Teaching English to 8th graders is enough of a challenge by itself; can you imagine how difficult it is without a single dictionary in the room? Everyone has a different vocabulary level and my students are no exception. I need dictionaries to solve this problem. Help me help them!
I teach in a small urban school where 98 percent of the students are minority.
They love to learn and want very much to be successful in their classes and on our statewide testing. They are eighth graders who will move on to high school next year and I want to be able to give them the very best that I can. They are avid readers and vocabulary study is a priority for them. They have no resources available to check an unknown word or for class study as a whole. A class set of dictionaries would give them access to in depth word study where they can work cooperatively to improve their vocabularies and understand word usage.
My Project
When I was young I used to read the dictionary for fun. My students don't have that opportunity nor do they have the ability to look up the definition of a word or how it is used. If we had 25 dictionaries, lessons would be designed to help upper level students learn the many secrets these underused books hold and they would always have a much needed reference for our many writing assignments.
These books will last for years and enable all the students who pass through my room the opportunities all children should have to be successful in school.
Whoever heard of a middle school that didn't have this resource for their students? Please consider giving my students the same opportunities ALL students should be given! Help me give them the BEST!
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Seltzer and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.