Teacher Recommendation Form
HONORS FRESHMAN ENGLISH COURSE
Student Name:___________________________________________________
Graduation Year: _2021__
Requested Course Name: ___HONORS FRESHMAN LITERATURE & COMPOSITION______
Current course: __________8TH Grade Language & Literature_______ Current Class Grade:________%
It is important to know if your previous academic experiences have prepared you for the rigors of an Honors
level course. You must speak to your current teacher and decide if an Honors course is appropriate for you.
Directions for submission:
1. The student must assess his or her own level on the skills listed on Page 2 of this document.
2. Hand this form to your current Language & Literature teacher after completing the self-evaluation on Page 2.
He or she will complete both sides and return it to you. Please take the time to address any concerns you might
have with your teacher.
1= consistently demonstrates
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
2=limited or inconsistently demonstrates
3= lacking/does not demonstrate
Attendance
Work completion / work ethic / motivation level
Intellectual curiosity / seeks enrichment
Abstract thinking (analysis and synthesis)
Acquires and integrates knowledge in multiple ways
_____ Recommend
_____ Reservations
Current teacher signature: ____________________________________________
_____ Not recommended
Date: _______________
Comments: (required for all “Reservations” and “Not Recommended”)
3. Return the signed Honors Program Expectation and Application (separate form) and one Teacher
Recommendation Form for each subject area for which you would like to be considered to Ms. Amy Huch in
Campus Services no later than March 1, 2017.
Page 1
9th Grade Honors English Expectations
Student Name: _________________________________
Honors: While the following skills are expectations of all students, above average proficiency in the
areas below are indicators of success in the Honors English program. Highly motivated students with
average ability but a strong work ethic also might do well. Please consider the following:
Above
Avg
Student
Teacher
Student
Teacher
Student
Teacher
Student
Teacher
Student
Avg
Below
Avg
Skills
Content/Ideas
 Clear Topic sentences and Thesis statements
 Appropriate and sufficient support (major and minor)
 Using and citing quotes to support claims (MLA)
Organization
 Parts of a 1 paragraph essay
 Parts of a multi paragraph essay
 Writing Introductory and Conclusion paragraphs
Word Choice
 Using proper register (different word choices in Formal and
Casual writing)
 The Un-useable YOU in Formal writing
 Revising to improve word choice
 Avoiding overused words (“Dead”) and slang
 Consistent tense
Sentence Fluency
 Identification of non-sentences and awkward sentences
 A variety of sentence beginnings
 Combining sentences and using different lengths/types of
sentences
Conventions
The student is able to produce work that adheres to the DCC
Essential Agreement.
Teacher
Student
Teacher
Student
Teacher
Student
Teacher
Textual Analysis / Literary Interaction
 Cite textual evidence to support analysis
 Draw inferences
 Determine theme
 Analyze how dialogue and incidents reveal aspects of
character, propel the action, and provoke decisions
Literary Devices/Terms
 Shows knowledge of metaphor, simile, personification,
alliteration, sensory imagery, oxymoron, irony
 Shows knowledge of Tone, Theme, and other Literary Elements
Other
 Planning and pre-writing for essays
 Electronic Research
 Note taking methods
Page 2