Asking and Answering Questions
The Asking and Answering Professional Development provides strategies to teach students how to ask and answer questions more effectively to improve comprehension in the classroom and on standardized assessments such as the STAAR.
Determining Importance & Summarizing Informational Text
Determining importance and summarizing is a complicated task for many readers. This professional development provides participants with instructional scaffolds that will help students comprehend informational text.
Six Syllable Types and Morphology
This set of videos is organized into two topics: Six Syllables Types and Morphology. The videos are edited from a six-hour professional development and may be used as a sequenced set of lessons or individually.
Texas Middle School Fluency Assessment (TMSFA)
Texas Education Code (TEC) §28.006(c-1) requires that students who do not meet the passing standard on the Grade 6 State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) reading test must be administered a reading assessment at the beginning of grade 7. The Texas Middle School Fluency Assessment (TMSFA) was developed with Texas students to be a valid and reliable instrument for determining students’ areas of instructional need.
The TMSFA is based on valid and reliable scientific research, thoroughly measures each domain of development, and is user-friendly. The following three domains of development are assessed using the TMSFA.
- Text Comprehension (Reading)
- Word Analysis
- Fluency
Language Arts Resources
LAR utilizes many techniques to help students learn the content. This is done by breaking the concepts down into smaller/targeted concepts, utilizing color coding, charts, mnemonics, graphics, audio clips, easy-to-grasp written and/or auditory explanations that students can internalize with ease; font size for emphasis; practice quizzes for students to self-check for understanding; level quizzes that progress from surface knowledge --> to connecting several concepts --> to applying the content to practical examples.
These learning techniques are especially beneficial for students who are English Language Learners (ELL), Limited English Proficient (LEP), English As Second Language (ESL), Special Education (SPED), and/or Sect. 504 students.
Visit the Language Arts Resources site to access student lessons, quizzes, and more!
Literacy Achievement Academy, Grade 3: Additional Resources
Grade 3 additional resources.
Reading to Learn Academy, Grade 5 Additional Resources
Grade 5 additional resources
Unit 2. Why Use the TPRI?
TPRI Module 1: Unit 2 Used in Grades K-3
Beginning Reading Instruction
This resource outlines the components of research-based programs for beginning reading instruction and is for all educators who want to learn more about how to support beginning reading instruction in students of all ages. Links to videos, handouts, and sample lesson plans are included.
Promoting Vocabulary Development
This resource outlines the components of vocabulary development. Links to videos, handouts, and sample lesson plans are included.
Comprehension Instruction
This resource outlines the components of research-based programs for reading comprehension instruction and is for all educators who want to learn more about how to support reading comprehension for students of all ages. Links to videos, handouts, and sample lesson plans are included.
2 Texas Middle School Fluency Assessment: Administering and Interpreting Results
This binder details how to score and interpret the results of the Texas Middle School Fluency Assessment (TMSFA). This course is Unit 4 of the Texas Adolescent Literacy Academy (TALA). These materials are available for view only; no credit or certificate is provided.
Linguistic Roots and Affixes (English 8 Reading)
You will be able to recognize linguistic roots and affixes to use in determining the meanings of academic English words and in other content areas.
Tone is in the Fear of the Beholder: Reading and Writing Using Multimodal Mentor Texts
This resource is a demonstration lesson presented at the 2014 Write for Texas Summer Institute. It provides a snapshot of a four to five week unit that engages students in the reading and writing workshop model.
Target 2% Lessons to Support Comprehension for Grades K through 5
These comprehension activities are designed to enhance the instruction of all teachers of reading and to meet the learning needs of all students, as indicated by data.
Denotation and Connotation (English I Reading)
You will be able to distinguish between the denotative (dictionary) meaning of a word and its connotative (emotions or associations that are implied rather than literal) meaning.
Explain the Influence of the Setting on Plot Development in Literary Text/Fiction (English 7 Reading)
You will learn how the setting in a story can influence the development of the plot.
Analyze Point of View in Literary Texts/Fiction (English 7 Reading)
You will learn how to analyze different points of view, including first person, third-person omniscient, and third-person limited.
Understanding Drama (English 7 Reading)
You will learn how to explain a playwright’s use of dialogue and stage directions.
Understanding Poetry (English 7 Reading)
You will learn the importance of graphical elements (e.g., capital letters, line length, word position) in the meaning of a poem.