2009 Telly Award Winner

Imagine Learning's TV show, Imagine Island, has done it again. After last year's Telly Award nomination, Imagine Island came home with a bronze medal. In 2009, the TV show was awarded with two silver medals--the Telly Award's highest honor--in Best Children's programming and Best Educational programming.

This accomplishment is the result of thousands of hours of hard work and creativity. Now broadcast to countries all across Central and South America, Imagine Island can provide a solid foundation in English development for millions of children. Click below for a sneak-peek at some of our award-winning episodes.

Oral Reading Records

In the early 1970s, Dr. Marie Clay introduced the idea of oral reading records: While a child reads to you, take note of any words that are omitted, substituted, self-corrected, or cause hesitation. This information, along with the amount of time it takes for the child to complete the task, helps inform a teacher on what strategies students already use.

Though informative and helpful, these records can be difficult to maintain. You don’t often have the time to sit next to every student in the class as he or she reads an entire book. And with “teacher” by their side, tallying mistakes, some students feel enough anxiety to skew their scores.

Teaching Poetry

Roses are red… and some poetry is stale. Celebrate April, also National Poetry Month, with a return to creativity.

Check out these classroom-friendly ideas on how to teach some of the more fun, lesser-celebrated poetry forms, including free verse, cinquain, and tankas.