english language creative writing grade 9

Miss Huttlestone's GCSE English

Because a whole class of wonderful minds are better than just one!

2 Grade 9 Creative Writing Examples

I recently asked my year 11s to pen a piece of description and/or narrative writing for their mini assessment. I gave them the following prompts:

Your school wants you to contribute to a collection of creative writing.

EITHER: Write a short story as suggested by this picture:

OR: Write a description about a person who has made a strong impression on you.

The following were two COMPELLING and CONVINCING examples of the second choice – one pupil taking ‘you’ as a fictional invitation, the other as a biographical one:

EXAMPLE ONE:

Gradually, I awake and open my eyes only to see the cracked white ceiling which greets me every day. Here I sit, slumped in the bed with the scratchy white sheets hugging me and muffled beeping noises jumping into my ears. Rubbing the sleep crust from my bloodshot eyes, I observe the scene before me. The sound of footsteps overlapping as nurses rush from bed to bed; the metallic tang from stainless steel invading my nostrils; the cold metal bed rail imprisoning and mocking me; the pungent scent of antiseptic troubling me and the blood-curdling cries and moans utterly terrifying me. Using all my strength, I try to imagine I am somewhere else, anywhere else but here.

Crowds, signs, roars: it was 1903 and the suffragette movement had begun. It was a crisp night, refreshing almost and I had taken to the streets. It was like I was possessed by something that night, some urge and deep desire within me that had led me there, surrounded by women like myself. I stood clueless and lost in the crowd; the women yelling ‘Deeds not words’ in unison; passionately parading with large wooden signs and viciously shattering windows with bricks and stones. Despite the violence that was displayed before me, I was not afraid of what was happening and I didn’t deem it unnecessary or improper, in fact I wanted the same as these women, I wanted equality. Abruptly, all of the roars and cheers became muted and faint, one woman walked slowly towards me, her hair messily swooped into an updo, her clothes somewhat dirtied and her chocolate brown corset slightly loosened. There was a glimmer in her eyes as tears seemed to swell within their hazel pools, she seemed inspired, hopeful. After reaching me in the crowd, she held out her hand, gently passing me a sign. Immediately, I clasped it and the yelling and chanting rang loudly in my ears once more. My journey had begun.

Here however, is where it ends. I am aware I do not have much time left, as the doctors have told me so, and spending my last moments in this hospital room is not optimal. However, as I look around I can see beauty within a room which at first glance seems void of it. The hollow medical tubes by my side remind me of the awful act of force feeding I have faced in the past; the shrieks and bawls of patients reflecting the pain women had felt in my time and the bed bars mirroring the prisons we were thrown into and the gates we would chain ourselves too. I know these things may seem far from beautiful, but I can see my past within this room, the power I possessed and the changes I have contributed to today. I know now that I can leave this earth having had an impact. Slowly I close my eyes, I can see her, the women who changed my life many years ago, her name, Emmeline Pankhurst.

EXAMPLE TWO:

I will never forget that day. The hazel pools of her eyes glazed over, and hands delicately placed at her sides. Nobody in the room could quite grasp the fact that this was happening. The crowds of black attire row on row seemed to mimic the thing she loves most in life, the piano. However, this time she had taken the ivory natural keys with her and left everyone else with the sharp tones. You needed both to create beautiful symphonies but all that filled the room was the excruciating silence of her absense. Even the metronone like ticks of the clock seemed to come to a standstill.

It had all began that day, she seemed to open up this whole new world for us to explore together as she placed my fingers onto the keys for the first time. I knew that this was what I was meant to do. She was the most passionately beautiful pianist I had ever seen in my life. Often, I would peer round the oak doorway before my lessons just to catch a glimpse at her. It seemed like nothing in the world mattered to her at the time.

As the years progressed, so did the scope of this world we were exploring. Each sheet of lovingly handwritten sheet music was like a new section of the map we were slowly creating together. Each of her students had their own map. Each as beautiful and each as unique as the pianist. The crotchets and quavers that adorned the staves directed the different paths we could take as my fingers graced the keys. This may not have been a beautiful ballet routine, but this was our dance and it had been carefully choreographed just for us.

