Shaped

A community-driven blog supporting educators, building lifelong learners, and shaping the future of education.* 

 

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SEL in ELA

Need a Timesaver? Try an Activity That Ties SEL to ELA

Integrate social-emotional learning into your English language arts curriculum with this literacy activity, where students read and study a text and practice important SEL competencies.

Janna Sakson
Shaped Contributor

Margaret walker jubilee

Celebrating the Legacy of Author Margaret Walker and Jubilee

Honor author Margaret Walker and her book Jubilee, which tells the story of American slavery, the Civil War, and Reconstruction from the point of view of the enslaved people.

Susan Steinway
Archivist, HMH

Reading conferring

The Challenges of Conferring With Our Strongest Readers: Part 1

Follow these tips as you try to confer with strong and prolific readers in your classroom who seem to have everything.

Kathy Collins
Literacy Consultant, Author, and Aspiring Educator

Teaching how to write an email

You've Got Mail: How to Teach Email Writing to Students

Learn how to teach email writing to students and focus on proper email etiquette so they can ask questions and send greetings to teachers, school staff, and even parents.

Sally Doulton
Teacher, Manhasset Secondary School, New York

Get students engaged in reading

How to Get Students Engaged in Reading: 5 Tips for Teachers

Learn from a READ 180 educator how to get students engaged in reading, especially in the intervention classroom. Encouraging reading in the classroom starts with these five steps.

Charmion Mohning
Secondary Reading Coordinator, Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District

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Podcast: Words from a Teacher Influencer with LaQuisha Hall on Teachers in America

Meet LaQuisha Hall, 2018 Baltimore City Teacher of the Year, as she talks about teaching in the community of Baltimore, using social media as a teacher, and being a survivor of sexual abuse and a former ward of the state.

Onalee Smith
Shaped Contributor

How to write a persona poem

Unearthing Challenging History: Teaching Persona Poems in the Classroom

Teach your students how to write a persona poem with these tips from poet and teaching artist Glenis Redmond along with four persona poem examples.

Glenis Redmond
Poet and Teaching Artist

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5 Reading Resolutions for Educators: #1—Start Right, Finish Strong

HMH's Chief Research Officer examines how recent research can lead the way to improving literacy outcomes for our learners and unlocking their potential as readers.

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

Literacy Work Howto Writea Poem 1

Hook Students Through the Heartstrings With Poetry

Use this downloadable lesson plan by Poet Glenis Redmond in your classroom, and you can discover a lot of surprising and touching information about your students and their lives.

Charmion Mohning
Secondary Reading Coordinator, Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District

Dionna Smith
ELA and READ 180 Teacher, Thornton Middle School, Texas

Sandra Windham
READ 180 Teacher, Cypress Creek High School, Texas

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Mindshift in How We Teach English Learners

Reimagine how you teach ELs by reconfiguring the way you view second-language acquisition and adapting your practices, policies, and resources to reflect it.

Joanna Miral
Shaped Staff

Jago 2020 Literacy Predictions

A 2020 Literacy Strategy: From Reading Worriers to Reading Warriors

A literacy expert weighs in on the latest research and trends to help inform teaching strategies in the new year.

Carol Jago
HMH Author and Associate Director, California Reading & Literature Project at UCLA

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Teaching Mindfulness in the Classroom With Early Learners

Begin teaching mindfulness in the classroom with your early learners using this handy primer from a veteran teacher for practicing mindfulness in schools with your students.

Kim Block
Retired Teacher

Best holiday books for kids

The Best Holiday Books for Kids to Celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah

This list of the best holiday books for kids can help you celebrate winter festivities in the classroom. These Hanukkah and Christmas books will also teach your students about religious traditions.

Susan Steinway
Archivist, HMH

How to write a praise poem

New Wings: Writing Praise Poems in the Classroom

Poet Glenis Redmond says teaching students how to write a praise poem is a great way to dive into metaphors and similes and have them flex their creative muscles.

Glenis Redmond
Poet and Teaching Artist

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Podcast: Future Skills for Fact-Checking Online Fakes

Listen to a podcast on teaching media literacy in the classroom and developing effective media literacy programs in schools, featuring Katy Byron (MediaWise at Poynter) and Erik Palmer (author and former teacher).

Onalee Smith
Shaped Contributor

Wordless picture books hero

Wordless Picture Books in the Classroom: Telling Stories Through Illustrations

Wordless picture books can teach kids to gather information from visual clues. These books with no words allow them to move from merely describing what is happening to narrating a story.

Susan Steinway
Archivist, HMH

6 Tips from Literacy Experts

6 Literacy and Leadership Tips Every Educator Should Know

Implement these tips from our literacy experts and leaders in education to better support all students in the classroom.

Onalee Smith
Shaped Contributor

Reading intervention in a digital world

Reading Intervention in a Digital World: Q&A With Elmira City School District

Find teacher insights into how reading intervention has evolved in the past two decades as well as advice to maximize student outcomes, ensure a growth mindset, and more.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

*The views expressed in our blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of HMH.