English Language Arts

Explore and share tips, strategies, and resources for helping students develop in English language arts.

A Model for Creating an Inclusive American Lit Curriculum
A high school teacher connected the standard curriculum to the work of a living, local poet to better engage all of her students.
Lauren Gehr
Using Sound Texts in Antiracist Teaching
Speeches, music, podcasts, and interviews can be highly engaging, accessible elements of antiracist lessons.
Anne Mooney, Danah Hashem
Fostering Equality in the Classroom
A few ideas on how to create an environment where every student feels heard, appreciated, and challenged equally to achieve their personal best.
Ayanna King
Reading Aloud to Middle School Students
Hearing books read aloud benefits older students, enhancing language arts instruction and building a community of readers.
Kasey Short
How to Set Up a Virtual Book Club for Students
An online book club organized by a teacher or school librarian can be a good way to foster social interactions during the pandemic.
Laura Milligan
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.
Crystalee Calderwood
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.
Nell K. Duke
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.
Sarah Gonser
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3 Alternatives to Reading Logs
Teacher-tested ideas to keep reading homework from feeling like a chore.
Engaging White Students in Conversations About Race
A high school teacher shares strategies for using literature to guide discussions about race with students who would rather avoid the topic.
Andrew Simmons
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.
Nina Parrish
Borrowing a Literacy Strategy From Band Class
A band teacher explains how a process he uses to train budding musicians’ inner voice can be used to help struggling readers improve.
Brian Campbell
A Handy Strategy for Teaching Theme
Analyzing the themes in a literary work can be tricky for students, but a simple formula can scaffold the process.
Zach Wright
22 YA Novels to Help Students Process the Pandemic (or Forget It for a Bit)
A former school librarian shares recent young adult novels to boost kids’ resilience or give them some laughs. A few dystopian picks may provide a new perspective on the current situation.
Terri Grief
50 Writing Prompts for All Grade Levels
Sometimes students need a little push to activate their imaginations.
Todd Finley

English Language Arts

.css-1sk4066:hover{background:#d1ecfa;}A Model for Creating an Inclusive American Lit Curriculum

.css-1enhq53:hover{background-color:#d1ecfa;}Reading Aloud to Middle School Students

A Model for Creating an Inclusive American Lit Curriculum

Reading Aloud to Middle School Students