That piano room was the safest place in the world. Every inch of it her: the potent scent of her floral perfume; shelves full of scruffy and well loved sheet music; rows upon rows of framed photos of her and her students; the vintage piano which she always kept in tune, it was home. I couldn’t bear the

idea that someone else was going move in and rip away the music room without a second thought. It was her music room.

It was up to me now. Up to me to finish this journey we had begun together.

She may not be with me in person anymore, but she will always live within the world we built together and nothing could ever change that. For she could never truly be gone since she left a piece of her within every one of her students; the passion for piano.

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gcseenglishwithmisshuttlestone

Secondary English teacher in Herts. View all posts by gcseenglishwithmisshuttlestone

2 thoughts on “2 Grade 9 Creative Writing Examples”

This has helped me a lot, I myself am preparing for a narrative test like this and these prompts and descriptive short stories are marvellous! Thank you for sharing this! 🙂

My pleasure!

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Narrative Writing

Description.

In this unit, students are introduced to the skills, practices, and routines of narrative writing by working collaboratively with their peers to examine narrative writing models, plan for their writing, and build their knowledge on the narrative writing topic. Students independently practice writing and revising and also engage in peer review to revise their work. Throughout the unit, the class will construct a Narrative Writing Checklist, which students will use to guide their drafting, review, and finalization. By the end of the unit, students will have produced fully developed narratives.

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• Grades 9-10 Writing Module, Unit 3
• Writing Module, Unit 3 Overview
• College Application Essay
• Return of July
• The Flight of Apollo 11
• They Remember Where They Were

In This Unit

• lesson 1: Introduction to Narrative Writing
• lesson 2: Effective Narrative Writing: Organization and Purpose
• lesson 3: Narrative Writing: Analyzing the Prompt
• lesson 4: Narrative Writing: Source Material
• lesson 5: Narrative Writing: More Source Material
• lesson 6: Narrative Writing: Drafting an Introduction
• lesson 7: Narrative Writing: Drafting Body Paragraphs
• lesson 8: Narrative Writing: Drafting Body Paragraphs
• lesson 9: Narrative Writing: Drafting a Conclusion
• lesson 10: Narrative Writing: Structural Techniques
• lesson 11: Narrative Writing: Getting Feedback
• lesson 12: Finalizing Narrative Papers
• lesson 13: Narrative Writing: Reflecting on the Writing Process

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Creative writing for language learners (and teachers)

Creative writing normally refers to the production of texts which have an aesthetic rather than a purely informative, instrumental or pragmatic purpose.

Most often, such texts take the form of poems or stories, though they are not confined to these genres. (Letters, journal entries, blogs, essays, travelogues, etc. can also be more or less creative.) In fact, the line between creative writing (CW) and expository writing (ER) is not carved in stone. In general, however CW texts draw more heavily on intuition, close observation, imagination, and personal memories than ER texts.  

One of the chief distinguishing characteristics of CW texts is a playful engagement with language, stretching and testing its rules to the limit in a guilt-free atmosphere, where risk is encouraged. Such writing combines cognitive with affective modes of thinking. As the poet, R.S. Thomas once wrote, ‘Poetry is that which arrives at the intellect by way of the heart.’ The playful element in CW should not, however be confused with a lax and unregulated use of language. On the contrary, CW requires a willing submission on the part of the writer to the ‘rules’ of the sub-genre being undertaken. If you want to write a Limerick, then you have to follow the rules governing limericks. If not, what you produce will be something other than a limerick: obvious, perhaps, but important too. The interesting thing is that the very constraints which the rules impose seem to foster rather than restrict the creativity of the writer. This apparent paradox is explained partly by the deeper processing of thought and language which the rules require.

What are the benefits of CW for learners?

