#2ndaryELA Archive
#2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. We chat every Tuesday night at 8 pm EST using #2ndaryELA. We'd love for you to join us!
Tuesday August 30, 2016
Welcome to tonight’s chat! Please introduce yourself. Tell what & where you teach. Share your blog link if you have one.
Don't forget: use on responses & replies to others, label your responses w/A1, A2, & follow anyone chatting with us
Jennifer from Bolivar MO, teach at future Ts
I'm Virginia and I teach at Paradise High School. I teach ERWC 12, English 12, English 9 and AVID 9.
I'm Brynn Allison, chat co-host. 8 yrs teaching HS English & reading interventions in Philly. Blog: https://t.co/cyx1WlfdS8
Josh Wallace, from South Salt Lake. I teach 10th ELA. Semi-lurking as I write a grad paper.
I'm Julie, and I've been teaching for 15 years. I teach 9th grade ELA in rural Kansas.
Hey ! Julie in KS, 12th gr. Eng. & speech, also K-12 tech integration. Excited to chat tonight!
Hi! Altamese, 11th grade ELA/Journalism teacher.
Welcome, Virginia! What is ERWC? Not familiar
Hello! I'm Amy. I teach 7th grade ELA in the Chicago suburb of Berwyn, IL
Hey all! Andrew here. I teach 7th and 8th
Tonight's format is a little different. You are welcome to ask AND answer questions. Share best resources to help each other.
Thanks! Good to be here! Ready to learn w/ everyone!
Q1: What questions do you have about teaching reading in your classroom this year?
A1: Does anyone have suggestions on connecting poetry to literature (Count of M C, F451, Things Fall Apart, Speak)?
Amber in Owasso,OK. 7th Remedial Reading. Feeding my baby some corn, squash, and apple baby food at the moment. Crazy flavors!
A1: How can I motivate my below grade level students to read!
Make connections based on themes.
Hi, Josh! I've done that often! Luckily, my paper is all about Twitter!
Theresa Davidson here. Teaching 6th grade ELA in metropolitan Philadelphia PA. Learning to use Twitter - good for me!
A1 I'm hoping to do NF book clubs with my 7th graders. Reading levels across the board. Suggestions on organization or titles?
I'm in MO! We're neighbors! Where in KS?
Brittany here, I teach 8th ELA in Nebraska. Hi everyone!
F451 poem= "The Unknown Citizen" by W.H. Auden
Even later than Lisa ;) . I'm Jenn from SW ON, teaching 7&8 ELA.
Hi I teach 8th grade English & YA Lit to HS. My Ss love using Twitter to connect w/authors.
A1: Anyone use Super Improvers League?
Welcome, Andrew! I'm curious about your username and handle....wanna share origin?
Have you read anything by or ? Both offer compelling suggestions to get kids to love reading
Hi all! I'm Rhonda - 7th and 8th grade English teacher in Ontario, Canada.
A1: During close reading, how many times should the text be read? What questions should be asked each time?
A1) With my 100+ remedial readers, how do I support what they're doing in their regular ELA class without sounding like a repeat?
A1: What techniques do you use when guiding whole class discussions about a text?
I love to answer questions! I have some of my own!
I totally agree with Amy. https://t.co/TUdAR9ttZz
Have you read anything by or ? Both offer compelling suggestions to get kids to love reading
Those are excellent & Kelly Gallagher has great resources too!
A1 Seeing as though I don't have a classroom this yr, I'm here to listen and learn!
Q2: What questions do you have about teaching writing in your classroom this year?
Love that multi-tasking mama!
Hi everyone! I teach 8th grade English and Reading in South Texas
A2: How do you teach drafting an essay? Do you model writing it line-by-line?
Regular quiet time to read in class w/ books they can actually read on their own?
A2: I'd like to incorporate more "mini-research" projects as suggested by the PARCC framework. Suggestions? Anyone already doing?
Hi all! Jess from SoCal, teach English 7.
