will increase knowledge of their own learning styles, studying techniques, and self-awareness as a reader and learner. The Freshman Reading Seminar course fulfills the reading graduation requirement for Lincoln-Way High School students.

High School Reading
SEMESTERS: 2
CREDIT: 1
GRADE PLACEMENT: 9
GRADUATION REQUIREMENT: Yes.
COURSE SEQUENCE: Class taken concurrently with English I Skills/Reading.
OTHER PREREQUISITES: Incoming freshmen who score at or below the 42 percentile (national) in reading as measured by the Explore test. Parent/Guardian approval, teacher referral.
STUDENT AND STAFF ORGANIZATION: Conventional.
COURSE OVERVIEW: High School Reading will address the needs of freshmen who enter Lincoln-Way reading at or below the 42 percentile (national) as measured by the Explore test. Students must also have their eighth grade Language Arts teacher's recommendation and parental approval. The course aims to improve student ability in reading, raising students to grade level through concentrated study of reading strategies. The course will also support students in all content areas while reinforcing strategies and skills in vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, text familiarity, writing, and test taking. By increasing students' overall reading skills, their confidence will rise. Weekly vocabulary assignments and class participation are required to assist individual growth in reading skills. Students will be formally assessed at the beginning of the year as well as at the end of each semester. The High School Reading course fulfills the reading graduation requirement for Lincoln-Way High School students.

Title I
SEMESTERS: 2
CREDIT: 1/2
GRADE PLACEMENT: 9
GRADUATION REQUIREMENT: Elective (credit in reserve).
COURSE SEQUENCE: Title 1 is a freshman course.
OTHER PREREQUISITES: Teacher referral and reading test scores.
STUDENT AND STAFF ORGANIZATION: Individualized.
COURSE OVERVIEW: Teachers assist students in using the appropriate study skills and organizational skills needed for their content area classes. Teachers also concentrate on reading skill development based on individual student needs. Freshman students are chosen on the basis of entrance test scores and 8th grade teacher recommendations. Students meet daily during their study/lunch period.

Reading Survey
SEMESTER: 1
CREDIT: 1/2
GRADE PLACEMENT: 10, 11, 12
GRADUATION REQUIREMENT: 1/2 of the full credit in Reading
COURSE SEQUENCE:
OTHER PRE-REQUISITES:
STUDENT AND STAFF ORGANIZATION:
COURSE OVERVIEW: The Reading Survey course will be offered during first semester and will be open to any sophomore, junior, or senior student. This course may be taken as a follow-up to the Freshman Reading Seminar course or as an elective; this course also meets one-half of the Lincoln-Way Reading Graduation Requirement for any transfer student into the district. The Reading Survey course focuses on deeper understanding of literature and the types of prose reading that commonly appears on standardized tests. The course will provide instruction in analyzing various literary styles and genre, including the novel, short story, and drama. Students will read, discuss, and analyze at least 3 major works of literature and a variety of poetry in preparation for the ACT/PSAE testing program and the AP tests. Vocabulary and PSAE practice activities will be a major emphasis in the course, along with a specific study of a variety of literary works.

Reading Strategies
SEMESTER: 1
CREDIT: 1/2
GRADE PLACEMENT: 10, 11, 12
GRADUATION REQUIREMENT: 1/2 of the full credit in Reading.
COURSE SEQUENCE:
OTHER PRE-REQUISITES:
STUDENT AND STAFF ORGANIZATION:
COURSE OVERVIEW: The Reading Strategies course will be offered during second semester and will be open to any sophomore, junior, or senior student. The course may be taken as a follow-up to the Freshman Reading Seminar course or as an elective; this course also meets one-half of the Lincoln-Way reading graduation requirement for any transfer student into the district. The Reading Strategies course focuses on deeper understanding of nonfiction and the types of technical reading that commonly appears on standardized tests. The course will provide instruction in analyzing various types of non-fiction text, including newspaper and magazine articles, speeches, essays, memoirs and biographies, and technical/vocational manuals. Reading and analyzing internet information and understanding graphic data will also be a focus for this course. The WorkKeys program (in a computer lab setting) and specific preparation for the reading PSAE/ACT test will also be emphasized in the class. Vocabulary, WorkKeys and PSAE practice activities will be a major emphasis in the course, along with a specific study of a variety of non-fiction reading sources.