Tools
University Writing Center
"Any UT student. Any paper assignment. Any stage of the writing process"--that's the UWC's motto. But the materials at this site provide practical support for teaching writing to high school students, too. We’ve posted downloadable handouts on research, grammar, punctuation, and documentation; and our e-tutor, VIRGIL, provides step-by-step advice to guide students through a variety of writing tasks. You may also enjoy browsing the most recent edition of Praxis: A Writing Center Journal, which is edited by the administrators and consultants who work here.
The Learning Record Online
Looking for a simple, user-friendly eportfolio grading system? Try the Learning Record. Working with a team of scholars from around the world, Professor Peg Syverson and UT graduate student instructors have adapted The Learning Record into a simple Word format. Both K-12 and college-level LR forms are available for your perusal, along with a Teacher's Manual and Reference Guide.
Originally designed for K-12 use by the Center for Language and Learning, the Learning Record allows students and teachers to assess a students' progress not on the basis of a few major assignments, but on a diverse array of evidence collected over the course of a term. It provides a means of measuring how much students' mastery in various dimensions of learning has developed over time, regardless of their proficiency upon entering the course. In some cases, completed Learning Records have served as the necessary evidence to help previously rejected students gain admission into colleges.
UT Library Web Site: Useful Reference Sites
Bring the UT Library system right into your classroom! Many of the reference materials at The University of Texas Libraries website are accessible to non-UT users.
National Council for Teachers of English
Founded in 1911, the NCTE strives to promote literacy and enable students to use language to participate fully in society. Their website provides lesson plans, professional readings about best practices, updates on policy issues in education, and tips about where to publish student writing, as well as many other useful materials.