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Reading Homework: Making it Meaningful

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As a teacher, I always made it my goal to make sure everything I did, or made my students do, was meaningful. Whether it be reading homework, math centers, or morning work, I didn’t like wasting time; my time, or my students’ time.  In addition, I always liked to know that real learning was taking place.  I never wanted to passively assign my students to complete some work, collect a worksheet, and give a grade.  I wanted to see my student’s thinking and feel confident that the work they did was rigorous and accomplished my goals as a teacher.  Reading homework was no exception.

homework reading meaning

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homework reading meaning

For reading homework, I always assigned my students nightly reading and gave them a reading log to complete. Although I never wanted to admit it, I knew that a completed reading log at the end of each week didn’t mean any REAL reading actually took place.  It was a problem I was aware of but was too exhausted to find a solution for.   It was more than that, though.  I had multiple issues.

My Problems…

  • I had no way of knowing if students were actually reading each night.
  • Even if students were reading, were they understanding their reading?
  • Students weren’t practicing the reading skills I needed them to practice.
  • Was this type of homework (reading logs) meaningful for ALL of my students?

While I do believe children should read purely for the enjoyment of reading, I knew as a teacher I wanted a bit more.  I wanted something that I could give my students that would NOT be overwhelming and would reinforce the reading skills I wanted them to practice.  This is exactly why I FINALLY created a reading homework system that would solve my problems.

My Solution! I created a reading homework system that…

  • Exposes students to a new, rigorous, grade-level appropriate text each week.
  • Focuses on a particular skill (currently learning) while also reinforcing skills that have already been taught.
  • Requires students to answer text-dependent questions that demand real thinking about the text.
  • Is short and meaningful…not overwhelming.

Reading homework should be meaningful and rigorous. Come learn how I made a reading homework system that includes reading comprehension practice with text dependent questions, without overwhelming students. I love how this one turned out!

Sounds too good to be true, right? I thought the same thing, but I figured out a way to create such a resource. Here is how it works!

  • Each week students get the weekly passage and a set of questions broken up into four days (Monday through Thursday).
  • The text is on-grade level, rigorous, and provides practice with the current skill that is being taught.
  • Each day, students work through four questions using the same text.  Questions are text-dependent and vary in complexity as the days go on and students are more familiar with the text.

To make it even better, I’ve turned it into a 100% digital resource! You can learn more HERE.

homework reading meaning

That’s it! Simple. This little nightly assignment provides students with meaningful reading practice without taking up too much time and becoming a burden.  Students reread the passage each night, improving comprehension and fluency naturally.  Also, I love the fact that this assignment can give the teacher a quick peek into what each student still needs help with. If a student is struggling with “Main Idea”, you are going to know it without having to formally assess.

Be sure to check out my other blog post on Getting Rid of Reading Logs!

Be sure to download all of my Reading FREEBIES !

If you love it and want to grab an entire year’s worth for your class, you can find this resource available in Printable and Digital versions.

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Definition of homework

Examples of homework in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'homework.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1662, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Dictionary Entries Near homework

Cite this entry.

“Homework.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homework. Accessed 19 Feb. 2024.

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Kids definition of homework, more from merriam-webster on homework.

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The role of homework

Homework seems to be an accepted part of teachers’ and students’ routines, but there is little mention of it in ELT literature.

homework reading meaning

The role of homework is hardly mentioned in the majority of general ELT texts or training courses, suggesting that there is little question as to its value even if the resulting workload is time-consuming. However, there is clearly room for discussion of homework policies and practices particularly now that technology has made so many more resources available to learners outside the classroom.

Reasons for homework

  • Attitudes to homework
  • Effective homework
  • Types of homework
  • Homework is expected by students, teachers, parents and institutions.
  • Homework reinforces and helps learners to retain information taught in the classroom as well as increasing their general understanding of the language.
  • Homework develops study habits and independent learning. It also encourages learners to acquire resources such as dictionaries and grammar reference books. Research shows that homework also benefits factual knowledge, self-discipline, attitudes to learning and problem-solving skills.
  • Homework offers opportunities for extensive activities in the receptive skills which there may not be time for in the classroom. It may also be an integral part of ongoing learning such as project work and the use of a graded reader.
  • Homework provides continuity between lessons. It may be used to consolidate classwork, but also for preparation for the next lesson.
  • Homework may be used to shift repetitive, mechanical, time-consuming tasks out of the classroom.
  • Homework bridges the gap between school and home. Students, teachers and parents can monitor progress. The institution can involve parents in the learning process.
  • Homework can be a useful assessment tool, as part of continual or portfolio assessment.

Attitudes to homework Teachers tend to have mixed feelings about homework. While recognising the advantages, they observe negative attitudes and poor performance from students. Marking and giving useful feedback on homework can take up a large proportion of a teacher’s time, often after school hours.

  • Students themselves complain that the homework they are given is boring or pointless, referring to homework tasks that consist of studying for tests, doing workbook exercises, finishing incomplete classwork, memorising lists of vocabulary and writing compositions. Where this is actually the case, the negative effects of homework can be observed, typified by loss of interest and a view of homework as a form of punishment.
  • Other negative effects of poorly managed homework include lack of necessary leisure time and an increased differential between high and low achievers. These problems are often the cause of avoidance techniques such as completing homework tasks in class, collaborating and copying or simply not doing the required tasks. In turn, conflict may arise between learners, teachers, parents and the institution.

Effective homework In order for homework to be effective, certain principles should be observed.

  • Students should see the usefulness of homework. Teachers should explain the purpose both of homework in general and of individual tasks.
  • Tasks should be relevant, interesting and varied.
  • Good classroom practice also applies to homework. Tasks should be manageable but achievable.
  • Different tasks may be assigned to different ability groups. Individual learning styles should be taken into account.
  • Homework should be manageable in terms of time as well as level of difficulty. Teachers should remember that students are often given homework in other subjects and that there is a need for coordination to avoid overload. A homework diary, kept by the learner but checked by teachers and parents is a useful tool in this respect.
  • Homework is rarely co-ordinated within the curriculum as a whole, but should at least be incorporated into an overall scheme of work and be considered in lesson planning.
  • Homework tends to focus on a written product. There is no reason why this should be the case, other than that there is visible evidence that the task has been done.
  • Learner involvement and motivation may be increased by encouraging students to contribute ideas for homework and possibly design their own tasks. The teacher also needs to know how much time the students have, what facilities they have at home, and what their preferences are. A simple questionnaire will provide this data.
  • While homework should consolidate classwork, it should not replicate it. Home is the outside world and tasks which are nearer to real-life use of language are appropriate.
  • If homework is set, it must be assessed in some way, and feedback given. While marking by the teacher is sometimes necessary, peer and self-assessment can encourage learner independence as well as reducing the teacher’s workload. Motivating students to do homework is an ongoing process, and encouragement may be given by commenting and asking questions either verbally or in written form in order to demonstrate interest on the teacher’s part, particularly in the case of self-study and project work.

Types of homework There are a number of categories of useful and practicable homework tasks.

