Middle School Grades 6-8

Middle School English Language Arts builds upon students’ foundational literacy skills while increasing the complexity, independence, and depth of their reading, writing, and thinking.

Students engage with increasingly sophisticated literature and informational texts while developing skills in comprehension, analysis, vocabulary, discussion, research, and written expression. Explicit instruction helps students analyze text, identify and evaluate evidence, organize ideas, develop arguments, and communicate their thinking clearly.

Teachers continue to provide structured supports for language-based learning differences while intentionally increasing student independence. Students learn strategies for approaching complex texts and assignments so they can confidently access rigorous academic content and communicate increasingly sophisticated ideas.

Middle School mathematics emphasizes the transition from foundational mathematical understanding to increasingly abstract reasoning, problem-solving, and application.

Teachers continue to use explicit multisensory instruction, visual representations, mathematical language, and step-by-step modeling to make complex concepts accessible. Students strengthen computational fluency while developing skills in areas such as proportional reasoning, algebraic thinking, geometry, data analysis, and multi-step problem-solving.

Students are encouraged to select appropriate strategies, explain and justify their reasoning, identify errors, and persevere through challenging problems. Instruction balances appropriate scaffolding with increasing independence, preparing students to approach higher-level mathematics with confidence.

Middle School students encounter increasing expectations for independence, organization, time management, and self-advocacy. Executive functioning instruction helps students develop the systems and strategies necessary to manage these growing responsibilities.

Students receive explicit instruction and practice in planning, prioritizing, task initiation, organization, time management, working memory, self-monitoring, cognitive flexibility, and long-term assignment management. Teachers help students learn to break larger tasks into manageable steps, track deadlines, manage materials, evaluate their progress, and adjust strategies when something is not working.

Support intentionally shifts from adult-directed systems toward student ownership. By Middle School, students are developing a stronger understanding of how they learn, which strategies work for them, when they need assistance, and how to advocate effectively for the support they need.

Hillside provides additional services and targeted interventions to support students based on their individual learning needs. Through our partnership with Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21 (CLIU-21), eligible students may receive school-based speech and language services. Hillside also provides targeted intervention in areas such as reading and mathematics for students who benefit from additional instruction and practice.

Participation in related services and intervention groups is determined based on a student’s identified needs, available assessment and performance data, and the recommendations of the appropriate educational team. These services are designed to complement classroom instruction and provide focused support in specific skill areas.

Student needs and progress are reviewed regularly so that supports remain purposeful, responsive, and aligned with each student’s educational programming.