Full Description
A complete toolkit for overworked ELA teachers looking for effective reading and writing exercises and lessons
In Read It, Write It, Love It, experienced middle school English Language Arts teacher, Emily Aierstok, delivers the ultimate roadmap to helping disinterested and struggling students succeed with reading and writing. Aierstok draws on her decades of professional teaching experience to explain practical, research-based strategies and activities you can implement in your own classroom for immediate results with learners from all levels. You'll explore solutions to common, longstanding problems—like running out of time for lesson planning and aligning compelling classroom content with academic standards—and find insightful tips on integrating tech and multimedia into your learning experiences.
Read It, Write It, Love It offers engaging student activities that make reading and writing fun, relevant, and meaningful. You'll also find:
Creative techniques to help you connect with diverse learners and accommodate different learning styles
Time-saving strategies, including easy-to-follow activities and low-prep plans - to make your teaching day easier
Ways to capture your students' interest in reading and writing lessons and help motivate them to achieve better outcomes
Strategies for stepping up your planning techniques to ensure you're prepared to meet needs and improve learning outcomes for every student
Perfect for secondary ELA teachers in grades 6 to 12 struggling with a lack of time to properly prepare lesson plans, Read It, Write It, Love It is also a must-have resource filled with easy classroom activities you can try out on your own.
Contents
Acknowledgments xiii
About the Author xv
The STEP Up Planning Technique: An Introduction xvii
The Magic of Teaching xvii
Planning Is Love xxi
The STEP Up Planning System xxii
How This Book Is Organized xxvi
CHAPTER 1 Planning for Your Learners 1
Lesson Planning Essentials 2
Know Your Learners 6
Reading and Writing Autobiographies 7
CHAPTER 2 Data Collection Strategies 11
Using Data for Good 11
Using Data to Empower 15
Reading Data 18
Writing Data 23
Modifying Assignments: Same Goal; Different Play 30
Augment with AI: Differentiating Instruction 33
SECTION 1 S Is for Standard 35
Choosing North Star Standards 36
Framing Your Lessons 40
CHAPTER 3 You Had Me at Hello (with Bell Ringers) 43
Build Your Frame with Standards-Based Bell Ringers 44
Hands-On Bell Ringer Experiences 48
Augment with AI: Generating Bell Ringers 51
CHAPTER 4 Goodbye for Now (with Standards-Based Exit Tickets) 55
Use Exit Tickets as a Frame 56 Create Out-of-Time Exit Tickets 57
Use Exit Tickets to Extend Learning 58
Augment with AI: Generating Exit Tickets 59
SECTION 2 T Is for Text 61
CHAPTER 5 Heart and Stretch Texts 63
Identify Appropriate Heart Texts 63
Add Stretch Texts 64
Love It: A Close Reading Routine 66
Use Text-Based Questions 77
Augment with AI: Using AI to Scaffold Close Reading 80
CHAPTER 6 Independent Reading That Works 83
Create Reading Journals 84
The Power of Setting Reading Goals 88
Independent Reading Engagement and Accountability 89
Motivate Reluctant Readers 95
Write Letters About Literature 96
Augment with AI: Using AI to Engage Readers 102
CHAPTER 7 Authors as Teachers 107
Reading as Writers 107
Teach Purpose and Audience with Mentor Texts 110
You Have Style: Learning Style from Authors 114
Break It Down: Using Mentor Sentences 115
Augment with AI: Finding Mentor Texts 118
CHAPTER 8 Building Community 121
Encourage Community from Day One 121
Give Students Ownership of the Classroom 124
Ditch Rules: Make a Class Motto 126
Build Reading and Writing Communities 129
Augment with AI: Tools That Build Community 133
SECTION 3 E Is for Engage 137
CHAPTER 9 Choosing Engaging Topics 141
Get to Know Your Students 142
Connect to the Texts 143
Build Authentic Experiences 146
Tap into Prior Knowledge 147
Augment with AI: Finding Topics That Engage 157
CHAPTER 10 Engaging with Media Literacy 161
Lateral Reading: A Yearlong Skill 161
Utilize SIFT Information and Author's Purpose 164
Implement an Article of the Week Routine 166
Augment with AI: Finding Online Sources for Practice 169
SECTION 4 P Is for Planning from the Assessment 171
CHAPTER 11 Grades as Communication 177
Failure Leads to Growth 177
Feedback Over Grades 181
The Power of Retakes and Revisions 190
Alternatives to Grading Behavior 193
Augment with AI: Using AI to Extend
Teacher Grading Practices 198
Use Rubric Templates 199
CHAPTER 12 Designing Assessments 201
Authentic Assessment Inspiration 204
Augment with AI: Using an
Assessment Generator 222
CHAPTER 13 Tackling Standardized Testing 223
Empower Student Test Takers 224
Embed Test Prep All Year Long 225
Conduct Student-Led
Data Analysis 228
Make Test Prep Fun! (Yes, It's Possible) 230
Augment with AI: Adopting AI Test Prep 234
CHAPTER 14 Empower Students with Grammar 235
Teach Grammar with Authors 236
Teach Grammar Through Writing 237
Teach Targeted Grammar Lessons 238
Augment with AI: Utilizing AI as a Grammar Coach 239
CHAPTER 15 Feedback That Works 241
The Power of the Proofreading List 242
Revision Stations 245
The 10-Minute Teacher Conference 247
Augment with AI: Using AI to Extend Feedback 249
CHAPTER 16 Getting Kids Actively Learning 251
Creating a Movement-Friendly Classroom 253
On-Your-Feet ELA Activities 256
Augment with AI: Using AI to Brainstorm On-Your-Feet experiences 258
CONCLUSION A Final Word: Tips for Longevity in the ELA Classroom 259
Index 261
