While teachers and schools across the country actively work to impart curricula that is relevant and meaningful to their students, the written standards and reading lists too often represent a Eurocentric perspective and reinforce inequities perpetuated by the status quo. Too frequently, teachers are inadequately supported with or provided…

"Integrating Social and Emotional Learning with Content" builds a framework for creatively and effectively using picture books to integrate social and emotional learning (SEL) with teaching across content areas. Thoughtful book choices in mixed-ability early elementary classrooms have the power to not only support gifted students as they…

Over the last several years, the West Fargo Public Schools district (North Dakota) came to realize its English language arts resources needed an overhaul. The books students were reading in class and the discussions classes were having were not reflective of the student body. What is the purpose for requiring all students to read a specific text?…

Books can indeed change us, and the Notable Children's Books in the English Language Arts Selection Committee is pleased to share a list of powerful books that they believe have the potential to change individuals. Through this list, they hope readers discover books that not only are worth reading but also can stretch their imaginations and…

In this mixed method study I evaluated the relationship between teachers' perceptions of text complexity and data of text complexity assessed by standard and non-standard measures in the disciplines of English Language Arts (ELA), science, and social studies. For the quantitative portion of this study, I evaluated and correlated the text…

This article explores why we need to be intentional about the literature we explore in our English language arts classrooms. It explores the question of what literature should be considered and strategies for using democratic practices in support of literature circles. It also reinforces the importance of collaborative practitioner research to…