English Education Articles for Teachers

This summer, Baz Luhrmann’s long-anticipated adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby will be in theaters. While Baz Luhrmann can sometimes be controversial due to the liberties he takes, particularly with his anachronistic soundtracks, his visual style seems very com...

For many of us, animals hold a symbolic and personal importance in our lives. This importance is reflected in the way we include them in our everyday routines, and in the way we write about them in literature. While animals become symbols and form parts of complex allegories and comparisons, they...

I listen to music every chance I get, and my love for this absence of silence began back in high school. Play off your pupils' love for music by bringing music into your classroom to develop their understanding of literary devices and the effect they have on the written word. Better yet, prepare ...

For high school seniors, this time of year is all about prom, senior skip day, final exams, scholarship applications, friends, senior pictures, family, caps and gowns, and graduation plans. Add these all together and sometimes it equals the well-known, but dreaded, SENIORITIS. We were all seniors...

Many historians believe that William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564. This often-quoted poet and playwright’s legend extends over centuries and across cultures. The mystery surrounding his life, as well as the debate over authorship of some of his works, only add intrigue to this lit...

While this may not be the case in every eighth grade class, I know that in mine, when I mention that we are going to read, there is a collective groan. And yet, when I say we are going to watch a movie, most of the class whispers, “Yes!” I want my students to read and enjoy reading, ...

The Internet truly is the information highway. As a teacher, you can search for lessons, ideas, videos, organizational tips, reference guides, and the list goes on and on. With time constantly eluding me, I started bookmarking the websites I visit most frequently. Divided into three sections (gra...

  April is National Poetry Month. Get your young poets into the mood with a St. Patrick's Day limerick writing warm-up. When I introduced limerick writing to my eighth and eleventh grade classes for St. Patrick's Day, I was very surprised how much fun all ages and all skill levels had with ...

This article is a metaphor. Or maybe it's like a simile. Perhaps this article is to metaphors as similes are to analogies? Comparisons, whether metaphors, similes, or analogies, are often confusing to younger grade levels; even without throwing in epic similes, extended metaphors, and other furt...

Even though J. D. Salinger lived to be ninety-one, passing away in 2010, we know very little about him since his last published work in 1965. The author was notoriously reclusive, and reluctant to share information with fans or the press. However, this could change soon, with PBS landing the righ...

While teaching writing/grammar at a charter school, I frantically searched for new, interesting writing prompts to stimulate my middle school students. First, I brainstormed at least fifty topics that seemed interesting to me. Then, I turned to the Internet. After that, I bought a conversation cu...

As a writing teacher, I am always looking for ways to bring writing contests into my classroom. Not only is there a natural purpose highlighted, but there are often outside incentives that drive student motivation. This contest is no exception; third place is a $2,500 scholarship, second place is...

Not so very long ago, a letter in the mail could've meant any of the following: news of a far-away loved one, a letter from a soldier at war, or a child away from home for the first time. My mother remembers when her father would gather the younger children around the dinner table to hear the new...

I’ve always really enjoyed teaching inferences, and hopefully you do too. In this article, I’m going to provide you with some specific materials you can use right away to help teach the concept of supported inferences in a systematic and engaging way. In early reading books, things ha...

Memorization allows scholars to warehouse, if you will, a stockpile of concepts. Important background information will only help learners throughout their lives. Also, the creativity process is a mysterious one. The more useful concepts that students have stored, the easier it is for their minds ...