ELA Skill Builders (2026)

An online-only instructional program designed to engage teens through high-interest nonfiction articles, real-world videos, and standards-aligned skill-building activities. Students strengthen important Social Studies and ELA skills through targeted practice in reading comprehension, close reading, analysis, discussion, and writing.

Skill Building ~ Nonfiction Magazine Articles:

• Junior Scholastic Magazine | Upfront Magazine
• Teen focused
• High-interest nonfiction articles
• Real-world videos
• Engaging Skill Builders Aligned with Common Core Standards | Important Social Studies and ELA skills with targeted activities:
  • Reading Strategies:
    • Finding Main Idea
    • Recalling Facts and Details
    • Recognizing Cause and Effect
    • Comparing and Contrasting
    • Finding Word Meaning in Context
    • Drawing Conclusions and Making Inferences
    • Distinguishing Between Fact and Opinion
    • Identifying Author’s Purpose
    • Summarizing …
  • Comprehension Quizzes
  • Close-reading Questions | Textual-evidence
  • Analyze: Graphs, Primary Sources, Videos
  • Debate | Speaking/Listening
  • Writing:
    • Summarizing
    • Similarities/Differences
    • Compare/Contrast
    • Choice Boards, etc.

Schedule:

Week 1: Monday, July 27 – Thursday, July 30
Week 2: Monday, Aug 3 – Thursday, Aug 6
Week 3: Monday, Aug 10 – Thursday, Aug 14

Grade Specific Schedule (all times in Eastern Time):

Middle School (Grades 6-8): 1:00pm – 2:00pm
High School (Grades 9-12): 2:30pm – 3:30pm

Meet the Teacher

Arzoo Shaikh holds a Master of Education in Reading and Literacy (Summa Cum
Laude) from City University of Seattle and recently completed a two-year Orton-
Gillingham scholarship program at Fairleigh Dickinson University, specializing in an
evidence-based approach particularly effective for students with dyslexia and
reading challenges. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education
from Wichita State University (Magna Cum Laude).

With over 25 years of classroom experience teaching grades K–8 in English
Language Arts and Social Studies, Arzoo brings extensive knowledge and a
genuine passion for helping students become confident readers and writers.

In addition to her classroom experience, she has spent many years
providing individualized tutoring and small-group instruction for students in
grades K-12, tailored to each student’s unique learning needs. Arzoo is also the
founder of Literacy Roots LLC, a reading and writing tutoring practice dedicated to
helping students build strong literacy skills and academic confidence.