What if your ELA classroom could spark deeper and more meaningful learning?

Authors Beth Pandolpho and Margaret Lane Dunne offer 25 foundational learning opportunities for student engagement and self-directed learning. This practical resource helps educators foster student choice, allowing secondary students to develop their authentic voice through critical reading and literary analysis. Research based and standards aligned, these practices support life skills learning and are adaptable to any curricular framework.

Grades 6–12 teachers can use this book to:

• Design classroom-ready, standards-based learning experiences that prioritize student relationships, belonging, and a supportive classroom community
• Create opportunities for scaffolding and differentiation
• Foster student independence through project-based learning
• Deepen literary analysis skills through shared reading and collaboration
• Help students explore their own questions and goals through inquiry-based learning

Contents:

Introduction

Chapter 1: Building the Foundation for an Engaging Classroom

Chapter 2: Engaging Students With Assigned Texts

Chapter 3: Engaging Students in Independent Book Clubs

Chapter 4: Engaging Students in Literary Analysis

Chapter 5: Engaging Students in Finding Their Voice

Epilogue

Appendix A: Glossary of Instructional Strategies for Engagement

Appendix B: Standards Alignment by Essential Practice

References and Resources

Index