Hi! Jen from Nor Cal jumping in late. I teach 8th ELA and 8/9 AVID and 7/8/9 Reading. Blog at https://t.co/gPzZEqwbyq
A2: I would love to know a fun way to teach 5 paragraph essay. https://t.co/s8WlRjC8Qr
Q2: What questions do you have about teaching writing in your classroom this year?
Let students choose their book, then group based on choices.
A2) How can I maximize the effectiveness of a writer's notebook? How do I keep the momentum going that we start with with WrNo?
If it helps, here's how we use both GClassroom & as part of dig. workflow on writing assignments. https://t.co/KAzl7giJym
A2: Does anyone use an alternative for notecards for the research paper?
Kelly Gallagher is the best!
I've done mini-research projects related to The Outsiders: diff. aspects of life in 1960s. Ss each pick diff. topic.
So much I read now is challenging the 5 paragraph essay, arguing for more authentic writing. Good question!
Have you tried using Noodle Tools? Great tool for teaching research skills! https://t.co/m7PKFpfPkT
A2: Does anyone use an alternative for notecards for the research paper?
I have them write their own thoughts first, then they have something to share. Have you done socratic circles?
A2: Has anyone used “dialogue journals”? Have you utilized it to teach writing? Have you tried it digitally?
A2(2): How would you encourage a reluctant ELL student to begin writing?
A1 Does anyone have any new ways to approach novel studies other than assigning reading and doing quiz/discussion in class?
Wish I could get my colleagues on board with that!
I did a Google doc organizer last yr w/my kids bc I always hated notecards myself! Still allows for flexibility
Q3: What questions do you have about teaching grammar & vocabulary in your classroom this year?
Discussions, character POV writings, interviews, social media, PSAs related to themes in text.
I think it depends on the purpose - usually min. one 'cold' read and one that they would annotate.
Give them choices! If they have to justify choosing or not a choosing a book, they're more invested.
Which kind? Informative or Argumentative?
A1 Are you using a program to teach reading? I'm piloting ilit and LOVE it!
I would say at least twice. Each reading should have a specific purpose i.e. marking details that help reveal theme
A3: How do you incorporate vocabulary/grammar into the overall lesson, such as one on persuasive writing?
We organize everything on T-notes. It's district wide, start them in 6gr w/the right format. Makes HS papers easier.
I agree that choices are essential in keeping reading from becoming a chore https://t.co/vj76QOq74k
Give them choices! If they have to justify choosing or not a choosing a book, they're more invested.
Super Improvers? It's a way to chart progress instead of grades as a motivator.
Check out National Writing Project for integration writing. I'm a fellow of the Northern California Writing Project
A3: How often do you use mentor sentences to teach grammar? I've been doing 1/day for review. Overkill?
A3: Do you teach grammar on the HS level? To what extent? Any tricks to connecting it more directly to student writing?
Should the first reading ask questions that check for general understanding?
Absolutely! Choice goes a long way to motivating reluctant readers.
tell me more! what do u love?
I focus on specific mini lessons on grammar for a specific paper and look for it in that paper. https://t.co/JVQ9wcprwf
A3: Do you teach grammar on the HS level? To what extent? Any tricks to connecting it more directly to student writing?
This is really helpful. Thank you.
I do line by line if students need it. Having them annotate a sample essay helps to. Can then imitate parts.
A3: Can you point me to any resources on mentor sentences for grammar instruction?
Q4: What questions do you have about using technology in your classroom this year?
I use mentor sentences from the texts used as evidence in the essay.
This is such a great idea! Thanks!
A3 I want to try either Grammar flip or no red ink - thoughts?
One tip I got and loved was to pick a sentence from something the kids will be reading that day
A1 create a !@jess_overcoffee
Love this idea! Are they collaborative?
I do one sentence per week and then studt it for different things each day. https://t.co/gYplCMnsJm
A3: How often do you use mentor sentences to teach grammar? I've been doing 1/day for review. Overkill?
A2. Peer editing with middle school Ss—what works, what doesn’t? Thinking of trying centers.
