WAYS of building the foundational skills of vocabulary and grammar

In addition to our in-class Independent Reading and Independent Writing, your individual and team efforts to deepen and broaden your literacy should consist of regular, sustained, deliberate practice of vocabulary and grammar, as well as occasional exercises with dictation and analogy. You may also consider some of these many suggestions.

As you and your team try to identify activities that you can do in common, while also respecting your individual abilities and needs, look for ways that you can share with each other—and, thereby, teach each other—what you’re learning. So, for example, if you agree that each team member will complete at least one “topic” (of their choice) in NoRedInk before our next class, plan to let each member spend a couple of minutes sharing what they learned with the rest of your team. If done with enthusiasm and openness, this sharing/teaching activity can generate real interest and insight.