How Spelling Bees Can Improve Literacy Skills in the Classroom
Spelling bees are so much more than simply memorizing a list of words. These competitions can be a valuable classroom tool to improve students’ reading skills.
Language Arts
Shaking up Shakespeare: Digital Tools for Digital Students
Many students dread reading Shakespeare because they think his works have nothing to do with their 21st century interests.
How Educators Can Respond to Book Banning
The tide of intolerance is rising, and once again the reactionary camp wants to throw literature on the pyre, at least metaphorically.
A Teacher’s Take on Graphic Novels
Are graphic novels a lesser form of writing? Parents and children often have opposing views when it comes to this unique and beautifully crafted type of literature.
The Value of Diversity: A Poetic Celebration of Asian Heritage Month
In honour of Asian American Heritage Month, which is celebrated every May, I tasked the students in my three Asian American Literature classes with a special project.
Turning Pages: Putting the Fun Back into Reading
By middle school or earlier, many children have lost motivation, confidence, and focus in reading. Where does it all start to go downhill, and what can be done to change that?
The Novel in Verse: Recommended Reading for the Classroom
The novel in verse is witnessing an explosion in popularity and publication. Why does it deserve a place in your collection, and how can it be incorporated into the classroom?
It’s Alive! Teaching with Horror Stories in the Classroom
Throughout my years of teaching, I’ve discovered that students are often more eager to read and discuss horror stories than other material.
Morbid Fascination in the Classroom: Engaging or Inappropriate?
Students often display a morbid curiosity that I feel I cannot ignore, but can I lean into it? Can I use this fascination in a way that engages students, but also humanizes them?
Living Language: A New Vision for Teaching Grammar
In the K–12 setting, grammar instruction can be tedious and demoralizing. Too often it becomes an exercise in red-lining students' mistakes.