  • Workbook-based tasks Most published course materials include a workbook or practice book, mainly including consolidation exercises, short reading texts and an answer key. Most workbooks claim to be suitable for both class and self-study use, but are better used at home in order to achieve a separation of what is done in class and at home. Mechanical practice is thus shifted out of class hours, while this kind of exercise is particularly suited to peer- or self-checking and correction.
  • Preparation tasks Rarely do teachers ask learners to read through the next unit of a coursebook, though there are advantages in involving students in the lesson plan and having them know what is coming. More motivating, however, is asking students to find and bring materials such as photographs and pictures, magazine articles and realia which are relevant to the next topic, particularly where personalisation or relevance to the local context requires adaptation of course materials.
  • Extensive tasks Much can be gained from the use of graded readers, which now often have accompanying audio material, radio and TV broadcasts, podcasts and songs. Sometimes tasks need to be set as guidance, but learners also need to be encouraged to read, listen and watch for pleasure. What is important is that learners share their experiences in class. Extensive reading and listening may be accompanied by dictionary work and a thematic or personalised vocabulary notebook, whereby learners can collect language which they feel is useful.
  • Guided discovery tasks Whereas classroom teaching often involves eliciting language patterns and rules from learners, there is also the option of asking learners to notice language and make deductions for themselves at home. This leads to the sharing of knowledge and even peer teaching in the classroom.
  • Real-world tasks These involve seeing, hearing and putting language to use in realistic contexts. Reading magazines, watching TV, going to the cinema and listening to songs are obvious examples, offering the option of writing summaries and reviews as follow-up activities. Technology facilitates chat and friendship networks, while even in monolingual environments, walking down a shopping street noticing shop and brand names will reveal a lot of language. As with extensive tasks, it is important for learners to share their experiences, and perhaps to collect them in a formal or informal portfolio.
  • Project work It is a good idea to have a class or individual projects running over a period of time. Projects may be based on topics from a coursebook, the locality, interests and hobbies or selected individually. Project work needs to be guided in terms of where to find resources and monitored regularly, the outcome being a substantial piece of work at the end of a course or term of which the learner can claim ownership.

Conclusion Finally, a word about the Internet. The Web appears to offer a wealth of opportunity for self-study. Certainly reference resources make project work easier and more enjoyable, but cutting and pasting can also be seen as an easy option, requiring little originality or understanding. Conferring over homework tasks by email can be positive or negative, though chatting with an English-speaking friend is to be encouraged, as is searching for visual materials. Both teachers and learners are guilty of trawling the Net for practice exercises, some of which are untried, untested and dubious in terms of quality. Learners need guidance, and a starting point is to provide a short list of reliable sites such as the British Council's  LearnEnglish  and the BBC's Learning English  which provide a huge variety of exercises and activities as well as links to other reliable sources. Further reading Cooper, H. Synthesis of Research on Homework . Educational Leadership 47/3, 1989 North, S. and Pillay, H. Homework: re-examining the routin e. ELT Journal 56/2, April 2002 Painter, L. Homework . English Teaching Professional, Issue 10, 1999 Painter, L. Homework . OUP Resource Books for Teachers, 2003

First published in October 2007

Mr. Steve Darn I liked your…

Mr. Steve Darn I liked your method of the role of the homework . Well, I am one of those laggard people. Unfortunately, when it comes to homework, I definitely do it. Because, a student or pupil who understands new topics, of course, does his homework to know how much he understands the new topic. I also completely agree with all of Steve Darn's points above. However, sometimes teachers give a lot of riff-raff homework, just like homework is a human obligation. This is a plus. But in my opinion, first of all, it is necessary to divide the time properly, and then to do many tasks at home. Only then will you become an "excellent student" in the eyes of the teacher. Although we live in the age of technology, there are still some people who do not know how to send homework via email. Some foreign teachers ask to send tasks by email. Constant email updates require time and, in rare cases, a fee. My above points have been the cause of constant discussions.

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Setting homework, busy work or homework, setting homework.

I could not agree more!

Homeworks are an excellent way to revise and learn.

However, students are not likely to accept homeworks. That is why, as you claimed, the homeworks need to be useful, to have purpose.

I like your idea of ,, Real-world tasks,, since they definitely involve their background knowledge and such a type of homework is interesting and contemporary!

I totally agree. I am one of those teachers who give a lot of homework, and sometimes pupils don't like it. But homework help a lot. I mostly prefer project works, especially to upper levels.

I want to learn more about upper English specially law and business English all terms and words that we can use when we are making business.

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Making Homework Meaningful

One thing that teaches the lessons of accountability, responsibility, diligence and an appreciation for knowledge is homework. Every student has to do it, and for most kids, it is a necessity in order to do well in school. But its usefulness and whether it's taken seriously are always topics of conversation among students.

A Survey of Homework Habits

In elementary school, we are brought up to do homework, and some kids like myself are lucky enough to have their parents there to reiterate that message. We are taught that homework is important for making the information stick in our brains so that we are ready for the next day's lesson. Beginning around middle school, kids start to question the importance of homework, and that continues into high school, where a definitive rift among students is formed.

Once I decided this post would be on the topic of homework, I set out to talk to students from multiple backgrounds, and with varying degrees of work ethic and success, about their thoughts and experiences around homework.

Starting with students in the top 10% academically, I learned that they all do their homework, plus extra studying on a nightly/weekly basis. Their mottos all seem to be along the lines of "I've built this into my routine" and "I have to do homework or else I won't do well and keep my grades up." These students push themselves and will continue to do well because they see the value of homework.

There are a few exceptions in this group, though. There always are a few students who make it into the top of the class and can get by without doing homework. From what I have experienced and heard, they tend to be auditory learners -- they listen intently in class and can retain the information without having to put it into their heads more than once.

The middle of the road students and those in danger of failing tend to tell me that they don't do any homework. The reasons that they cite include the fact that, under the policy of many schools, homework can count for only 5% or less of a student's overall grade. So if it doesn't count towards a grade, the reasoning goes, why bother? This is unfair to the teachers who have to continuously re-teach material, and to the other students who must endure listening to the same material over again.

A related reason these students don't do their homework is that they don't believe it will help them. It's been so long since they've done homework that they have either forgotten or never learned how -- and thus never reaped its benefits.

Time Management, Resources and Context

Here are a few ways that students I've talked to have had success, which I present with a couple of fresh ideas.

1) Use In-School Time

Doing homework during extra time in school helps. When students have the opportunity to do some of their homework in school with a large support base, I've noticed that they tend to get more out of it, and finish more. Yes, there are the exceptions, i.e., distractions, friends and goofing around. But the students that use the time wisely are no strangers to the ends justifying the means.

2) Do Homework in Period Order

Complete assignments in the order they are due the next day. Many students will suggest this as a means of making sure it all gets done. Setting it out by period and going in order has helped me in the past. A problem, though, is that it often encourages procrastination. When students set their work out like this, they are more likely to picture where their free time is during the school day and imagine themselves doing it then.

3) Use Social Media!

As I discussed in my previous blog post, kids love technology and are highly knowledgeable in social media. One thing I've often thought about is creating groups for classes on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. If a student is having trouble with a particular problem, they should be encouraged to seek help from a teacher or student that can respond with a picture of their own work within seconds. If schools started encouraging teachers to work this into just a few classes, I think we would see improvements in the quality of homework completed.

4) Make Real World Connections

What could be a better way of answering students' biggest question -- "When am I ever going to use this?" -- than by showing them? There are many ways this could be done. Teachers could assign students the task of finding their own applications of certain principles at home, such as how electrical circuits can illustrate a concept for physics class, or how chemistry is applied in the kitchen. Or you could give them a list of things to notice at home or around town. For example, my town is right on the Erie Canal, and it has more heritage and history than most small towns. But when we study the era in history class, we never go out of the building and realize that it's right there.

From Day One of school, homework needs to be shown as important and assigned as something substantial, not busy work. As we continue to move into the digital age, I am sure homework will change -- along with most everything else.

