Shaped

A community-driven blog supporting educators, building lifelong learners,
and shaping the future of education.* 

Latest Posts

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Structuring the Literacy Block

The most productive literacy block schedules include various reading and writing activities and instruction to help build foundational skills.

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

Dr. Amy Endo
Education Research Director, Supplemental & Intervention Language & Literacy

Renee Behring
Education Research Director, Core ELA

Dr. Terry Salinger
Institute Fellow and Chief Scientist for Literacy Research, American Institutes for Research

One to one Teaching

One-on-One Teaching Strategies to Reach All Learners

Make time in your packed schedule for one-on-one teaching strategies that deliver big benefits for students.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

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National Dyslexia Awareness Month 2024

Honor 2024 National Dyslexia Awareness Month this October by better understanding how learning differences can affect your students' social and emotional learning.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

Student reading

7 Middle School and High School Reading Intervention Strategies

Support students with these seven tips to maximize middle school and high school reading intervention and help your students become better readers.

Shelley Branine
Instructional Coach, HMH

WF1336960 Intervention Post COVID HERO

Why and How to Prioritize Intervention to Bridge the COVID Learning Gap

What can be done to help those students who have felt the impacts of unfinished learning? Note that there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution.

Brittany Mamphey, M.Ed.
Dean of Students, Mt. Healthy South Elementary School, Ohio

research-backed ways to close the COVID learning gap

6 Research-Backed Ways to Close the COVID Learning Gap

These strategies for closing the COVID Learning Gap can support efforts to improve student outcomes and help address the issue of interrupted schooling.

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

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Teaching Ratios and Unit Rates in Math

Students learn the answer to "What is a unit rate?" in math class. Learn about ratios, rates, unit rates, and unit prices, and teach lessons where students solve real-world problems about rates and unit rates.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

180 educator award winners

HMH Honors Five Amazing Educators for Making a Difference in Students' Lives

Nominated by their colleagues and peers, these 180 Educator Award winners have shown that through persistence and dedication, you can make a difference in students' lives.

Shaped Staff

180 award student winners

HMH Celebrates 15 Student Scholars Who Overcame Obstacles as Learners

The 180 Awards honor students who have shown dramatic improvement in their reading and math skills through our blended learning intervention programs.

Shaped Staff

Andrea Barnes photo

Collaboration Is Crucial: Words of Wisdom from a Retiring Teacher

Andrea Barnes is retiring after nearly 30 years in the classroom. In this post she shares parting words of wisdom for future teachers, especially the need for collaboration during the current COVID-19 crisis.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

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Teaching Linear Equations in Math

A linear equation in two variables describes a relationship in which the value of one of the variables depends on the value of the other variable.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

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Why Reading Intervention Students Need Daily Writing Opportunities

Daily writing opportunities develop proficient readers and writers, and READ 180 provides chances for students to do just that.

Melanie Eskildsen
Reading Intervention Teacher, Weyauwega Fremont School District, Wisconsin

How Do You Screen For Dyslexia In Schools

How Do You Screen for Dyslexia in Schools? Follow These 6 Steps

Answer a key question as an educator—how do you screen for dyslexia?—by following six key steps. Testing for dyslexia in schools is important to identify at-risk students.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

Teaching How To Write An Email

You've Got Mail: How to Teach Email Writing to Students

Learn how to teach email writing to students and focus on proper email etiquette so they can ask questions and send greetings to teachers, school staff, and even parents.

Sally Doulton
Teacher, Manhasset Secondary School, New York

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Teaching Multiplication and Division Relationship Using Arrays

Use this lesson to teach students array multiplication, array division, along with other visual aids to show the relationship between multiplication and division.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

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5 Tips for Connecting With Hard-to-Reach Students

If you find yourself pulling away from or avoiding connection with hard-to-reach students, try leaning in instead by following these five steps.

Janice Mace
Senior Counselor, National Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland

Get Students Engaged In Reading

How to Get Students Engaged in Reading: 5 Tips for Teachers

Learn from a READ 180 educator how to get students engaged in reading, especially in the intervention classroom. Encouraging reading in the classroom starts with these five steps.

Charmion Mohning
Secondary Reading Coordinator, Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District

Reading Intervention In A Digital World

Reading Intervention in a Digital World: Q&A With Elmira City School District

Find teacher insights into how reading intervention has evolved in the past two decades as well as advice to maximize student outcomes, ensure a growth mindset, and more.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

*The views expressed in our blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of HMH.