reading
-
A Movie Marathon in ELA: Standards-Based Fun for the Weeks Before Break
The weeks before Thanksgiving (and again before winter break) can feel… well, a little chaotic. The students are buzzing, the schedule is off, and let’s be honest… you could use your own breather. But “just showing a movie” in any class is usually a no-go. That’s exactly why a group of secondary ELA teachers and Continue reading
-
Writing to Boost Reading Comprehension
When we think about the Science of Reading, writing doesn’t always come to mind first. But the truth is, writing plays a powerful role in strengthening students’ comprehension—especially when aligned to the same levels we address in Scarborough’s Reading Rope: word recognition and language comprehension. Scarborough’s Reading Rope reminds us that reading comprehension is a Continue reading
-
Top Paragraph Activities for Engaging Students and Building Comprehension
We’re almost at the end of this blog series! We’ve discussed word level comprehension, sentence level decoding and now we’re looking at whole paragraphs. Understanding how paragraphs, or small parts of a text, work together is essential for reading comprehension. Strong topic sentences, logical paragraph order, and effective transition words guide readers through an author’s Continue reading
-
It seems too good to be true.
Or maybe it’s just too overwhelming. And I understand both of those sentiments. Just because something is on sale doesn’t mean it’s worth your time, your money, or your lesson plans. I also know that it is pretty much impossible to really preview what you’re getting when you are deciding which one to purchase. I’ve Continue reading
-
Effective Word-Level Interventions for the Secondary Setting
Decoding skills are foundational for reading proficiency, but many secondary students still struggle in this area. These students don’t just struggle academically. They often exhibit behavior problems, as well, as a way to mask their inability to read. Their difficulty with decoding makes it impossible to engage with and comprehend grade-level texts across all subjects. Continue reading
-
Transforming Test Preparation in the Classroom
Test prep season is an inevitable part of the school year, often met with a mix of stress and determination by both teachers and students. Standardized tests are designed to assess student progress and school performance, but they also bring added pressure for teachers, working to ensure students are prepared. While it’s tempting to shift Continue reading
-
All of the #SoRin2ndary Components in One Lesson!
One of the biggest buzz words in education right now is The Science of Reading. Without going into too many of my soapbox issues about SoR research, I want to tell you that this information is just as important for secondary teachers as it is for our elementary school counterparts. Reading is one of the Continue reading
-
Countdown to Kickoff – Ten Touchdown Worthy Football Lesson Plans
Are you ready to bring the excitement of football season into your ELA classroom? To capitalize on the hype with your students, check out these ten football lesson plans designed to engage them while building critical reading, writing, and analytical skills. These football lesson plans are perfect for ELA teachers looking to tap into the Continue reading
-
Six Ideas for Building Background Knowledge in your Secondary Classroom
Background knowledge is one of the components of Scarborough’s Reading Rope and a necessary part of reading comprehension. Without relevant background knowledge, students have nothing to spark that brain power necessary for understanding what they read. One of our go-to strategies for teaching comprehension is asking students to make connections to what they are reading. Continue reading
-
Understanding Comprehension: A Key to Learning
What Does It Really Mean to Comprehend? To be completely honest, when I first started looking into how to help my older students comprehend, I don’t think I fully understood what it meant to comprehend. Read words.Understand what they say. The end. But it is actually way more complex than that. The amount of work Continue reading