What are some other examples of meaningful homework you've seen?

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Reading and Writing Haven; English Teaching Ideas

What is Meaningful Homework?

What is meaningful homework? In middle and high school, stereotypical visions of students weighed down by heavy backpacks and up all hours of the night completing packets and studying for large exams abound. Of course, those of us in education know this is typically not what an average homework load entails.

Still, schools are all over the board with the type and amount of homework they assign, ranging from none to quite a bit. Some parents worry about the homework load, and others think it’s a sign of a quality education.

With plenty of questions and not enough answers, I decided to do some research. Homework tends to be just “TOO…” sometimes… too much, too little, too easy, too frustrating, and even – too antiquated. 

As I dug into my research question – What is meaningful homework? – I hoped I’d find a clear answer.

Well, I didn’t. There is not one correct answer for the homework dilemma. When I combine what I’ve learned with my own teaching experiences, it really depends upon your context, your students’ needs, your purpose, and much, much more. In this post, I’m writing about some of the key elements of my learning.

These findings are intended for secondary classrooms.

The Purpose of Homework

In order to tackle this huge research question, I needed to narrow it. So I started thinking about the purpose of homework. Why do we assign it?

Reflecting on my own mistakes, I thought about times I had over-planned my lessons. Too much to do in one class period? Just assign the rest as homework!

Then, there’s the facade of homework. If you aren’t assigning it, are you a rigorous teacher? Surely, a class students would  learn something from would be assigning homework, right?

Of course, I also thought about the “tradition” of homework. As a student, I’d always been assigned homework. In almost every class! I remember filling in my student planner. Every day, I’d have a homework assignment written down after each class period I attended.

But, when I considered the “purpose” of each of these uses of homework, (o ver-planning? appearances? tradition? ) I had to admit…none of those reasons benefits student learning.   This realization brought me back to a narrower version of my original research question.

What is the purpose of homework? 

Using research from John Hattie and Robert Marzano, I was able to come to a strong conclusion. Meaningful homework should always add value to the learning process for teachers and students. And that has become my reflective mantra. Is it adding value? 

Teachers are experts in their field. Teacher expertise plays a role in good instruction, which impacts homework quality. #Homework #SecondaryELA

Teacher Expertise and Meaningful Homework

Data-driven teaching.

Meaningful homework should provide teachers with data to drive teaching . If I assign work, put it in a tidy binder-clipped pile, and then file it in the dark recesses behind my desk, what value is that adding to my teaching?

When students submit work, I want them to know that I’m using that work as data to make meaningful instructional decisions. That begins with standards alignment .

What types of questions or skills are students needing more practice with? Which areas are they already showing strength? Does the homework data indicate any subgroups need intervention or reteaching?

Sometimes this information is gathered as students are working on homework, and other times it’s gathered upon collection.

Once we have the data, homework is meaningful if we do something with it. We can make instructional decisions that impact the next day’s lesson or overall unit for the entire class or for small groups of students.

An Extension of Good Instruction

For teachers, meaningful homework is also an extension of good instruction . In other words, if we are maximizing our classroom teaching time, our homework will be more meaningful. For example’s sake, let’s consider the novel unit.

If we have students listen to an audio recording of a novel for forty-five minutes and then send them home to finish packets about the reading, we haven’t maximized our instructional time. Why are students spending the entire instructional period listening to a novel? Maybe it’s because they wouldn’t read the novel outside of class or because it’s too challenging for them to read independently. In both cases, using a shorter text for a mini-lesson in a reading workshop format would provide opportunities to maximize instructional time, teach standards, get to know our students as readers, and differentiate for learners based on what they need.

Teacher expertise – the decisions we make about what we are teaching in class and how we approach it will impact the quality of homework we assign.

7 ways to take the bore out of homework for students #Homework #MiddleSchool #HighSchool

Student Perceptions about Homework

For students, meaningful homework should enhance learning . Several key factors influence students’ attitudes toward homework.

Is it engaging?

While the sole purpose of homework is not to engage students, they are, of course, more likely to complete work they find engaging. We have to be careful with this one though because it’s easy to sacrifice the standards-aligned integrity of an assignment for sake of bells and whistles. One question I’ve started to ask is, “ Can I make it more engaging? ” The answer is not always yes, but simply reflecting on this question or brainstorming with a colleague or coach can help inspire new ideas.

Does it feel like busywork?

A deal-breaker for students is busywork. They can sense it coming a mile away. Busywork makes students question whether the homework is worth their time, and often, it angers or frustrates them. Crossword puzzles, tech-heavy assignments, and intricate coloring projects come to mind when I think of busywork. You, I’m sure, can add your own connections to that list.

Do they know why?

Sometimes, students perceive work to be busywork because they don’t understand the value of the assignment. If we frame the “why” for them, they’ll be part of the bigger picture.

Is it concise?

When creating homework assignments, we can also consider how long it will take students to complete. Doing the assignment ourselves is a good first step. For instance, when I first started with digital one pagers , I thought they would be something students could complete in one assignment. After doing the work myself, however, I had helpful insights about how to make it more concise. Chunking each step and pairing it with a reading-related mini lesson was going to be more concise for students, more beneficial for learning, and less overwhelming for all. It would be more respectful of students’ time.

With distance learning, meaningful homework most likely means less homework. Since students are already spending an unordinary amount of time in front of a screen, homework assignments should be concise, and – if possible – something that can be completed away from a device.

Does it allow for voice and choice?

Is there any way students can be part of the homework decision-making process? Building in options with choice boards, playlists, or differentiated tasks can help. Allowing them to choose their topics for writing assignments or select books for literature units, book clubs , and independent reading are sound choices as well. I’ve used exit tickets and entrance slips to allow students a way to decide what we do the next day. These are a natural part of reader’s and writer’s workshop.

Is it focused on critical thinking?

Students easily tire of lower-level skill assignments. Comprehension questions, grammar worksheets, writing vocabulary definitions. We can elevate thinking with homework assignments to engage students. Just for an example, focusing on higher-order thinking skills means moving from…

  • vocabulary memorization to making image associations
  • grammar identification practice to using grammar elements in writing or finding them in readings
  • multiple choice comprehension questions to analyzing how themes relate to real life

Whenever possible, homework should be crafted so that students can be successful independently but so that they still find it interesting and intellectually challenging . For instance, sketchnotes are a naturally differentiated task students can use to process what they have learned away from the screen.

Will they receive feedback?

When students know they will receive feedback on their work, it makes homework more meaningful. They often wonder, Will the teacher even read this? And, I’m sure you’ve seen students who plug in random sentences, like the lines to the “Pledge of Allegiance” because they assume their work is not valuable enough to be read. Imagine toiling over an assignment, turning it in proud of your hard work, only to realize it will never be read or acknowledged. If it’s happened to you, you know how quickly that leads to disenchantment.

Meaningful homework decision tree; middle and high school homework considerations #Homework #MiddleSchool #HighSchool

Ultimately, teachers are experts. If we know the homework we are assigning will benefit student learning and help us drive instruction…if we know it will be respectful of their time, home lives, and resources, it’s okay to assign work students don’t love. Cell phones, video games, and social media are difficult distractions to compete with. Even after we’ve done our best to create relevant, meaningful assignments, students may not want to thank us for assigning homework.

Building-Level Considerations for Homework

Meaningful homework conversations are beneficial topics for teams and departments to explore over the course of an entire year. Having intentional, reflective conversations is key.

