#012: How to Effectively Teach Reading and Writing Skills in an Online or Blended Classroom Model

reading teaching Jun 18, 2020

Do you feel like you're fully prepared to teach reading and writing skills in an online or blended classroom model?

While teaching at a workshop this last weekend, I realized what a disservice is being done to teachers who still don't know what kind of teaching they'll be doing in the fall. The uncertainty of not knowing what the school model will be is stressful and exhausting. Teachers are planners. We want to be prepared. However, it feels impossible to be prepared when we don't know what we are preparing for.

Well, I'm here to tell you being prepared is something you can start to do now even if you don't know what the fall will look like. We simply have to have a plan for what to change for each teaching model. So here goes...

New Normal

I believe teaching online or in a blended school model will be the new normal for a large amount of schools around the country. We can't wait around for things to go back "to normal' because they simply won't. So, how do you make adjustments to your teaching to effectively teach, not just maintain, in these new models?

For our purposes, I'll use language arts as an example of how to transform your traditional teaching to fit with a blended classroom model.

So...How do you transform your instruction for effectively teaching reading and writing skills in the online and blended classroom models?

In this episode, we'll talk about what changes for different models and how to teach effectively in the fall. Here's a chart showing the variations. You can grab a free copy of the New Normal: Teaching Adjustments Chart here.

To begin with, I always choose 3-5 books [mentor texts] each week to teach with.

So for teaching point-of-view I might use some of these books:

Click here to listen to the podcast.

Here's a peek at what's inside this episode:

Why you need to pair down.
How to plan and manage the work load.
Finding balance with on screen work time and off screen work time.
How to create the essential elements needed for solid learning in various models.
Why "live"lessons are essential and how to provide that in different models.
The power of the check-in call.
What kinds of things can you do that are actually effective?

Click here to listen. If you need a little extra help getting a game plan ready, I have a free checklist for you in the links below and a list of books to get you started. In addition, I have linked some websites that might be helpful for some of you as you ponder your next steps beyond your classroom library.

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Links from this episode:

You can grab the New Normal: Teaching Adjustments Chart here.

Pear Deck: A powerful add on for Google Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint to make your slides interactive and track individual student responses.

Boom Cards: Engaging, interactive practice for your students.

Flipgrid: Both you and your students can record and share short videos.

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