Sometimes, as engaging as our introductory lessons and materials are in support of a new text, they need just a little extra. It never fails. If I ...
Introduce Shakespeare with a Mystery!
Looking for a fun way to introduce Shakespeare? Skip the intro lecture and immerse your students in a Shakespearean mystery to learn about him ...
Help Your Students Step Away From the Thesaurus With These Precise Verb Cards
Verbs matter. Two events last fall prompted me to create task cards that would lead my students to understand the same. The same week that I was ...
Spark Your Students’ Creativity with this Jekyll and Hyde Digital Escape Room
Digital escape rooms have become one of my favorite activities to share with my students. I love the student engagement that I see with these kind of ...
15 SAT Prep and AP Resources to Boost Your Students’ Pass Rates
As a high school English teacher, I’ve spent over ten years preparing my students for the SAT and AP tests. I believe it’s crucial to provide test ...
Introduce Middle School Essay Writing with This Relatable Metaphor
Picture this: You’re planning your best friend’s birthday party. What will you serve? What entertainment will you provide for your guests? When I ...
Welcome to the Innovative English Instruction Blog!
Hi, I’m Kristen! I’m a high school English teacher, proud English nerd, and the Teachers Pay Teachers author at Innovative English ...
Four Poetry Lessons to Boost Student Engagement During Distance Learning
Strengthening students’ connection to their education is crucial - especially if your class is meeting virtually for the foreseeable future. When we ...
Back to School Classroom Decor: Meet the #SocialDistancersofLiterature
Last spring, at a time when I teach Emily Dickinson, I was surrounded, like we all were, by messages of "social distancing." The term got me thinking ...
