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!
Coloring sheets, word puzzles, tinsel, glitter, and glue are just some of the items you’ll find scattered around many classrooms during the holidays. There are so many wonderful craft ideas and activities people have used to make the season a memorable one at school. Here’s a fun way to keep your students engaged in writing during the weeks before the holiday break.
Read MoreAre there times when you wonder, “what is my child thinking?” Well, let me clarify. Are there times when you wonder, “what are my child’s thoughts on a particular topic?” (Yes, that’s better phrasing.)
I find that this question usually hits me around the holidays. While the pageantry, hustle, and bustle of the holiday season surrounds us, I have a desire to know, "what are you thinking?!?" I have found a great way to “tune in” with acrostic poems.
In an acrostic poem, the letters that
Read MoreHave you ever asked your students to use a newspaper or magazine to highlight adjectives or adverbs? You may have had the same results as me. I tried this with 3rd-5th graders, and I admit the results were underwhelming. A more effective and interactive way to help your students practice this same skill is to have a little fun with a Mad Libs-inspired worksheet! These sheets can easily be turned into a game or into a story-writing activity in your classroom.
Take a look at this free holiday printable I found online. It can be used in your classroom by following a few easy steps!
Read MoreThe 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 MoreIt’s that time of year when all things Halloween are tripping about, including thematic lessons like the one I’d like to share with you today. Since it can be exhausting to come up with new, exciting ideas to engage kids during the holidays, hopefully, you will appreciate the idea. I think it’s important to embrace and even outdo students’ excitement because kids long to have adults who can embrace fun!
A favorite lesson plan of mine requires 360˚ thinking—a process where you consider a lesson theme and use it to branch into as many academic areas as possible—sort of like the spokes on a wheel. I like to call it 360˚ Thinking because you actually do look at the possibilities from every aspect where it can apply. Since Halloween is coming up,
Read MoreWhat is the value of giving the Shurley English Pretest if students are not familiar with the curriculum? As a consultant, I’ve heard this question before, and I want to urge you to listen up! Even though the pretest may appear extraordinarily difficult, you should never avoid it! Let me explain.
Read MoreDear 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
Read MoreWelcome to the Shurley method of language arts instruction! We are thrilled that you are using the Shurley curriculum this year. To help you get started and stay motivated, we have developed an exciting lineup of professional development opportunities for the 2024-2025 school year. We hope you will include these monthly Shurley English Workshop Series events as part of your continuing education. Keep an eye on your inbox for your invitation!
For the month of August, we will host our most popular event, the Shurley English Mini Training Series. This three-part webinar will help you learn how to teach grammar, skills, and writing...Shurley style! Follow the links below to register for each day of training.
Read MoreVisualize this scenario: It’s early August, and as you scroll through your inbox you see the first of many emails from your school administrator. “Already!?!” you say to yourself as you hesitate to open it. You guessed it! It’s your new school year Welcome Letter and Professional Development Schedule. On the agenda, you notice a full-day training scheduled for Shurley English! Your next few thoughts go something like this: “I’ve taught Shurley English for 5 years now! I don’t need training! Maybe I can get out of it this year!”
Warning: Thoughts like these are exactly why veteran teachers still need our support! Take these thoughts as a sign. I know because I’ve been there.
Read MoreSo, you have purchased your Shurley curriculum, you open the book or access your digital teacher’s manual…and then it hits you! “What’s all this? How am I going to cover all of it? Can I even do it?” If you have had these or similar feelings, don’t panic. It’s going to be all right.
My post today is about confidence. Yes! You can teach with confidence, especially if you are just embarking upon your first journey with Shurley English. I realize that the
Read MoreShurley 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.
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