6th Grade

English Language Arts

& Reading Syllabus
Ms. Espinoza
Email: vespinoza@bisd.us Conference Period: 11:35a.m. – 12:21p.m Room#: G107

Textbook: My Perspectives, Pearson Grade 6

Novels: Freak the Mighty, The Giver, The Refugee, etc.

Course Description
This course will focus on guiding students to carefully analyze and interpret literature across various genres.
Students will learn how to make meaningful connections across paired- genres of literature that will consist of,
but are not limited to, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, literary non-fiction, expository texts, and drama. Students will
be expected to diligently participate in independent reading to enhance fluency and comprehension. This course
is also designed to create and facilitate an environment where students can further develop a life-long passion
for reading and have meaningful experiences and connections through various literature pieces.

Classroom Rules
 Arrive on time
 Come prepared to class
 Follow the school dress code
 Do not interrupt the learning process
 Be respectful to others and their property
 Respect school guidelines and school property
 Cell phones must always remain in student’s backpack and be powered off.

Consequences
1st Offense- Documentation in eSchoolPLUS/ Warning & Redirect /and Parent Contact (documentation
in parent log.)

2nd Offense- Documentation in eSchoolPLUS/ Teacher (TEAM)-Student Conference/ Parent Contact

(documentation in parent log)/ and required counselor referral/ contact.

3rd Offense- Documentation in eSchoolPLUS/ Required Counselor Referral-Visit (Counselor-Student

documentation along with Teacher-TEAM documentation)/ and Parent Contact (document in parent
log).

4th Offense- Documentation in eSchoolPLUS/ Mandatory TEAM-Parent-Student-Counselor Conference

(document appropriately).

5th Offense- Office Referral to administration with all supporting documentation provided to
administrator.
Class Policies:
1. Makeup Policy: Upon returning to school after an excused absence, students have five days to complete
and turn in any missed assignments. After the five days, missing assignments will be recorded as a zero.
Students are responsible for inquiring about the missed assignment (s) or lesson and collecting the
“missed work” (assignments, lesson notes) from the “Missed Work” drawer the very next day upon their
return.

2. Tardiness: Each class begins promptly after the bell rings. If a student is not in the classroom, in their
assigned seat and prepared to work when the bell rings, he/she is tardy. Excessive tardiness will be
reported to the attendance clerk and parents will be notified.

3. Late Work Policy: I understand that sometimes circumstances will arise and therefore late
work/assignments/projects will be accepted late, but there will be 10points deducted daily for every day
that it is late:

1 day late - 10 pts

2 days late - 20 pts
3 days late - 30 pts
4 days late - 40 pts
5 days late - 50 pts

Homework Policy
Students will be given homework assignments to foster their understanding of classroom instruction throughout
the week. Additionally, any assignments not completed in class will be taken home, completed, and returned the
following day. (Please refer to the Late Work Policy above.)

* NOTE: your child’s grade will be greatly affected if the assignment is not completed correctly
and is late. Any assignments turned in more than a week late will remain at a grade of 50. *

Test Policy
A minimum of three tests will be administered per six weeks. The students will be informed several days in
advance so that they can prepare by reviewing and studying the material.

Retest Policy
Students will be allowed to take a re-test if they do not pass a test. The re-test will be a different assessment that
covers the same material, but students will receive no higher than a 70. If students fail the retest assessment as
well, they will receive the higher grade of both assessments.
Cheating Policy
Cheating as well as plagiarism will NOT be tolerated. The penalty for a student that is caught cheating will be
to receive a grade of a “50” on that assignment/test. If cheating occurs a second time, a grade of a “0” will be
recorded and the student will not be allowed to retest or make up the assignment.

Plagiarism
(the act of stealing and passing off/presenting as new, original and one’s own idea or product derived from an
existing source) is cheating.

Grading & Testing Policy

Each six weeks grade will reflect the academic progress of the student and will be determined as follows:
 40% daily work, homework, notebook, class participation, quizzes, etc.
 60% assessments, projects, presentations, etc.
 Semester Exam grade = 25% of semester average

Parent/Teacher Conferences
Parents, please feel free to contact me through email or by telephone. In addition, formal conferences can be
scheduled to discuss your child’s progress in class and/or any concerns you may have.

Thank You,

Ms. Espinoza
vespinoza@bisd.us
(956) 548-9800
 2021-2022 English Language Arts & Reading Syllabus

** By signing this form I acknowledge that I have read and

understood the attached class syllabus**

Students Name (Please Print) _____________________________________ ID# _______________

Parents Name (Please Print) __________________________________________________________

Parents E-mail: ___________________________________________________________________

Who do we call in case of an EMERGENCY with your son or daughter?

Name: ________________________________ Phone #: _________________________________

Name: ________________________________ Phone #:_________________________________

Parent Signature: ________________________________________________________________

Student Signature: _______________________________________________________________

Date: _______________________

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Parents and students, by signing above, you are agreeing with the course expectations and
responsibilities. Parents and students, you are committing yourselves to ensure that you understand
and will abide by the rules and expectations that have been listed in the syllabus. Parents, thank you
so much for your support at home to ensure that your child is receiving the best education inside and
outside of the classroom.