Teacher Created Materials

Interestingly, a term that appears again and again in the literature related to teaching complex text does not appear in the CCSS/ELA themselves: close reading. So, why do we hear this term so often? Here are some tips for using close reading to guide students through complex texts.

Differentiation is critical to helping students of all abilities to work within their zone of proximity. Here are some ideas to help you differentiate your literacy centers, so that all students can work at their own proficiency levels within their reading skills.

Here’s an idea to quick start your students’ next writing assignment! This exercise will get your students’ imaginations warmed up and make it easier for them to choose a subject to write about.

Our youngest learners must develop the ability to hear the differences in the sounds of letters before they can ever read print. They must develop phonemic awareness. Here are some tips for helping children develop phonemic awareness, and making it fun!

Do you allow your students to learn by playing in the classroom? Having fun and playing is motivating; students will pay closer attention for longer periods of time. This, of course, increases the likelihood that they will learn. Here are a few word-learning games that you can easily play with your students!

As technology continues its march into our teaching spaces, we have to infuse some common best practices into our technology use. Integrating the practices into our teaching with technology is a lifelong journey, since technologies constantly change and evolve. Here are some ways schools use technology in the classroom.