Tag: Middle School Reading

Spooky Activities for the Middle School ELA Classroom

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There is something very fun and exciting about using seasonal reading and writing activities with middle school students. Even if they won’t admit it, many students enjoy reading creepy, spooky, and scary works because of the suspense.

Today, I want to share some festive resources that can be used in the middle school ELA classroom. Whether you choose to do an entire horror unit or you’re wanting a small activity for a day or two, there is something for every ELA teacher.

Spooky Read-Alouds

Read-alouds are my favorite activity to do with students. They are a great way to expose students to different types of novels and provide learners an opportunity to enjoy a book. Below are some popular spooky read-aloud novels:

Spooky read-aloud books for middle school.

Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe (there is also a graphic novel version!)

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

The Witches by Roald Dahl (there is also a really great graphic novel version!)

A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

Doll Bones by Holly Black

Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine

Tales of Mystery and Terror adapted by Marjorie P. Katz. These Edgar Allan Poe stories have been turned into a Great Illustrated Classics book.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde adapted by Mitsu Yamamoto. This Great Illustrated Classics version does a wonderful job making this story easy to read for students.

I strongly suggest reading for about 10 minutes a day and then have students answer a question based on the reading for 2-3 minutes. Students can respond verbally, in a journal, on a Padlet, etc.

Spooky Short Stories

This age group is not into the “kiddie” scary stuff, but not quite ready for the adult world of horror. When choosing which short stories you use with your class, keep in mind the maturity level along with the reading level. Below are some of my favorite spooky short stories to use with middle schoolers.

“The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs. Resources are available here.

“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe. Resources are available here.

“The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe.

“Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl. Resources are available here.

“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving. Resources are available here.

“A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner

When using short stories, I usually have a main focus for each story. For instance, with “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” I focus on direct and indirect characterization. Instead of trying to focus on many different aspects of a work, by choosing just one I can dive deeper into the text with students.

Spooky Short Story Activities

Once you know what texts you’ll be using, it’s time to determine what learning activities to provide for your kiddos. This will vary based on your grade level, class time, etc., so feel free to make adjustments based on your classroom.

Dramatic Reading

Many students dislike taking turns reading aloud in class, so using dramatic readings with spooky short stories is a great way to read a text. A really great one is from G.M. Danielson and his reading of “The Tell-Tale Heart”. The laugh in the very beginning is chilling!

Using Goosebumps in an online tutoring session with an 8th grade student.

Film and Text Comparisons

I always use film versions of works with my students. I find that it helps with reading comprehension and higher order thinking skills, such as evaluating. This would be the perfect activity to do on celebratory days when kids are excited about outside festivities. A few of my favorite ones for the spooky season include:

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Disney. This can also be found on Disney+. Here is a constructed response resource.

“The Lamb to the Slaughter” from Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Here is a constructed response resource.

The Tell-Tale Heart from 1953. This is a great non-violent adaptation.

The Witches from 1990 with Angelica Huston. There is a more modern version from 2020 also available with Anne Hathaway. I haven’t had a chance to watch the new one yet.

Goosebumps “Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes” from the popular book by R.L. Stine. Here is an analysis activity focusing on the elements of horror.

Writing Spooky Narratives

Students can work independently, in partners or small groups to create their own spooky stories. Depending on your class, you may want to provide some scaffolding such as setting locations (grave yard, dark and story night, etc. When students are done, spend a day or two having students share their stories. If they don’t like to read aloud, encourage kids to act out their stories. Here is an example of a spooky narrative assignment.

Other Spooky Activities

While short stories are great resources, there are also various activities that can be quick and easy.

Descriptive Paragraphs

Halloween and costumes seem to go hand in hand for middle school students. Before students wear their costumes, have them write a paragraph describing their costume using figurative language. Allow some to read theirs to classmates and see if the audience can guess the costume.

Research Local Legends

Growing up in Long Valley, NJ, there are local legends about the Hooker Man and the mysteries of Shades of Death. I can still remember my dad sharing his version of the Hooker Man around a campfire when I was in elementary school. Encourage students to research local legends/myths (or to read about one’s from my childhood) to read about “real” spooky stories.

Create a Class Story

Whether students sit at their desks or everyone sits on the floor, this activity can be very engaging for young writers. I suggest typing the story as it’s being told and projecting it to make it easier for students to contribute.

There are so many short stories, movies, and books to help students celebrate the spooky season and still progress with their reading and writing skills in a fun way.

Little Reading Coach is a certified Teacher of English (K-12) and Reading Specialist (P-12) offering online reading, writing and home-based learning support tutoring services for students in grades 6-12. For more information head to my website.

Q&A with Author Elly Swartz

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Authors are incredible people. They have an ability to create worlds and characters that transport us out of reality. Authors can make us cry, gasp and get angry (sometimes all in the same chapter).

I love that I’ve been able to connect with so many different authors over the years, and truly enjoy being able to share my experiences with all of you.

Dear Student, by Elly Swartz, is a powerful novel about navigating middle school, friendships, family changes and anxiety.

This middle grade novel is so spot-on with what adolescents experience today. Autumn is starting sixth grade. Her best friend moved away and her dad joined the Peace Corp. As she tackles middle school, she encounters friendship troubles trying to juggle two different friends with her social anxiety. Autumn believes in animal rights and finds a way to stand up for her furry friends.