• CW aids language development at all levels: grammar, vocabulary, phonology and discourse. It requires learners to manipulate the language in interesting and demanding ways in attempting to express uniquely personal meanings. In doing so, they necessarily engage with the language at a deeper level of processing than with most expository texts. (Craik and Lockhart 1972) The gains in grammatical accuracy and range, in the appropriacy and originality of lexical choice, in sensitivity to rhyme, rhythm, stress and intonation, and in the way texts hang together are significant.
• As mentioned above, a key characteristic of CW is a willingness to play with the language. In recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in the role of play in language acquisition. (Carter 2004, Cook 2000, Crystal 1998) In some ways, the tsunami of the Communicative Approach has done a disservice to language teaching  by its insistence on the purely communicative functions of language. Proponents of ‘play’ point out, rightly, that in L1 acquisition, much of the language encountered by and used by children is in the form of rhythmical chants and rhymes, word games, jokes and the like. Furthermore, such playfulness survives into adulthood, so that many social encounters are characterized by language play (punning, spontaneous jokes, ‘funny voices’, metathesis, and a discourse which is shaped by quasi-poetic repetition (Tannen 1989)). These are precisely the kinds of things L2 learners are encouraged to do in CW activities. This playful element encourages them to play creatively with the language, and in so doing, to take the risks without which learning cannot take place in any profound sense.  As Crystal (1998) states, ‘Reading and writing do not have to be a prison house. Release is possible. And maybe language play can provide the key.’
• Much of the teaching we do tends to focus on the left side of the brain, where our logical faculties are said to reside. CW puts the emphasis on the right side of the brain, with a focus on feelings, physical sensations, intuition and musicality. This is a healthy restoration of the balance between logical and intuitive faculties. It also affords scope for learners whose hemisphere dominance or learning-style preferences may not be intellectual or left brain dominant, and who, in the normal process of teaching are therefore at a disadvantage.
• Perhaps most notable is the dramatic increase in self-confidence and self-esteem which CW tends to develop among learners. Learners also tend to discover things for themselves about the language… and about themselves too, thus promoting personal as well as linguistic growth. Inevitably, these gains are reflected in a corresponding growth in positive motivation. Among the conditions for promoting motivation, Dornyei (2001: 138-144) cites:  
• “5. Create a pleasant and supportive atmosphere.
•  6. Promote the development of group cohesiveness.
• 13. Increase the students’ expectation of success in particular tasks and in learning in general.
• 17. Make learning more stimulating and enjoyable by breaking the monotony of classroom events.
• 18. Make learning stimulating and enjoyable by increasing the attractiveness of tasks.
• 19. Make learning stimulating and enjoyable for learners by enlisting them as active task participants.
• 20. Present and administer tasks in a motivating way.
• 23. Provide students with regular experiences of success.
• 24. Build your learners’ confidence by providing regular encouragement.
• 28. Increase student motivation by promoting cooperation among the learners.
• 29. Increase student motivation by actively promoting learner autonomy.
• 33. Increase learner satisfaction.
• 34. Offer rewards in a motivational manner.”   
• All these conditions are met in a well-run CW class. The exponential increase in motivation is certainly supported by my own experience in teaching CW. Learners suddenly realize that they can write something in a foreign language that has never been written by anyone else before, and which others find interesting to read. (Hence the importance of ‘publishing’ students’ work in some form.)  And they experience not only a pride in their own products but also a joy in the ‘flow’ of the process. (Czsikszentmihaly 1997).  
• Finally, CW feeds into more creative reading. It is as if, by getting inside the process of creating the texts, learners come to understand intuitively how such texts function, and this makes similar texts easier to read.  Likewise, the development of aesthetic reading skills ( Kramsch  1993, Rosenblatt 1978), provides the learner with a better understanding of textual construction, and this feeds into their writing.

And teachers? I argued in the first article that teachers, as well as learners, should engage with extensive reading.  In the same spirit, I would argue that there are significant benefits to teachers if they participate in CW.

• There is little point in exhorting learners to engage in CW unless we do so too.  The power of the teacher as model, and as co-writer is inestimable.
• CW is one way of keeping teachers’ English fresh and vibrant.  For much of our professional lives we are in thrall to the controlled language of textbook English and the repeated low level error-laden English of our students.  As teachers of language, we surely have a responsibility to keep our primary resource alive and well.
• CW seems to have an effect on the writer’s level of energy in general.  This tends to make teachers who use CW more interesting to be around, and this inevitably impacts on their relationships with students.
• The experimental stance with regard to writing in general appears to fee back into the teaching of writing.  Teachers of CW tend also to be better teachers of writing in general                

