Teaching Strategies for Language Arts

Use these strategies to improve your students' language arts skills. Included are articles to teach you about each concept and lesson plans with which you can implement the strategies. These are great professional development resources and are an excellent resource to ensure that you are improving your professional skill set. These are great professional development resources and are an excellent resource to ensure that you are improving your professional skill set.

Articles Phonemic Awareness A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a spoken word that makes a difference in the word's meaning. Phonemic awareness is an integral part of learning to read. Syllable Awareness Syllable awareness is one component of phonological awareness. Students gain the ability to hear phonemes that comprise words and to explore speech sounds as syllables. Phonics Phonics teaches students the systematic and predictable relationships between the letters (graphemes) of written language and the individual sounds (phonemes) of spoken language. Fluency Fluency is generally defined as the rate, accuracy, and expression with which students read. Learn here how to ensure your students become fluent readers. Building Vocabulary To develop students' vocabulary, teachers must encourage a curiosity about the meaning and use of unfamiliar words and promote the use of strategies that will help students find the meaning of unfamiliar words. Letter Identification Letter identification instruction includes teaching the name, characteristics, and formation of the 26 uppercase and lowercase letter symbols used in the English language. Writing Workshop A writing workshop is a block of time set aside in the school day to focus exclusively on the writing process. Writing Aloud Writing aloud, or modeled writing, is a strategy wherein teachers use a "think aloud" strategy to share their thinking as they compose a piece of writing in front of students, helping make the writing process visible and concrete

Shared Writing In shared writing, the teacher and students compose text together, with both contributing their thoughts and ideas to the process, while the teacher acts as scribe, writing the text as it is composed. Writing Conferences The writing conference is a one-on-one strategy, that takes place between the student writer and the teacher. Peer Response and Editing Peer response and editing are processes through which students respond to and provide feedback on their peers' writing. They are not meant to take the place of teacher evaluation, but when incorporated into the writing process, they can be useful learning tools for both the writer and the student providing feedback. Related Lesson Plans Counting Syllables in Words Students will count the number of syllables in words with this hands-on activity. Deleting Syllables Students will name one word of a compound word when the other word is taken away. Spelling Multiple Syllable Words Use a lesson that teaches students a systematic approach to using phonics in order to spell multiple syllable words. Building Vocabulary Using Word Roots and Prefix Meanings During the lesson, students build their vocabulary by using word webs to help them learn the meanings of different Greek and Latin roots and common prefixes. Building Vocabulary Using Analogies In this lesson, students build their vocabulary by using analogies to help them learn the meanings of grade-appropriate words.   More Professional Development Resources for Teachers