November 08, 2018

How to Write a Comparison-Contrast Essay

November 08, 2018/ Kim Shurley

When was the last time you had your students write a Comparison-Contrast Essay? Personally, it is one of my favorite forms of writing. With this type of essay, you must use factual details to analyze the similarities and differences between two or more subjects. I think the wanna-be researcher in me LOVES this! I get to scour sources for facts and data. I get to learn new information. That’s my jam, and you may be surprised by how many of your students will love this type of writing too!

November 06, 2018

Mastering ELA Before High School: Can it be done?

November 06, 2018/ Jamie Geneva

It’s no secret that English as a subject area is a complex field of study that’s full of concepts and rules necessary for everyday speaking and writing. In education, the subject is separated into five basic categories, including: (1) reading, (2) writing, (3) speaking, (4) listening, and (5) viewing. The bulk of the concepts and rules for these categories are taught, reinforced, and mastered during elementary school (K-8). The real shocker is that if students don’t grasp all of them before entering high school, they are destined to struggle until they do.

Can anyone master the basic concepts and rules of language arts?

November 01, 2018

Story Time: Making Read Alouds a Worthwhile Process

November 01, 2018/ David Lutz

Do you remember story time when you were little? I hope you have experienced story time at least at some point in your life. But even if you haven’t, it’s not too late to learn how to enrich the lives of children through this worthwhile process.

October 30, 2018

Writing Conventions: What is the new norm?

October 30, 2018/ Cindy Goeden

I saw this sign one day at a place I frequently visit. (See image below.) I strive to use Standard English for published pieces, and I cringe just a little when I see improper English getting published this way. Maybe I am being too critical, but it is hard to ignore how informal, and just plain incorrect language, has wiggled its way into the formal arena.

October 25, 2018

How to develop "Word Choice" in your writing.

October 25, 2018/ Jamie Geneva

Writing is a tool for communication, and language is the system of words and the methods of combining them that we use to express our thoughts and feelings to each other.

Did you know that good writers use certain traits that make their writing more successful? They’re called the Traits of Effective Writing, and although they take a lot of hard work and practice, they consist of skills that can be learned and mastered.

October 23, 2018

Teaching Silent Final E: The V-C-G-U Rule

October 23, 2018/ David Lutz

In Part 1 for Silent Final E, I discussed how Rule 1, The Split Vowel Spelling Rule, can ease students into the concept of a silent final e that makes a middle vowel sound long. This installment will further explain why many English words end with the silent final e—but for a different reason that is easy for kids to recognize.

October 18, 2018

Holiday Writing Project: Creating Treasured Keepsakes

October 18, 2018/ Cindy Goeden

The upcoming Thanksgiving holiday is the perfect time to help your students show appreciation for someone special in their lives by creating a special, handmade memento.

I’ve got a great activity that will take your students through the entire writing process to create a heartwarming essay to share with their loved ones. Here are the details…

October 16, 2018

Sniff-Sniff, Cough-Cough: Tips for teaching when you are sick

October 16, 2018/ Kimberly Crady

It’s inevitable! You will become ill at some point during the school year. Now, whether you choose to take care of yourself and stay home or you try to make it through the day teaching may be a tough decision. I know you know that toughing it out and exposing your students and co-workers to whatever “bug” you caught is not the wisest decision, but still, we teachers do it anyway.

Once you’ve made your decision to

October 11, 2018

Vocabulary Enrichment: Strategies to improve and increase your students' vocabulary

October 11, 2018/ Jamie Geneva

Vocabulary development is an important part of a child’s education! Since language is the system of words and the methods of combining them that people use to express thoughts and feelings to each other, it makes since that a large vocabulary improves communication.

October 09, 2018

Capitalization and Punctuation Rules: Teaching students the art of conventions

October 09, 2018/ Kimberly Crady

If the Capitalization and Punctuation References are creating stress in your Shurley English classroom, let me offer you some relief. Shurley English students are not expected to memorize the rules in one grade level.

Some teachers assume that