What's New - New Online Writing Programs Introduced

Merit Software has just launched new online editions of Paragraph Punch and Essay Punch - widely used tools that improve students' writing skills.  The Punch programs guide students through the process of writing an effective paragraph or essay.  Unlike most educational supplements that are either assessments or drill and practice, the Punch programs are tutorials that respond to student inputs with personalized help and tips.

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In the News - Professional Development Course for Writing Instructors

In Merit's professional development course, Teaching the Writing Process, educators will learn to successfully integrate Paragraph Punch and Essay Punch into their classrooms. Teachers participating in the course may earn three Continuing education units (CEUs) from Marshall University Graduate College.

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Grants for US Educators - Jordan Fundamentals

The Jordan Fundamentals grant program distributes approximately 1 million dollars per year to support outstanding teaching and instructional creativity in public secondary schools that serve economically disadvantaged students.

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Resources for Teachers - Match Books to Students' Lexile Measures

The Lexile Book Database contains over 100,000 fiction and non-fiction titles from more than 450 publishers. Once you know a student's Lexile measure, you can search the database for books that fall within his or her Lexile range. Merit also lists the Lexile measure of each Book Punch title to help teachers find the appropriate books for their students.

Click here to search Lexile database

Try Book Punch for Free - We'll Help You Get Started

Merit is offering educators a free one year license for two Book Punch titles of their choice. Simply complete the online submission form to obtain Book Punch licenses for your classroom. A Merit representative will contact you to help setup your account.

Click here to sign up for a Book Punch account