I had the privilege to do a Q&A with Elly about her new book. Honestly, my reader heart wanted to hug her through the screen. Not only did I love the book, but I feel like I made a new virtual best friend with the author. Authors, like Elly, are making big differences in a world that is very scary for so many young readers.

1.       As an author, what is your writing process like? 

All my writing days begin by finding brain space. And for me, that means either walking my pups or, if it’s raining, dancing in my kitchen. I need to put aside of the stresses, worries, and distractions of the day. I need to give the creative process room to breathe. Then I dive in.

If I am drafting a new book, I spend a lot of time getting to know my main character’s heart before I even begin writing. I need to know what they like for breakfast, if they love the rain, are scared of spiders. I need to know all of them. So, I interview them. I want to know everything. And once that happens, I begin.

I write what I know. That’s what I love about the writing process. It’s not linear. I don’t need to color inside the lines. If I know the beginning, I write that. If I know the end, I write that. I trust the process will enable me to fill in the rest as the story unfolds. Once I have a first draft, which I’ve fondly named Swiss cheese – because it stinks and has lots of holes – it’s time to dive into revision. For me, this is where the magic happens. I love revision!

At this stage, I work on my story in one big gulp. I sit all day with my characters. And it’s during this part of the process that I need to ensure that my characters are feeling all the feels. All happy, I’ve written a giant Hallmark card. All sad, well, no one really wants that. And I use emojis to help me get there. I promise, I’m not kidding.

After I write my Swiss cheese draft, I put an emoji at the top and bottom of each chapter. What’s the emotion coming into the scene and what’s the emotion coming out. This way, I can visually cue myself when I need to mix things up.

            Emojis keep me in check and allow me to create a story with true emotional resonance.

Once I go through the story, I rinse and repeat until I feel in my heart that my story is layered, authentic, and has all the feels.


2.       What kind of research did you do for this book? 

I feel that all fiction is anchored in something real. And making sure those details are accurate and authentic is at the heart of my writing. I think it might be the lawyer in me!

I am beyond grateful to the many people who shared their expertise and time with me. In Dear Student, I consulted:

*a pediatric therapist who specializes in anxiety

*a person who specializes in iguanas and snakes (pregnant ones!)

*a congressman who sponsored the Humane Act bill that prevents the testing of cosmetics on animals and those in his office in charge of the bill

*a Peace Corps volunteer

*educators who kindly shared their Spanish translation skills and input with me

It truly takes a village!


3.       What inspired you to write Autumn’s story? 

Much of the inspiration for Dear Student came from readers. Kids who have written me letters, sent me emails, dm’d me and shared their truth. Their anxiety. Their heart. Kids who think brave and strong is reserved for the popular, the loud, and the confidant.

I want these friends to know their voice matters. They can make a difference. I want them to know that it doesn’t matter if they are quiet or loud. Extroverts or introverts. Eat lunch surrounded by friends or tucked into a table in the library. They are strong. They are valued. They are brave.

I want them to know that sometimes we all feel like Autumn. We all struggle to find the right words to say, the right clothes to wear, the right way to be. In our social media world, we often see only the shiny penny version of life. The highly manicured happy moments. But those are just slivers of time. I want them to know we all experience all the feels. Even if you may not see them in the latest videos on Tik Tok.

4.       Why did you feel that Autumn should have social anxiety? 

I love Autumn. She came to me with her quiet introspection, her big heart, and her social anxiety. Autumn is truly a compilation and reflection of so many kids I know and have had the privilege of meeting at school visits. I want my characters to reflect the kids who read them. I want all kids to see themselves on the page.

I write about kids with anxiety because kids have anxiety. And with the pandemic, that anxiety is on the rise. (https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-youth-mental-health-advisory.pdf)

I want kids to know they are not alone. Recently, I was visiting a school, talking to 200 six graders about Dear Student and Fearless Fred – the part of each of us that fear can’t boss around. And sharing how I saw courage and strength in every one of them. Even if they didn’t. After my presentation, a new friend came up to me. She whispered, “I have anxiety like Autumn in Dear Student.” Her voice shook. “Kids make fun of me.” She inhaled big. “Thanks for writing about someone like me.”

My heart melted.

I truly believe we are all a bit like Autumn. We all have moments where we wonder if we’re saying the right thing, wearing the right clothes, acting the right way. Especially now. Remote living. Remote learning. Masking. Reentry. It’s all hard. Exhausting. And sometimes scary.

Truth is, we are all working on something.

5.       Why did you choose to have Autumn in sixth grade? 

I love this stage. The start of middle school. The start of something new.

Kids are honest and vulnerable. They are discovering their voice and where they fit. They are navigating shifting friendships. And realizing the world is not always right and wrong, but often gray, nuanced, and complicated. Their feelings are big and real.

And I truly think my sixth grade self is reading along with me, wishing she had these stories as she navigated the halls of middle school.

Elly at 12!


6.       How were you able to make Autumn, Logan, and Copper so realistic? 

I love Autumn, Logan, and Cooper. I love their vulnerabilities. And their rockstar qualities. They are a wonderful blend of all of it. The stuff they are proud of and the stuff they are working on. So when I was creating each one of them, it was important to me that they felt all the feels. And that they reflected the authentic lives of my readers. They are layered because my readers’ lives are layered.

