English Language Arts Teaching Resources
Explore English Language Arts (ELA) activities, worksheets, games and more teaching resources created by teachers for teachers just like you! You'll find ELA resources aligned with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and ELAR resources that align to TEKS.
This collection of teacher-created resources for elementary and middle school teachers was designed with students and teachers in mind, including differentiated activities and worksheets ready to print and add to your lesson plan.
Each game, activity and more have undergone a careful review by a member of our ELA teaching team to ensure it's classroom — and student — ready.
What Is ELA in Education?
In most educational instances, ELA stands for English Language Arts, the subject that encompasses reading, writing, speaking, listening and language skills development in American schools.
ELA curriculum standards vary from state to state and even school district to school district, but they typically include instruction in the following areas:
1. Reading
In ELA classes, students learn to read, understand and interpret a variety of texts, including fiction and non-fiction. They develop reading comprehension skills such as identifying main ideas and making inferences while building their understanding of vocabulary.
2. Writing
As they progress through elementary and middle school, students learn the skills they need for effective written communication by learning to create types of texts — such as narratives and persuasive essays, research papers, and descriptive pieces.
They also learn to organize their ideas, use proper grammar and punctuation and refine their writing through revision and editing.
3. Speaking and Listening
While English instruction in the US was once heavily focused on grammar and reading comprehension, education experts saw a call to move toward a more student-centered means of teaching that paved the way to today's ELA curriculum ... and to the inclusion of oral communication as a focus in the curriculum.
Through speaking and listening activities, kids learn to express themselves clearly, listen actively, ask questions, participate in discussions and deliver presentations. They also learn to articulate their thoughts and understand different perspectives while developing their critical thinking abilities.
4. Language
Finally, students study grammar, vocabulary and syntax to enhance their understanding of English and how it should be used.
The curriculum includes proper sentence structure, word choice, spelling and punctuation rules. Language instruction also includes figurative language, idioms and understanding context.
ELA as English Language Acquisition
You may have noticed that we said ELA stands for English Language Arts in most educational instances. So, what else can it stand for?
In some schools, ELA is the abbreviation used for English Language Acquisition, and it's the name given to programs created to help English language learners as they tackle the language.
This form of ELA has marked similarities with the ELA described above, as it focuses on helping students build oral, reading and writing skills. However, there are distinct differences as one focuses on educating native speakers and the other on ELL students.
English vs. Language Arts — Why Is English Called Language Arts?
Some of your students may have parents who remember attending English classes as children but are unfamiliar with the concept of English language arts.
How do you explain the difference to them?
The fact is, some districts may well use the term English for what another district terms "English language arts." In other places, the two refer to very different concepts. In many areas, English is the name for courses taught on a high school level, while English language arts applies to elementary level work.
To explain why their children are enrolled in language arts coursework, it may be helpful to break down the various components of language arts — as we have done above — and their role in students' literacy growth.
What Is ELAR?
ELAR stands for English Language Arts and Reading. While much of the country's schools follow an ELA curriculum, ELAR is unique to Texas, where ELAR is an integrated subject that combines the study of language arts skills with the development of reading abilities.
This collection includes hundreds of ELAR activities, aligned directly with TEKS standards to ensure Texas teachers have everything they need for their lesson plans.
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Winter Writing Prompts
Engage your students with these winter writing prompts that inspire creativity and critical thinking throughout December, January and February.
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Examples of Story Settings Teaching Slides
Discover engaging examples of story settings with this teaching presentation that introduces students to ten classic settings in children’s literature.
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Recipe Text Features Scavenger Hunt
Explore recipe text features on a food packet, recipe book, short video clip and digital form and teach their shared purpose with this scavenger hunt.
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Narrative Writing Lesson: Story Leads to Hook Readers
Hook readers with this narrative writing lesson that introduces your students to eleven story starting strategies.
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Reading Comprehension With Pictures Worksheets
Download the Reading Comprehension with Picture Worksheets today and help your students become confident, visual readers!
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Topic Sentence Worksheet Pack
Use this topic sentence worksheet pack to teach your students about how to structure clear and cohesive paragraphs using strong opening statements.
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Comma After Introductory Phrase Worksheets
Support students to master the comma after introductory phrase rule with this set of engaging worksheets, perfect for punctuation lessons.
