Every English teacher is faced with the challenge of teaching grammar and punctuation. For many (like me), it's a chore. I love teaching literature and writing, but don't love the grammar. I see it as a necessary evil. When I can, I integrate technology. The kids like it better, pay closer attention, and seem to retain the information longer.
One website that I just discovered is No Red Ink. This site is free and enables teachers to register and sign up entire classes. Teachers can assign practice assignments and quizzes to each class, or students can learn at their own pace.
One website that I just discovered is No Red Ink. This site is free and enables teachers to register and sign up entire classes. Teachers can assign practice assignments and quizzes to each class, or students can learn at their own pace.
Teachers can register entire classes, and then assign practice quizzes. You may choose from several different categories, with various skills highlighted for each category.
Shown above are the skills under the "apostrophe" category. Hovering over the "i" icon displays a sample question, so students (and teachers) know exactly what's expected.
Students fill in a brief interest survey, which then affects the content in each question. I stated that I like the Harry Potter books, so some of the character names appeared in my question.
Students fill in a brief interest survey, which then affects the content in each question. I stated that I like the Harry Potter books, so some of the character names appeared in my question.
If students answer a question correct, the quiz continues. If students answer incorrectly, the site offers a tutorial and the correct answer. Hopefully, this will lead to an increase in understanding!
With each class, teachers can see student progress, which is color coded by percent. Red and yellow indicate less than 80% accuracy. In addition, students can view their own progress, which is listed by skill (see below).
While the site is nothing fancy, it does provide an individualized program for grammar practice. Like other computer programs I've used, just putting the students on a computer can make a huge difference. This is a good alternative to grammar worksheets and "kill and drill" sessions. Teach a quick mini-lesson, and then turn the students loose online to see what they can figure out from practice. Next, apply the skill to their writing to test mastery. After all, improving writing skills is what grammar is all about.
Give No Red Ink a try and see what you think!
Give No Red Ink a try and see what you think!