The Playbook of Literary Success, Part 2: Grammar

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The Playbook of Literary Success, Part 2: Grammar

Let’s get back into the language arts huddle to go over some key plays that will help your students win the game! If you missed Part I of the Playbook of Literacy Success, you might want to go back to the starting line to capture the necessity of a strong vocabulary. As for today, we’re going to focus on Part II: Grammar. We’ll begin with some calisthenics we call Shurley English Jingles, and then we’ll move right into our version of the wishbone formation! We call this feature the Question and Answer Flow.

Remember, English is like a competitive sport, and every K-8 teacher is part of the coaching staff charged with developing players’ language arts knowledge and skills. The playbook contains plays designed to help each team member achieve literacy success, which is the ultimate goal of the game, and the action plan involves the following equation:

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The Playbook of Literary Success, Part 1: Vocabulary

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The Playbook of Literary Success, Part 1: Vocabulary

What if elementary teachers approached the subject of Language Arts as if it was a competitive sport? Just think of it. Every K-8 teacher would be part of a coaching staff charged with developing players’ language arts knowledge and skills. In this analogy, the playbook contains plays designed to help each team member achieve literacy success, which is the ultimate goal of the game! The knowledge and skills learned by each team member will grow into great competence, and every time these competencies are used to practice or compete, confidence will grow.

Every coach has a secret book of plays, right? Wouldn’t you want to know the secret strategies from the coach’s playbook? Over the next few weeks, we plan to give you a sneak peek at the playbook and a checklist for each play, including vocabulary, grammar, composition, and writing for all purposes. You will be able to use the checklist to ensure that your special team executes each play with competence and confidence.

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Shurley English Centers for Your ELA Classroom

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Shurley English Centers for Your ELA Classroom

Last week, we talked about student-led learning centers. Personally, I found that learning centers gave my students the opportunity to collaborate in small groups, be a leader among their classmates, and learn subject material on a deeper level.

This week, we would like to provide you with some tips on how to create Shurley English Centers in your classroom. Here are some possible center/station ideas to get you started:

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How to Implement Successful Language Arts Centers

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How to Implement Successful Language Arts Centers

Anyone up for an out-of-the-box challenge? When I was a classroom teacher in the 90’s some of us teachers were in the business of creating student-led learning centers or stations for Math, Science, or Language Arts. I loved creating and hosting centers in my classroom because it gave my students the opportunity to collaborate in small groups, be a leader among their classmates, and learn subject material on a deeper level. You might be asking, “What is a Learning Center?” A Learning Center is typically

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Writing Extension: A Valentine's Day Haiku

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Writing Extension: A Valentine's Day Haiku

Do you need a new idea to get the creative juices flowing in your classroom? The Haiku offers that opportunity to your students by channeling their creativity into this unique form of Japanese poetry. Here is a great lesson plan to get you started. The best part is that it has a Valentine’s Day twist!

(You can find this lesson, along with many others, in the Unit Studies Section of your Shurley English book!)

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Group Work: How to Communicate Effectively

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Group Work: How to Communicate Effectively

If I asked you to list the top five sources of stress in your life, your answers might include things like money, work, relationships, health, and time. These common sources are no surprise, but have you ever thought about the stress that is created when you attempt to communicate about any source of stress?

During some recent research, I noticed that

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The Right Tools for Writing Success

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The Right Tools for Writing Success

The Shurley English Writing Folder will help your students move through the writing process with ease. This foldout, four-pocket folder keeps students organized with a dedicated space for their prewriting, rough draft, revised draft, and edited paper. It is packed with handy references, checklists, and tips to ensure students have exactly what they need to produce a polished piece of writing. The Writing Folder…

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Resolutions vs. Goals

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Resolutions vs. Goals

During the first few days of January, many people across the globe participate in the age-old tradition of writing a New Year’s Resolution. The custom of making a promise to do something differently to improve one’s life (mind, body, & soul) in the coming year has been going on since ancient times.

Writing a New Year’s Resolution is not the same thing as coming up with a goal for the New Year.

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ELA Tips for a Successful Second Semester

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ELA Tips for a Successful Second Semester

As a classroom teacher, returning from holiday break was always bittersweet. On one hand, I knew the pressure for “test prep” would be more intense, but on the other hand, the satisfaction of witnessing my students grow into wiser beings put a validating smile on my face.

It was a common practice of mine to

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Holiday Activity: Let's address the envelope!

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Holiday Activity: Let's address the envelope!

‘Tis the season for trimming the tree, caroling, and holiday cards! I am one of those people who love to send and receive mail. I think I am a dying breed, but it gives me joy to create a holiday card and send it to my friends and family. Of course, this can be a prime teaching and learning opportunity.

Do your children know how to properly address an envelope?

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