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English Language Arts

How to Add Some Meat to Your Idioms Lessons

by BrainNinjasWP

Idioms can be challenging for students, so we brainstormed different ways to learn and practice the meaning of different idioms in the classroom. Come have a read.

Idioms are a complicated thing for many English Language Learners. In fact, many students struggle with them in their day-to-day life. Every language has its own idioms: phrases that say one thing literally but mean another thing figuratively.

Learning idioms helps students understand the cultural context and conversational skills. Many idioms come naturally to native English speakers, making them challenging for English Language Learners. Students with learning challenges like Autism or cognitive issues can find figurative language misleading and frustrating. In our experience, many native English speakers don’t always know the meanings of the idioms either, so they are great for all your students to learn.

What are some different ways you can help your students learn idioms?

[Read more…] about How to Add Some Meat to Your Idioms Lessons

Filed Under: Engaging Lessons Tagged With: Book Recommendations, books, English Language Arts, english language learners, Figurative Language, Idioms, Language Arts, task cards, Teachers Pay Teachers

22 Amazing Ways to Use Word Wall Words

by BrainNinjasWP

Are you trying to use a word wall, but are running out of ways to make it worth the time? Come check out this big list of ideas for how to make your word wall interactive and useful for all your students.

What are word wall words?

A word wall is an organized display of a collection of words that are usually left posted on a wall or bulletin board for a long period of time. The words are typically high-frequency words. Posted word wall words can provide a visual reference for students throughout a unit of study, a term, or a year. Teachers and students use these words continuously. 

But are you guilty of hanging up your words and then forgetting about them? Come learn how we make our word wall more interactive.

[Read more…] about 22 Amazing Ways to Use Word Wall Words

Filed Under: Teaching Strategies Tagged With: Classroom Set Up, ELA, ell, English Language Arts, esl, Language Arts, Teachers Pay Teachers, vocabulary, word parts, word study, word wall, word wall words

End the School Year With Lasting Memories

by BrainNinjasWP

Are you looking for ways to celebrate the school year with your students? We've collected some of the best ways we spend the last month of school in our upper elementary classroom (and of course we're still learning right up until the end). Come check out these ideas.

Every group of students you teach over the years will leave a special place in your heart. The names and faces might fade a little or get mixed up as the years pile up, but there are always some groups, names and faces that will stick with you. We try to make the end of each year special for our students. For some, the end of the year is a joyous occasion, but for others, it’s sad and summer break is not always wonderful for them. Here are some of the ways we end the school year in special ways to create lasting memories.

[Read more…] about End the School Year With Lasting Memories

Filed Under: Classroom Tips Tagged With: celebrations, classroom celebrations, Classroom Community, end of the school year, End of the Year, English Language Arts, Language Arts, Logic Puzzles, outdoor activities, theme days, Writing Prompts

Practical Strategies for Reluctant Readers

by BrainNinjasWP

Do you have students who avoid reading? Check out these step-by-step effective strategies for reluctant readers so you can get all of your students to enjoy reading.

Do you have students in your classroom you would label as reluctant readers? A reluctant reader is usually considered to be a person who doesn’t read for pleasure, but we’re about to debunk that myth and help you out in your classroom by giving you strategies to engage reluctant readers in ways you didn’t even know you needed.

[Read more…] about Practical Strategies for Reluctant Readers

Filed Under: Classroom Tips, Teaching Strategies Tagged With: Book Recommendations, English Language Arts, english language learners, language, Language Arts, Reading, reading strategies, reluctant readers, strategies for reluctant readers

Disguise Research Skills as a Scavenger Hunt

by BrainNinjasWP

Give your students meaningful practice doing research by completing scavenger hunts. They're fun and serve a purpose. Come find out how we use them in our classroom.

Sometimes students don’t understand how time is of the essence when doing research. They lack the research skills to use text features, skim materials, and find items quickly. Not only does this slow down their work, it often results in incomplete research and general frustration.

It is a struggle year after year.

However, we have managed to find some activities that help students refine their research skills: scavenger hunts. It turns out that making research fun and game-like can have a positive impact on how students complete research.

[Read more…] about Disguise Research Skills as a Scavenger Hunt

Filed Under: Engaging Lessons, Teaching Strategies Tagged With: Digital Citizenship, Digital Safety, ELA, English Language Arts, Geography, research, research skills, scavenger hunts, Social Studies, Teachers Pay Teachers, TpT Products

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