Better Answers is an outgrowth of Ardith's work with students who have not met state standards in English language arts. Ardith has developed an easy-to-implement, step-by-step protocol, the "Better Answer" formula, that helps students focus on the task at hand. It is a process that begins with teacher modeling, invites increasing amounts of student participation, and eventually moves students into independent response writing. Students of all abilities, across grade levels, and within several content areas have benefited from this instructional program.
Each element of the protocol is clearly explained. There are helpful activities that support learning, tips on how to handle likely problems or stumbling blocks, examples of typical teacher and student interactions, and sample lesson vignettes. The voluminous appendixes provide all the resources you need to get up and running in no time. You will find:


* lesson plans for each step;

* a set of complex and simplistic narratives with question prompts;

* a variety of actual written responses that students can assess;

* forms for monitoring response growth;

* an extensive essay bibliography (hard copy and on-line resources).

Ardith's simple formula adds up to smart teaching that yields better student written responses across the curriculum and in real life--and, oh yes, on test day. What a practical and effective alternative to the typical isolated, short-term "test prep."