We have designed new badges that will help our families quickly identify products, classes, and services that you can easily identify for your specific child’s learning level. This icon will allow you to see which product or service will best meet your child’s needs. Please remember that these are guidelines, and your child’s needs may be better served in the learning level on either side of their “grade” in school. Here are the identifying features for each learning level:
Primary:
This level is for Pre-K to 2nd grade students, although some 3rd graders may fit best in this range. The youngest students at this level will be beginning readers and writers, and the more advanced students at this level will be able to recognize many sight words, read short readers, and write 2-3 simple sentences. This stage fosters preparations for beginning chapter books, and writing a chunk of sentences about a topic.
Elementary:
This level is for 3rd-6th grade students, although a second grader or 7th grader may fit into this category. This stage introduces a basic paragraph composition that helps students understand that not all sentences are equal. They can read some literature independently, though may still need help in the first couple years. They will grow in this stage to a full expanded paragraph composition with chunks of ideas to support the topic. They learn how to study literature and learn annotation and note keeping skills.
Intermediate:
This level is for 7th-9th grade students, though 6th or 10th grade may also fit here. This student is ready to move from an expanded paragraph into the beginning stage of multi-paragraph writing. This is a step before the full 5 paragraph essay instruction. This student can read age appropriate chapter books, and understands the content of the literature. They learn more advanced methods for annotations, and can chart information throughout a novel. Critical thinking skills begin to take a stronger shape at this level.
Advanced:
This level is for 10-12th grade students, although some 9th graders may also fit here. These students will be writing full 5 paragraph essays. In addition, they can handle more mature literary content as expected in the early to mid high school level literature standards. These students will be challenged with difficult critical thinking exercises, advanced compositions, and a variety of challenging prose at this stage. A student in this level can expect more demands for homework assignments. While they will continue to receive quality feedback from their teacher, they will be expected to critique their own work as they prepare to graduate high school.
College Prep:
This level is for 11-12th honors level students. This student is capable of completing all of the advanced level work with a high degree of skill, but is ready to move into the preparations to write compositions at the college level. These students learn the MLA and APA writing formats, and can easily write in response to informational texts, advanced literary works, and complex critical thinking prompts. This level may include peer review, and more demanding effort to complete assignments. This level is not for a student that struggles to complete assignments, or wants to simply finish the work quickly.
Adult Certification:
This is for adults ready to learn The Write Journey methods and curriculum. These products and services are designed to instruct adults as if they were going through the same training we use with a newly hired teacher. These materials are written at the adult level, and are intended for an adult to use with students in their homes or classes. The certification courses offered train the program attendee to learn the materials, and then to use the materials with others.