Define Homework

Begin by defining homework. It’s not uncommon for educators to be on different pages. For instance, is it considered homework if it’s assigned near the end of the period and students are given time to work on it? If they use their time wisely, they should finish, but there are no guarantees. Is this homework? In my mind, it is, but homework conversations are more valuable when a common understanding is reached.

Cross-Subject Conversations

Together, teachers can explore how they can consider the homework load students experience throughout an entire day and work together to space out due dates for student stressors, like projects, research papers, and tests. Create a shared document the team can reference as they lesson plan.

Cultural Context

As a group, you can explore the cultural context of your school. Homework is not inherently bad or good, and its benefit always depends on how much your student body needs. If you work in a district where homework is never completed, assigning it and adding zeros to the grade book is detrimental to students.

Some students do not have access to technology at home, and with the recent increase of online learning, the digital divide and homework gap is widening. How can you identify whether students 1) are not willing, 2) are not able, or 3) are not organized enough to do their homework? And, what supports does your school or can your school put in place for students who do not or are not able to complete homework?

Involving Families

Conversations around how to involve families in the homework process are helpful as well. Teachers need parent partnerships and support to create environments where students can focus and prioritize school work. Assignments that extend to family and life are more authentic and relevant. Students can have conversations with their parents about themes in literature or add value to historical contexts. Always, we need to be sensitive to the diverse backgrounds of our students. We cannot expect them to complete work that requires resources and time families cannot provide.

Reflect on Research

Spend some time throughout the year finding and sharing research about homework. Analyzing research through the lens of what is right and true for your own situation can help you decide where you fall on the homework continuum. What does the research say? Why do people disagree? What existing beliefs might need to be highlighted or challenged?

The Continuum

Making these conversations specific is important. One way to do this is to come up with example homework assignments – research papers, word searches, flashcards, flipped lessons, etcetera – and have teams of teachers place them on a continuum from least to most meaningful. With most assignments, you’ll find that some teachers can think of a meaningful way to use that particular skill, and others can expose its disadvantages as a homework assignment. There is no “right” way to organize the lessons on a continuum. The value is in the conversation. Add a layer of fun by hosting an award ceremony following the continuum conversation. Here are a few example awards:

  • Most relevant to life
  • Best for spiral review
  • Most engaging and effective
  • Most likely to spark curiosity
  • Biggest waste of time

Meaningful homework means rethinking the entire practice. Moving away from the routine of homework allows us to reflect on the what, when, and why to create strategic, relevant, and purposeful assignments. Meaningful homework is the result of intentional, regular reflective conversations that happen over time. Involving all stakeholders in the conversation at some level will result in decisions that are more informed and respectful of students’ needs.

FURTHER READING

If you’re looking for further reading about meaningful homework, you may find some of the sources I consulted while researching helpful. This list includes affiliate links.

  • Five Hallmarks of Good Homework
  • Homework Done Right 
  • Rethinking Homework
  • The Case For and Against Homework
  • Visible Learning
  • Powerful Teaching
  • Coaching Classroom Instruction
  • The Core Six

Meaningful homework considerations for middle and high school #MeaningfulHomework #MiddleSchool #HighSchool

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Simplifying Reading Homework

When I first started teaching, reading homework was the bane of my existence . I spent countless hours pulling worksheets that matched what we were learning, and using a good portion of my copy allowance. My fifth year teaching, I moved into a teaching position where I taught only language arts – to 3 grade levels. I knew I had to change how I did reading homework, or I wouldn’t survive the year (or have enough copies left over).

That’s when I developed my reading homework: one double-sided copy each week for each student, with high-interest passages and reading questions that spiraled the literature and informational standards. I shared the reading homework with teacher friends locally, but recently I decided to make this homework even better – and share it with the world!

Below are my tips to simplify reading homework, whether or not you use my paper-saving reading resources ! Scroll to the end to get a free week of reading homework!

Simplifying Grading

Grading Reading Homework

The #1 question I get about homework is: How do I grade it when I’m already drowning in other grading?

My suggestion is to use the homework as yet another learning opportunity on Friday. Use a printed or digital spreadsheet to mark off the students that completed the homework. You can do this by quickly glancing at the written responses and the color-coded text evidence. When students have to prove their answers with evidence, it’s a lot easier to tell who put forth the effort.

Next, have students work in partners to discuss their answers. Have them give each other feedback on their work. A simple rubric, or just a few guidelines, can help students provide an effort grade for their partner. It also helps students become more accountable for doing their homework when they know that they will be using it Friday to work with someone in class.

Lastly, turning in the entire week on Friday will save you a lot of time. However, there may be some students that need to be checked every day.

Saving Paper

Saving Paper Reading Homework

One of my main goals was saving myself from going over my copy count. The way I do my reading homework, it has the passage on the front, with the color-coding directions, and a question for each day on the back. Each question is open-ended and spirals concepts from the reading standards.

Wait, one question? A day?

Yes! Each day has them reading (or re-reading) the passage, writing a 1-paragraph response to the question, and underlining evidence that supports their response. I have students use the R-A-C-E strategy to write each response. It takes students 15-20 minutes each day to complete their reading homework.

“RACE” strategy for reading response paragraphs

  • Restate the question.  Use words from the question in your answer, so that anyone that reads it knows what the question was.
  • Answer the question(s).  Answer every part of the question.
  • Cite evidence from the text.  Give examples and quotes from the text to support your answer.
  • Explain the evidence.  Explain how these examples and quotes support your answer.

Keeping Students Accountable

Accountable Reading Homework

Each week, I copy the passage and questions onto one double-sided piece of paper for each student. They take home crayons or colored pencils and the passage in their homework folders. Each day, they read the passage and complete a task. The task usually involves a written response. While they’re writing they’re written responses, they have to color code the evidence from the text.

This color-coding keeps them accountable. When I collect the homework on Friday, students compare their responses and use their evidence to show that their answers are correct. Because the questions are open-ended, there are multiple answers. This evidence allows for students to argue that their response is the best, or at least reasonable.

Spiraling Reading Standards

The homework I made is aligned to informational reading standards. Each month, we focus on spiraling either the informational or literature standards in our reading homework. You can view the other months here to see how I use them for both informational and literature standards.

There’s an alignment guide included in the resource that tells both the skills (for non-Common Core) and Common Core Standards that each passage practices.

reading homework alignment

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About the Author

April smith.

April began her career as a 5th grade teacher in 2008 and quickly developed a passion for creating engaging educational materials to share with fellow teachers. She now works with districts around the country, training their teachers and leaders on how to implement research-based strategies and differentiation techniques that meet the needs of diverse learners.

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Digital literacy expert explains differences between reading in print and online

by Amy Wolf, University of Delaware

Digital literacy expert explains differences between reading in print and online

Rachel Karchmer-Klein, associate professor in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Delaware, co-designed a research study where a group of high-achieving eighth graders were asked to engage with a digital narrative text. The story incorporated written words, sound, static images and video animations. The students quickly figured out they had to interact with it similarly to playing a video game in order to keep the story moving along.

When students were asked questions about the narrative, Karchmer-Klein and her colleague found that the students were focused so much on the written words that they missed a lot of the details.

"The details of the story and the fun and really cool stuff that came out in the narrative text were told through the sounds and the pictures," said Karchmer-Klein, who teaches courses in literacy and educational technology at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels in CEHD's School of Education. "They engaged with it, but because they were focusing on the words that were presented in the digital texts, they missed a lot of details."

It comes as no surprise that the students were so focused on the written words, Karchmer-Klein said, since that was what they've been taught to do since kindergarten.

