English Language Arts
Explore and share tips, strategies, and resources for helping students develop in English language arts.
Want Students to Master Literary Analysis? Try Starting With a Vocabulary Lesson
Unless they understand words such as ‘symbolize’ and ‘connote,’ it’s difficult for students to analyze literature well.
How Teachers Can Use Their Own Writing as Model Texts
Many teachers demonstrate writing moves using model texts. Using their own writing can foster a strong classroom community as well as students’ writing skills.869
Tapping Professional Actors to Teach Shakespeare Online
When a teacher brought in actors to perform in her virtual ‘Macbeth’ and ‘Romeo and Juliet’ units, students were thrilled. Local actors—or your school’s theater program—could do the same for you.237
Virtual Literature Circles Create a Safe Space for Students
Discussions that are centered in students' experiences spark more text-to-self connections and help students internalize concepts like empathy.3.3k
What Doesn’t Work: Literacy Practices We Should Abandon
The number one concern that I hear from educators is lack of time, particularly lack of instructional time with students. Although we can't entirely solve the time problem, we can mitigate it by carefully analyzing our use of class time.116.5k
Reading Aloud to Middle School Students
Hearing books read aloud benefits older students, enhancing language arts instruction and building a community of readers.42k
5 Ways to Support Students Who Struggle With Reading Comprehension
These strategies can help students who are able to decode well but have difficulty understanding what they read—and they’re beneficial for all students.13.4k
If We Want Bookworms, We Need to Get Beyond Leveled Reading
When it comes to nurturing kids’ love of reading, research suggests variety, choice—and encouragement to stretch—can make a difference.11.8k
3 Alternatives to Reading Logs
Teacher-tested ideas to keep reading homework from feeling like a chore.12.7k
50 Writing Prompts for All Grade Levels
Sometimes students need a little push to activate their imaginations.48.9k
Connecting SEL to Academic Outcomes
Skills that students develop in social and emotional learning—empathy, collaboration, and so on—are closely connected to standards in many academic subjects.959
How Mentor Texts Provide Valuable Lessons Beyond Writing Instruction
The knowledge middle and high school students gain through reading mentor texts can strengthen their critical thinking skills.1.4k
A Guide to Teaching Writing With Minecraft
Using the popular game in station rotation activities during distance learning is a way to bring an element of play and collaboration to writing assignments.2.2k
Using Children’s Books to Teach Literary Theory in High School
Literary theory can be a tough topic for high school students—a simple story may be just the scaffold they need to start figuring it out.6.4k
22 Diverse Book Choices for All Grade Levels
Suggestions from teachers who are working to offer students at every grade level book choices that represent their lives.17.5k