Category · 319 articles
Spelling & Vocabulary
Close Reading: Don’t Read Too Closely
A few things I want to mention from the outset: I think close reading has its place in both elementary and secondary classrooms, but As U.C.…
Academic Language: What Not to Teach and What to Teach
The Tier 2 academic vocabulary words are not ends in themselves; they are gateways to more sophisticated reading. Academic language is all about access to text…
Curriculum Map for Grammar, Mechanics, Spelling, and Vocabulary
This grades 4-8 Curriculum Map for Grammar, Mechanics, Spelling, and Vocabulary helps teachers develop a coherent instructional scope and sequence.
Grammar Program Choices
Broadly speaking, teachers agree that standard English grammar and usage needs to be learned, but they disagree on how it should be taught. The Pennington Publishing…
Assessment-based Individualized Learning
Every educational movement needs a catchy new acronym. ABIL will have to do: Assessment-based Individualized Learning. Simply put, it's the supplemental instruction students need to catch…
Quick Reading Assessments
Grades 4-8 teachers need quick reading assessments to determine "ballpark" reading levels of their students. Three assessment tools are provided free of charge.
Six Simple Steps to Teaching Spelling
Veteran grades 4-8 teachers still teach spelling, especially in terms of spelling patterns, conventional spelling rules, derivational and etymological influences, accent placements and vowel shifts because…
Daily Paragraph Editing
The Daily Paragraph Editing program is a short-cut to "teach" Language Strand Standards that can't possibly transfer to long term content and skills acquisition.