4.1 Purpose

The purpose of this book is to help you prepare to design and implement blended learning within the English Language Arts (ELA) classroom. The image on the cover of the book shows a broad range of disciplines, each represented by a branch of the tree. The four core skills for blended teaching are represented by the common roots of the tree that feed the branches.

While there are some broad commonalities in how blended learning looks across disciplines, there are also many subtle and unique approaches to blended teaching within each discipline. ELA teachers can benefit from examples of blended teaching in English classrooms. As a result, this book is geared towards providing examples of blended teaching that are specific to the secondary ELA classroom.

4.2 Meeting the ELA Blended Teachers

In this book, you will receive instruction and ideas from experienced English language arts teachers. They will help you see blended teaching in ELA through the lens of the blended teaching competencies: online integration, online interaction, data practices, and personalization. Learn more about these teachers below.

Meet Your Teacher—Todd Jepperson (3:05)

Meet Your Teacher—Dave Lee, PhD (2:18)

Meet Your Teacher—Trent Mikesell (1:27)

Meet Your Teacher: Brianne Anderson (2:39)

Meet Your Teacher: Jenifer Pickens (1:14)

A special thanks to the reviewers of these ELA chapters. They include a mix of preservice teachers, in-class teachers, administrators, and higher education faculty. 

• Jessica Hedrick
• Katie Jones
• Dave Lee
• Denise Lund
• Maureen McDermott
• AmandaJane Schade-Rhodes
• Cody Spendlove
• Marisa Wertz