The goal of Eighth Grade Language Arts is to incorporate and integrate reading and writing.  Students will have to understand grammar concepts and utilize the concepts in writing assignments.  Students will have to practice and master several writing types.  Essays will fall in the categories of persuasive, narrative and expository.  Students will be exposed to these writing categories and also be required to make oral presentations based on these essay types. Reading strategies will also be a component of the class.  Non-fiction and fiction will be covered in class.  Students will have to examine non-fiction and find information.  They will also have to identify plot, theme, rising action, and character types in fiction.  The goal of the course is to increase students’ abilities to communicate, not only in a school setting, but in the real world.