ELAConnections

BEGINNING OF SCHOOL VIDEOS

by Cindy Blevins on 08/26/17

I have compiled a variety of motivational videos for those of you who haven't started school yet. If you have already started, you will have this list for next year or when your students need a little motivation during the year. Hopefully, you can find one that works for you. If you have others you like, please share, and I will add them to this list.

· Change the World by Making Your Bed (6.00--my favorite!):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6OoCaGsz94&feature=youtu.be

· Create Your Best Year Ever (2.46): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7r7YY_EO0A

· Believe with Will Smith (4.0) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q__aQFmhig

· Never Give Up with John Cene (5.05) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnCunDK0tSw and his speech: (3.29) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eAGxiA4p2Q

· Apple Perspective: See Things Differently (2.54): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ1SDXbij8Y

· Apple: New Beginnings (3.37) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJAGqDYmW1o

· Giving is the Best Communication (3.21): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x_Fl3NQVd4

· Too Quick To Judge (3.20): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fzn_AKN67oI

· The Power of Words (5.01): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVY4DeAvnfI

· A Brand New Ending (5.18): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4ufWg6FKms&feature=youtu.be

· Gatorade Commercial: The Secret to Victory, Defeat (01.08): https://www.google.com/search?q=gatorade+the+secret+to+victory&ie=&oe=

· What Students Really Need to Hear (6.40): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O7v4EJjx-g&feature=youtu.be

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CLASSROOM RULES IN ONE WORD

by Cindy Blevins on 08/18/17

I am embarrassed by how I handled classroom rules at the beginning of the year when I first started teaching. Yet, like life, I learned from my mistakes and refined my rules through the years. I have done everything from lecture about the rules for 45 minutes (bury me now!) to having students read my rules (it's a reading class, correct?) and giving them a test over the reading that we would go over as a class (a little better, but still terrible!).

I finally landed on one thing that I did as long as I was in the classroom that proved very successful. I reduced my rules to one word: RESPECT. Respect for yourself, others, and property. It seemed all my rules fell within one of these categories of respect, and you could see the relief on the faces of my students when they realized they didn't have to sit through another classroom rules lecture! We then moved on to a fun and engaging reading/writing assignment and they went home thinking, "I just might enjoy my English class this year!"

How about you? What have you found that really helps with sharing classroom rules at the beginning of the year with secondary students?

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NEWEST TEKS UPDATE FROM TEA, 8/10/17

by Cindy Blevins on 08/10/17

New Kindergarten–Grade 8 English and Spanish Language Arts and Reading TEKS, Adopted 2017

In May 2017, the SBOE gave final approval to revised English and Spanish language arts and reading Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for K–8 to be implemented in the 2019-2020 school year. The new K–8 English and Spanish language arts and reading TEKS are now posted on the TEKS review and revision webpages for each language. Additional resources, including revised vertical alignment and side-by-side documents, will also be developed and posted to the TEKS review and revision webpages soon.

English Learners Language Arts (ELLA), Grades 7 and 8 The new Spanish language arts and reading TEKS include English as a second language TEKS for grades 7 and 8, English for Language Learners, Grade 7 and English for Language Learners, Grade 8. The ELLA TEKS may be substituted for the TEKS for English language arts and reading in the corresponding grade levels: English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 7 and English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 8. The ELLA TEKS are included in the Spanish language arts and reading TEKS available on the TEA website.

English Language Arts and Reading TEKS Review webpage: http://tea.texas.gov/Academics/Curriculum_Standards/TEKS_Texas_Essential_Knowledge_and_Skills_(TEKS)_Review/English_Language_Arts_and_Reading_TEKS_Review/

Spanish and English as a Second Language Arts and Reading TEKS Review webpage: http://tea.texas.gov/Academics/Curriculum_Standards/TEKS_Texas_Essential_Knowledge_and_Skills_(TEKS)_Review/Spanish_Language_Arts_and_Reading_and_English_as_a_Second_Language_TEKS_Review/

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NEWEST TEKS UPDATE FROM TEA, 4/20/17

by Cindy Blevins on 04/20/17

I had a great time in Austin at CREST (Coalition of Reading and English Supervisors of Texas) and wanted to share some updates with you. This first entry outlines where we are with the new TEKS. Be sure to use the links at the end of this Blog to access the proposed TEKS for your grade level, if you haven't already looked at them.