"Overall, readers privilege the written word," she said. "One reason is because K-12 schooling spends most of its instructional time teaching kids to read and write written language. We assume that because kids today are growing up with digital devices that they can figure out how to communicate effectively with them. We don't spend time teaching other modalities like how to make meaning from audio, sound and moving images. Yet, there is a robust line of research indicating the need for this instruction. So just like we teach phonemic awareness, phonics and fluency, we need to teach these reading skills beginning in kindergarten."

Karchmer-Klein said there are four unique characteristics of digital texts—the medium we use to communicate over the internet—we should teach students. The first is that digital texts are nonlinear. With a printed book (in the English language), the reader reads left to right, top to bottom. But when engaging with a digital text, reading tends to be nonlinear and many times non-sequential—the reader does not have to go through the text in a sequential manner to make sense of the text.

A second characteristic is that while a physical book is static—once printed, it can't be changed—but a digital text is malleable. Karchmer-Klein informs students that when doing research online, a source they find can be gone or altered within a day, or even within minutes.

Technology also allows students to connect with anyone in the world.

"As soon as I, as the teacher, am allowing my students to get onto the internet, for example, I am opening a door to resources that I can't necessarily constrain," Karchmer-Klein said. "Whereas when I give a traditionally printed textbook to my class, I know what is in it and it can't be modified."

The final difference is multimodality—the use of multiple modes. Modes are signs or symbols, and their meaning comes from social and cultural uses and interpretations. Digital text consists of multiple modes pieced together. Examples are live or recorded speech, still or moving images, music, ambient sounds and tactility through touch screens. When these modes are combined with written language into one digital text, they require a high level of cognitive flexibility, meaning readers must navigate among and between modes to understand the content and progress forward in the text.

Texts, whether they be narrative or informational, typically have written language. Early literacy education tends to focus on the written word, the alphabet and phonemic awareness.

"What we don't do is spend a lot of time talking about all of these other modalities that can actually come into play and hold the cognitive load of meaning," Karchmer-Klein said. "So sure, we use picture books and we teach kids that pictures can hold meaning, especially when kids are really young, but that kind of all goes away as kids get older and we really focus on the words, which are important. But if you look at digital texts, there are a lot of other modalities that become not just supplemental, not just as important as the written word, but sometimes even more important."

Some studies have shown that when people read on-screen, they don't understand what they've read as well as when they read in print. But Karchmer-Klein said there are many variables that can affect one's comprehension when reading online—such as the age of a digital device and the reader's comfort level using it—and that reading strategies are much more important than the tool itself.

"Say I have a book and I also have a website, and I want you to use the strategy of close reading. That strategy is an evidence-based strategy. It's been systematically studied, and it's been proven to be a useful strategy with kids," she said. "So the tool—whether it be I'm using this passage that is traditionally printed or I'm using it on technology—doesn't matter. What matters is that I'm using an evidence-based strategy. The bottom line is it's the strategy. It's not the tool."

The technology isn't going anywhere, and students need to learn how to use it responsibly, Karchmer-Klein said. Much like many educators in the '90s and early 2000s were hesitant to bring the internet into classrooms, the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in educational settings is now a hot topic.

"With the internet, the argument was, 'This isn't going away. We've got to figure out how to use it,'" Karchmer-Klein said. "The same thing is happening now with AI, which is why we have to figure this out, because these kids are going to have to know how to use it for the workplace. The best thing that we can do is not shy away from the things that we have today and, instead, get grounded in what we know."

The biggest issue with technology, Karchmer-Klein said, is that people don't know how to critically analyze information—a problem that is only getting worse with the expansion of generative AI.

Most high school and college students get their news from social media sites like Instagram and TikTok, but these students don't understand the algorithms that these sites and search engines use—and they're often unable to determine what's misinformation.

"Nobody teaches you how to use social media. We just assume that people know how to use it. There's a lot of ugly stuff that happens there, and that's why we have so many people who are misinformed," she said. "Teaching critical thinking skills, beginning in kindergarten and first grade, is so important, because all these skills continue to build up more and more and more and more to the higher grades."

When schools and workplaces went virtual at the start of the pandemic, it became especially clear that most people didn't know how to use technology, Karchmer-Klein said, also noting that a good thing that came from the pandemic was that access to technology became less of an issue.

Karchmer-Klein said "there's no deep reading on the internet," but a main reason for that is that students aren't taught how to read online.

"We've all had instructions on how to read a book, but we haven't had instructions on how to read online," she said. "So it's hard to compare these things when you've been instructed how to do one thing, but not on the other."

Students need to learn that meaning can come from pictures, graphics, sounds—things other than words. They need to know that reading online is not always left to right, top to bottom—like it is in a traditionally printed text. Students need to learn that they might need to click on a link for more information and then come back to finish reading the original text.

That said, parents and educators certainly shouldn't toss all the hard copy books.

"There needs to be a balance," Karchmer-Klein said. "I don't think they should be on a computer all day long. I think that's horrible, too. But I do think it should be enough that they're exposed to technology, just like they should be exposed to books. I love books. I would hate it if my kid didn't have a book in front of them. I think there needs to be a balance. I think that's the smart thing to do."

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One-third of Australian children can't read properly as teaching methods cause 'preventable tragedy', Grattan Institute says

A young boy looking at a sheet of paper with words on it

One-third of Australian students are failing to learn to read proficiently, at an estimated cost to the economy of $40 billion, according to a new report.

The Grattan Institute's Reading Guarantee report calls this a "preventable tragedy" caused by persisting with teaching styles popular at universities, but "contrary to science" and discredited by inquiries in all major English-speaking countries.

"In a typical Australian school classroom of 24 students, eight can't read well," said report lead author and Grattan education program director Jordana Hunter. 

"Australia is failing these children."

The estimated cost of this "failure" was profound both personally and economy-wide, with students unable to read proficiently more likely to become disruptive at school and unemployed or even jailed later in life, the report concluded. 

Dr Hunter said the "conservative" financial estimate amounted to a "really significant cost" that did not include productivity benefits from increased reading. 

Students left to 'guess' meaning of words

The Grattan Institute attributed the major cause of its findings to the rise of a teaching style called "whole language", which became dominant on university campuses in the 1970s. 

It is underpinned by a philosophy that learning to read is a natural, unconscious process that students can master by being exposed to good literature. 

Proponents say it empowers young people by giving them autonomy. 

However, Grattan said it left students to "guess" the meaning of words and was saddling parents with expensive tuition costs to help their children catch up.

After decades of the so-called reading wars , "whole language" has incorporated elements of other approaches such as phonics, but Grattan said it remained "light touch" and "contrary to scientific recommendations". 

"What we need to do is set our expectations higher. We need to stop accepting failure," Dr Hunter said.

"It's not good enough that one in three students are not where they need to be in reading."

The Grattan Institute said evidence showed a much greater number of students learned to read successfully using the alternative "structured literacy" approach, and at least 90 per cent of students would be proficient using this model. 

Small laminated bits of paper with phonics on them are seen in a classroom

"Structured literacy" includes phonics, but also teacher-led "explicit instruction" backed by the latest science on how children's brains learn new concepts. 

"The quality of teaching is the thing that will shift the dial for our young people," Dr Hunter said. 

"We need to make the most of every single minute we have with our young people." 

Why are some schools still not using phonics?

Despite major inquiries in Australia, the United Kingdom and United States settling the argument that structured literacy teaching is superior, that hasn't flowed to all classrooms, the Grattan Institute says. 

It said where school systems had embraced it, students had  reaped the rewards . 

