The Benefits of Comics Composition in the Classroom

The Benefits of Comics Composition in the Classroom

In the spring, I was in a class on rhetoric and composition for my master’s in English program. We focused on many different ideas, from threshold concepts in writing to multimodal composition to inclusive practices for international and L2 students. For our summative assignment, however, we had to choose a focus that we hadn’t covered, or at least … Read more

Should We Teach Students to Use Citation Generators?

Should We Teach Students to Use Citation Generators? The Pros and Cons, Plus MLA Resources

One of the most difficult concepts taught in ELA classrooms is the essay. It’s because there are so many parts at play: formulating the research question, evaluating sources, gathering evidence, outlining ideas, and translating the outline from bullet points into a well-structured and original piece of writing. Phew. Add to all of that the idea … Read more

Why do we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Informative Essay Activity

Why do we celebrate St. Patrick's Day? Informative Essay Activity

It’s almost March, and in the U.S. that means businesses and schools are decorated with cardboard shamrocks, cartoon leprechauns, and obscene amounts of green glitter—all in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.  Many Americans participate in this verdant holiday, but do they ever ask themselves why? Why do we don green (instead of blue) and pinch each … Read more

“I Have a Dream” Teaching Resources

"I Have a Dream" Teaching Resources

A few weeks back, I celebrated MLK Day with a comic to honor the venerated activist and leader Martin Luther King Jr. To continue in this vein, and in honor of Black History Month, I’m sharing a few of my favorite resources for teaching MLK’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. (Get the full transcript … Read more

Make It A Movie Day: Debate & The Nightmare Before Christmas

I’ve written in the past about how I’ve used a movie day to not only give myself a break to grade, but also review important concepts with students. With the end of the first quarter and Halloween around the corner, I’ve come up with another assignment that combines the fun of a Tim Burton classic … Read more

Run-on Sentences: How to Find and Fix Them

Run-on Sentences Blog Title

Attempt, if you dare, to read the following paragraph: Have you ever been told that you need to edit your writing to eliminate run-on sentences this is likely because your lack of punctuation is making it difficult to disentangle your thoughts perhaps, however, you are using punctuation ineffectively, and sentences that seem complete are actually … Read more

Learn How to Use Active and Passive Voice in Your Writing

No matter what (some) English teachers like to say, there is no clear winner when it comes to active and passive voice. Both are useful, and choosing the right voice for your project depends on what you’re trying to achieve. Instead of determining which is “right” or “wrong,” let’s look at which moments are most … Read more