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Reading Response Journal for Literature
Help students think critically about key story elements such as character, plot and theme with this 22-page reading response journal set.
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Sort It Out! Common and Proper Nouns Game
Use common and proper noun games to help your students practice identifying examples of different types of nouns.
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Compound Sentences Interactive Game
Play a Compound Sentences Interactive game to practice identifying, correcting, and writing compound sentences.
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Author’s Purpose Reading Passages Worksheet Set
Explore the Author's Purpose in these reading passages with this set of Author's Purpose worksheets.
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Editing for Capitalization Worksheets
Show mastery of capitalization rules by reviewing 3 short pieces of text and editing all words with missing capital letters.
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Bloom's Taxonomy Reading Comprehension Task Cards
Deepen your students' reading comprehension with a set of reading task cards based on Bloom's taxonomy.
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Finding Word Meaning In Text - Context Clues Activity Sheet
Practice using context clues to determine word meaning in text with a printable Context Clues Activity Sheet.
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Weekly Spelling Homework Sheets - 5th Grade Spelling Words
Provide your 5th graders with engaging spelling homework activities with our no-prep 5th Grade Spelling Words Worksheet pack.
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Vocabulary Graphic Organizers - PDF / Slides
Use this Vocabulary Graphic Organizers PDF/Slides resource to help your early elementary students build their vocabulary skills.
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Editable Vocab Card Template Pack
Use a Vocab Card Template to create vocabulary flashcards and teach your students how to study their new words.
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Interactive Vocabulary Notebook - Upper Grades
Use an Interactive Vocabulary Notebook to help your students demonstrate and review a variety of vocabulary concepts.
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Free Story Prediction Worksheet
Encourage students to think critically before reading with this Story Prediction Worksheet.
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3rd Grade Spelling Words Worksheets
Practice 3rd Grade spelling words to strengthen spelling, alphabetization, and sentence writing skills with 30 weeks of Grade 3 Spelling homework sheets,
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Elkonin Boxes - Word Shapes Worksheets for 1st Grade
Build first-grade phonics skills with our printable Phonics-Based Elkonin Boxes Printable Word Shapes Worksheets.
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Character Interview Task Cards
Use these book character interview questions to extend your students' learning about the narrative elements.
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Caption Text Feature Matching Game
Teach your students about the caption text feature with this engaging and collaborative matching game.
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How Do Rocks Form? – Informative Text Structure Sequencing Activity
Help students learn about informative text structure and how rocks are formed with an engaging cut-and-paste sorting activity.
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Fact or Opinion? - Digital Learning Activity
Practice identifying, sorting, and writing facts and opinions with an interactive digital learning activity.
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Opinion Writing Anchor Chart
Introduce younger students to the language associated with opinion writing with a printable opinion writing anchor chart.
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Onset and Rime Mini Books
Practice onset and rime phonemic awareness with this set of mini books that each focus on the short vowel sounds (a,e,i,o,u).
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Developing Narrative Writing Skills - 3rd & 4th Grade
Teach your students about the structure and language features of narrative texts with an engaging interactive Narrative Writing Teaching Slide Presentation.
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Kindergarten Visual Writing Rubric
Help your little learners perfect their writing with a kindergarten visual writing rubric.
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Writing Paper with Picture Box - Differentiated Templates
Help your students organize and display their writing and artwork using printable writing paper with picture boxes,
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One Has to Go! Game of Elimination Icebreaker
Play ‘One Has to Go!” and engage your students in a friendly classroom debate with this Google Slides icebreaker game.
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Spelling Test Template Pack
Make those Friday spelling assessments easier with a pack of printable Spelling Test Templates!
- English Language Arts Worksheets
- English Language Arts Games
- English Language Arts Templates
- English Language Arts Posters
- English Language Arts Flashcards
- English Language Arts Word Walls
- English Language Arts Projects
- English Language Arts for Pre-K
- English Language Arts for Kindergarten
- English Language Arts for 1st Grade
- English Language Arts for 2nd Grade
- English Language Arts for 3rd Grade
- English Language Arts for 4th Grade
- English Language Arts for 5th Grade
- English Language Arts for 6th Grade
- English Language Arts for 7th Grade