My evidence for these assertions is largely anecdotal, backed by a survey of writing teachers I conducted in 2006.  One of the interesting facts to emerge was a widespread belief among teachers of writing that CW had a positive effect on students’ writing of Expository texts and helped them develop that much- desired but rarely-delivered ‘authentic voice’. Space does not allow me to expand on these findings, nor on some of the possible activities teachers might try.  I will attempt to make good these omissions in some of my blogs during the month of December. I will also make reference there to ways in which CW intersects with some of our major current concerns. Meantime, anyone interested could sample some of the books from the list below: Fry (2007), Koch (1990), Matthews (1994), Spiro (2004, 2007), Whitworth (2001) and Wright and Hill (2009)

• Carter, Ronald.  (2004)  Language and creativity: the art of common talk.  London: Routledge.
• Cszikszentmihalyi. M. ( 1997) Creativity: Flow and the psychology of discovery and invention.  New York: Harper Perennial
• Cook, Guy (2000)  Language Play: Language Learning.  Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Craik, F.I.M  and R.S Lockhart   (1972)  ‘Levels of processing: a framework for memory research’  Journal of  Verbal Learning and Verbal Behaviour.  11.  671-685
• Crystal, David (1998) Language Play. London: Penguin
• Dornyei, Zoltan (2001)  Motivational Strategies in the Language Classroom.  Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Fry, Stephen (2007)  The Ode Less Travelled.  London: Arrow Books.
• Koch, Kenneth. (1990)  Rose, where did you get that red?  New York: Vintage Books.
• Kramsch, Claire (1993)  Context and Culture in Language Teaching.  Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Matthews, Paul (1994)  Sing Me the Creation.  Stroud: Hawthorne Press.
• Rosenblatt, Louise  (1978)  The Reader, the Text, the Poem. Carbondale, Illinois: Southern Illinois University Press.
• Spiro, Jane (2004)  Creative Poetry Writing.  Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Spiro, Jane (2007)  Storybuilding. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Tannen, Deborah. (1989)  Talking Voices: Repetition, dialogue, and imagery in conversational discourse.  Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Whitworth, John.  (2001)  Writing Poetry.  London: A and C Black.
• Wright, Andrew and David S.Hill.  (2009) Writing Stories.  Innsbruck: Helbling

By Alan Maley

Please note Alan's now finished writing on the site and will not be able to reply personally to your comments.

CW- not an easy task

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All about Creative writing

                         Thank you very much for your extremely useful and highly productive article On creative writing for learners and teachers. In fact I am looking for a great person of your stature who will guide me in my poetic and writing pursuits. I have already requested you to have a look at my poems and you have read them but not offered me suggestions or compliments. I hope you will read my other 2 poems The street children and the typical Indian railway journey and send your comments either to my e-mail or express them in your comments as response.

You have given a detailed information about creative writings and expository writings,how they are useful to the students and teachers,which books they should refer to and which activities they should attempt very clearly and lucidly. I hope you will talk more about in your ensuing blogs.

I believe in constructivism and so your articles appeal to my art. Language acquisition is the need of the hour in non native english speaking countries like India. Since I am text book writer for Andhrapradesh, I would like to interact with you further. I hope you will help me improve my poetic and creative writing skills.

With kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

JVL NARASIMHA RAO

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Curriculum  /  ELA  /  9th Grade

English Language Arts

9th Grade ELA Course Summary

In 9th Grade English Language Arts, students explore the theme of personal identity through diverse, rigorous, and relevant texts: Born a Crime , Of Mice and Men , The Central Park Five , In the Time of the Butterflies , The Taming of the Shrew , and thematically aligned texts: short stories, articles, poems, and digital media . Students will consider how factors like race and gender as well as the social and political context of characters’ lives impact who they are, how they experience the world, and how they use their voices to effect change for themselves and others. Across the 5 units, students deepen their paragraph writing skills through narrative, opinion, analytical, and informational writing tasks.

Building upon the knowledge and English Language Arts skills they’ve developed in previous years, students deeply engage with complex texts through both independent reading and guided Close Reading, prepare for and engage in longform whole class discussions including Socratic Seminars , and write multi-paragraph responses to Essential Questions by gathering evidence and effectively communicating their thoughts. 

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Me, Myself, and I: Examining Personal Identity in Short Texts

Students explore the factors that contribute to and impact one’s personal identity through their reading of short stories, poems, and nonfiction.

