Experience the best "summer reading assignment" you could ever hope for. Register now at the special NCTE registration rate to save 20% AND get special access to game-changing English teacher resources!
You missed out!
Summer reading is almost always terrible. Teachers know it. Students know it. Parents and administrators know it. Everyone agrees that it's important to keep students' skills sharp over the summer, but forcing everyone to read The Catcher in the Rye in July just doesn't cut it.
So what's the solution?
Engaging online course modules that use pop culture to foster precisely the skills that students need to be successful in September.
It's 2021. Why shouldn't students be given the opportunity to engage with high quality learning anytime, anywhere?
Students can complete these modules at their own pace over the summer months, and can even revisit them throughout the course of the school year. Best of all, the certificate of completion that students will receive at the end of the coursework demonstrates their proficiency.
Goodbye, awful stack of summer reading essays.
Summer reading ain't one.
LearnArgument is an online learning experience that offers a much more effective alternative to traditional summer reading assignments -- especially those that are meant to prepare students for coursework that's focused on argument (i.e. rhetorical analysis, argument writing, source credibility, close reading, and synthesis). As long as you teach an English course that places an emphasis on these skills... and especially if you teach AP Lang, AP Seminar... this is precisely the thing you've been waiting for.
Your students will experience six units comprised of engaging video modules, pop culture analyses, and formative assessments that were designed to foster close reading, rhetorical analysis, and critical thinking skills over the summer. They'll start September stronger than ever before.
Every module draws on pop culture to ensure that the learning is engaging, authentic, and just plain awesome. That means close reading with Lizzo, rhetorical analysis with Post Malone, and synthesis with Frozen II and Taylor Swift.
The units were designed to be completed over six weeks in order to optimize retention and to reduce summer slide, but the modules are self-paced. Students can learn at the pace that's right for them.
Formative assessments are baked into the learning process, and the course culminates with a "certificate of completion." Nothing for teachers to grade in September, aside from any optional diagnostic assessments.
TeachArgument has been helping English teachers to engage their students since 2014, primarily through the development of super-engaging, relevant, and memorable lessons, games, and resources.
TeachArgument's resources are being used in over 6,000 schools, in over 30 countries -- trusted by tens of thousands of educators around the world.
Rachel G.
English II & AP Seminar
A whole new level
I have always used your free lessons but LearnArgument takes it to a whole new level. Our school already agreed to use it again next year. Sweet relief.
Nora L.
Freshman Comp
A big thank you
I love the way you stepwise introduced the major concepts and skillfully applied them to pop culture themes which the students could readily relate to. I even learned more targeted terminology related to rhetoric in context. I wanted to send a big thank you.
Dan G.
English IV & AP Lang
More than ever before
My students definitely started the year knowing more about argument than ever before. I also like to revisit the modules in class throughout the year. Why haven't we been doing it this way all along?
Here's exactly what your students will experience:
LearnArgument begins by welcoming students to the online learning experience, setting expectations for the coursework ahead, and sharing a series of "pro tips" grounded in cognitive neuroscience to help everyone maximize their learning as they move forward.
The first action-packed learning module lays the all-important groundwork by introducing students to close reading. Students will engage with models of the close reading thought process, and will experience a series of three guided analyses -- ranging from Eminem to Lizzo to Maroon 5.
Students will come to understand what an argument is... and will most likely conclude this module feeling like everything is an argument. This includes an overview of rhetorical appeals, some playful formative assessment, and two guided rhetorical analyses -- using Selena Gomez and Post Malone as central texts to unpack.
The pièce de résistance! Here, the focus shifts to strategies for comparative analysis and strategies for synthesis, fostering critical connective thinking skills! This is paired with two guided comparative analyses -- Frozen II & Taylor Swift, and Justin Bieber & The Proclaimers.
While the primary focus of LearnArgument is to ensure that students are walking away with a solid understanding of rhetoric, we couldn't neglect argument writing. This module walks students through several frames for argument writing, and provides students the opportunity to "think like a writer" via multiple choice formative assessment.
LearnArgument culminates with an opportunity for students to put all that they learned into practice using two carefully selected text sets, also drawing from popular culture. Students can upload their written work, which can be accessed by their teachers at any point in the future. (This module is "encouraged," but can easily be "required" by teachers, if that's what would make the most sense for your classes!)
You missed out!
So, what happens once students walk into your classroom in the fall?
Register before time runs out, and you'll receive additional access to Paired Texts: A Virtual Anthology of Popular Texts for Discussion, Analysis, and Synthesis.
You'll have a collection of carefully curated music videos, speeches, and other popular media -- neatly organized and ready to deploy on the LearnArgument platform!
When you bundle TeachArgument access with your registration, you'll have a huge treasure trove of engaging lessons at your disposal all year long.
Over $500 of lessons that teach argument and close reading using the most popular songs, cultural events, and trending pop culture phenomena! This lesson library will only grow as the year goes on, ensuring you'll always have a relevant new lesson up your sleeve.
Over $300 of super-engaging resources for teaching argument, including games, literature units (teaching argument with your existing lit curriculum), and core argument lessons that focus on elements like counterargument, tropes and schemes, and more.
Over $300 of English teacher PD that focuses on some of the most cutting edge concepts that promise to level-up your teaching. This includes course topics such as Neuroscience and Learning, Game-Based Learning, Student-Centered Instruction, and more!
There is tremendous value in these packages without any extra savings, but if you request a quote before 4/14/21, you'll lock in the special NCTE rate and save an additional 20%.
Standard access to LearnArgument
$
499
$
399
Popular
Comprehensive access to engage students all year long!
$
999
$
799
I used LearnArgument with my AP level course. It was assigned as a summer assignment, which was really useful because it was self-paced, so they could work through it at their own pace throughout the summer.
It was a great way to set the foundation of vocabulary and level of analysis because many students haven’t really had that level yet when they come in to me as juniors.
All of my students actually said they really liked it, because they liked the self-pacing, and they liked that the materials were current and it was music that they knew. They were really excited to talk about the different prompts when they came to class.
It was a really solid start to the year. They came in with common materials, common vocabulary, and they’ve actually continued to reference it through the year. I highly recommend it.
Paige B., AP Lang & Comp, NY
No, you do not have to be a member of the TeachArgument Community to use LearnArgument -- but, if your school is paying for LearnArgument, you do have the option to bundle the cost of your TeachArgument Community registration.
Members of the TeachArgument Community have unlimited access to a wealth of resources that make it a piece of cake to continue engaging students in close reading and rhetorical analysis using popular media, pop songs, advertisements, and other compelling mediums as central texts. (It's really good stuff!)
Yes!
You'll have access to a special teacher dashboard. This will enable you to invite students to the program, to monitor their progress as they complete the course, to see their quiz scores, and to view their writing submissions.
That said, it's important to keep in mind that LearnArgument's coursework is designed to teach for mastery, which means that students can take (and retake, and retake) assessments until they demonstrate an understanding of the concepts or skills being taught.
The certificate that students earn upon finishing of the course is their proof of completion, and can be checked for credit at the start of the school year.
In the final modules of the course, students are informed that the writing they submit won't be "checked" before generating a certificate of completion, but that their teacher may be able to view and score their writing. (If this is something you intend to do, we encourage you to reinforce this with your students!)
