Middle School Writing Modules
Middle School Writing Modules are a Web-based resource that will provide teachers with over 70 one-hour lesson plans to enhance the teaching of writing. Lessons focus on using the three-domain rubric, setting up and using writing portfolios, and revising and editing lessons to encourage the development of a strong essay.

Web-Based NCS Mentor for Virginia
NCS Mentor is a training tool designed to help Virginia’s teachers prepare students for the English Standards of Learning Direct Writing Assessment. Teachers will gain better understanding of the Direct Writing Assessments for grade 8, understand the use of rubrics in scoring student writing, and develop consistency in scoring actual student work.

Creating Active Readers
The Creating Active Readers video series allows middle school English teachers to observe and apply reading comprehension instruction infused into English classes. English teachers are encouraged to implement similar comprehension lessons after viewing the video series.

Wordsalive Vocabulary Acquisition for Virginia
Wordsalive is a graphic organizer designed to enable students to learn content vocabulary. Based on research, it combines the use of background knowledge, context, references, morphology, etymology, and application to bring words into students’ working vocabularies

Interactive Reading
Interactive Reading combines a graphic organizer with researched-based reading comprehension strategies. It provides a framework for a reading lesson that supports students prior to reading, during reading, and after reading across the curriculum.

Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement
The Center for the improvement of Early Reading Achievement (CIERA) is a national center for research on early reading, representing a consortium of educators from five universities.

Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching Children to Read
The Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching Children to Read reflects the findings and determinations of the National Reading Panel.

Read Aloud Virginia
Read Aloud Virginia’s goal is to create a family routine that impacts all children and their families, encouraging reading and providing incentives for reading to every child, everyday for 20 minutes.

Virginia Publisher’s Association
This Web site is intended to serve as a useful reference, and is provided by the members of the Virginia Publisher's Association. You will find names, addresses, Web sites, e-mail, publisher listings, and more helpful information within these pages.

Virginia State Reading Association

National Council of the Teachers of English

Virginia Middle School Association

Karen Koory
Middle School English
Virginia Department of Education
P.O. Box 2120
Richmond, Virginia 23218-2120
Voice: 804/371-2588
FAX: 804/786-5466
e-mail: Karen.Koory@doe.virginia.gov