You Laugh But It’s True: Humor and Institutional Racism in Born a Crime

Students explore how Trevor Noah leverages elements of fiction such as characterization, figurative language, and tone to develop his complex argument about institutional racism and its impact on identity development.

Power, Justice, and Culpability: Of Mice and Men and The Central Park Five

In this unit, students read John Steinbeck's classic novella,  Of Mice and Men , and the 2011 nonfiction text,  The Central Park Five  by Sarah Burns. 

¡Viva Las Mariposas! Voice and Agency in In the Time of the Butterflies

Students will examine how Julia Alvarez structures her historical fiction novel and gives voice to the four Mirabal sisters as they come of age under Trujillo's dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. 

Gender and Power in The Taming of the Shrew

Through their reading of Shakespeare's play and supplemental texts, students examine the thematic ideas of gender and power, making connections between the play and contemporary societal messages. 

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9th Grade Creative Writing

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EDUQAS Grade 9 WRITING exam examples REVISION PACK - GCSE English Language

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

11 October 2021

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A great revision pack on all the writing tasks in the qual (inc. creative writing). There are two grade 9 examples of all tasks. The formats included are the following:

• Narrative piece (short story)

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fatimamulla101

Great examples. Was hoping for some higher ability exemplars too but still useful as a starting point. Thanks!

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Thank you for all the interesting ideas in these examples. They provide a strong sense of AOs for upper set students seeking challenges.

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For high achieving ninth grade students, Piqosity’s English 9 course is an excellent supplement to in-school instruction; students can easily spend an hour or more per week reinforcing their skills. Precocious 8th graders could even use the ELA 9 course to get ahead. Learn more with our Quick Start guide .

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Piqosity’s English Language Arts for 9th grade (ELA-9) course features more than 119 reading passages followed by reading comprehension questions in the main idea, supporting idea, vocabulary-in-context, author intent, organization & logic, tone, style, and figurative language. The passages are divided into 6 genre-specific units:

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• Unit 5 – Huckleberry Finn 
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• Introducing Topics
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• Transition Words & Phrases
• Writing Conclusions
• Argumentative Writing
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• Writing Process

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What should my 8th grader be reading?

At this point, the world of literature has really opened up for your child. Depending on their skill level, your 8th grader may be comfortable reading everything from more advanced books in the “middle grades” section, to Young Adult novels, to certain classics ( Frankenstein, The Count of Monte Cristo, the Lord of the Ring trilogy, etc.). There are endless numbers of book lists online, but for parents, the important thing to keep in mind is to let their children pursue the type of literature that most engages and intrigues them; that’s the best way to encourage a life-long love of reading.

What should my 5th grader be reading?

The answer to this question is highly dependent on your child’s reading level, habits, and interests. In general, your child should be comfortable reading a variety of text types, including more complex chapter books. However, we strongly recommend encouraging your child to pursue their own reading subject material. Visit your local library or bookstore and let them pick out age-appropriate books in the “middle grades” section. Don’t forget that your child may also be interested in graphic novels and poetry.

What is the curriculum for 8th grade ELA?

ELA teachers expect 8th graders to be able to perform a variety of more advanced tasks related to reading, writing, grammar, and speaking. Among other things, your 8th grader should be able to: 

• Read full-length texts, including complex novels and nonfiction texts. 
• Efficiently find main ideas, summarize a text, synthesize information from more than one source, and compare and contrast more than one text. 
• Be able to identify and discuss tone, mood, point of view, symbolism, figurative language, and other narrative elements. 
• Maintain consistent subject-verb agreement and use complex punctuation correctly, including quotation marks, commas, ellipses, and dashes. 
• Use both context and Greek and Latin roots to identify unfamiliar words.
• Research, draft, write, edit, and provide sources for a variety of writing projects, including narratives, essays, presentations and reports, poems, cover letters, emails. and more. 
• Show proficiency in typing and using online collaborative software, including the Microsoft and Google suite of tools. 

What is the curriculum for 5th grade ELA?

