Category · 323 articles
Reading
Free Resources to Teach English-language Arts Standards and the Common Core
Those who follow my blog will remember that I do advocate standards-based instruction; however, I also advocate student-based instruction. I find a happy melding of the…
Why and How to Teach Complex Text
A growing body of research presents a challenge to current K-12 reading/English-language Arts instruction. In essence, we need to “up” the level of text complexity and…
Independent Reading Homework
I developed an independent reading program based upon "reading discussions." Students read at home and lead a literary discussion with their parent for three-minutes per day,…
Turning Dependent into Independent Readers
The new Common Core State Standards for English-language Arts makes a compelling case for not doing business as usual in our ELA classrooms. That business consists…
Why ELA Teachers Burn Out
Teacher burn-out is real. We begin with high expectations of ourselves and idealism; however, after a few years the drudgery sets in. ELA teachers seem to…
What Effective and Ineffective RtI Look Like
Response to Intervention (RtI) is a K-12 site-level decision-making process designed to facilitate and coordinate early and flexible responses to student’s learning and behavioral difficulties. RtI…
Eight Reading Intervention Models
Administrators, special education teachers, ELD coordinators, reading specialists, teachers, and parents need to work together to mesh Response to Intervention (RtI) guidelines with resources, personnel, and…
Don’t Teach to the LCD
Our penchant for helping individuals can work cross-purpose to our overall mission of helping all students. In fact, we often wind up teaching to the LCD…