Category: Reading

How to Teach Annotation in High School

In an ideal world, students annotate with ease, naturally interacting with the texts on paper. In this ELA utopia, students connect metaphors to emerging themes, recognize foreshadowing, and question characters’ motivations. However, as most teachers know, the actual classroom experience with annotation differs gravely. Many students struggle with annotation. They

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4 Alternatives to Essays

It’s possible to assess student learning, skill acquisition, and academic achievement through means other than essays. Essays are wonderful for building writing skills, developing rhetoric, displaying clear thinking, and demonstrating text analysis. However, teachers can assess many of the same skills in other ways. Once you know which skills you

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3 Easy Steps to Socratic Seminars

Students love Socratic Seminars because the format provides a forum to express their ideas and hone their leadership skills. Keep reading to learn how to use Student-Led Fishbowl Discussions, Philosophical Chairs, Socratic Circles and Whole Class Socratic Seminars in your classroom lesson plans! PRIOR TO ANY SOCRATIC SEMINAR Step 1:

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