27 January

Life is a Timed Test!: How to Integrate ELA Skills and Concepts to Achieve Goals and Complete the Scope and Sequence

Posted by Dr. Deborah E. Louis
Categories Blog, Core Literature, Grammar, Planning and Preparation, Reading Closely, Syntax, Testing, Vocabulary
Comments 0 comment

Dear Dr. D’, “Our Scope and Sequence is huge, and I do not know how to get everything done and include the Jane Schaffer Writing Program, too. Help!! I’m drowning!” Lisa Dear Lisa, Most teachers feel the same as …

15 December

STAAR® Woes: Writing an Expository Essay Without It Transforming Into a Personal Narrative

Posted by Dr. Deborah E. Louis
Categories Blog, Expository, Testing
Comments 0 comment

Dear Dr. D’, “I have a question regarding last year’s 7th grade Expository STAAR® Prompt. We just took our 2015 benchmark (MOCK STAAR) and I am reading the students’ essays. I am a bit confused about how they would have …

20 August

The Best Laid Plans: Literary Analysis vs. Expository

Posted by Dr. Deborah E. Louis
Categories Blog, Expository, Literary Analysis, Modes, Planning and Preparation, Testing
Comments 0 comment

Dear Dr. D’ I am a high school English teacher, and because the Writing section of Common Core does not list Literature, I am expected to teach non-fiction for writing purposes. Students need to learn and write about the classics! …

23 March

Persuasion vs. Argumentation

Posted by Dr. Deborah E. Louis
Categories AP®/IB, Argumentation, Blog, JSWP Advanced, Testing
Comments 0 comment

Dear Dr. D’, Could you please explain the difference between persuasive and argumentative writing…could it be as simple as semantics? – Gerene Dear Gerene: The difference is semantics, but in its most formal sense: …