ELA teachers expect 5th graders to be able to perform a variety of tasks related to reading, writing, grammar, and speaking. Among other things, your 5th grader should be able to:

• Read and understand a variety of text types, including longer chapter books and non-fiction materials.
• Find main ideas, summarize a text, synthesize information from more than one source, and compare and contrast more than one text.
• Write basic structured paragraphs and sentences for a variety of purposes, including simple reports, persuasive essays, and narratives, etc.
• Use basic punctuation and capitalization correctly.
• Understand and be able to identify a variety of grammar elements, including synonyms, antonyms, and conjunctions, as well as use different verb tenses correctly.
• Use context clues to identify unfamiliar words.
• Research information using the internet and books.

What is Piqosity?

Piqosity means to pique curiosity. We are a Houston-based education technology startup on a mission to rethink education. One product launch at a time, we are on a journey to democratize education publishing, personalize student learning, and empower future generations to tackle the greatest challenges. Our team has more than 18 years of tutoring and test prep experience since we first helped our first student out of a Rice University dorm room in 2003.  Click here to learn more about our company .

What if I need paper tests?

Every practice set on Piqosity, including adaptive questions and full-length mock tests, can be downloaded as a PDF file for easy printing.

Should I take an online class?

Piqosity’s online classes are suitable for many different types of self-directed learners. Whether you’re a student looking for additional \ enrichment and test prep outside of the classes or are simply looking for a little remediation, Piqosity’s courses provide you with the tools and resources you need to meet your goals.

However, online learning is not for everyone. Students who struggle to focus on the computer may find that classroom learning is better suited to their needs.

Is there a time limit to complete my Piqosity online course?

All courses are available for a full 365 days after the date of purchase. 

I’m an educator or publisher; can I publish with Piqosity?

Yes! We are actively looking for educators and publishers to contribute to our platform. Please contact us for more information.

How do Piqosity’s online classes work?

As always, it’s free to sign up with Piqosity’s Community Plan, which provides you with limited access to premium content. The paid plan unlocks all of Piqosity’s key innovative platform features, including:

• Instructional lessons with multiple variations including videos
• Adaptive practice including the option for gamification
• Student analytics and strengths and weakness diagnostics
• Answer explanations from both the original author and third-party educators
• Printable PDF practice tests and question sets
• Timers with settings for time and a half and double time
• Online test taking tools like whiteboard, question scratch throughs, and flagging

Register now to get started!

How do Piqosity’s math and ELA courses align with my child’s curriculum?

Our content is aligned to both Common Core and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Where applicable, we and our partners write content in accordance with our experience and the specifications set forth by the test makers (i.e. ACT, College Board, and ERB).

How do I use Piqosity to improve my child’s reading and writing skills?

We designed Piqosity’s English Language Arts (ELA) courses to be used in-school as part of the core curriculum or after-school for enrichment. Compared to a classroom or learning center environment, Piqosity essentially offers multiple books in a more personalized, digital format:

• Writing Handbook
• Reading Manual
• Anthology of Reading Passages
• Classic Novels

Piqosity’s ELA courses contain more than 40 hours of material for the average student. During a typical 1-hour study sessions, most students will read 2-3 reading passages from the Anthology or 1 chapter from a novel and work the accompany questions.

Reference our Quick Start guide for more tips and step-by-step directions

How do I know my child is making progress in Piqosity’s ELA and math courses?

The dashboard for each course puts your student’s progress front and center, with easy-to-read “donuts” displaying their current score (out of 100) across the course as well as within each unit or topic that the course covers. For a more granular look at your student’s accuracy, refer to the Course Outline on the dashboard or visit the Lessons page; these tools display your student’s accuracy when it comes to individual concepts. If your student completed one of Piqosity’s diagnostic assessments upon getting started with the course, you can also compare their diagnostic scores with their current performance to get a sense of how they are progressing.

How can I help my 8th grader with ELA?

Parents of 8th graders may struggle to know exactly how to help their child improve their ELA skills. We are frequently asked questions such as “How do I improve my 8th grader’s reading and writing skills?” or “How do I improve my 8th grader’s vocabulary?” 

Now that your child is older, it is best to encourage the development of your child’s ELA skills via more independent means. For example, if your child likes to write, encourage them to keep a diary (with a promise that you won’t read it) or pursue their own writing projects. To develop their critical thinking skills, try to maintain an open dialogue about your teens opinions regarding what their reading, watching, or seeing in the news. Check in with your child to see if they need help maintaining a healthy homework schedule. And finally, continue to maintain a culture of reading within your home; take visits to the library or bookstore and encourage reading together as a family activity. 

