Middle School, Literature Curriculum

Literature Curriculum Content

A number of characteristics define high-quality middle school literature curriculum for all readers, including those who are talented. In general, curriculum should be rooted in concepts, principles, ideas, and skills most essential to the disciplines related to literature (e.g., literary criticism, journalism, history); be relevant to the experience of young adolescents; facilitate the development of students' identities as readers; and move students toward greater expertise as critical readers and thinkers in ways and at a pace commensurate with their readiness needs.

Middle school literature curriculum also supports the development of advanced literary skills. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress 2007 Reading Report Card, eighth graders who respond to selected texts at an advanced level are able to explain abstract themes and ideas in the text, make and support analytical interpretations, make self-to-text connections and text-to-world-event connections, and respond to what they read thoroughly and thoughtfully. Specific to fiction texts, students performing at an advanced level can use their understanding of characters to interpret an author's purpose, explain the importance of setting to plot using textual support, retrieve explanatory text from dense text, and explain how narrative devices function in a story. High-quality middle school literature curriculum equips talented readers with these and other processes indicative of a progressively expanding capacity as a reader such as comparatively analyzing texts, synthesizing texts at a conceptual level, and forming unique literary interpretations.

Literature Curriculum Organization

Approaches for organizing middle school literature curriculum content include conceptual or thematic organization, genre study, and integration with other subjects, such as social studies. In recent years, middle school education has emphasized personal connections to text through methods such as reader response, student-led discussions [Page 567](e.g., literature circles, book clubs), and journaling. Critics of this approach suggest that it may encourage the idea that reading is an individual and isolated event. Still, most experts agree that middle school literature curriculum should provide numerous opportunities for students to self-select reading material in both structured and unstructured ways.

The schoolwide enrichment model—reading (SEM—R), recently developed by Sally Reis and her colleagues, is one framework for organizing literature curriculum. The model employs three phases designed to increase student exposure to and interest in high-quality texts, strengthen students' reading and thinking skills, engage in independent reading with appropriately challenging texts, and respond to texts in authentic ways. Although it has been implemented primarily at the elementary school level, some research on the model has included sixth-grade classrooms. Results document the model's positive impact on students' reading enjoyment, habits, and achievement.

The integrated curriculum model (ICM) is another framework for literature curriculum. The Center for Gifted Education at The College of William and Mary has designed language arts and novel units according to the model, primarily with high-ability learners in mind. Above-grade-level literature representing various genres, cultures, and time periods—and connected to the concept of change—forms the core of the units. Unit activities are focused on literary analysis and interpretation through discussion, persuasive writing, research, and personal connections. Research on the effectiveness of the language arts units—some of which include some sixth-grade classrooms—reports gains in literary interpretations and analysis skills for students in treatment classrooms.

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