NEW TEKS UPDATE (April, 2017) for K-8

April 18-21, 2017 — SBOE public hearing and second reading and final adoption for elementary and middle school TEKS

May 2017 — Preliminary TEKS documents available

Summer 2017 — Revised TEKS filed as adopted with the Texas Register

2019-2020 — Implementation of the K-8 ELA TEKS

NEW TEKS UPDATE (April, 2017) for ENGLISH I-IV

The SBOE postponed first reading and filing authorization for proposed revisions to the English and Spanish language arts and reading TEKS for high school until the April 2017 meeting.

April 18-21, 2017 — SBOE public hearing and first reading and filing authorization for high school TEKS

May 2017 — Official public comment period begins

June 20-23, 2017 — SBOE public hearing and second reading and final adoption for high school TEKS

2020-2021 — Implementation of the high school ELA TEKS

OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED TEKS CHANGES

· Integrate Figure 19 expectations into general student expectations for each grade level and course

· Streamline TEKS

· Better align TEKS for English and Spanish, Kindergarten-Grade 6

· Add a new English Learners Language Arts (ELLA) course for grade 7 and grade 8

· Add a new English Language Development and Acquisition (ELDA) course for high school

· Organize TEKS around seven strands

PROPOSED STRANDS

1. Developing and sustaining foundational language skills

a. Oral language

b. Beginning reading and writing

c. Vocabulary

d. Fluency

e. Self-sustained reading

2. Comprehension skills

3. Response skills

4. Multiple genres

a. Literary elements

b. Genres

5. Author’s craft

6. Composition

a. Writing process

b. Genres

7. Inquiry and research

Two versions of proposed TEKS currently available:

1. Rule text version

K-2: file:///C:/Users/Cynthia/Downloads/ELAR_Kindergarten-Grade%202_Final%20Recommendations_April_color%20coded.pdf

3-5: file:///C:/Users/Cynthia/Downloads/ELAR_Grades%203-5_Final%20Recommendations_April_color%20coded.pdf

6-8: file:///C:/Users/Cynthia/Documents/Cindy%20Education/Cindy's%20H-Drive/TEKS/2017%20ELA%20TEKS/Ap2017/ELAR_Grade%206-8_Final%20Recommendations_April_color%20coded.pdf

High School: fil file:///C:/Users/Cynthia/Downloads/ELAR%20English%20I-English%20IV_Final%20Recommendations_April_color%20coded.pdfe:///C:/Users/Cynthia/Downloads/ch110c-one.pdf

2. Vertical alignment version file:///C:/Users/Cynthia/Documents/Cindy%20Education/Cindy's%20H-Drive/TEKS/2017%20ELA%20TEKS/Ap2017/ELA%20Vertical%20Alignment%20Doc_February%202017_approved%20first%20reading.pdf

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CREATIVE TEST PREP!

by Cindy Blevins on 02/25/17

Traditional test prep can be a recipe for disaster for teachers and students. This is not how you want to approach the big test day with your students. Since the brain likes novelty, incorporate it into your test prep. It basically freaks out your students’ brains and causes them to listen instead of turning you off.

Some ways to do this:

Incorporate a theme into your test prep (Olympics theme, Music theme, Racing theme, etc.).
If applicable, dress the part. Dress up in your “race car” attire.
Play related music as students enter your room.
Decorate your room according to your theme.
Allow students to practice passages in teams. I have found this produces much more productive talk than individual work, and it is much more beneficial overall.
To go over passages, play a game related to your theme. Teams compete against each other to review the answers. A team must give the correct answer AND support for the answer (or explain their answer). If an incorrect answer is given, the turn passes to the next team. If a team answers correctly, their “race car” is moved down the “track.” The first team to reach the end of the track wins—let them leave first when the bell rings or come up with another great reward. This is more engaging, even with older students, because it is different from traditional test prep.
To review the writing rubric, have students “score” the lyrics to popular songs (as appropriate). You will be surprised at what a great review this is!

Are you getting the idea? Basically, get creative and have fun with it! Your students will enter the test with a better attitude, and you will go home each day feeling accomplished as a teacher.

If you teach 8^th grade reading, www.ELAConnections.com has done all the creative work for you. Check out AIR: Adventures in Reading. You can use this before the main test or use parts of it for the retests.

Happy test prep!!

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