Australia's 10,000 schools have a high degree of autonomy, and even in states where education departments advocate for the structured literacy approach, the report says there needs to be more support for teachers to re-train and be provided with ready-made lessons. 

"The real issue here is, are governments doing enough to set teachers up for success?'" Dr Hunter said. 

"The challenge is making sure best practice is common practice in every single classroom." 

Western Sydney University's Katina Zammit, president of the Australian Literary Educators Association, said the whole language method should not end up in history's trash can. 

She said that in school systems that moved to the teaching methods championed by the Grattan Institute, some teachers found it too prescriptive. 

"The teachers that I have had contact with, some of the children who are being taught this way, have either lost interest in reading because it's a whole class approach or they are not retaining the instruction," Dr Zammit said. 

Dr Zammit agreed whole learning did not work for all students but said it could still be useful in the classroom. 

"One size doesn't fit all students," she said. 

"Yes, the majority it might, but we do have to look at engagement and motivation as well." 

However in a statement to the ABC, Education Minister Jason Clare said the science on teaching reading had been settled.

He also foreshadowed mandating teaching styles in the upcoming school funding agreement.

"The reading wars are over. We know what works. The current National School Reform Agreement doesn't include the sort of targets or reforms to move the needle here," he said.

"The new Agreement we strike this year needs to properly fund schools and tie that funding to the sort of things that work. The sort of things that will help children keep up, catch up and finish school."

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Find Reading resources | TPT

Learn more about reading resources.

Not only is reading a core concept in the study of English language arts, but it’s also a cornerstone skill for proficiency in many other subjects (for instance, without strong reading skills, students won’t be able to solve math word problems or read through primary sources for social studies class).

If you’re a teacher or parent looking for printable and digital reading resources to help your student learn a reading concept, look no further! TPT has an extensive collection of resources, created by other teachers, that are designed to help with any need across grade levels.

Elementary students just learning to read can practice the basics with some simple, fun phonics practice activities or small-group reading centers focused around sight words. Students in middle and high school can read novels and complete hands-on, interactive assignments that build their comprehension and critical thinking skills. With plenty of TPT resources at your fingertips, you can sharpen your student's reading skills in no time.

Fun and engaging reading activities to try

Engaging reading activities can energize your students and foster a love of reading. Here are a few ideas for reading activities from our teacher-created resources that you can find on TPT and try in your classroom:

Interactive Phonics Activities

Use hands-on activities such as sorting, matching, or building words with manipulatives to help students recognize phonics patterns and learn word families.

Encourage students to find specific words either in a text or around the classroom to help reinforce sight word recognition.

Reader's Theater

Bring short stories, books, poems, or plays you’re reading in class to life by assigning roles to students and having them act out scenes. This can help enhance fluency and comprehension.

Interactive Read-Alouds

Engage the class by pausing during read-alouds to discuss the story’s theme, reflect on a character’s motivations or actions, or to ask students questions.

Comparative Analysis

Explore different adaptations of the same story (book versus movie, classic version versus a modern retelling) to encourage analysis of interpretation and presentation. You can also pair texts that are similar in theme, like poems and songs.

By incorporating these (and other!) reading activities into your lesson plans, you can nurture a love for reading while enhancing comprehension, critical thinking, and communication skills.

Frequently asked questions about teaching reading

What types of reading resources are available on tpt.

There are many different types of reading resources sold by Sellers on TPT. Some popular reading lessons include: phonics, vocabulary, spelling, and balanced literacy.

How do I find reading lessons on TPT?

Educators can save time preparing reading lessons with resources created by experienced teachers. Simply start a search for reading resources on the TPT marketplace, and filter by grade level, price, and/or resource type to find materials that've been proven to work in classrooms like yours. No matter what you’re teaching, there are plenty of reading lessons and activities sold by Sellers on TPT that are tailored to meet your students' skill levels.

How can I make my reading lessons fun and engaging?

Students learn best when they're engaged! Sprinkle a little fun into your reading lessons by using manipulatives, pairing unusual texts like poems and short films together, or doing an escape room activity.

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Biden administration weighs slowing the shift to electric vehicles

Facing pressure from detroit and unions, the environmental protection agency may delay tailpipe emissions rules aimed at speeding the ev transition.

homework reading meaning

The Environmental Protection Agency is considering relaxing one of its most significant climate change rules — tailpipe emissions limits for cars and trucks — by giving automakers more time to boost sales of electric vehicles, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Rather than mandating a rapid increase in electric vehicle (EV) sales in the coming years, the agency could delay these requirements until after 2030, the two people said. The individuals spoke on the condition of anonymity because no final decision has been made; the rule will not be finalized until March at the earliest.

The move comes as the Biden administration faces pressure on multiple fronts to weaken its electrification targets, in part because of slowing EV sales and also problems with public EV charging stations .

The New York Times first reported that the EPA is mulling such a change, which would mark a major election-year concession to automakers and labor unions. It comes as President Biden walks a political tightrope by balancing two high-profile priorities: fighting climate change and championing labor rights.

During a contentious strike in the fall, the United Auto Workers sounded the alarm that a rapid shift to EVs could come at the expense of well-paying jobs. The union has been wary of EVs because they generally require fewer workers to assemble than gasoline-powered vehicles, and because many EV plants are being built in Southern states less friendly to unions.

In April, the EPA issued a proposed rule that called for EVs to account for 67 percent of all new passenger car and light-duty truck sales by 2032. Weeks later, UAW President Shawn Fain wrote that the union was withholding its endorsement of Biden’s reelection campaign over “concerns with the electric vehicle transition.”

In January, the EPA sent the final rule to the White House for interagency review. Soon after, the UAW endorsed Biden at its annual legislative conference in Washington.

Donald Trump , the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, has since called Fain a “dope” on his social media site Truth Social. Trump has also incorrectly claimed that EVs cannot travel far on a single charge, and he has called for eliminating the EV tax credits in Biden’s signature climate law.

America passed the EV ‘tipping point’ — but many buyers still want gas

UAW spokesman Jonah Furman declined to comment for this article. EPA spokesman Timothy Carroll declined to comment on the specifics of the rule while it is under interagency review. But in general, Carroll said in an email, “EPA is committed to finalizing a technology standard that is readily achievable, secures reductions in dangerous air and climate pollution and ensures economic benefits for families.”

Dan Becker, director of the Safe Climate Transport Campaign at the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental group, urged the EPA not to delay the timeline for transitioning to EVs. He noted that gasoline- and diesel-powered cars and trucks are one of the country’s largest sources of the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change.

“It will mean more pollution, more sick kids, more global warming, more oil use,” Becker said in a phone interview Sunday.

Yet delaying the EV requirements would still achieve roughly the same emissions reductions as the original proposal by 2055, according to a third person familiar with the matter, who like the others spoke on the condition of anonymity.

While EV sales in the United States have continued to climb, automakers say growth has slowed in recent months, prompting them to pause some investments. Tesla, whose workforce is not unionized, dominates U.S. EV sales. Unionized Detroit automakers lag far behind, with EVs accounting for only 4 percent of Ford’s total sales and 3 percent of General Motors’ total sales.

The availability of functioning charging stations is an issue, both for automakers and for many consumers. Although many EV drivers charge their vehicles at home, EV advocates have complained about a lack of functioning public charging stations across the country. Even in California, a hotbed of EV adoption, only 72.5 percent of all fast public chargers in San Francisco Bay Area were operational in early 2022, according to a study by researchers at the University of California at Berkeley.

