Literacy 8 integrates the language arts skills of oral and written communication, literature analysis, and critical thinking. The stages of the writing process, various modes of writing, and the fundamentals of grammar and usage are studied in depth to promote understanding and application. The use of the district writing rubric is one tool used to assess students’ writing performance. A variety of great works and short stories are read by students in this course through the use of classroom libraries. Vocabulary development is enhanced through a study of 300 words in a sequential program. Emerging self-reliance of the student is encouraged, along with effective peer interaction. The course functions as a culmination of the middle school language arts program and as a solid transition into high school language arts.