#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!
A1: Primarily Read 180 & other computer programs. I'm not sold on computer programs being the sole support for struggling readers, though! Would love to hear what others do & use #2ndaryELA
A1: My school has a resource class that meets a few days per week for struggling readers. We also have leveled ELA groups and we keep the lower groups smaller in number for more individualized instruction. #2ndaryela
#2ndaryELA A2- my current struggle is attention span! I want to find better ways to help learners recognize their own attention and prolong the time they can focus on reading or writing tasks
A2: Finding real world & meaningful opportunities to practice skills outside of the isolation of the classroom. Also being able to provide intensive support with large class sizes #2ndaryELA
A2: What you need to know about differentiation: If we want the students to meet the standards, we have to be willing to give them multiple pathways to that standard. https://t.co/ThhBAuCYtE#2ndaryELA
Might part of this be student investment in school? I feel like this is something I struggle with much more at the beginning of the year when students don't know me or my class. #2ndaryELA
A2: I have found that one of the biggest struggles is that some kids with a lower reading ability don't think there is a problem. They shout, "I know how to read!" and refuse to work on the skill or cooperate with you if you try an intervention. #2ndaryela
I agree, and in my classes some struggle more than others. I think as they get used to the expectations it will improve over the course of the school year. #2ndaryela
A3: Go against my better judgement and allow them to read a text in funny voices when they have to read out loud. It works like a charm if the voice can be understood, and it relieves tension and causes people to laugh. More people volunteer to read. #2ndaryela
Agreed. And finding appropriately leveled texts that are also age-appropriate. Many of my students can talk and discuss at a higher level than they can read and comprehend. #2ndaryELA
A3: Go against my better judgment and allow them to read a text in funny voices when they have to read out loud. It works like a charm if the voice can be understood, and it relieves tension and causes people to laugh. More people volunteer to read. #2ndaryela
A3: Words Their Way has been an affordable and engaging phonics, spelling, and vocabulary program that I'm able to incorporate into a HS learning support classroom easily #2ndaryELA
Saddleback Publishing has a great selection of books that have middle and high school topics written at a lower reading level. I love them for SPED and ELL. #2ndaryELA
It's also differentiated with word sorts. Students can study CVC words on the low end of the spectrum, but can study greek and latin words and prefixes and suffixes on the higher end #2ndaryELA#wordstheirway
A3: Having Ss be a part of the goal setting process. Show them evidence of their progress and growth and they will (hopefully) buy in. Data collection doesn’t always have to be the T’s secret. #2ndaryELA
A4: For motivating struggling writers, you might try a variation of the "Essay Champs" activity I used in my classroom and blogged about here: https://t.co/fSKfnymA1d#2ndaryELA
A5: The "Essay Champs" made a big difference for my struggling writers to finally "get it" and my Essay Videos allowed Ss to re-watch lessons. https://t.co/I5IvpMDRQL#2ndaryELA
A5: I also have been working on building in differentiation into my unit plans with the pattern of teach-reteach-enrich. I call it TRESmart: Free theme unit ~ https://t.co/lUQIPgqVP0#2ndaryELA
A5: In literature class, we use the Pearson Common Core online textbook (we have a 1:1 iPad initiative with the middle schoolers.) There is an audio button on each page, so students can play that at home while they are reading and follow along. #2ndaryela
A5: @KyleneBeers text "When Kids Can't Read What Teachers Can Do" is packed with good instructional strategies to help make the act of reading visible for struggling readers #2ndaryELA
A4: On writing, specifically, I think it starts with getting Ss excited about their claims and ideas. Giving them choice in prompts helps motivate them — but if they hate their thesis/claim they will hate the whole process #2ndaryELA
Thanks so much for chatting with us tonight #2ndaryELA nation! Remember that we keep the conversation going at our FB group and we'd love for you to join! https://t.co/JGbfk4DP78
