There are reading standards for literature, reading standards for informational texts, foundational skills standards, writing standards, language standards…and ELA teachers are to teach students the skills within all of these standards in a school year’s time. This can be a challenge for several reasons:
- District Curriculums. I am fortunate to be a part of a district that provides a well-written curriculum for students, but I noticed that even with this curriculum, students can go weeks or even months without practicing some of those skills that should be rehearsed daily. Without regular review and practice, retention dwindles.
- Schoolhouse Impediments. Safety drills, inclement weather, power outages…one unforeseen event can throw a wrench into a whole week. One thing, then suddenly, you’re playing catchup and trying to see what nonessential things can be cut to assure the pertinent things are taught. Typically, when this happens, teachers teach to the test, the end of year test, that is – and they no longer prioritize those, still very much needed, skills that are not assessed at the end of the year.
- Benchmarks. Speaking of testing, progress monitoring and data-driven instruction has become more prominent in our schools. The continuous need to analyze student performance data has increased the number of benchmarks given throughout the school year. It can be kind of counterintuitive: each day class is abbreviated or eliminated for testing, instruction is lost. Many schools are seeing more testing days in exchange for fewer instructional days.
These obstacles do not excuse educators from teaching it all, the pressure is still on. After pondering, “How do we give our students the continuous practice they need?” I resolved to rely on class openers, or warm-ups, as some people refer to them. The first 10-15 minutes of class is pivotal for learners as it sets the tone for the day and warms students up to cognitive engagement. Because of this, is a great time to review and practice all those skills they need. The Spiral Reading Review Practice: Daily Practice Exercises provides continuous review and practice, is tightly aligned with the common core standards, and provides rigor
The Spiral Reading Review Practice: Daily Practice Exercises include:
- Answers & Explanations
- Skills Practice Exercises for Each School Day of the Month
- Practice Exercises Connected to the Weekly Text
- Four (4) Tiered Passages – A New Passage Each Week
- Themed Passages
Each exercise is designed to take 10-15 minutes of time, and I have found it to be the perfect solution for my students. If you’re ready to enhance your students’ learning experience and streamline your teaching process, download the free sample and give it a shot. Stay tuned for monthly releases of the Daily Practice Exercises that tie in with significant events each month, like the February packet featuring passages about Valentine’s Day and Zora Neale Hurston for Black History Month. Let’s make learning engaging and effective together!
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