If you're looking for a short answer, I say absolutely not. My not so humble opinion, I will add, does not come from research on the use of AI. Instead it comes from many decades of studying how students learn and think and write. And my experience tells me that students should NOT use AI for a … [Read more...] about Should students use AI for a first draft?
Color coding makes learning visible
I tried a lot of things during my years as a teacher. Some flopped and some worked so well they became a go-to strategy in my tool kit. One of these was color coding. It became clear it was a game-changer the very first time I used it, and I started to build it into as many activities as I could. … [Read more...] about Color coding makes learning visible
Strategies for teaching theme
As far as I'm concerned, most roads lead to theme in a middle or high school English classroom. Yes, we teach students about many literary elements, but we do so to help them understand the life lessons that writers want to get across. We also teach them to have a message in their own writing, … [Read more...] about Strategies for teaching theme
When your students don’t know what to write
You are an English teacher, so I know you've heard this phrase many times: I don't know what to write. It comes from a student who is staring at a blank page, unable to start an assignment. This can be due to a lack of attention or effort but, most often, the student is sincere and really doesn't … [Read more...] about When your students don’t know what to write
Teach writing by showing not telling
It's something that we teach our students all the time: you need to show your reader, not just tell them. But do we always practice what we preach? I know that during the first part of my career, I did not. And no matter how well I "told" my students what to do for writing assignments, they didn't … [Read more...] about Teach writing by showing not telling
Teaching writing with short assignments
If you're teaching writing and are wondering how to begin the overwhelming task of getting students engaged in the process, I've got a tip for you: use more short assignments and fewer long ones. Is this less rigorous? Absolutely not. In fact, teaching writing with short assignments leads to better … [Read more...] about Teaching writing with short assignments
The blackout poem – a type of found poetry
Found poetry is a genre of poetry that takes words from another text. While Blackout poetry is one popular type, there are other ways to create a found poem that use fewer resources and time. Blackout poetry is fun. It looks cool and it gives students a chance to get creative. However, it soaks … [Read more...] about The blackout poem – a type of found poetry
Prewriting: an important part of the writing process
If you want students to produce quality good copies, taking them through the writing process step-by-step is key. And the more time you spend before they even start their first drafts the better because prewriting is an important part of the writing process. For all of my teaching career I as a … [Read more...] about Prewriting: an important part of the writing process
Teaching persuasive & argumentative writing
Are you tired of reading persuasive and argumentative essays that are superficial and poorly written? Would you like to inspire your students to think more deeply about their ideas? Follow these steps for teaching persuasive & argumentative writing- and get much better results: Start with … [Read more...] about Teaching persuasive & argumentative writing
Teaching reading and writing together
There are too many things we need to teach in English. An outsider might look at the three strands - reading, writing, and speaking - as doable. Only three, right? But we all know that there are many, many layers to each of these strands, and it takes time for students to hone the skills they need … [Read more...] about Teaching reading and writing together
The Writing Process
Have you ever experienced this? You announce to your class that they are going to start writing an essay, and the mood in the room shifts. Arms cross. Faces close off. Groans and grumbles are heard. This is what happens in my classroom the first time students write an essay, but then we embark on a … [Read more...] about The Writing Process
Halloween Writing for Secondary English
'Tis the season for pumpkin lattes, cozy sweaters, and the fun of the spooky season of Halloween. We secondary teachers tend to think that Halloween is just for the little kids, but middle and high school students love to dive into writing spooky stories too. So today, I'm sharing some ideas for … [Read more...] about Halloween Writing for Secondary English