4 Tech Tricks to Teach in English Class

What if we told you that a few careful clicks could help students turn in higher-quality work, and therefore save YOU some precious grading time? 

The following technology hacks are short, doable skills that any English teacher can (or, perhaps, should?) teach. Even if you don’t have a strong background in technology, these are skills that students might not get elsewhere and definitely enhance outcomes in an ELA course. They’re a win-win!

16 Books that Build Empathy for Refugees, Immigrants, and Marginalized Voices

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

It has never been more important to build empathy for all of humanity, and we know that characters are some of the best teachers we can give our students.

The following novels help a secondary classroom include more voices from around the world that are historically underrepresented in literature, AND they can help broaden the perspectives of students who are trying to understand the world in a very confusing time.

5 Diagnostics to Get to Know Your English Classes

The first few weeks of a school year (or new semester), we have to learn way more than just students' names. In an increasingly data-driven world of education that wants teachers to quantify OR demonstrate growth over time, it's beneficial to get some baseline snapshots of what students know and can do.

How I Teach Grammar (The Grammar House Cup)

I was desperate for a better way to teach grammar.

On my end, I was overwhelmed with how much I needed to teach: how to get it all done and how to do so logically. For my students, I was concerned about their engagement (not tuning out or getting bored) AND how to ensure that they "got it".