Elementary Language Arts Education Articles for Teachers

Academic language is the language used in a classroom setting. It is used during instruction, in textbooks, on tests, in educational videos, and in other supplemental educational materials.  Although many students may proficiently use English in social interaction, understanding the common a...

Watching kids read comic books in bed, at school, and wherever they got a chance used to be the norm. I remember picking up comic books at the dentist’s office and pouring through the contents. Calvin and Hobbs, Garfield, and Marmaduke were some of my favorites. For many children, Spider-Man, Bat...

Finding interesting and fun ways to teach English Language Development can be difficult. Many of the systematic ELD programs I have used in my teaching, while effective in addressing important language functions and forms, fall short when it comes to engaging and exciting learners about the subje...

  Literacy development is key to promoting student achievement. Engaging students in reading centers is a wonderful way to promote literacy development and student interest in learning activities. Literacy centers include a range of ready-to-use activities for students to participate in indepe...

Getting in the Spirit Valentine's Day is the perfect time to encourage students to read. With a plethora of books written about the day of love, you will have no problem helping your students choose one. The following list of books was recommended by Erin Jackman, Executive Director of the Brook...

  Eyes are said to be the window to the soul, according to a famous English proverb. However, the most important function of the eyes is to, of course, see outward. Without correct vision, one would not be able to navigate everyday life the way that someone with perfect eyesight would. Ofte...

Since January is National Thank You Month, it’s the perfect opportunity to teach your students about the importance of gratitude. Being thankful and expressing gratitude are two things everyone should learn from a young age. After all, thanking someone shows appreciation, not to mentio...

Students are much more invested in their learning when it applies to their life. It’s difficult for them to understand why they have to learn about something that seems unimportant to know and disconnected from their daily life. When I teach students letter writing, I make sure that they know tha...

When I first tell students they will be expected to complete a book report in my class, I usually hear a collective moan, and I don’t blame them for this response. At their worst, traditional book reports can be mundane and repetitive. However, independent reading is very important and should be ...

One of my favorite phrases is “once upon a time,” and over the years I have found nothing sets the scene for a story in quite the same way. From preschool to high school, a great story captivates the imagination and hooks the listener. There is a simple magic to the classic fairy tales. That beau...

One of my favorite all time books combines a message about environmentalism with an engaging story about life on another planet. The Wump World by Bill Peet was first published in 1970, but the story is still poignant. It tells the story of the Wumps, who live in a beautiful , pristine world with...

Spring is the time of year when students begin to get restless. The end of the year is in sight, and summer vacation is just weeks away. Unfortunately, this is also the time of year when we begin state testing. We spend all year preparing our students for these tests. They are often used to deter...

I'm sure you have had students in your math class who are lagging behind their peers, and seem to be "lost" when it comes time for mathematics instruction. All too often these students never get the opportunity to master one skill before being moved on to the next concept being taught. Since math...

You can celebrate a "Love of Reading Month" in your classroom in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday in March, or just because you'd like to. That means your students should be reading books, books, and more books! However, you don’t want your students to get burnt out by just reading to themselve...

Have you ever wanted something, and you didn't want to share? Of course you have! But there are many things you had to learn to share when you started school. Schools and teachers have to work hard to promote the concept of sharing, even when students might not be wholehearted supporters. There ...

  In my previous article, I described the second of my classroom management systems called, "The Class vs. Mr. Harrison Game." In this final article on classroom management systems, I'm going to describe another system I developed that motivates my students to behave, an...

Exposing your students to poetry and great poets provides for a rich learning experience. One of the ways you can do this is through personification poetry. Although it can be challenging to get your students to write this type of poetry, I have found that the process goes a lot more smoothly whe...

In my previous article, Classroom Management Systems: Part 1, I described one of my classroom management systems called transitions. In this article, I will describe a game we called, the class versus Mr. Harrison. Starting the very first day of school, I put a "Class vs. Mr. Harrison" box ...

As teachers, it is very easy to point out what students are doing wrong, but it's very important to point out the positive behavior as well. When students are being kind to one another, teachers should point it out and reward it. In this way, they can make sure that this type of behavior occurs a...

In my previous article, I outlined my five principles of classroom management. In this article, I'm going to share one of the classroom management systems that I developed and used when I taught first through fifth grades. The first system I'd like to describe a system I call, &ldq...

Health in America is a very big issue . . . and when I say big . . . I mean people are getting bigger. Therefore, it is important to teach students at a young age how to make healthy choices. Yes, you can teach them about the food pyramid. But unless you bring some real examples into the classroo...

I remember an embarrassing event from my very first year of teaching. The Assistant Superintendent of Schools came in to observe my classroom one month into the school year. On the day that she came in, I had 29 first graders, no teaching assistant, and no classroom management skills. During...

Parents want what is best for their child, and teachers want what is best for their students. That's why parent/teacher collaboration is so important. By working together, parents and teachers can provide the best learning environment, both at home and at school, for students. One of the first t...

The next time you are in the faculty lunchroom, ask one of your colleagues about a time when a life experience changed them for the better. What experiences in your own life have taught you your greatest lessons? Recently, I led a weeklong, summer evening program. We had set a goal for the childr...

If you ask your students what kind of a class they would like to be in, their answers may surprise you.  Most children will say they want to have fun, but when probed for more details, you may find out that kids also want other kids to like them, that they want to feel like they make a difference...

Have you ever gone home from your day of teaching feeling like it was a "bad" day? Silly question, I know!  "Bad" days happen to all of us, just like "good" days do. Have you ever put some thought into how more of your days can feel "good" than "bad?" I didn't think too much about this until I we...

I always pay particular attention to beginnings and endings. When my students first come into the room each morning, I always insist on a good start, and reward them with check marks in my "Transitions Box," and bonus points in their "Class vs. Mr. Harrison" game - (I'll explain these classroom m...

Many years ago, I went through a week-long training session in which I began learning the art of telling stories with puppets. The program I was involved in was developed in the Detroit school system back in the 70's. Educators there were alarmed by the number of children coming to school who wer...

Hear ye! Hear ye! Knights and damsels hear this, symmetry, ancestry, and symbolism all have ties to coats of arms. Medieval literature and history can be fun and exciting. There are numerous lessons that you can use with these pieces of art. Beginning in the early times of heraldry,  coats of arm...

My 13-year-old daughter is a big fan of acrostic poetry. She says, "Acrostic poems make you think really hard about word choice, and they allow you to be creative at the same time. It's a form of poetry that is accessible to everyone."  I couldn't agree more. I've heard lots of moans and groans f...