English Language Arts Substitute Teacher Guide
Practical classroom strategies, lesson plan tips, and emergency lesson ideas for substitute teaching english language arts.
5
Strategies
5
Lesson Tips
5
Emergency Ideas
Substitute Teaching English Language Arts
Substitute teaching english language arts can feel intimidating, especially if it's not your area of expertise. The good news is that most english language arts classes will have lesson plans left by the regular teacher, and your primary job is to facilitate — not to be the expert. Here's how to succeed.
Key Classroom Strategies
Use read-aloud time to model fluency, expression, and thinking aloud about the text
Give students choices in reading material whenever possible to increase engagement
Use think-pair-share for discussion questions so every student participates
Focus on the process of writing (brainstorming, drafting) rather than just the final product
Keep a few generic writing prompts and discussion questions ready for any class
Lesson Plan Tips
Check what novel or unit the class is currently reading before diving in
If students are working on essays, use the period for writing workshop time
Have students read silently for the first 10 minutes to settle in and build routine
Use sentence starters on the board to help reluctant writers get going
Ask a student leader what the class has been working on if no plans were left
Common Challenges
Wide range of reading levels in a single classroom
Students who refuse to read or claim to have finished assigned reading
Not knowing where the class is in a novel or unit
Grading subjective written work when you're not the regular teacher
Emergency Lesson Ideas for English Language Arts
No lesson plan? No problem. Keep these ideas in your substitute teacher toolkit:
Free writing journal with three creative prompt options on the board
Six-word memoir activity where students craft their life story in exactly six words and share
Collaborative storytelling where each student adds one paragraph to a class story
Poetry analysis using a short, accessible poem projected for the whole class
Persuasive writing: students pick a side on a fun debate topic and write a short argument
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Resources
Become a Better English Language Arts Sub
Our training courses cover classroom strategies for all subjects, including english language arts.