Teaching reading comprehension is a key component of language arts instruction. This section contains some of my favorite ELA resources for close reading, novel study units, reader’s theater, and more!
Does your school have a reading buddies program? I know some teachers avoid the concept due to scheduling hurdles, but the benefits for both groups of students are substantial. Here are some reasons to implement reading buddies into your middle school ELA schedule. Benefit #1: …
I’ve graded a LOT of book reports over my 26 years of teaching. Hundreds of five-paragraph plot summaries and the same “the theme of this book is…” sentence matched across every report. The traditional book report follows a predictable template that never really gives them …
America has had plenty of tragedies that are not easy to explain to our children. 9/11 is one of those events, but it is also an important part of American history. Here are the activities I utilize to teach and discuss the events surrounding September …
I am one of those teachers that LOVES reading aloud to my students. I read aloud for a multitude of reasons, but mostly, I LOVE to read to them because they still enjoy being read to. In addition to my love of reading, research shows read-alouds give …
I find 6th grade students are all over the map when it comes to reading. Some never put a book down, but many will only read because they “HAVE to.” After 25+ years teaching ELA, my list of the best books for 6th grade will …
Every summer, my inbox fills with the same happy request: parents and students asking me for book recommendations. Because I know these readers well, I can usually fire off five or ten titles I know their middle schooler will love. In hindsight, though, I should …
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