If you desire more structured ELA practice, consider using Piqosity’s 8th grade ELA course. 

How can I help my 5th grader with ELA?

Parents of 5th graders may struggle to know exactly how to help their child improve their ELA skills. We are frequently asked questions such as “How do I improve my 5th grader’s reading and writing skills?” or “How do I improve my 5th grader’s vocabulary?” 

One of the best things you can do for your 5th grader’s reading, writing, and vocabulary skills is to encourage them to read outside of the classroom. To do this, we recommend helping them to find books related to their interests and involving your child in your local literary community (think bookstores, libraries, book clubs, and theatres). Try to establish a culture of reading within your home by reading together. If you desire more structured ELA practice, consider using Piqosity’s 5th grade ELA course.

Does Piqosity offer tutoring?

No, as an education-technology company, Piqosity does not directly provide tutorial services. However, we do partner with independent, third-party educators across the world. Some of our course packages include a consultation or tutorial session with these tutors and teachers.

Do Piqosity’s math and ELA courses last a full school year?

Currently, all of our Math and ELA courses are estimated to take around 40 hours to complete. School is in session for roughly 35 weeks out of the year; assuming a student works roughly 1 hour per week, your Piqosity math course will take the average student a full academic year to complete. Students using Piqosity to remediate or prepare for a standardized test such as the ISEE Lower Level , will likely have to compress this timeline.

Do Piqosity’s classes come with tutoring hours?

Piqosity does not provide tutorial services. However, we do partner with independent, third-party educators across the world. Some of our course packages include a consultation or tutorial session with these tutors and teachers.

Do I receive a certificate of completion or course credit for a Piqosity course?

Piqosity is not an accredited institution and does not offer course credit. We do not currently offer certificates of completion at this time, but are working towards doing so in the near future.

Can I use Piqosity’s courses to teach a class or tutor?

Yes! We built Piqosity not only to be user friendly for parents and students at home but also for the advanced needs of tutors and teachers. Key features for educators include:

• Student management including the ability to see everything the student sees
• Automatic scoring and analysis of all student work
• Assignments with due dates
• Custom Branding (tutoring companies and schools)

The biggest features for educators are still yet to come. Beginning this fall we will open up our platform to enable any qualified educator to upload their own instructional content to Piqosity. This means that educators will be able to create their own lessons and questions. They will be able to share this content with all users or just with their own students. We are actively looking for educators and publishers to contribute to our platform. Please contact us for more information.

Can I try before I buy?

Yes! All of our courses include a free “Community” plan with limited access to premium content like mini diagnostic tests. No credit card is required to register. If you decide that you want access to more premium content, simply upgrade your plan. Upgraded course plans are single-pay, non-recurring, and provide access for 365-days from the date of purchase.

Can I print Piqosity’s course materials?

Yes! Every practice set on Piqosity, including adaptive questions and full-length tests, can be downloaded as a PDF file for easy printing.

Can I cancel at anytime?

If you upgrade from the free Community plan, your credit card will only be charged the one time with no recurring fees. All paid plans are currently valid for 365 days from the date of activation. No credit card is required to initially register for Piqosity’s free Community plan.

At what age can my child take Piqosity’s 8th grade ELA course?

Children entering the 8th grade are typically around 13 or 14 years old, and our course is ideal for students at that age. However, Piqosity’s courses can be used in a variety of ways. If you have a younger child looking for a challenge, an 11 or 12-year-old could take our course of enrichment purposes. Meanwhile, an older 14-year-old or a 15-year-old who needs to review previously learned concepts could use our course for remediation purposes. You can learn more about how to effectively use our ELA courses for a variety of scenarios in our helpful user guide .

At what age can my child take Piqosity’s 5th grade ELA course?

Children entering the 5th grade are typically around 10 or 11 years old, and our course is ideal for students at that age. However, Piqosity’s courses can be used in a variety of ways. If you have a younger child looking for a challenge, an 8 or 9-year-old could take our course of enrichment purposes. Meanwhile, an older 11-year old or a 12-year-old who needs to review previously learned concepts could use our ELA course for remediation purposes. You can learn more about how to effectively use our ELA courses for a variety of scenarios in our helpful user guide .

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