Authenticity is at the heart of writing these moments. Authentic emotions and authentic experiences. So when I sit down to write, I try and forget the shoulds and worries of my adult life and wrap myself around the younger me. I need to be that kid again. The one who wondered the halls of middle school with butterflies in her stomach, hoping she could find her way to class, open her locker, and just be herself.

I need to write as if I am my characters. And I know that I’m truly in it when my story weaves itself into every fiber of my being and every moment of my day. For instance, when I was writing Dear Student, the main character, Autumn, flooded my dreams. You see, I wasn’t dreaming about Autumn, I was dreaming as if I was Autumn. My world and hers had become completely enmeshed.

And that is truly when the magic happens on the page.


7.       What do you hope readers take away from this novel? 

I hope readers know their voice matters. That strength and bravery can look a lot of different ways. And that true friends will always be there. As Autumn says, “We don’t have to think the same or believe the same things to be friends. But we do always have to be kind to each other. And respectful of each other.” (p. 255-56).

I also hope readers discover that the most fearless thing they can do is be themselves.


8.       What was your greatest challenge and joy about writing this book? 

I loved writing the Dear Student letters. It brought me back to my middle school self, walking the halls, feeling all the feels. The excitement, the worry, the happiness, the self-consciousness, the cliques, the doubt, and the crushes. It was fun to give advice. I hope it helps my readers as they navigate all the feels.

The most challenging part was writing the friend conflict. No spoilers, but there’s something that happens between Logan and Autumn that hurt my heart to write. It wasn’t how I envisioned the story going. But it was the path the story had to take for me to stay true to the characters.


9.       Do you have ideas for another book? 

Yes! And yay! I have another middle grade novel entitled, Hidden Truths, coming out in 2023. This story is told from dual pov between best friends Danielle – a star baseball player – and Eric – her forgetful, but kind, goofy, crossword-loving neighbor.

Their friendship has begun to shift when a terrible accident happens, accelerating their rift.

At its heart, this story asks how far you’d go to keep a promise to a friend.

I’m also working on a picture book and starting a new middle grade that I am bursting with excitement to write.

Lots more to come. Woohoo!


10.    What advice do you have for young writers?

Read! Read! Read! And then write what matters to you. Because in that space of true authenticity, lies the story of your heart.

Since Elly shared her 6th grade picture, I feel the need to keep it going by sharing mine.

Little Reading Coach in sixth grade 2001.

To meet Autumn and read about her sixth grade experience, click here.

Little Reading Coach is a certified Teacher of English (K-12) and Reading Specialist (P-12) offering online reading, writing and home-based learning support tutoring services for students in grades 6-12. For more information head to my website.

AfterMath Book Review

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Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

I remember being in fourth grade when Columbine happened. I was in my second year of teaching when Sandy Hook happened. School shootings are true tragedies that affect those involved the rest of their lives.

AfterMath, by Emily Barth Isler, gives readers an inside look at grief, loss and devastation surrounding family, friends and gun violence.

Lucy is a seventh-grade girl who is moving to a new town after her little brother, Theo, dies from a heart condition. She moves to Queensland, Virginia, a town who experienced a school shooting in the elementary school a few years ago. She is the only student in her grade who was not part of that horrific day, but she is also grieving.

First, I must mention that I really loved the concept of this text. Typically, we read writings of the actual events that happen, but in this case, we see the ‘after’. We see how families, students, teachers, and the community grapple with tragic events that can never be forgotten.

I enjoyed the writing style of this book. I read it in two sittings and was thoroughly engaged. I love that there are little math questions and jokes, which emphasize Lucy’s need for definitive, black and white answers at this time. The point of view of Lucy is extremely effective. Readers of all ages can connect to being the new kid, experiencing loss, dealing with parents, and making friends.

Throughout the book, the theme of grief is seen in multiple ways.

Lucy’s grief. Lucy internalizes her feelings. She keeps her thoughts and emotions hidden not only from her new classmates, but also her parents. She doesn’t tell anyone at school about Theo because the teachers and students are already dealing with their own losses, and she doesn’t want it to seem as though she is competing with that. She doesn’t tell her parents because she has always had to be the ‘easy’ child. She gets good grades and does what is expected of her to make life easier for her parents. Also, her parents don’t communicate their feelings and memories of Theo, so the three of them constantly have an elephant in the room.

School’s grief. Lucy’s classmates react to their grief and loss differently than she does. They discuss the events and their feelings openly and matter of factly. They frequently bring up the shooting, their therapy sessions, injuries and emotions to one another to cope. The bond the school community has is supportive and loving.

The comparisons between the two situations shows readers that coping comes in many forms, depending on the individual and situation. Regardless of how someone grieves, we need to be supportive and understanding. Communication and honesty are also important aspects of the grieving process.

The theme of friendship is also seen in the story when Lucy befriends Avery, the girl no one notices. I don’t want to give away parts of the plot, but the author demonstrates to readers that kindness, standing up for one another, forgiveness and trust are all vital parts in a true friendship. Sometimes doing the right thing can be uncomfortable, but we must listen to our hearts and guts.

I would recommend this book for readers in sixth grade and up because of the mature topics. I can see this being used in a classroom as a whole class novel, especially since the author included some thoughtful discussions questions that highlight the themes in the text.

