ELA teacher Amber Chandler is in a quandary. She wants to give her students time each week to “read for enjoyment” but knows the research on Sustained Silent Reading reveals little impact on fluency. Can she bridge these muddied waters? All ideas welcomed!
Book Reviews / Vocabulary Instruction
by MiddleWeb · Published 08/27/2015 · Last modified 02/03/2024
A multitude of authentic classroom examples and strategies make “Vocabularians” a must-have book, says ELA teacher and word nerd Amber Chandler. Author Brenda Overturf also provides realistic ways to bring schoolwide vocabulary immersion to the middle grades.
Each of these 20 English Language Arts-oriented articles (dating back to 2012) has enjoyed thousands of reads since it was first published at MiddleWeb. From closer reading to better writing, we hope you find some helpful ideas and inspiration for the new school year!
When you think of Greek and Latin roots, you think high student engagement, right? No? ELA teacher Amber Chandler plans to make all those old roots rock this fall as she introduces the concepts of language development and acquisition to her students.
Relationships are built when children know that caring adults are on their side. If teachers team up with parents and families, they can help create success for even the most difficult students. Amber Chandler shares the strategies that work in her MS classroom.
Amber Chandler describes a PBL unit, built around the dystopian novel The Giver, that takes students deep into the book’s ideas by having them create and debate their own ideal communities and explore unintended consequences. Tips and handouts included.
For years Amber Chandler has marched her middle school students through Grammar Bootcamp, believing that grammatically correct language is essential to be college and career ready. Now this year’s 7th graders have convinced her there might be a better way.
This fall at her students’ instigation, Amber Chandler decided to give debate a try. She describes her process, her inclusive approach, and several lessons learned during a positive experience that also supported common core standards. Videos included!
Amber Chandler has participated on both sides of the Parent Teacher Conference. Here she offers novice teachers five strategies they can use to establish productive relationships, address parent concerns, and find ways to help parents “do something” for their children.
The Common Core experience may leave a sour taste on some educators’ palates, middle school ELA teacher Amber Chandler concedes. But she and her colleagues are coping with new challenges and limited resources by making their own brand of CCSS lemonade.