Here’s the biggest hurdle facing America’s EV revolution

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade group, has argued that the EPA regulation is too ambitious in light of the slowdown in EV sales. The alliance — which represents GM, Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai and others — said the rule could expose automakers to more than $14 billion in fines if they failed to hit targets for reducing carbon dioxide.

In a statement, John Bozzella, the president and CEO of the alliance, said the nation needs to pace itself in the transition to electric vehicles. He made reference to Biden’s signature climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act, which provides funding for EV development.

“Give the market and supply chains a chance to catch up, maintain a customer’s ability to choose, let more public charging come online, let the industrial credits and Inflation Reduction Act do their thing and impact the industrial shift,” he said.

In contrast, Tesla has urged the agency to strengthen the proposed rule. In public comments, Tesla called for the rule to push EVs to 69 percent of market share by 2032 and 100 percent by 2035.

The EPA sets tailpipe emissions limits in concert with the Transportation Department and officials in California, which has authority under the Clean Air Act to issue stronger pollution rules than those of the federal government. The California Air Resources Board is seeking to ban the sale of new cars running only on gasoline by 2035. In the past, more than a dozen other states have opted to follow the Golden State’s stricter standards.

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What a Reported Trump Plan on Restricting Abortion Would Mean

The idea, a federal ban after 16 weeks, is not very popular — nor would it stop very many abortions.

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homework reading meaning

By Claire Cain Miller and Margot Sanger-Katz

Claire Cain Miller and Margot Sanger-Katz have been covering the effects of abortion restrictions for more than five years.

A nationwide ban on abortions after 16 weeks of pregnancy — which Donald J. Trump is considering backing, according to a New York Times report — would prevent very few abortions in the United States.

Mr. Trump, the front-runner to be the Republican presidential nominee, has not publicly spoken about the proposal. It would most likely keep in place more restrictive bans in the nearly half of states that have them, but would be a change for states where abortion remains largely unrestricted.

Such a law, which would require congressional action, would affect only a small minority of women seeking abortions. Before Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, just 4 percent of legal abortions happened at 16 weeks or later, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from 41 states in 2021, the most recent available. Those women tend to have medically complicated pregnancies.

By supporting such a ban, Mr. Trump may be trying to thread a needle: He could claim credit among conservatives for imposing more abortion restrictions, as he has done for installing three Supreme Court justices who helped overturn Roe. But he could also try to appease more moderate Americans who are wary of stricter abortion bans. The relatively small number of abortions that would be prevented, and the unpopularity of further abortion restrictions as reflected in polling, suggest that it may be a difficult balancing act to pull off.

A national 16-week limit would be more politically popular among Americans than complete abortion bans, but still not broadly popular. Around 40 percent of voters have said they are comfortable with abortion restrictions at around that time in a woman’s pregnancy, though public opinion on such matters is complicated.

It is also later than Mississippi’s previous 15-week ban — the law at issue in the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision that ended the constitutional right to abortion.

Who gets abortions after 16 weeks now?

The few people who get abortions at this stage of pregnancy are likely to face serious health risks, said Dr. Maria Isabel Rodriguez, director of the Center for Reproductive Health Equity at Oregon Health and Science University.

“The people seeking abortions at 16 weeks, while it’s a small number of women, are the people at greatest risk for maternal mortality and morbidity,” she said.

Many of the most serious pregnancy complications happen late in pregnancy, and many fetal abnormalities, including those to the fetus’s brain, spinal cord or heart, cannot be detected until later than 16 weeks . They are often not found until 20 weeks of pregnancy, when doctors perform a major anatomy scan. Recent lawsuits have highlighted the experiences of women who learned of major medical conditions after 16 weeks of pregnancy, such as ruptured membranes or a fetus developing without a skull.

Some women without medical problems also get abortions late in pregnancy because they learned they were pregnant late or struggled to get to an abortion provider sooner. Even in states where abortion remains legal, not all clinics provide abortions after the first trimester. Dr. Rodriguez said she believes more women in states with bans have been obtaining abortions later in pregnancy since Dobbs, because they needed to arrange out-of-state travel.

There have been no major studies measuring the share of abortions occurring after any gestational cutoff since Dobbs. Twenty states already restrict abortion before 16 weeks — most of those ban it entirely, and two, Arizona and Florida, ban it after 15 weeks.

What is the political rationale for a 16-week ban?

For Mr. Trump, a 16-week abortion ban might represent his best option on a politically treacherous issue. Supporting such a policy would make him more moderate on the issue than many Republicans, and could allow him to argue that other conservatives have gone too far. But it would also allow him to maintain some fidelity to anti-abortion voters who have supported him.

“We strongly agree with President Trump on protecting babies from abortion violence at 16 weeks,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, a group that has long supported more extensive abortion restrictions.

But while a 16-week ban might seem like a middle-ground position to some voters, it’s not a popular political one. Even some voters who say they oppose second-trimester abortions have little interest in a nationwide ban. A New York Times/Siena College poll in July found that voters opposed a federal 15-week ban, 53 percent to 38 percent, despite longstanding polling showing a majority of Americans oppose abortions after the first trimester.

In another Times/Siena poll, a generic Republican candidate who backed a national ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy held a one-point lead over a Democratic opponent. But a higher share of voters said they’d prefer a Republican who left abortion policy up to the states, the legal status quo.

How would it compare with other countries?

In some ways, a 16-week ban would make U.S. law more similar to that of peer countries . Only about a dozen countries allow abortion without any restrictions after 16 weeks; under Roe, the United States was part of a small group that did so until roughly 23 weeks. The most common cutoff worldwide is 12 weeks. But many of those countries also have robust policies to allow exceptions.

“Nearly all of them allow abortion on broad grounds beyond 16 weeks, such as risk to the person’s mental health and in some cases due to the social and economic impact of the pregnancy,” said Katy Mayall, director of strategic initiatives at the Center for Reproductive Rights, which studies abortion laws around the world and fights U.S. abortion restrictions in courts.

The proposal Mr. Trump is said to be considering would have much narrower exceptions than European laws, allowing later abortions only in cases of rape, incest or threats to the woman’s life.

The recent experience in states with similar abortion bans suggests those exceptions would be used infrequently . Because American abortion laws tend to impose significant criminal penalties on medical providers, doctors have been reluctant to provide abortions in ambiguous cases, even when there are serious threats to women’s health.

Nate Cohn contributed reporting.

Claire Cain Miller writes about gender, families and the future of work for The Upshot. She joined The Times in 2008 and was part of a team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2018 for public service for reporting on workplace sexual harassment issues. More about Claire Cain Miller

Margot Sanger-Katz is a reporter covering health care policy and public health for the Upshot section of The Times. More about Margot Sanger-Katz

Our Coverage of the 2024 Presidential Election

News and Analysis

Former President Donald Trump has privately expressed support  for a 16-week national abortion ban  with exceptions — a seeming attempt to satisfy social conservatives who want to further restrict the procedure and voters who want more modest limits.

Trump allies and officials who served in his administration are planning ways to restrict abortion rights if he returns to power  that would go far beyond proposals for a national ban or the laws enacted in conservative states.

Despite big losses in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, and the steep odds  facing her in South Carolina, Nikki Haley says she is going the distance against Trump. Here’s her plan .

Devouring the Establishment:  Long a dominant force over the Republican Party’s institutions, Trump is now moving to fully eradicate their independence  and remake them in his own image as November draws closer.

Letting Insults Fly: Nikki Haley has, until recently, run a fairly positive campaign, even as she has endured relentless criticism from Trump. Her 22-year-old son, Nalin Haley, is not so inclined to pull his punches .