I would also like to add that this is the author’s first novel, which surprised me. Her writing is poignant, honest, supportive and loving. I could feel her warmth towards families affected by school shootings throughout my reading. I can’t wait to see what this talented writer does next.

To purchase the book click here.

Little Reading Coach is a certified Teacher of English (K-12) and Reading Specialist (P-12) offering online reading,  writing and home-based learning support tutoring services for students in grades 6-12. For more information head to my website.

Bridging the Gap: 3 Virtual Ways to Help Students in Grades 5-12

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Growing up, I was that kid who LOVED the summer read-a-thon my school hosted. I remember constantly going to the library and reading anywhere and everywhere. I probably should have also done some math work (I teach reading for a reason), but back in the day this was how students continued to improve their skills.

25 years later the world is a different place. Kids spend the summer playing video games, texting with their friends and getting involved in activities. Life is no where as simple as it used to be.

The expectations today are higher. The pressure to get good grades to get into good schools is real. The anxiety that kids have is real. During the school year, there just isn’t enough time.

Which is why summer is a great opportunity for students to practice and improve their skills. Over the years I have helped teens complete summer reading assignments, go through the writing process with a research paper, and complete college essays. I’ve also worked with students who need additional skills support by reading, discussing and analyzing novels and responding to writing prompts in preparation of the next school year.

The past year has been challenging for so many students and families. We can’t get time back, but we can take advantage of the summer months to fill in any gaps in reading and writing.

Below are three virtual options Little Reading Coach is offering to help students in grades 5-12 for summer 2021.

​Virtual Tutoring for Grades 6-12

Provides tutoring for:
*Reading (comprehension, vocabulary, intervention, summer reading, etc.)
*Writing (paragraphs, essays, research papers, college essays)
*Note-taking, study and organizational skills
*Distance/home-based learning support
(managing & organizing tasks, help with completing assignments)

Tutoring sessions include:
*50 minutes of customized one-on-one virtual tutoring
*Tutor notes emailed within 24 hours

Enroll in Virtual Tutoring

Middle School English Language Arts Boot Camp Course

Middle School English Language Arts Boot Camp

Use code SUMMER2021 to save $50

Are you concerned about learning loss?
Does your child need time to brush up on reading and writing skills?
Want to make sure your child is prepared for high school?

Developed by a certified English teacher and Reading Specialist, this 6-week virtual self-paced course covers all major reading and writing skills taught in middle school English Language Arts.

Grammar
* Parts of speech
* Sentence structure

Writing
*Paragraph Writing
*Essay Writing
*Persuasive Writing
*Research Paper
*Personal Narrative

Nonfiction
*Main Ideas and Details
*Author’s Purpose
*Cause and Effect
*Retelling and Summarizing
*Note-Taking Skills
*Lego Nonfiction Activity

Literature
*Reading Comprehension Strategies
*Plot
*Sequence of Events
*Point of View
*Figurative Language
*Symbolism
*Theme
*Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Lessons include:
– PowerPoint presentations
-Teacher created guided notes
-Quizzes
-Online games/activities
-Practice activities (with answer keys)
– Essay writing
-Teacher led read aloud of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

When you purchase this class, you get….
*Access to the LRC Academy VIP Facebook group to get advice, literacy tips and more!
*Teacher feedback on writing assignments. Students will participate in a variety of writing activities that can be emailed to the teacher for feedback
*Printable notes and presentations that can be utilized for future English classes
*Skill based lessons to help your student become confident in his/her reading and writing abilities

Enroll in Middle School English Language Arts Boot Camp

*Free* Weekly Read-Aloud

For students who love reading and may need some additional support, the weekly read aloud includes a teacher analysis and notes of the text covering:

 Reading comprehension
 Characterization
 Making inferences/drawing conclusions
Quote analysis
Theme 

5th & 6th graders will read The City of Ember
7th & 8th graders will read The Giver


Each week a new video recording will be released from 7/5-8/9. Students will have access to their text until 9/1.

Enroll in *Free* Weekly Read-Aloud 

Taking advantage of this summer to help students gain confidence in their reading and writing skills will provide a great transition into the ’21-’22 school year.

Little Reading Coach is a certified Teacher of English (K-12) and Reading Specialist (P-12) offering online reading,  writing and home-based learning support tutoring services for students in grades 6-12. For more information head to my website.

My Name is Layla Book Review

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Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

As I mentioned in my last post, “10 Reading Comprehension Tips“, middle and high school students are living in a text heavy world. They need to have strong reading skills to navigate reading textbooks, emails, writing lab reports, etc. But, what happens when a student is a struggling reader?

My Name is Layla, by Reyna Marder Gentin, is a realistic depiction of a dyslexic middle school student.

Layla, or ‘munk to her mom and older brother, is an eighth grade student who struggles with reading and writing assignments. Her best friend Liza and her neighbor Sammy, help Layla through the ups and downs of middle school life.

Layla

Like all middle school students, Layla wants to fit in. She worries about what she wears on the first day of school, what the popular girl thinks, and she worries that her teachers think she lacks intelligence. She envies Sammy, whose family sits down for dinner together every night, since Layla’s mom is a nurse who works the night shift and her dad has been out of the picture for 12 years.

