Speculative fiction – apocalyptic, dystopian or fantasy – continues to grab the attention of middle and high school readers. ELA/EL teacher Dina Strasser also sees an opportunity for educators to explore current social issues that may be difficult to address otherwise.
Wondering how to differentiate the format of the standard paper-and-pencil summative assessment to meet the needs of English learners? Tan Huynh shows how word banks, visuals, single-task questions, sentence starters, and synonyms can help ELs convey what they know.
Why is NBCT Marilyn Pryle’s “never-fail” Character Sketch activity so effective? Because it asks students to use the people in their own lives as inspiration – a parent, grandparent, sibling, or friend. Pryle provides the teacher’s script, complete with student prompts.
At its best, annotation starts a dialogue between our English and History students and thoughtful writers past and present. But that doesn’t mean adolescents are eager to do it. Sarah Cooper shares ideas and online resources to make the process a true learning experience.
Having the ability to choose our own focus makes people, on average, five times more committed to the outcome. The classroom implications are clear, says teaching consultant Barbara Blackburn. “If students are more invested in their work, they are more likely to learn.”
Book Reviews / Social & Emotional Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 11/14/2019 · Last modified 01/17/2020
Not only is Mindfulness in the PreK-5 Classroom packed with research-based activities and anecdotes any educator will relate to, it will leave you inspired to bring mindfulness into your own life and your students’ lives, writes a calmer and more focused Linda Biondi.
Writing for authentic audiences motivates students to do their best work, says English department chair Kasey Short. Public audiences offer a practical reason to revise and edit and allow students’ ideas to have real impact. See her tips to transform routine assignments.
There is an incredible amount of inspirational “stuff” going on in the world of middle school, and it’s ours for the taking, writes teacher Laurie Lichtenstein, after her first experience participating in an AMLE national conference. Now, if they just had fast passes!
Unlike quick teacher check-ins, teaching conferences allow for a deep conversation with a student in just 5 or 6 minutes. And they’re not just for ELA teachers and balanced literacy. Katie McGrath shares step by step conferring tips to target learning in any content area.
Create Compose Connect / Professional Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 11/06/2019 · Last modified 11/24/2019
Teaching is hard work, but we should always be thinking about what we can do to get better at our craft, writes teacher and department chair Jeremy Hyler. Sometimes that means having difficult but crucial conversations with colleagues who need to make a greater commitment.
