First Year Language Arts Teacher Guide: Ultimate Tips

A first year English teacher will need language arts teacher resources.

You’re a first year language arts teacher.

You’re probably excited. Hopefully you have a few ideas—and more than a few plans.

That’s a joke. I know you’re brimming with everything to teach your students. You’ve maybe thought of this day since you pulled a circle of chairs in your living room, plopped your baby dolls and dinosaurs down, and started a lesson.

I also know you know this, but here is repetition: Every day with students is important. You are the determining factor in the classroom.

You knew that though. Surely it played into reasons for becoming an English teacher. And you definitely know that you signed up for a tough job.

As an experienced language arts teacher, I set a goal for myself. I wanted to help new teachers because I remember my first year in education. The questions, the exhaustion, the eagerness to do everything the best I could.

I created a series of blog posts for a new language arts teacher, not because I know everything or because I’m perfect—my best advice considering angles, redos, and introspection.

How to teach English language arts? Below, I wrote what may help a new English teacher.

A long letter from me to you.

What are some tips for a first-year language arts teacher?

If these help one new teacher, I’ll be pleased. For ease, I’ve divided these into “life as a teacher,” content information, and digital language arts teaching. Feel free to poke around my blog for more ideas. You can always use the search bar!

As a first year English teacher, you'll have many new experiences. You have coworkers, routines, and a classroom. Organize your new life as a teacher. Download language arts teacher resources to help you decide how to teach language arts.

First year language arts teacher: Life as a teacher

Writing Lesson Plans

As a first year language arts teacher, you’ll write lesson plans, and rewrite them too. Not one right way exists to create lessons, but sometimes it helps to take a peak at another teacher’s process.

Still need help? This is such a process, I wrote about creating lesson plans twice.

New School.

Congratulations! You are hired. Now what? Take a deep breath, and start with these questions.

Classroom Setup.

The process of perfecting a classroom setup never truly ends. New research, changing trends, student interests. . . get started with these no-nonsense tips.

Personal Side.

You need to have personal necessities at school. What will get you through the day, and maybe longer days? This is a comprehensive and no-fuss list.

Wardrobe.

Dress professionally, on a teacher’s budget? Read these tricks and create your teacher wardrobe.

Organizing Files.

Yeah, not the most glamorous part of teaching—organizing. Trust me though: after you create a project, you’ll want to locate it next year.

First day with students.

How can you be prepared for that first day? This is a list of considerations for that first day with high school students.

The teacher’s lounge.

Coworkers and friends, collaborating and working, and some feelings you may face.

Classroom management.

I don’t abide by the “don’t smile until Christmas,” rule even though I sorta did at one point. Routines and procedures go a long way with older students. Building relationships and establishing routines is an excellent way to manage a safe and kind classroom environment.

Cleaning at the end of the school year.

Yep! Your first year will end. Before you walk out the door, clean and organize for a smooth return.

As a first year English teacher, you'll be responsible for organizing English content. Download language arts teacher resources to help teach your language arts classes. Teaching middle school language arts classes and high school language arts requires lots of organization to meet standards. How to teach English language arts? Follow this guide for a first year English teacher.

First year language arts teacher: Content

Languages arts teacher resources abound! I would not spend a great deal of money on material, especially your first year teaching.

If you need ideas for how to teach language arts, I can set you up with free ideas to start. My subscribers have access to over two dozen downloads, and I’d love for you to join us. After you join, check out my post popular blog posts about the pillars of how to teach English language arts.

Public speaking.

You might not have a clear public speaking outline, so I have provided the outline to my speech unit.

Grammar lessons.

Where do I start with grammar lessons? After I wrote my , I provided extra support for establishing a foundation of grammar with students. My entire process is included in how to build a grammar lesson.

Informational texts.

Secondary students will read informational texts. You will find ways to match them with literature and poems. Part of being a language arts teacher is anticipating where students who struggle. When students respond to nonfiction, they normally struggle with tone, presentation, and balance.

Literature.

Concerning literature, most first year language arts teachers are comfortable with content. Still, it helps to have literature activities on hand.

Writing.

I grow as a writing teacher every year. When I consider how to teach language arts, I believe that most growth comes with teaching writing.

School, for yourself?

Many new teachers return to school to earn a master’s degree. If you are questioning what type of master’s degree should a teacher get, I have answers since I have two master degrees.

As a first year English teacher, you'll be responsible for organizing English content. Download language arts teacher resources to help teach your language arts classes. Teaching middle school language arts classes and high school language arts requires lots of organization to meet standards. How to teach English language arts? Follow this guide for a first year English teacher.

Virtual Teaching

Not only is the search for how to teach English language arts with best practices overwhelming, but you might also need to teach online or in a hybrid situation.

An ELA teacher might teach writing skills, literature analysis, and language online. Here are tips for teaching online.

Digital Grammar

Online grammar tools allow for differentiation and targeted practice. As a language arts teacher, you might find incredible success with online grammar lessons. As you perfect how to teach language arts, you’ll discover ways to incorporate grammar into literature, writing, and nonfiction lessons.

Digital Writing

When I teach writing online, students have ample time for exploration and choice. Students ask to alternate writing activities with their own twists. Don’t be afraid to say yes! (Please join my mailing list, and you can receive writing and other language arts teacher resources.)

Virtual Classroom Setup

As a first year English teacher, you might be teaching in online. The setup of an online classroom matters. You don’t want to overwhelm students, and you want your layout to be user-friendly. Check out my best tips for setting up a virtual classroom. I included how-to videos as well.

Digital Tools

Don’t overwhelm classes with digital fun in an online classroom. You can see my online recommendations that will enhance your language arts teacher resources. An English course has many components, and as a language arts teacher, I don’t want to add unnecessary tools to possibly confuse students.

English Teacher Tips

From your first day of school to parent-teacher conferences to finals and everything in between. . . realize that the first time any professional completes anything a learning curve is expected. Society has high expectations for us teachers, but we are allowed to be human.

That first year of teaching will end, and you’ll be sharing tips. A first year language arts teacher will be happy to hear them.

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Are you looking for other language arts teacher resources and ideas for the first year English teacher? Many teachers discuss ideas on my Facebook page. New English teacher or not, you are welcome!

8 comments

  • Tracy

    Thank you so much for this post. My sister has her first day teaching Language Arts on Monday so I sent her this instantly : )

  • Carissa

    Thank you!! 🙂 I start my first year of teaching this fall & am soaking up all the wisdom I can find!

  • Laura

    I wish I had found this earlier, but I’m mid-first-year and I think this will save my life for what’s left.

  • Nicole L Aden

    This sounds exactly like what I need but I can not find the actual guide? Any chance you could email me?
    I’d be so grateful!

    • Lauralee (author)

      Hi Nicole! I have always thought about putting these blog posts together, but it would take some time. Right now, I only have the links. You could bookmark the page if that would help. Lauralee

  • Loree

    How crazy is this: I just purchased your book on Amazon from another teacher’s wish list! And today I found you on Pinterest as I’m going to be a first year HS English teacher! I look forward to learning a lot from you. Thank you!

    • Lauralee (author)

      Hi Loree! Small world. 🙂 I am glad we connected. Message me anytime if you have questions or if you need to vent. I’ll understand! Lauralee

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