On top of all this, she has a secret that she doesn’t share with anyone. It takes her a long time to read. “The words hop around like any good bunny should, refusing to stay still so I can get a grip on what they mean.” (15). The pressure to read quickly in class and get through homework each night is a lot for this thirteen-year-old, and she is used to low grades. For writing assignments, she struggles to get ideas from her head, through her fingertips on a keyboard and in an email to her English teacher, Mr. McCarthy. Through her frustrations, she has learned how to cope by watching movie versions of books to assist her in getting through assignments.

As a middle school English teacher, I can honestly say that the depiction of Layla is incredibly accurate. She avoids reading aloud in class or participating so she doesn’t bring attention to herself. She will submit gibberish writing out of pure frustration and she relies on her best friend to help her navigate projects. Layla’s emotions of anger, confusion, fear, and self-doubt resonate with readers on multiple levels as the school year progresses.

Plot

I really enjoyed the multiple layers happening in this book. The main conflict is Layla’s reading difference, but there is also a fair share of minor conflicts as well. As with any teenager, there are internal conflicts about her mom working and her dad not being present (until later in the book), problems with friends that involve trust, and the innocent buds of a potential first romantic relationship with a boy. Teenagers take everything to heart and can be very sensitive to change, as readers see when Nick suffers an injury in basketball. This book touches on all of the important themes in a young adult’s life: family, friends, relationships, and self-image.

Theme of Family

Today, families come in all shapes, sizes and forms and I really like that Marder Gentin chose to focus on a non-traditional family structure. Readers see Layla’s mom work overnight shifts, catching some sleep during the day to just repeat the routine again. She takes on extra shifts whenever she can in order to provide for her children, yet she will show up to basketball games and the first day of school when her children need her support. While Layla and her brother do have freedom after school, neither one of them takes advantage of this and continue to do homework, go to basketball practice and socialize with friends without getting into trouble. This maturity and self-reliance teach readers that being independent is important in life.

While no family is perfect, readers can empathize with Layla’s desire to have more family around for holidays, like Sammy’s. Or to have a mom that is very actively involved in her school life, like Liza’s mom. However, through her interactions with her friends, readers are reminded that each family has their own problems even if the outside world does not see them. For many teens, this nugget of wisdom is important because they don’t realize others may feel the same way they do.

Theme of Friendship

Friends are without a doubt the most important aspect of a teenager’s life, according to them. Establishing and maintaining true friendships takes time and effort on all parts, along with honesty. Typically, in YA books I find that there is often a backstabbing or betrayal between friends that causes a conflict. That doesn’t happen in My Name is Layla. In fact, Liza is an incredibly kind young lady (I hope my daughter has a Liza for a best friend in middle school). Liza knows that Layla struggles, but instead of ignoring this, Liza offers assistance to her friend wherever and however she can. From reminding her what class they have, or being partners for an in-class assignment, Liza takes Layla under her wing and supports her friend. There is never any negative comment made and Layla always feels comfortable.

Sammy. Ah, if there was ever a character I wanted to hug for being a good kid, it’s Sammy. His obvious crush on Layla isn’t the normal teenage kind. He truly likes Layla for who she is and wants to help her in his own way. I LOVE that he has the courage to ask Layla on a date to the basketball game and doesn’t leave her side when Nick gets injured. He mentions the Learning Center at school in the hopes of giving Lyla support in English. Through it all, Sammy is right there to help his neighbor (and girlfriend!).

Learning Differences and Dyslexia

Every single child learns differently. Some students show their struggles more than others, which is why there are always those that manage to “get by” in elementary school and part of middle school, but at some point someone notices.

Mr. McCarthy was Layla’s someone. He saw past her coping mechanisms and reached out to his school’s administration and helped create a plan for Layla (after a MAJOR plot twist that I refuse to mention). There were clues along the way that McCarthy was onto Layla, but she continued to plug along just “getting by”.

As I said before, teenagers worry about what others think of them. They never want to be “different”, especially at this stage. Layla is no exception to this because she cringes at the thought of going to see Mrs. Hirsch in the Learning Center.

What I LOVE about this book is the realistic way Marder Gentin has captured a teenager’s feelings when dealing with a learning difference. Readers experience the incredible emotions and thoughts that students cope with on a daily basis. As adults, we are reminded that these feelings need to be addressed when offering help to students. Anxiety and fear are incredibly consuming at this age, yet we need to provide the proper support.

Teachers like Mr. McCarthy and Mrs. Hirsch literally change lives.

Free Curriculum Guide

As always, my teacher heart gets insanely excited when there are resources to extend themes and learning in books. I will admit, I’m very picky with curriculum guides for my middle school learners, but this one is absolutely perfect! Not only is it aligned to the Common Core, it hits on all major teaching points for middle school English. There are plenty of discussion questions that can be used in small groups or whole class, it includes a few different activities for students (even some writing ones), a character chart with adjectives and practice with textual evidence and making inferences and drawing conclusions! AND, it’s also *FREE* on the author’s website! Pure perfection!

Never have I read a young adult book that hits on so many real-life issues for teens with so much accuracy. I highly recommend this book for parents and students in middle and high school, especially those with learning differences. Students will find comfort in knowing that they are not alone.

To purchase this book head over to Amazon.

Little Reading Coach is a certified Teacher of English (K-12) and Reading Specialist (P-12) offering online reading,  writing and home-based learning support tutoring services for students in grades 6-12. For more information head to my website.

