The cover of the 2023 issue of NJEJ

NJ English Journal’s “Reviving Engagement in ELA”

It is my pleasure to announce the publication of the 2023 issue of New Jersey English Journal: “Reviving Engagement in English Language Arts.”

“This issue addresses a variety of topics, including student-centered writing instruction, early
childhood vocabulary acquisition, and fan fiction.” (Editors’ Note).

The issue features 8 articles and 3 poems related to the theme. Congratulations to the 15 writers whose work is included, and thank you to the reviewers and editorial board members for your contributions to this project. Special thanks to my co-editors, Susan Chenelle and Dr. Katie Whitley. We hope you enjoy this issue and share it widely! [ . . . ]  Read More

A Pandemic-Era Dialogue about Literacy, Learning, & Social Annotation

Although we did not get to present the panel discussion on social annotation we’d proposed for NCTE 2020, I’m thrilled to share this article I co-authored with Jeremiah H. Kalir, Michelle L. Sprouse, and Jeremy Dean on literacy, learning, and social annotation (“Foregrounding the Margins: A Dialogue about Literacy, Learning, and Social Annotation”). We joined forces as a group of teacher-researchers who use social annotation in various K-12 and higher education contexts.

When the NCTE convention’s unplanned shift to an all-virtual format resulted in the cancellation of many previously accepted sessions, the editors at Teaching/Writing put out a brilliant call for manuscripts to capture some of the ideas that couldn’t be shared at the conference. [ . . . ]  Read More

Embark Upon a New Decade of English Language Arts in NJEJ 2020

My co-editor Dr. Emily Hodge and I are thrilled to announce the publication of the 2020 issue of New Jersey English Journal: “What’s Next? Embarking Upon a New Decade of English Language Arts.”

“This issue addresses a variety of topics, including Young Adult literature, social justice, artificial intelligence, climate change, and mindfulness. We are proud to share work from writers across the country, including pieces by first-time authors, graduate students, and early-career teachers” (Editors’ Note). [ . . . ]  Read More

Learn in Your PJs with Free Digital Literacy PD

Are you interested in digital literacy? Would you like to do some professional learning from the comfort of your living room? Then read on to learn about 11 upcoming opportunities to jump-start your digital literacy knowledge!

Drew University’s DrewTEACH program is offering a full slate of free virtual professional development on digital literacy this spring. Learn about topics such as collaborative annotation, fake news, and ethical communities from the comfort of your couch by registering for the free series that begins January 21 and runs through April 7.  [ . . . ]  Read More

Embracing Visual Notetaking: A Review of McGregor’s Ink & Ideas

I’m thrilled to share my review of Tanny McGregor’s wonderful book, Ink & Ideas (2018), featured in the current issue of English Journal.

Ink & Ideas is an indispensable guide for any teacher looking to introduce or enrich sketchnoting (aka visual notetaking) in their classroom. Read the full review for several examples of how McGregor uses visual notetaking to enhance “engagement, comprehension, and thinking” across P-16 classrooms and subject areas.

Here’s an quick excerpt from my review posted on Twitter:

via @TobeyAnt

To learn more about my experience teaching sketchnoting and to access my favorite instructional resources for visual notetaking, check out the following posts:

Be sure to follow the author on Twitter @TannyMcG for regular doses of sketchnote inspiration!

via @TannyMcG

*****

Congratulations to Tanny McGregor on such an important achievement!

Thank you to English Journal for allowing free access to my article.

And special thanks to “Books-in-Action” column editor Nicole Sieben for editorial support throughout the publication process.

Access the full July 2019 English Journal issue, here.

Playful Learning Through Games and Collaboration

Audrey Fisch and I are excited to share a publication we’ve been working on for the Spring 2019 issue of the Journal of Language and Literacy Education (JoLLE).

Our article is entitled “Play and Learning with KAHOOT!: Enhancing Collaboration and Engagement in Grades 9-16 through Digital Games.”

In the piece, we describe our chance meeting on Twitter that inspired a collaborative learning experience between our high school and higher education classrooms. We detail our use of KAHOOT! as a teaching tool to review MLA format and academic integrity, reflecting on the value of play and games in the classroom. Additionally, we discuss the benefits of collaboration across grade levels and institutions, sharing opportunities to facilitate such collaboration through professional organizations and virtual networks.

The spring issue of JoLLE also includes podcast interviews with all of the issue’s authors. In our podcast, we discuss topics such as the role of technology in the classroom, the value of games and play, and professional uses of social media.

We really enjoyed the process of working together—first by connecting our classrooms, and later as collaborative writers of this piece—and we hope that our authentic joy comes through in the podcast and the article itself.

Photo by Kai T. Dragland / NTNU

 

Teach High School or Higher Ed? Want Free Books?

When I returned from a recent conference with boxes of books and swag, some of my colleagues asked how they could score their own free books for course consideration.

Several publishers will provide educators with free copies of their books to examine and consider for adoption in a course or curriculum. Many books are sent by mail, but some are offered as e-books. Publishers have their own requirements, but many require that educators sign up with a school email address, and some require that books are sent to a school address.

See below for ways that high school and college instructors can request free (and significantly discounted) examination copies. Happy hunting, book lovers!

High School Teachers

W.W. Norton & Company offers free examination copies for high school teachers, searchable by subject area. There are many more gems under their “instructors” tab—especially the section devoted to English. Norton’s regional sales representatives can help teachers navigate their catalogue and find new materials.

Penguin Random House offers low-cost books as examination copies for high school teachers: $3.00 for any paperbacks that retail for under $20, and 50% off for any hardcovers or paperbacks that cost over $20.

K-12 Staff Developers

Guilford Press offers free examination copies to staff developers who conduct trainings for K-12 teachers.

Stenhouse Publishers also offers

free review copies  [ . . . ]  Read More