English Language Arts
A collection of lessons and activities from Inspired Teaching to foster authentically engaging learning with students and deepen teachers' understanding of their role in the classroom.
Whether you teach early childhood or calculus, these award-winning lessons and activities—informed by 30 years of work with thousands of educators—authentically engage, spark curiosity, build community, and support academic success in your classroom. The self-led teacher assessment tools challenge you to shift your role from deliverer of information to Instigator of Thought, providing small steps with big payoff for reinvigorating your practice and rediscovering your why.
Looping
The deceptively simple practice of “looping” – listening to understand, not just to respond, helps us get curious about other people’s perspectives and experiences – a critical skill for all members of a society.
Imaging to Music
This activity invites participants to broaden their context about what it means to be a writer. It encourages growth through practice and self-management as ideas arise through the prompting of music.
Creating a Class Constitution
Engaging students in creating a class constitution has the double benefit of co-creating a classroom community and learning about the rights and responsibilities at the core of democracy.
The Art of Discipline
This activity invites students to redefine the concept of Discipline. In this redefinition, discipline is curiosity driven by focus and self-motivation – not compliance driven by punishment.
Operating Instructions
This activity invites students to consider what their own operating instructions might look like, and in reflecting on this they offer teachers a valuable guide to meeting student needs.
Moving Cargo
This activity captures a young child’s interest in moving vehicles as they use their body to demonstrate transportation, practice counting, and build fine motor skills.
3 Review Games
As students prepare for summative assessments games can be a fun and engaging way to review key concepts and help students practice showing what they know.
Word-At-A-Time Stories
Working with a partner or as a whole class students construct a narrative “one word at a time.” The challenge is to create something cohesive while depending on the creative input of each individual.
Random Walk: Movement and Learning Combined!
This activity challenges students to think about concepts collaboratively in a physical way and completely without words.
Escape Rooms
Simplified versions of these popular games can be made for the classroom to foster inquiry, teamwork, and a high level of engagement.
Making Re-Solutions
This activity encourages students to consider what problems might benefit from re-solving.
Where Are My Needs?
In this activity you will introduce students to a tool Inspired Teaching created called the ABCDE of learner needs which teachers, and students, can use to evaluate where their needs are and aren’t being met.
