Austin arrived a few minutes early and changed into his hockey outfit which he wore during our session. He was very happy to see that his poster of Frank Lampard had arrived and asked if he could take it home at the end of our session. We then got to work and discussed an assignment on which he needs to work for school. The topic he chose, Cristiano Ronaldo, did not surprise me as it is another one of his favorite socceer players. He explained that it is an expository writing assignment, so we reviewed the main precepts of expository writing. We discussed purpose, focus, and organization; providing evidence and elaboration; and the importance of maintaining the integrity of the conventions of English grammar. We then began by researching the player. Austin formatted his composition cleverly, by dividing it into Cristiano Ronaldo's early years, which he categorized as from birth to 10 years of age, his middle years - from 10 to 18, and adulthood, from 18 on. We then began researching the defining factors in Ronaldo's early childhood, noting the most significant achievements and experiences that Austin felt factored into making him the athlete he ultimately became. We prioritized the events in his life and the major accomplishments of each stage. I afforded Austin help writing his words on paper and he agreed to type it for his report. Austin read the report and made minor changes to more clearly express the main points he wished to convey and emphasize in the composition. He was pleased with the outcome of his efforts and we completed the first three main parts of his report. When it was time for him to leave and go to hockey with Kim, Austin took home the picture of the soccer player, and commented that he was looking forward to continuing to come to tutoring later this week. Austin said he felt he had accomplished a lot and I agreed that we enjoyed a productive session.

We reviewed the important elements of descriptive writing and discussed that some ways to organize writing include: chronological (time), spatial (location), and order of importance. Austin shared his ideas for how he might grab the reader's interest using a "hook." He then worked on an activity sheet that tasked him with correcting errors with pronouns and another activity which tasked him with correcting spelling errors. Austin did well on the activity but requested assistance with one sentence he found challenging and for which I explained the way to approach understanding it better. Austin complained of a sore throat so I read several short chapters in the novel by Louis Sachar, which is about a fifth-grade bully named Bradley whose behavior improves after intervention from a school counselor. Austin has been enjoying the book and recalled several changes in the protagonist's behavior over the course of different events and situations. He correctly recalled terms (leitmotif - a dominant, recurring theme) and figurative language the author used - and was able to explain how it enriched the language and story elements. I explained a writing project I hope to work on with Austin once he finishes the book, and he seemed interested to work on it. We expect to be finished with the novel in the next 2-3 weeks as there are about 50 pages left.

Austin explained that he wrote a lot in class today and was offered help developing his story. He was reminded that one of the main goals is to capture the reader's interest right at the onset of the essay and to whet his appetite and get him to want more. Austin requested to read more chapters in the novel by Louis Sachar. He demonstrated excellent attention to detail, listening skills and expertly explained the changed dynamic between the protagonist and supporting characters. As Austin reads regularly, he is exposed to a rich tapestry of vocabulary, sentence structures, and storytelling techniques. Furthermore, this exposure is like a toolbox for writers as it enriches one's vocabulary repertoire, gives more words to use, different ways to construct sentences, and a better understanding of how stories can be told. The reading component also helps one find one's preferred style of writing. In simple words, sometimes one's genres of the novel become favorite writing styles. Austin was queried about vocabulary and did a good job explaining them in his own words. I will share an idea I have which will combine his love of drawing with writing skills at our session next week.

