The Multimedia Writing Toolkit demonstrates how, by drawing on students’ interest in and familiarity with technology, you can integrate multimedia to maximize the potential of writing instruction. In eight concise chapters, author Sean Ruday identifies and describes simple, common forms of multimedia that upper-elementary and middle school students can use to improve their argument, informational, and narrative writing and critical thinking. You’ll learn how to: Incorporate multimedia into argument, informational, and narrative writing through students’ use of video topic trailers, online discussion boards, webpages, and more. Evaluate students on effective use of multimedia through easy-to-follow rubrics and explicitly articulated learning goals. Understand more fully the key forms of multimedia through user-friendly overviews and explanations; you don’t need to be a "techie" teacher to use these strategies! Overcome possible obstacles to the integration of multimedia in the classroom by learning from the author’s concrete, first-hand examples and instructional recommendations. This book is complete with resources designed to provide you with extra support, including reproducible classroom-appropriate charts and forms, links to key web-based content discussed in the book, and a guide for teachers and administrators interested in using the book for group-based professional development. With The Multimedia Writing Toolkit, you’ll have a clear game plan for encouraging your students to become more engaged, technologically savvy learners. Bonus: Blank templates of the handouts are available as printable eResources on our website (www.routledge.com/9781138200111).

The Multimedia Writing Toolkit demonstrates how, by drawing on students interest in and familiarity with technology, you can integrate multimedia to maximize the potential of writing instruction. In eight concise chapters, author Sean Ruday identifies and describes simple, common forms of multimedia that upper-elementary and middle school students can use to improve their argument, informational, and narrative writing and critical thinking. You ll learn how to: Incorporate multimedia into argument, informational, and narrative writing through students use of video topic trailers, online discussion boards, webpages, and more Evaluate students on effective use of multimedia through easy-to-follow rubrics and explicitly articulated learning goals Understand more fully the key forms of multimedia through user-friendly overviews and explanations; you don t need to be a "techie" teacher to use these strategies! Overcome possible obstacles to the integration of multimedia in the classroom by learning from the author s concrete, first-hand examples and instructional recommendations This book is complete with resources designed to provide you with extra support, including reproducible classroom-appropriate charts and forms, links to key web-based content discussed in the book, and a guide for teachers and administrators interested in using the book for group-based professional development. With" The Multimedia Writing Toolkit, "you ll have" "a clear game plan for encouraging your students to become more engaged, technologically-savvy learners. Bonus: Blank templates of the handouts are available as printable eResources on our website (http: //www.routledge.com/9781138200111)."

In order for students to write effective narratives, they need to read good narratives. In this practical book, you’ll find out how to use mentor texts to make narrative writing instruction more meaningful, authentic, and successful. Author Sean Ruday demonstrates how you can teach elementary and middle school students to analyze the qualities of effective narratives and then help them think of those qualities as tools to improve their own writing. You’ll learn how to: Introduce your students to the key features of a successful narrative, such as engaging the reader, organizing an event sequence, and crafting a strong conclusion. Assess students’ writing by evaluating the specific attributes of an effective narrative. Make narrative writing an interactive, student-driven exercise in which students pursue their own writing projects. Use mentor texts to help students learn the core concepts of narrative writing and apply those skills across the curriculum. Encourage students to incorporate technology and multimedia as they craft their narratives. The book is filled with examples and templates you can bring back to the classroom immediately, as well as an annotated bibliography with mentor text suggestions and links to the Common Core. You’ll also find a study guide that will help you use this book for professional development with colleagues. Bonus: Blank templates of the handouts are available as printable eResources on our website (http://www.routledge.com/9781138924390).

The Common Core’s language standards can seem overwhelming—students need to learn specific, complex grammar rules at each grade level. The Common Core Grammar Toolkit to the rescue! In this comprehensive guide, author Sean Ruday shows how you can make grammar instruction fun and meaningful. You will learn how to... Teach the Common Core’s language standards for grades 9–12 by presenting each grammar rule as a useful writing tool. Use mentor texts—excerpts from great literature—to help students understand grammar in action. Promote metacognition along the way, so that students become responsible for their own learning. The book thoroughly covers how to teach the Common Core’s language standards for grades 9-12, on topics such as varying syntax for effect, using domain-specific words and phrases, analyzing nuances in word meanings, using semicolons to link related clauses, and more. You’ll learn how to present each of these grammar rules to your students as tools that will help them improve their writing. You’ll also find resources designed to provide you with extra support, including reproducible classroom-ready charts and forms, an annotated bibliography of suggested mentor texts for each grammar rule, and a guide for teachers and administrators interested in using the book for group-based professional development. With The Common Core Grammar Toolkit, you’ll have a clear game plan for encouraging your students to use language more purposefully and effectively.

Teaching grammar can be overwhelming and is often an overlooked part of effective instruction, especially for young learners. The Early Elementary Grammar Toolkit to the rescue! This comprehensive guide makes grammar instruction in the K–2 classroom fun and meaningful. You will learn how to: Teach grammar in a practical and applicable way by presenting each grammar rule as a useful writing tool for students. Use mentor texts—excerpts from great literature—to help students understand grammar in action. Promote metacognition along the way so that students become responsible for their own learning. Implement innovative instructional strategies and tools aligned with national and state standards. Throughout the book, you’ll find step-by-step recommendations for teaching grammatical concepts to young learners, including the use of punctuation, capitalization, parts of speech, and more. With standards-based resources and activities for grades K–2, the book includes tips addressing teaching for each of these grades, classroom snapshots that show you the tools in action, flowcharts, infographics, and specific instructional recommendations to engage students.

This book is a practical, research-based, classroom-ready resource for English language arts teachers interested in learning how to incorporate culturally relevant pedagogy into all aspects of their instruction, including writing, reading, and vocabulary lessons. It also provides suggestions for building an inclusive classroom environment in which all students’ backgrounds are valued. Topics covered: Writing strategies and diverse texts Dialect and student writing Applying reading strategies to texts that represent diverse backgrounds Using reading strategies in out-of-school contexts Considering students’ funds of knowledge and language awareness Connecting linguistic diversity to word-root instruction Building an inclusive classroom environment The appendix features several useful tools, including a study guide, a comprehensive list of suggested texts, recommendations for parent communication, and reproducible tools for the classroom. The study guide and reproducibles are available for free download from our website at www.routledge.com/9781138393318.

The First-Year English Teacher’s Guidebook offers practical advice and recommendations to help new English teachers thrive in the classroom. Each chapter introduces a concept crucial to a successful first year of teaching English and discusses how to incorporate that concept into your daily classroom practice. You’ll find out how to: Clearly communicate instructional goals with students, parents, and colleagues; Incorporate students' out-of-school interests into the curriculum; Use assignment-specific rubrics to respond to student writing in meaningful ways; Integrate technology into ELA instruction; Conduct student-centered writing conferences; Make time for self-care and self-improvement; and much, much more. Additionally, the guidebook provides a number of forms, templates, graphic organizers, and writing prompts that will enable you to put the author’s advice into immediate action. These tools are available for download on the book’s product page: www.routledge.com/9781138495708.