Foundations A - Writing & Grammar

Course Overview

Course Description

This course helps students master the basics of writing sentences by focusing on grammatical accuracy in target structures and basic writing conventions.

Course Emphasis

  • Timed Writing - 30%
  • Drafted Writing - 30%
  • Grammar - 40%

Course Books and Materials

  • Great Writing 1: Great Sentences for Great Paragraphs, 5th Edition (Cengage) 9780357020821

Course Learning Outcomes

  1. Writes level-appropriate* drafted and timed text.
    1. Writes lists of words and phrases.
    2. Writes memorized questions.
    3. Writes sentences based on memorized phrases and syntactical structures.
  2. Produces writing with basic grammatical accuracy.
    1. Uses subject, verb, object statement structure.
    2. Demonstrates subject/verb agreement in controlled contexts.
    3. Uses a variety of regular and irregular verbs.
    4. Capitalizes the beginning of sentences and uses final punctuation at the end of sentences.
  3. Incorporates high frequency general vocabulary in writing.
    1. Recombines learned vocabulary into memorized phrases and structures.
    2. Spells high frequency general vocabulary correctly.

*Level-appropriate text type information is found on the Level Descriptors page.

Assessments and Learning Experiences

    Grammar

    1. Ten Perfect Sentences. Students write a list of ten sentences that is marked for errors and revised until it is error-free. 

    Writing

    1. Chapter/Unit Assessments. Students demonstrate proficiency in using the sentence patterns they have learned.

    2. Fluency Writing. Students write to promote fluency.

    3. Typing practice. Students build typing skills through practice. 

    Teacher Resources

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