Austin showed me a test he had taken in school and we reviewed the answers that challenged him. Receptive to learning, Austin welcomed the test-taking and reading comprehension strategies afforded him. We then discussed informative writing. We reviewed creating an essay format and the steps to develop and flush out ideas. I explained that informational prompts ask us to inform the reader by explaining, comparing and contrasting, or giving information of a descriptive nature, and that we can give information using facts, details, explanations, and anecdotes. Austin was reminded to explain the information objectively without taking a position. I went on to explain that the first paragraph introduces the general topic and the specific issue of the essay about which he chooses to write. He should then write three paragraphs about three good ideas, with the last paragraph summarizing the essay and giving the reader something to think about and wanting more. Austin was asked to brainstorm ideas on a topic and to get creative in his presentation to make it interesting and grab the readers attention. He was reminded not to persuade but to inform the reader. He mentioned that he did very well on his persuasive essay in class but stated that he could benefit from help with informational essay writing, summarizing, and elaborating. An informational worksheet may assist him in organizing his thoughts and reminding him to elaborate. I hope to help Austin organize the big ideas in different possible ways, such as chronological (as in a biography), topic-by-topic, from most important to least or least important to most, or by similarities then differences; the organization in this respect is up to him. I concluded the session encouraging Austin to add descriptions, explanations, and examples that correspond to his big idea and not to rush the task. Austin read me one of the narrative essays he wrote in school and for which he received an excellent grade. I commended him on his presentation of ideas, and use of descriptive vocabulary and figurative language.

Austin began with an introduction to Greek and Latin root words. We went through several examples and Austin was asked to add additional words given the prefix or suffix root word. He enjoyed the challenge and understood that knowing Greek and Latin roots strengthens vocabulary and can be used to help decipher unfamiliar words in reading passages, and that even if the precise meaning of the word is still a mystery, he can still make an educated guess on the meaning. Next, I tasked Austin with a ReadWorks passage of a Sci-Fi genre. He enjoyed the passage very much and caught on quickly to the strategies and techniques the author employed to lead the reader into believing one thing when it was something else altogether. He answered multiple choice questions with accuracy and then summarized an open-ended question succinctly after being reminded to write in complete sentences and use a noun before substituting its pronoun in the sentence. Austin asked me to continue our novel by Louis Sachar and reminded me that he is reading another book by the same author at School. Austin was queried on certain vocabulary and asked to make predictions. He was encouraged to reflect on some of the literary devices used and answered correctly when asked to identify them. I will be giving Austin writing prompts to further develop, enhance, and refine his writing abilities.

We worked on skills involving supporting answers using evidence from the passage in texts. Austin's responses demonstrated he understands expectations and is able to deliver his responses in an articulate fashion and express his thoughts well on paper. He was reminded to use specific examples from the text and not state generalizations until after the specific references are cited. We selected a passage involving soccer as this remains one of Austin's main interests. Next, we spent time reviewing examples of figurative language. Austin was tasked with completing an activity where he had to decide which type of figurative language was given in several examples. He answered correctly 86% of the time or 12 out of 14 trials or opportunities. I explained what hyperbole was and offered examples. When queried a bit later, Austin remembered its definition and was able to give an example.

Austin worked on an activity in which he had to choose the meaning of italicized words using context clues. There were twenty questions with which he was tasked. Austin worked at a good pace and only requested assistance for one example. He wrote the correct letter where indicated and underlined the clues in each sentence that helped him define the term (e.g., example; explanation; synonym; or antonym. This exercise afforded him practice reading context clues and allowed me to assess his ability to synthesize and integrate the information. We also worked on a refresher figurative language exercise before moving onto our reading of the novel. We read two chapters (16 - 18) in the novel and Austin was able to recall and summarize details very well. He understood the intended displaced projection by the author onto the protagonist's animal friends and his responses reflected good inferential and evaluative comprehension. These are examples of higher order critical thinking process which indicate Austin's ability to move beyond the text and consider/convey what he believes is the author's underlying message and purpose. I am very satisfied with the progress and capabilities Austin continues to demonstrate in each class sessionand his readiness to accept a challenge.

