5th Edition

In my work as a consultant, I often get asked about professional resource books. My usual go-to authors are Penny Kittle, Kelly Gallagher, and Linda Rief, as what they have to offer are classroom-tested ideas for English Language Arts (ELA). Lately though, I attended a webinar with Jennifer Serravallo and now I understand what everyone has been talking about. Her book list is long, however there are three titles that I think are essential for ELA teachers.

Getting students to talk in class is never easy. Encouraging them to persuade an audience or defend an argument can sometimes feel like the proverbial pulling of teeth. Having students ‘buy-in’ for a class speech or debate is challenging at the best of times. No surprise then, that talk in the age of online teaching seems an insurmountable task… One answer: Among Us, a free online game where players need to simultaneously complete small tasks and avoid being killed by an imposter​.

Teachers have been working hard to find creative and workable solutions for all of the professional shifts and changes that we have been living through since the pandemic began. It has been a challenge to find ways to address equity and differentiation, to maintain connected relationships with our students and to engage them effectively online. With so much Ed Tech out there, it is difficult to choose which tools are worth our time and energy.
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This is where ATEQ’s curated list of Hybrid and Online Teaching Resources, created by and for English teachers in Quebec, comes in.

Are you looking for an engaging book to introduce into an existing unit or a new novel for literature circles? Cherie Dimaline’s The Marrow Thieves may be just what your class needs. This YA novel has much to offer a young reader, including issues related to family bonds, friendships, romance, adventure, survival and Indigenous culture and history, together with an element of suspense.