Love in YA Books Distance Learning Activities for Grades 6-12

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YA books are known for having incredible characters who experience intense love. Whether that is friendship love, family love or romantic love, young adult texts show readers the power that love has in our lives.

Valentine’s Day is a day dedicated to love, and as a secondary teacher I still love celebrating holidays with my students. However, it can be hard to find activities that don’t involve writing love notes or the usual reading and answering comprehension questions. So, I decided to use popular YA novels to help me discuss the theme of love in a distance learning bundle.

Love in YA Books PowerPoint Presentation– Young Adult literature is known for focusing on the theme of love. This PowerPoint presentation, created by a certified Teacher of English and Reading Specialist, dives into the specific types of love (family, friends and romantic) in these texts. YA literature and the different types of love are defined. This is a great Valentine’s Day activity for students in grades 6-12, and can easily be adapted for Google classroom assignments.

Love in YA Books Guided Note Sheet- Young Adult literature is known for focusing on the theme of love. This guided note sheet is based on the Love in YA Books PowerPoint presentation, created by a certified Teacher of English and Reading Specialist. ,This is a great Valentine’s Day activity for students in grades 6-12, and can easily be adapted for Google classroom assignments.

Love in YA Books Quote Analysis Activity– Young Adult literature is known for focusing on the theme of love. This quote analysis activity, created by a certified Teacher of English and Reading Specialist, includes quotes from popular YA titles (The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Twilight, and City of Glass). Part one requires students to label each quote with the type of love being expressed and part two has students write a quote analysis paragraph. This is a great Valentine’s Day activity for students in grades 6-12, and can easily be adapted for Google classroom assignments. An answer key is included.

Love in YA Books Write Your Own YA Love Short Story– Young Adult literature is known for focusing on the theme of love. This short story activity, created by a certified Teacher of English and Reading Specialist, requires students to write their own short story including one type of love. This is a great Valentine’s Day activity for students in grades 6-12, and can easily be adapted for Google classroom assignments. A rubric is included.

Love in YA Books Bundle includes the following activities:

*Love in YA PowerPoint Presentation

*Love in YA Guided Note Sheet

*Love in YA Books Quote Analysis Activity

*Love in YA Books Write Your Own Love Short Story

Little Reading Coach is a certified Teacher of English (K-12) and Reading Specialist (P-12) offering online reading,  writing and home-based learning support tutoring services for students in grades 6-12. For more information click here.

A Christmas Carol Distance Learning Activities

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December is always an exciting month with so much holiday fun taking place. Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, is one of those classic pieces of holiday literature that is a great piece to use during this time with students in grades 6-12.

Many students often read the play version of this text, and take field trips to see a live performance. There are also countless movie versions available as well.

I have always been a believer in using film versions to support student’s learning and reading comprehension. I created five easy-to-use activities that can be paired with text and film versions of A Christmas Carol for those teaching remotely, hybrid or in person.

A Christmas Carol Scrooge Character Chart– Students can record how Scrooge changes as a character throughout the course of the text or film using this chart. It includes definitions of indirect and direct characterization and requires students to cite evidence and provide an analysis. This product can be used for any version of the text or film adaptations.

A Christmas Carol Character Chart– This character chart lists the main characters and requires students to record descriptions and provide evidence from the text or film. Characters included are: Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, Jacob Marley, Ghost of Christmas Past, Ghost of Christmas Present, Ghost of Christmas Future, Fred, Fezziwig, Belle and Mrs. Cratchit. This product can be used for any version of the text or film adaptations.

A Christmas Carol Lyrics Analysis Activity-Using lyrics from The Muppet’s Christmas Carol, students will highlight the text for examples of indirect, direct and background information on Scrooge. Based on the highlights, students will write three short responses that require textual evidence and explanations.

A Christmas Carol Compare & Contrast Text to Film Activity– Students fill out a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting a text to film version of A Christmas Carol. Based on the graphic organizer, students will respond to two short responses that include textual evidence and specific examples. This product can be used with any text and film version of the work.

A Christmas Carol Theme Extended Response– Students will write four paragraphs focusing on a theme seen in both a film and text version of A Christmas Carol. This product also includes a rubric.

A Christmas Carol Activity Bundle– This bundle includes the following activities:

*Scrooge Character Chart Activity

*A Christmas Character Chart Activity

*Lyrics Analysis Activity

*Compare & Contrast Text to Film Activity

*Theme Extended Response (with rubric)

**Bonus item** a fill-in plot diagram with definitions

This is the perfect product to help supplement learning while students read or view film versions of this classic holiday story. 

Little Reading Coach is a certified Teacher of English (K-12) and Reading Specialist (P-12) offering online reading,  writing and home-based learning support tutoring services for students in grades 6-12. For more information click here.

5 Ways to Support Special Education Students One-on-One in Virtual Secondary English Classes

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A few months ago, I did a post about Accommodating Special Education Students in the Virtual Classroom, but what can teacher’s do who work one-on-one with students?

While being a virtual English teacher and tutor, I also I currently work with special education students in an out of district placement school as a Reading Specialist. All of my students are reading below grade level and have very specific accommodations. I mainly pull students out (virtually) weekly for 45 minutes of one-on-one instruction.

My role is to support my students in their English courses, and sometimes in other content classes where reading comprehension assistance is required. For those of you looking for ideas and resources in the virtual classroom, below are some suggestions that I have used with my students.