We accomplished a few different academic tasks today. First, we continued reading the soccer article which we began last session, and we concluded the section on the evolution of the rubber soccer ball. Austin remembered details from our previous readings and made excellent connections between previous and newly acquired information. We then read an article about Sally Ride; however, before he began reading, we previewed three vocabulary words in the article: (dedication, inspire, and shuttle). Austin assessed his knowledge candidly and checked the boxes to show how well he knew each word. After he finished the article, he checked the boxes and indicated that he better understood the term "dedication" after reading the article. He also completed a "Word Builder" task, and drew lines connecting syllables to show how they built each of the words. Austin answered all the multiple choice questions correctly and achieved 2.5 out of 3 of the open-ended questions correctly. He was encouraged to elaborate in his responses and include the proper noun before using its pronoun. He demonstrated very good grammar and applied the rules of syntax correctly. Austin was reminded to re-read one of the questions as he answered correctly but incompletely; we reviewed alternative answers which more thoroughly answered the question asked. We concluded the session by finishing Chapter 18 in our novel and Austin demonstrated excellent recall of the characters and the phrase used in the 'leit motif' literary technique we learned. Ms. Judie stopped by and commented how Austin clearly displays executive functioning - or higher-order thinking in his responses. Executive function is a set of thinking skills that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control. Austin was permitted to choose how he would like to decorate the room we use for tutoring and picked out a poster of Frank Lampard, a soccer player he admires. We will look into finding it and Austin is excited about this. He is also excited to be sharing cake tonight to celebrate his dad's birthday.

Austin was animated and excited to share that he received a Nebula hand projector for Christmas. He was also excited to receive a cool holiday gift from Ms. Judie, a '16 million color super bright rechargeable flying disc,' which one throws as a Frisbee. We had fun giving it a trial run before starting our lesson. This afternoon, Austin was given a writing prompt as a beginning exercise. He was asked to write a 3 paragraph composition responding to the prompt asking him whether the winter break met or exceeded expectations. Austin is not hesitant to request clarification if he is unsure of terminology or expectations. After I explained the exercise, Austin got right to work and began writing in cursive. He brainstormed his thoughts but combined them all in one paragraph. Once reminded of the directions (a 3-paragraph composition), Austin was receptive to following my explanation on how to break his writing down to organize his thoughts into a more carefully organized and coherent paragraph. We reviewed the topic sentence structure, transition phrases, and how to develop his essay into a logical order, using varied vocabulary and following the rules of grammar and syntax. Austin remembered to add proper punctuation marks in his writing. We then moved onto synthesizing an article about the history of Soccer, as I know it is his favorite sport. Austin remained engaged as we collaboratively read the article, and he recognized and identified a player in one of the illustrations. We worked on defining words based on context clues and noted how the article was organized and structured. Furthermore, we analyzed the reasoning behind the placement of topics and noted the introduction and development of concepts and the use of literary devices to illustrate points through imagery and figurative language. Vocabulary terms included: secretions, demeanor, escapades, brethren, sphere (which he knew and was able to offer additional synonyms to explain it), and migration. Austin delivered an excellent animated example of migration as he pretended to flap his wings and fly away. He demonstrates good analytical skills and higher-level thinking. I was impressed to note that he observed how the article seamlessly transitioned from explaining the development of a rubber sphere that is thrown or bounced to an actual sport once people noted it could be kicked. Austin is able to explain concepts well and absorbs information functionally. He is an active, inquisitive, and receptive learner who responds well to cognitive challenges.

I presented Austin with theree literary articles from which to choose andhe selected a readWorks article about a paper airplane contest. Austin knew the vocabulary that was selected as more complex and most challenging, but Austin was able to effectively explain and define the words, using examples, which demonstrated his understanding. We discussed the function of idioms and how they are not to be taken literally. We also read a different genre today - a poem. Austin was challenged by one of the questions but ultimately arrived at the correct answer and stated his rationale that helped him decide on hsis choice. Austin was asked to compare a dream he's had with the poem we read and he demonstrated a good abilty to analyze the two and compare and contrast them logically. Austin requested that we read more in our novel by louis Sachar. We remember where we had left off and read from chapter 12 - chapter 18. Austin commented that he thinks the story is relly good and asked me to read more - even after it was time to leave. He analyzed the relationship of the protagonist and the antagonist in the story as new more complex relationship emerged in subsequent chapters. Austin made insightful comments and predictions as we read, and answered queries about the content and character analyses which demonstrated excellent synthesis and integration of the material.