I shared some with Ts this week, & they thought they were awesome!
I've thought about starting with research paragraphs with 7th graders
A4: If your students blog, how do you handle grading and responding to so many blogs, especially weekly blogs?
A2 make sure to have a rubric with clear task/expectations for what/how to edit
A4: If your students blog, how do you keep it engaging and not (just) a chore?
Don't respond to them all---have Ss respond to each other for discussion; Does it have to be graded?
A4)Reading on devices...the struggle is real. Treat on a case by case basis or have a uniform policy? More of a philosophical ?.
I'm using Jeff Anderson's Everyday Editing. It outlines 11 lessons. It's awesome!
Connect w/ another class & responding to each others' blogs? Or other outside ppl response 4 authentic audience
You can use Google Slides. Each slide is a note card
What works for me: Having a specific checklist for the students to use. https://t.co/QNzJL6yYh5
A2. Peer editing with middle school Ss—what works, what doesn’t? Thinking of trying centers.
A4: How do you teach students to use technology as a tool and not a crutch?
Yippee! What were they about? Will you share them with me?
A4 Has anyone had their Ss create book trailers? What tools? Results? How to share?
Sentence starters are great for any struggling writer
A4: Do you use Twitter in the classroom? What materials do you post? Do you require students to post material?
Using a rubric on a sample 1st has worked, and I'm trying out having kids also summarize feedback rec'd this yr
Mechanically Inclined by Jeff Anderson is great
A4: How many of you are 1:1 & use daily? What tools do you HAVE to have?
Assign each student a chapter to present. Must pick out a few literary elements to lead discussion about
Sorry, but for younger Ss
Totally agree! My Ss use for About Me videos
What's your favorite tech tool for publishing student work?
Will turn it into a video?
Can use mentor sentences from sample persuasive pieces to look at the academic language used, structure of sentences
For anyone: try Coggle.it for mind maps. A great organizational tool, esp. for writing. Free to use. https://t.co/wAB3Ur0EU9
I'm doing a PBL for Of Mice and Men. We are using WIX
Love esp for the parent aspect
Are you teaching a new concept with each sentence?
Create shared slide deck Google. Each kid make a slide showing a story element, theme, from t he chapter/book
Thanks for chatting with us tonight. Next week's chat: classroom management. See you on 9/6 at 8pm EST
wevideo works great too Students used it last year for persuasion unit... Students created commercials
Padlet is also a great tool for real time brainstorming and sharing. Ts can moderate and approve Ss posts.
If your students need it. Could also focus on difficult vocab
My is focusing on how ELA Ts connect thru to learn new (tools included)!
Would love to maybe set up interview sometimes - I'll DM you
love it! easy to use? tips?
You would really benefit from https://t.co/TaQC8q0KD4 so many advanced features to engage and inspire writers at this level!
Right now I am using them as sort of a litmus test to review & see what they know rather than just to teach, TBH.
Jeff Anderson's Everyday Editing has mentor sentences 2 teach grammar, longer writing pieces that students imitate
I have only dabbled with noredink. I think is all free tho?
30 minutes is just too short for this Q&A session! So many great ideas!
I tried to send you a DM, but I couldn't because you don't follow me :-(
That sounds so fun! Do you have any to share?
I use Padlet for everything--KWL, collaborative writing, exit tickets, the list goes on!
is one of my favorite tools for curating, brainstorming, and sharing!
Do you mean Ss are struggling with text on the device? Or the device is distracting?
The iMovie app on iPad actually has a trailer template that the Ss think is pretty cool.
Totally agree! I find myself looking for 30 min afterward anyway!
Yes, I've used that one, thanks for reminder!
Everyone at Thx for another great (fast) chat! Love connecting with everyone! Have a wonderful week!
Just learned about this/reading her new book. Love it, especially with 1:1 devices.
I don't grade blogs! According to Ss should write much more than what T can grade. I use for formative.
For me, the best peer practice is having Ss read their work aloud to a partner, listen 4 clarity, etc.
