According to a Gallup analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Education, "About 130 million adults in the U.S. have low literacy skills. This means more than half of Americans between the ages of 16 and 74 (54%) read below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level." Whether you are an English teacher or not, if you work with students in class, you know there is a desperate need for improved reading skills among our students. As an English teacher, my students read a lot, and they read as many types of texts as possible. It seems that the … [Read more...]
Making Learning Interactive: 5 Strategies for the Secondary Classroom
Keeping kids engaged and involved is one thing. Keeping teenagers engaged and involved is a whole other issue. However, interaction of some sort is a staple for just about every day in my classroom to reinforce, review, or revitalize a lesson. Whether it is just a quick conversation with a shoulder partner, a game that requires movement to demonstrate understanding, or a hands-on task, students do appreciate the opportunity to get out of those straight rows for a few minutes. Here are 5 interactive strategies to engage secondary … [Read more...]
