Audience Awareness: Shaping Student Writing Beyond the Classroom

Catherine DorianBlog, Connect Better, Innovate Better, Lead Better, Lesson Plan Better

TL;DR: Students primarily write for teachers in academic settings, but they also engage in real-world writing. Teaching audience awareness helps students understand their readers and write more effectively. Using a reader profile fosters a shift from self-centered writing to audience-oriented writing in various genres. Audience Awareness: Teaching your students to think about the reader behind their writing. When it comes … Read More

3 Strategies to Boost Students’ Speaking and Writing Skills

Stephan HughesBlog, Connect Better, Differentiate Better, Engage Better, Lead Better, Lesson Plan Better

TL;DR: Substitution tables are a helpful tool for students to practice using different words and expressions. They also help improve their vocabulary and confidence in English communication. Pre-teaching lexical bundles and collocations aids vocabulary and fluency development. They familiarize students with common word groups and natural phrase combinations. Assigning timed speaking and writing activities encourages clear and efficient expression. This … Read More

Spice Up Your Writing Block

Becky SchnekserBlog, Connect Better, Differentiate Better, Engage Better, Innovate Better, Lesson Plan Better

TL;DR: Here is an inspirational, engaging writing activity to spice up your literacy program. Provide images for students to write creative captions. Provide an image for students to craft a news story or article for the newspaper. Compose captions for short stories with photos for students to match. Provide a photo and ask your learners to compose a conversation that … Read More

The Insights of a Writing Life

Melanie MeehanBlog, Reflect Better

TL;DR: Many of us write for different reasons. Therefore, you are a writer! Think about your writing life by starting with a writing timeline. What was your experience as a writer throughout your life? There are steps to the writing process: generating, planning, drafting, revising, and editing. Each person may spend different amounts of time at different stages. Writers have … Read More