Let’s be honest here: You are probably reading this blog while streaming that Netflix show you love.  Your attention is split, divided in two (but probably not equally).  With your brain torn between text on this screen or images on that screen, I’m glad you’re here to learn about visual media analysis because whether you … The post Incorporating Media Analysis in English Language Arts Instruction appeared first on Lindsay Ann Learning English Teacher Blog ..read more

This blog is not a descriptive essay.   There will be parts here and there that discuss descriptive essay format, address descriptive essay questions, and descriptive essay examples–but, again, this blog is not a descriptive essay.  No, it is instead an informative piece meant to intrigue and inspire–not an example for you to use in your … The post How to Write a Descriptive Essay: Creating a Vivid Picture with Words appeared first on Lindsay Ann Learning English Teacher Blog ..read more

You’ve probably been in the staff or department meeting when the administrator in the room announces proudly (and unironically) that we have the “opportunity to do a book study this year.” It’s offered as an opportunity–but there’s no opting out.  We’re told it’s necessary–but its need isn’t clear.  The book will be purchased for us, … The post The Power of Book Tasting in the Classroom appeared first on Lindsay Ann Learning English Teacher Blog ..read more

I don’t know about you–though I suspect you’re like me since you are reading a blog right now–but I like reading to learn. My learning styles lean visual with a preference toward texts and images over, say, a more kinesthetic style in which I’m moving and manipulating things.  I like to read something, consider it, then … The post Tailoring Your English Curriculum to Diverse Learning Styles appeared first on Lindsay Ann Learning English Teacher Blog ..read more

Student learning, for better or worse, stems from teaching strategies we use in the classroom.   That’s a bold claim, I know, but teaching strategies are necessary if we want students to navigate the choppy waters of communication, to unlock the secrets of challenging texts, and to unleash critical thinking in many contexts required of students … The post 10 Most Effective Teaching Strategies for English Teachers appeared first on Lindsay Ann Learning English Teacher Blog ..read more

As if there wasn’t enough for students to deal with their junior and senior year – college or career planning, senioritis, prom drama – we have to go and layer in high-stakes, high-stress standardized tests like the SAT, ACT, and even the AP Language and Composition test for the brave souls who choose to face … The post Beyond Persuasion: Unlocking the Nuances of the AP Lang Argument Essay appeared first on Lindsay Ann Learning English Teacher Blog ..read more

Before we look at trauma informed education as it applies to teaching, let’s discuss what contributes to a school’s trauma informed principles.  Schools today are all about that data, so here are some numbers that point to the state of trauma in education today:  In 2018, according to a Child Trends study, “Nationwide, 45% of … The post Trauma Informed Education that Doesn’t Inflict Trauma on Educators? appeared first on Lindsay Ann Learning English Teacher Blog ..read more

Remember when we were at home in sweatpants, fingers on the keyboard and mouse, eyes locked on our screens, instructing a virtual room of students? It would have been ideal if students’ digital hands were raising, smiles and laughter were spreading, breakout rooms were hopping, and learning was happening.  The reality, though, for many of … The post Tardies & Chronic Absenteeism: Fighting the Good Fight appeared first on Lindsay Ann Learning English Teacher Blog ..read more

We’ve all been there: It’s Monday morning. Students drift into the room, a fog floating behind their eyes as the early morning wake-up clouds their consciousness. We greet them at the door, proffering a powerful greeting, hoping to engage them. “Good morning!” we say. In return, we might get the nod, the hello, the brief glance from behind their … The post Open Ended Questions That Work appeared first on Lindsay Ann Learning English Teacher Blog ..read more

Indeed, the days-of-old are earmarked in my memory by sitting-and-getting, by memorizing-and-regurgitating. That was school. Find your desk, pay attention, learn (somehow) everything on the first try, and then take your test or write your essay. Those days are gone, though, and in many ways those practices are being replaced with project based learning in education. Remember the … The post Project Based Learning: Unlocking Creativity and Collaboration appeared first on Lindsay Ann Learning English Teacher Blog ..read more