Can Democrats Win Back Latino Men?: A friendship forged in a Las Vegas barbershop offers clues to one of the biggest questions of the presidential election .

Disparate Economic Pictures: Democrats say Nevada’s economy is getting better, while Republicans argue it’s getting worse. Which message resonates more could help make a difference in the pivotal battleground state in November .

Behaving Like an Incumbent: As he rolls toward the Republican nomination, Trump is using the imagery of his presidency  to twist the race in his favor in ways big and small.

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  1. Reading Homework: Making it Meaningful

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  2. Reading Homework: Making it Meaningful

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  3. How to make reading homework FUN!

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  4. Week-by-Week Homework for Building Reading Comprehension & Fluency

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COMMENTS

  1. Reading Homework: Making it Meaningful

    Each week students get the weekly passage and a set of questions broken up into four days (Monday through Thursday). The text is on-grade level, rigorous, and provides practice with the current skill that is being taught. Each day, students work through four questions using the same text.

  2. Homework Definition & Meaning

    1 : piecework done at home for pay 2 : an assignment given to a student to be completed outside the regular class period 3 : preparatory reading or research (as for a discussion or a debate) Examples of homework in a Sentence She started her algebra homework.

  3. Key Lessons: What Research Says About the Value of Homework

    Reading Topics A-Z Curriculum and Instruction Key Lessons: What Research Says About the Value of Homework Whether homework helps students — and how much homework is appropriate — has been debated for many years.

  4. 9 reasons kids don't finish their reading homework

    Here are nine reasons kids don't finish their reading homework. 1. They read slowly. Kids read at different paces. Your child may read more slowly than classmates. This doesn't mean your child isn't as smart as other kids. But it may mean your child needs shorter reading assignments, more time, or extra support.

  5. Homework

    Homework is a set of tasks assigned to students by their teachers to be completed at home. Common homework assignments may include required reading, a writing or typing project, mathematical exercises to be completed, information to be reviewed before a test, or other skills to be practiced.

  6. HOMEWORK

    to study a subject or situation carefully so that you know a lot about it and can deal with it successfully: The company working on the project had clearly done their homework on universal design issues. (Definition of homework from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press) Examples of homework

  7. Effective Practices for Homework

    Study (e.g., reviewing content to prepare for a test). Extend or elaborate (e.g., completing a project or paper on a topic such as investigating the causes of the Vietnam War). Of these purposes, the most valuable in producing measurable academic gains is practice for the purpose of building proficiency, maintaining mastery or both.

  8. The role of homework

    Reading this article, I agree with the author about the tasks, in these days the parents try to attack the teacher who should not leave homework, especially now that the technology has made available to the students many more resources outside the classroom, it is recommendable to do the homework, the task reinforces and helps the students to retain the information that is taught in the ...

  9. Does Homework Improve Reading Achievement?

    Blogs About Reading Shanahan on Literacy Does Homework Improve Reading Achievement? Letter to Shanahan: Our school is in review which means that we have to improve reading test performance — or else.

  10. Homework

    Homework refers to tasks given to pupils by their teachers to be completed outside of usual lessons. Homework activities vary significantly, particularly between younger and older pupils, including but not limited to home reading activities, longer projects or essays and more directed and focused work such as revision for tests.

  11. Making Homework Meaningful

    Making Homework Meaningful. One thing that teaches the lessons of accountability, responsibility, diligence and an appreciation for knowledge is homework. Every student has to do it, and for most kids, it is a necessity in order to do well in school. But its usefulness and whether it's taken seriously are always topics of conversation among ...

  12. What is Meaningful Homework?

    What is meaningful homework? In middle and high school, stereotypical visions of students weighed down by heavy backpacks and up all hours of the night completing packets and studying for large exams abound. Of course, those of us in education know this is typically not what an average homework load entails.

  13. Effects of Homework Policy on EFL Literacy Development in Emergency

    The results revealed that the homework reading program did show a significant impact on students' reading level growth but not on their reading comprehension scores. ... and writing (Mean = 12.527, SD = 5.292) post-test scores exceed the mean values of the homework-leniency group's reading (Mean = 16.333, SD = 5.190) and writing (Mean = 7.5 ...

  14. Simplifying Reading Homework

    Simplifying Reading Homework. When I first started teaching, reading homework was the bane of my existence. I spent countless hours pulling worksheets that matched what we were learning, and using a good portion of my copy allowance. My fifth year teaching, I moved into a teaching position where I taught only language arts - to 3 grade levels.

  15. Homework Definition & Meaning

    : research or reading done in order to prepare for something — used in the phrase do your homework The candidate did his homework [=studied the issues] before the debate.

  16. Homework Pros and Cons

    Homework does not help younger students, and may not help high school students. We've known for a while that homework does not help elementary students. A 2006 study found that "homework had no association with achievement gains" when measured by standardized tests results or grades. [ 7]

  17. homework

    homework meaning, definition, what is homework: work that a student at school is asked t...: Learn more. ... • Homework is always followed by a singular verb. ... particularly in subjects like math and science, he spends hours in his room doing homework and reading. • I was doing my homework - sort of. Quizzes. Quizzes.

  18. Digital literacy expert explains differences between reading in print

    Students need to learn that meaning can come from pictures, graphics, sounds—things other than words. They need to know that reading online is not always left to right, top to bottom—like it ...

  19. The Pros and Cons of Homework

    Homework also helps students develop key skills that they'll use throughout their lives: Accountability. Autonomy. Discipline. Time management. Self-direction. Critical thinking. Independent problem-solving. The skills learned in homework can then be applied to other subjects and practical situations in students' daily lives.

  20. What does good homework look like?

    What does good homework look like? Teachers give homework just about every night of the week. A good homework assignment can provide students with practice with a skill already taught, can prepare students for an upcoming test, and can extend a project or topic under study. A poorly designed homework assignment can bring tears and frustration ...

  21. Biden's Age and Memory Rise to Center of 2024 Presidential Campaign

    The Republican National Committee quickly created a graphic with the report's eight most brutal words — "well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory" — grafted onto the Biden campaign logo.

  22. One-third of Australian children can't read properly as teaching

    Students lacking reading skills are more likely to fall behind, disrupt class and end up unemployed or jailed, costing the economy an estimated $40 billion over their lifetimes, the report ...

  23. HOMEWORK

    to study a subject or situation carefully so that you know a lot about it and can deal with it successfully: The company working on the project had clearly done their homework on universal design issues. (Definition of homework from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press) Examples of homework

  24. Free reading homework

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    UKS2 The London Marathon Differentiated Fact File. Explore more than 740 "Reading Homework" resources for teachers, parents and pupils as well as related resources on "Maths Homework ". Check out our interactive series of lesson plans, worksheets, PowerPoints and assessment tools today! All teacher-made, aligned with the Australian Curriculum.

  26. Biden considers delaying shift to electric vehicles in auto rules

    Facing pressure from Detroit and unions, the Environmental Protection Agency may delay tailpipe emissions rules aimed at speeding the EV transition.

  27. What a Reported Trump Plan on Restricting Abortion Would Mean

    The idea, a federal ban after 16 weeks, is not very popular — nor would it stop very many abortions. By Claire Cain Miller and Margot Sanger-Katz Claire Cain Miller and Margot Sanger-Katz have ...

  28. Travis Kelce said these three words to Taylor Swift after winning the

    'Very strange': Parent reacts to permission slip to read book by Black author