Hi Dr. Louis! Happy New Year! I have a question for you regarding expository writing. In filling out the T-Chart for a body paragraph, how do you explain the difference between the commentary sentence and the concluding sentence? The ideas …
Good morning Dr. Louis, I am having my students complete outside reading before they come to class and as a way to support their comprehension and prepare them for a quick reading quiz, I am going to have them write …
Dear Dr. D, I have students stating that they struggle to reach the minimum word count while following the Jane Schaffer structure. For example, if the essay is to be 600-800 words, they may have only 450 words but state …
Hi. My name is Melissa. I was trained by you last school year with junior high and high school teachers of Ennis ISD. My seventh-grade students are writing a biography about an author. I’m requiring them to use the Jane …
Hi, Dr. Louis: My name is Jaime, and I’m a teacher in Los Angeles. We spoke on the phone about a month ago or so. I’m just sort of in a quandary using the Jane Schaffer Method with my students …
A .pdf resides here that shares with you Jane’s “Non-Negotiables.” Jane’s non-negotiables
Dear Dr. D’, What do I tell my department when they would like to change the ratios from what they were taught? Frustrated Department Chair Dear Frustrated, Your question is one which I address on a regular basis; and, now …
Dear Teachers, Today is the fourth blog in a four-part series called “Hitting on All-Cylinders” (HOAC). The series began with one of my colleagues asking me how to get everything done in a given year. In other words, her Scope and Sequence (S&S) …
Dear Dr. D’, “For the synthesis question on the AP Language exam (which is basically an argument prompt but the students have to use outside sources as CD’s), I’ve heard much talk from other AP teachers that the commentary should …
Dear Dr. D’ My students do not know how to put quoted material in their essays? Can you help me? Margaret Dear Margaret, My friend, Shelly Cook, calls this strategy “Avoiding the Kerplunk Effect,” and I love that …