  1. Ebooks. I absolutely LOVE sharing my screen in Zoom with students, and using ebooks has been the easiest way for me to do this. I have a Kindle Unlimited subscription that has come in quite handy, and I also spend my own money purchasing books I know I will use with multiple students. Currently, I’m reading The Witches and Fantastic Mr. Fox with two high school students. By sharing my screen, students can follow along while we read and they can use the pictures to help with reading comprehension (which is why I chose these texts). These books don’t come across as babyish for my teenaged students, and have pictures and manageable vocabulary so they don’t feel like they’re struggling.
  2. Videos. I have always been a believer about using videos and movies in the classroom, and the same carries into my virtual one. Sometimes it’s not realistic to show a whole movie, so I like to keep a stash of short film versions on hand. One of my junior’s needs lots of support with reading comprehension and vocabulary, so Shakespeare’s Macbeth is definitely not an easy text for her. Sparknotes is amazing to begin with for my kids, but they now have video summaries of the text! The almost ten minute video touches on theme, plot and characterization in a visual way that is perfect for classified students.
  3. Verbal answers. Have you ever watched kids try to type? It’s actually quite painful sometimes because kids take foreverrrr to type a sentence, let alone a paragraph. I try to eliminate as much frustration as I can for my kiddos, so I do a lot of verbal responses to assess reading comprehension skills. I also use this method for working on quizzes and tests, and I will email the teacher what score the student earned. Teachers normally give me the assessment so they know the questions asked.
  4. Pictures. Vocabulary always seems to be an area that my students struggle with, especially when dealing with high school level texts. While reading Beowulf with a junior, she was struggling with comprehension because she didn’t know what armor was. While we read a modified version of this challenging story, I stop every so often and show her pictures of important objects in the story (sword, bow and arrow). We work a lot on visualizing to help with her weak reading comprehension, so this strategy really works well for her.
  5. Making connections. Personally, I find that encouraging my special education kids makes a HUGE difference in not only their reading comprehension, but also their higher order thinking skills they use for theme. I try to do a lot of text to self and text- to text (media) connections because those are ones kids are most familiar with. I find this works as a great pre-reading and during reading strategy.

Little Reading Coach is a certified Teacher of English (K-12) and Reading Specialist (P-12) offering online reading,  writing and home-based learning support tutoring services for students in grades 6-12. For more information click here.

How to Provide Quality Feedback on Virtual Assignments

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I’m an English teacher. I grade A LOT of student writing. When I was in brick and mortar classrooms, writing assignments, process pieces and projects had rubrics with lots of comments written in cursive (it was much faster than writing in print). Unfortunately, I can’t necessarily do this quickly in the virtual classroom.

As teachers, time is precious, and grading is one aspect of our lives that takes the most time.

Today, I want to share how I provide quality feedback to my online Edmentum students in grades 6-12 .

  1. Start with a quick message. Being virtual, it’s imperative that we do our best to create relationships with students. This can even be done while grading. When a student submits an assignment to me, I always start with a quick message. For a discussion response, I say, “Thank you for your response. Please check your email for the rubric.” For activities (projects/essays/presentations), I say, “Thank you for submitting this assignment to me.” I like to set a nice tone before I dive into their performance on the task .
  2. Tell them the score. For all graded activities, I include a short line about the points they earned out of the possible points. For discussions, I say, “You have earned a ____ out of 12, which is a _____%.” For unit activities, I say for each task,” Score: __ out of 4″. This is really what students want to know and it provides for a smooth transition into the next few steps.
  3. Provide a scored rubric. To me, this has been a game changer for my students. For discussion responses, I highlight the rubric based on the response, and save it as a PDF. I email the discussion rubrics and feedback to my kids because there’s no way to attach it to the discussion in the module. For activities, in the feedback text box I copy and paste the score a student earned on the rubric and place it right under where I say the score. Doing this helps my kiddos understand why they earned the score they got and it also backs up the next step.
  4. Write a specific Oreo statement. This is by far the most effective way I have learned to provide my students with feedback. I like to think of an Oreo when writing to my kids- compliment, suggestions, end on a positive note. I start by always find something to praise the student for (word choice, answering all parts of the prompt, liking their idea, they made a good point, etc.). Then I dive into my specific reasons why they lost points and how they can improve. Just by adding these few sentences has saved me time with back and forth messages/calls/emails with students and parents, and has increased the amount re-submissions I receive. Finally, I end by saying nice, good, great or fabulous job based on the score the student earned. By doing the Oreo, I’m praising my student, providing constructive feedback and ending with a smile.

How to word constructive criticism

It’s all about the wording.

I have a tendency to repeat myself when I grade, which also helps make the process go faster. I focus on three categories (which happen to be the ones on the discussion rubric) answering all parts of the prompt, providing textual evidence/examples and explanations, and spelling and grammar.

If a student gives me a sentence or two and only focuses on the first part of a prompt with some spelling and grammar mistakes, this is what I normally write:

In the future, make sure you answer all parts of the prompt, elaborate on your ideas with specific examples and explanations and proofread your work for spelling and grammatical errors.

Then, I get down to the nitty gritty in the next few sentences.

For instance, you did not discuss what qualities the character has that you would like to have as well. Also, what did this character do in the book that showed she was brave? How does she support her friends?

