Welcome to the Shurley English Blog! For the past thirty-five years, our mission at Shurley Instructional Materials has been simple. We do all we can to help teachers and students experience grammar and writing success. With that goal in mind, we wanted to create a space where our team of educators could share tips, tricks, and techniques to ignite learning. It’s all about educators helping educators on the Shurley English Blog. We invite you to join the conversation!
Lately, I’ve noticed some confusion with the way people use the idiom “used to” in a sentence. Some write “use to” and others write “used to?” Do you know which one is correct?
“Use to” and “used to” cause confusion for a couple of good reasons. We unravel the mystery in this week’s Two-Minute Tip. Take a look…
Read More
As a kid, do you remember the first time you took the training wheels off and tried to ride your first bicycle? In the beginner’s mind, it was the next step in being a big kid, and it meant being open to making mistakes and being willing to take a huge risk.
Read More
Poetry is a special form of writing that allows a student to express ideas, emotions, or experiences directly through words in verse. It is probably the most artistic of all genres of writing because of the delicate juggling act of
Read More
Many students seem to have a difficult time locating even the most basic parts of speech like the Subject Noun and Verb. If they’ve had little to no grammar instruction in grades 1-8, it’s no surprise. With that being said, there is a curriculum that can completely turn a grammar deficit around. It’s
Read More
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?
Read More
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.
Read More
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…
Read More
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
Read More
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
Read More
“Without continual growth and progress, such words such as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” -Benjamin Franklin
Dear Educators,
Welcome aboard Shurley English flight ABC. Please find your seat, stow your baggage in the overhead bin, and buckle-up as we take off into your new school year! This year’s destination is progress and growth. We’ve got a long flight ahead of us so, sit back, stay focused & relaxed, and enjoy the journey!
For some of you, Shurley English might be a new addition to your curriculum. Several of you may already be familiar with the effectiveness and uniqueness of our Grammar, Skills, Writing, Reading, and Speaking & Listening features. Regardless of your passenger status, I encourage each of you to keep your eye on the prize: progress & growth! Throughout the journey this year, you may experience some turbulence, making you feel a bit outside your comfort zone, but don’t worry! Simply refer to the previous posts called: “The Perfect Shurley Teacher” and “First Year Freak-Out.” They are loaded with information to help guide you; you can find them in the archives.
Passengers sitting in the “New to Shurley English” seats, please remember:
1. Stick to the Script!
2. Repetition & Consistency build Mastery!
3. Trusting the Process leads to Success!
Passengers sitting in the “Seasoned Teacher” seats, please remember to:
1. Aim for Progress over Perfection!
2. Practice what you Teach!
3. Get Outside of your Comfort Zone!
Keep in mind that Shurley English Curriculum is installed with a built-in support system, including modifications, extra-practice, and SEDA lessons, should they be necessary. In addition, the “Always Keep Learning & Be Brave Enough to Keep Growing” light will stay lit for all passengers for the duration of our flight. We are here to support you as you teach students to become competent, confident communicators that will be prepared for any and all future destinations!
On behalf of the entire flight crew, “Welcome aboard!”
Shurley English is the best English Language Arts curriculum available to public schools, private schools, and home educators.Shurley English is a rigorous curriculum that brings back student-teacher interaction, promotes higher-order thinking skills, and provides students with a successful base from which they can achieve mastery, retention, and enthusiasm for English.
Our mission is to inspire and empower ALL students to become competent, confident communicators by providing superior educational solutions and innovative teacher training tools. This will enable all students to positively impact their school, community, and future work environments.
www.shurley.com 800-566-2966
Copyright © 2017-2021 Shurley Instructional Materials, Inc.
All photos/images contained on this site are copyright protected by Shurley Instructional Materials, Inc. or Getty Images.
