Shaped

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

Latest Posts

WF1819771 Hero

How to Implement Small-Group Instruction in the Classroom

An elementary educator and HMH Ambassador shares tips and resources on how to implement small-group instruction in the classroom, including a downloadable small-group lesson plan template.

Kayla Dyer
Teacher

High school writing hero

5 Effective Tips for Teaching High School Writing

Ensure students get the practice, feedback, and revision experience they need for success with these tried-and-true strategies for teaching high school writing.

Kristen Eannetta
Instructional Coach

National hispanic heritage month 2021 hero

9 National Hispanic Heritage Month Activities for Students: A Celebration of Culture

Use these National Hispanic Heritage Month activities and lesson ideas to honor Hispanic American contributions and influences in our society.

Daniel Poremba
Senior Tier II Specialist, HMH

Seven Strategies For Reading Success Thumb

7 ELL Strategies for Reading Success

Try these 7 ELL strategies for reading success. Help your ELL students to engage with reading and foster a desire to connect with texts.

Rebecca Salinas
Learning Architect, HMH

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

WF1799180 Shaped 2023 Blog Post Scaffolding Strategies for ELL Students Hero

Effective Strategies: Scaffolding for ELL Students That Benefits the Whole Class

What is scaffolding and how does it help ELL students? Read to learn about scaffolding for ELL students, including benefits and best practices.

Dana Leon
Shaped Contributor

WF1807212 Hero

Don’t Lead with Science Vocabulary—Start with Conceptual Meaning

Get advice on how to incorporate vocabulary into science instruction to ensure students learn science concepts deeply.

Dr. Karen Ostlund
Assistant Professor of Instruction, Emerita, UTeach, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin

WF1813601 Shaped 2023 Blog Post The Role of Vocabulary in Reading Instruction Hero

What Is the Role of Vocabulary in Reading Comprehension?

We break down the role of vocabulary in reading comprehension and share strategies that will ensure students learn new words.

Dana Leon
Shaped Contributor

WF1771200 What is Phonemic Awareness Hero

What Is Phonemic Awareness?

Learn about phonemic awareness and how it relates to phonological awareness.

Zoe Del Mar
Shaped Executive Editor

WF1559159 Shaped 2022 Blog Post Science of Reading Strategies Hero

10 Science of Reading Strategies for Reading Instruction

Read one teacher's top 10 instructional strategies to support science of reading in the classroom.

Renae Kuhn

WF1742002 Hero

What Is Phonological Awareness?

One of the first skills developing readers need to master is phonological awareness. In this article, we will dig into what phonological awareness is and the importance of referencing it for reading instruction.

Zoe Del Mar
Shaped Executive Editor

WF1705367 Hero

What Is Orthographic Mapping in Reading and Why Is It Important?

Learn about orthographic mapping, the cognitive process that we use to store and retrieve words by connecting their pronunciation, spelling, and meaning automatically.

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

Earth day activities for elementary students hero

9 Earth Day Activities and Games for Elementary Students

Honor our home planet with these 9 Earth Day activities and games for elementary students.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

WF1714365 Graphic Organizers for ELL Students hero

Graphic Organizers for ELL Students

Find a collection of graphic organizer to help ELL students build vocabulary, compare and contrast, and activate prior knowledge.

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

Women's History Month Books for Students HERO

13 Women’s History Month Books for Elementary Students

Use these 13 Women’s History Month books for elementary students and activities to teach about women’s contributions to history.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

How to Promote Kindness in Our Kids

How to Promote Kindness in Our Kids

Former teacher and current HMH Chief Academic Officer Francie Alexander offers educators some tips on how to create a kindness movement in their classrooms and communities.

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

WF1686700 Hero Image

Speaking (Not Public Speaking!) Activities for Middle and High School Students

Try these public speaking activities for middle and high school students to improve their speaking skills.

Erik Palmer
Program Consultant, Into Reading and Into Literature

Groundhog Day Activities for Elementary Students Hero

2024 Groundhog Day Activities for Elementary Students

Try these fun 2024 Groundhog Day activities for elementary students in your classroom.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

WF1594121 Hero Option 1

Writing Strategies for ELL Students

Support your ELL students with writing strategies to build confident and capable writers.

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

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