weighting different components of English credit

[razorbackmama]

I'm trying to figure out how to weight the different components of my 9th grader's English credit. Grammar, composition, literature, and spelling are making up the credit. I'm leaning towards 30% for the "big 3" and then 10% for spelling. But I wanted to get y'all's input as well. How have you weighted an English grade, since it consists of different areas of study?

[regentrude]

I do not compartmentalize. I grade DD's essays about literature topics and she receives ONE grade for the essay. This grade reflects the quality of the content AND the quality of the writing itself, including grammar and spelling.

I expect my high schoolers to produce final versions of essays that are free of spelling and grammar mistakes - so grading spelling and grammar separately would not make sense.

[razorbackmama]

Well my son is using Analytical Grammar, IEW, and Movies as Literature, so 3 separate curriculums to arrive at an English grade. That's what has me scratching my head - he's not just doing one thing that encompasses everything.

[Ellie]

Well my son is using Analytical Grammar, IEW, and Movies as Literature, so 3 separate curriculums to arrive at an English grade. That's what has me scratching my head - he's not just doing one thing that encompasses everything.

I'd do one grade for each, then average the three final grades into grade for English.

 

Most high schools do not do spelling as a separate subject/grade.

[Susan C.]

I do 50% grammar, composition and vocabulary, 50% for Literature and writing done for that.

[J-rap]

I split it among the three -- writing, grammar, literature -- fairly equally in 9th grade, with no separate spelling component. Spelling is, however, incorporated into the writing and grammar components. In the older grades, much less time is spent on grammar, and the main focus is writing and literature. Grammar is not ignored, but like spelling, simply becomes incorporated into writing and literature.

 

I also give a separate literature credit above and beyond what is done in general "English." It is a compilation of lots of great literature and projects we have read and done throughout the high school years.

[choirfarm]

Hi! My English credit go something like this:

Grammar worksheets 10 percent

Grammar quiz 10 percent

Worksheets/activities for literature ( now I am grading for annotating themselves and no longer giving worksheets, but did with TOG) 20 percent

Literature exams 30 percent

Writing assignments 30 percent

 

After I finished Analytical Grammar, the only grammar he is doing PSAT/SAT/ACT practice. So I think I bumped up the tests to 40 and the writing to 40.

 

Some years I've given them 10 percent for reading the book or for our discussion. I also use tons of materials. I"ve had a 10 percent grade for Vocabulit. Spelling has never been part of their grade other than to take off on essays.

 

Christine

[mom31257]

:lurk5:

[Jenny in Florida]

Well my son is using Analytical Grammar, IEW, and Movies as Literature, so 3 separate curriculums to arrive at an English grade. That's what has me scratching my head - he's not just doing one thing that encompasses everything.

 

Hmm.

 

I guess we're in a similar boat. My son is doing an online course about Greek mythology (that I figure would be worth about half a credit on its own), a writing curriculum, and a reading list from me. I honestly haven't given a whole lot of thought to how I'm going to grade.

 

If pressed, I guess I'd say I'll grade everything he turns in to me, with some things being worth more points than others. At the end of the year, I'll average it all to come up with a grade.

 

In other words, the vocabulary worksheets he does will get just a few points, maybe 10. The journal entries from the online course will get more, maybe 20. Bigger projects will get more points. And I'll assign some points for how well he listens when we read aloud together and how consistent he is about reading what he's assigned.

 

Could something similar work for you? Could you "weight" by giving fewer points to things like spelling but then put it all in one big bucket for the purposes of grading?

[razorbackmama]

I split it among the three -- writing, grammar, literature -- fairly equally in 9th grade, with no separate spelling component. Spelling is, however, incorporated into the writing and grammar components. In the older grades, much less time is spent on grammar, and the main focus is writing and literature. Grammar is not ignored, but like spelling, simply becomes incorporated into writing and literature.

That's probably what will end up happening here since he'll finish AG either this year or next.

 

Could something similar work for you? Could you "weight" by giving fewer points to things like spelling but then put it all in one big bucket for the purposes of grading?

Oh it's super easy for me to weight grades because I use Homeschool Tracker Plus - I just wasn't sure what the best way to go about it was. I think what I've come up with is to do 33% for each of grammar, literature, and composition, and then 1% spelling (or maybe vocabulary - I totally forgot about vocabulary!).

[LanaTron]

My kids, in 9th and 10th, will get a credit for "English" and one for "Literature." I am going by how many hours they will spend studying each, and going by what SWB said in one of the workshops I attended at a conference this past spring. She said if a student gets 120 hours of study in a subject, it can count as one credit. Some courses (like math or science) I count by subject matter completed, but things like history or english, I go by hours.

 

Given that, my kids will spend around 130 hours studying literature this year. They will also spend about 120 studying grammar, writing, and vocabulary, which I am lumping into one and calling it English.

 

Grades--

For Literature, they will be graded on comprehension questions, their papers (including both content and the technical aspects), and class participation, each weighted equally.

 

For English: grammar, writing, and vocabulary will be weighted equally. I am considering "writing" to be the time we spent working through the exercises in Jensen's Format Writing. So, actual writing instruction, as opposed to the writing they're doing for their lit papers.

 

HTH

[razorbackmama]

My kids, in 9th and 10th, will get a credit for "English" and one for "Literature." I am going by how many hours they will spend studying each, and going by what SWB said in one of the workshops I attended at a conference this past spring. She said if a student gets 120 hours of study in a subject, it can count as one credit. Some courses (like math or science) I count by subject matter completed, but things like history or english, I go by hours.

 

Given that, my kids will spend around 130 hours studying literature this year. They will also spend about 120 studying grammar, writing, and vocabulary, which I am lumping into one and calling it English.

 

Grades--

For Literature, they will be graded on comprehension questions, their papers (including both content and the technical aspects), and class participation, each weighted equally.

 

For English: grammar, writing, and vocabulary will be weighted equally. I am considering "writing" to be the time we spent working through the exercises in Jensen's Format Writing. So, actual writing instruction, as opposed to the writing they're doing for their lit papers.

 

HTH

Ah, that makes a lot of sense! He is not a strong student, so I'm thinking he won't have enough actual hours for 2 different credits, but that is definitely something to keep in mind!

[Susan C.]

Be sure to look at state requirements, here we are not allowed to go beyond one credit for English (unless dual enrolling at CC and taking a class each semester), and have to combine it. The typical English 1, English 2, English 3, English 4. All of high school, language arts has taken two class periods worth of time, but we only have been able to claim one credit. Each state is different. I do make it honors when the work is at that level. And sometimes I throw the extra reading toward history if it applies and make history honors.

[razorbackmama]

Be sure to look at state requirements, here we are not allowed to go beyond one credit for English (unless dual enrolling at CC and taking a class each semester), and have to combine it. The typical English 1, English 2, English 3, English 4. All of high school, language arts has taken two class periods worth of time, but we only have been able to claim one credit. Each state is different. I do make it honors when the work is at that level. And sometimes I throw the extra reading toward history if it applies and make history honors.

Ah, very good to know! I doubt that it would ever even be a concern with this particular student (LOL), but maybe I'll have one who is a bit more ambitious in the future.;)

[ereks mom]

I do not compartmentalize. I grade DD's essays about literature topics and she receives ONE grade for the essay. This grade reflects the quality of the content AND the quality of the writing itself, including grammar and spelling.

I expect my high schoolers to produce final versions of essays that are free of spelling and grammar mistakes - so grading spelling and grammar separately would not make sense.

 

:iagree: Same here.