I really try to be as specific with my questions to my students as possible, because I know this is how they will go back and revise their work. By asking questions, I’m giving students guidance in the direction I want them to tweak their work while also getting them to think about adding specific details to their writing.

Providing quality feedback does take time, but getting into a routine and having some solid wording, can make a big difference.

Little Reading Coach is a certified Teacher of English (K-12) and Reading Specialist (P-12) offering online reading,  writing and home-based learning support tutoring services for students in grades 6-12. For more information click here.

Incorporating Virtual Read Alouds for Grades K-12: Tips and Tricks from a Virtual Educator

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Read alouds are a time when students of all ages can get immersed in different worlds, make new friends, and go on amazing adventures. As teachers, we constantly read aloud in our brick and mortar classrooms, and this can still be a possibility in virtual classrooms.

I’m a strong believer in the power of read alouds for students in grades P-12. About two years ago I shared how I conducted read alouds in the virtual world via Zoom (click here). Since then I have experimented with a few different ways of incorporating read alouds for one-on-one and classes with students in grades K-12. I share my screen via Zoom and use e-books with students, or I read aloud from a paper based novel depending on the lesson.

Read Alouds for Grades K-5

When: I dedicated my morning meeting time to a read a book of the day. Typically this time is about 15 minutes, which is just enough time to read and touch on some reading comprehension questions. However, this can also be done as a mini-lesson. Read alouds can also take place during snack time and while transitioning subjects in the virtual world.

What: For early elementary read alouds, or beginner readers, I get picture books from Kindle Unlimited since I have a subscription, but some other options include Vooks and Epic!. Since I’m also a book reviewer, I love to use books I’ve reviewed with my students as well (check out one of my favorite authors below). This activity can also be done with nonfiction texts if you’re looking to include more in the curriculum.

What is the title of the book? Rescue. What is the picture? Three dogs. What do you think this story will be about? Dogs helping people.

How: I structure my read aloud with pre-reading, during reading and after reading sections. These can be super quick, or extended a few minutes depending on the text. Pre-reading– We always start by discussing the cover a book. Where is the author’s name? What is the title of the story? What is the picture? What do we think this book will be about based on the picture? I pose these types of questions and have students verbally respond, since typing would take them too long. During reading– Every few pages I stop and ask questions about the character, plot, text to self connections, setting, etc. Some are purely comprehension based and others are geared more towards making inferences. Who is the main character? What is the problem? My questions can usually be answered by using the pictures and the text, so all of my readers are able to participate, regardless of their reading ability.

What is Phoebe’s problem? She can’t find her favorite tennis ball. How does she feel about this? She’s surprised.

After reading– Similar to pre and during reading, I pose questions to my students about theme, rating the book, explaining their thoughts on the book, etc. Students can verbally answer this or use a white board/piece of paper to rate the book. If you’re looking for a more extended after reading activity, have students draw a picture and write a sentence or two related to the book. For instance, if the book is about pets, have students draw a picture of their pet (or their dream pet) and write a sentence with the pet’s name.

Read Alouds Grades for Grades 6-12

When: I would include a read aloud during language arts time, or at the start of a language arts class. If I’m reading aloud at the beginning of every class period, I dedicate 10 minutes for me reading and 5 minutes for students to respond to the reading. If I’m doing a live lesson for my virtual students, my read alouds last between 45 minutes to an hour about once a week.

What: For daily read alouds, I prefer to use a novel with students. Over the years I’ve used the following texts: City of Ember, The Face on the Milk Carton series, Among the Hidden, Divergent (censoring certain parts), The Hunger Games, The Giver, A Wrinkle in Time and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

How: My focus is to have students enjoy the story, so I do pre and after reading activities. My pre-reading consists of either me giving a recap from the previous days’ reading or having a student do it, and a brief “heads up” about the day’s chapter(s). I will also tell students what the after reading question is before I start reading to give them ideas to focus on during the read aloud. After reading activities can look a little different depending on how long my lesson is. One option is to have students respond to the reading question. This question can be answered in Padlet, Poll Everywhere, Google form, etc. In the past, I’ve used Padlet and I usually use one or two student examples or have a student pick their favorite response, one they disagree with, etc. to review the question. For an extended read aloud (45 minute to 1 hour) check out how I utilize chat to generate discussions here .

New Tricks

Since March, I’ve tweaked some of my instructional practices to provide additional support for reading comprehension.

*Discussions include more quote analysis to help with making inferences, drawing conclusions and other higher order thinking skills. Students are also encouraged to use to keep an eye/ear out for quotes that catch their attention.

*Audiobooks have been life savers. As an online teacher I teach English and English-based electives for grades 6-12, which includes A LOT of novels. I can’t read them all to my students, so by providing audio versions (thank you YouTube) my students can get the support they need. Also, during small groups or one-on-one sessions, I will use an audio version depending on the text. No one can read Harry Potter more perfectly than Jim Dale.

*Incorporating more connections for my students has also helped their reading comprehensions. For instance, in Divergent when Tris starts wearing eye liner and black clothing, I share a text to media connection I have with the movie Mulan. Both scenes show the girls stuck between two different identities of themselves and both help students understand the theme of identity.

To check out Rescue click here.

Little Reading Coach is a certified Teacher of English (K-12) and Reading Specialist (P-12) offering online reading,  writing and home-based learning support tutoring services for students in grades 3-12. For more information click here.