I get this question a LOT from Middle School ELA teachers in my lesson plan membership and in my free community … What do you do with finished essays? I know, I know… it’s an overwhelming question. Especially after all the hard work you’ve put into helping your students write
What is ELA? Well, for starters, it might help if I instead asked, “What does ELA mean to you?” You might be surprised to know that what you refer to as ELA might not be how a teacher from another state defines it. There are (very!) diverse opinions about this
Are your middle school students having a hard time understanding how to paraphrase and summarize? In our day of INTENSE information overload, this is pretty normal. Students nowadays spend so much time online consuming huge amounts of information that it can be hard to summarize a long passage into concise
Looking for the best books to read aloud to your Middle School ELA students? If so, you’ve come to the right place because I have 9 fascinating books your students will enjoy listening to! Benefits of Books to Read Aloud to Your Class First, let me explain for just a
Are you ready to start teaching your Middle School ELA students how to use mentor texts to improve their own writing? If so, you’ll want to start with texts that are simple yet well-written—and that includes picture books. “But aren’t middles schoolers too old for picture books?” In a traditional
If you’re teaching foreshadowing and suspense in your Middle School ELA classroom, you need some compelling short stories. Thankfully, there are TONS of incredible short stories you can use that your students will really enjoy. The great thing about teaching foreshadowing and suspense is that the stories you can use
So… you’re a first-time middle school ELA teacher. Welcome to the madness, I guess! I’m kidding, but in all honesty, middle school isn’t quite like high school or elementary school. Middle school is its own unique level that you need to be prepared for as you get ready to run
Book review sites can save you a ton of time when you’re an ELA teacher… Think about it. You don’t have time to read 25 books in order to choose a handful of good ones for your Middle School class. You’re busy and you should be living your life! (I’m
Ten years ago, podcasts weren’t nearly as popular as they are today. Now, they’re a huge asset to our personal and professional lives—including in the classroom. That’s why today I’m walking you through how to use podcasts in Middle School ELA classrooms. If you’re not a big podcast listener, you
Do your students groan when you bring up the dreaded subject of grammar? Unfortunately, grammar instruction tends to be dry—but not if you have fun grammar exercises to engage your students! Middle schoolers can be a hard group to teach, but making grammar exercises fun keeps them focused on the
Are your students struggling or below-level readers? Do you have students who have difficulty pronouncing words, read slowly in general, and write with many misspelled words? If so, these reading strategies might be exactly what you need!! Here’s how to help your students increase their reading proficiency: 1. Choose specific
Are your students glued to their phones and computers? If so, why not let them use them in class? (In a CONSTRUCTIVE way, of course!!) I’ve compiled a list of some of the best free apps and websites that you can use in your Middle Schoola ELA classroom. You and
Let’s be honest… teaching the writing process isn’t easy, ESPECIALLY when you have to do it online!! That’s because teaching virtually often lacks the accountability that in-person classrooms offer. Have you found your students are completely skipping over the examples and explanations you write so they can jump to the
Sharing an easy, almost no-prep activity idea! ➡️ALL IN ONE Vocabulary Challenge ⬅️ Students work in groups for this activity. Groups of 3-4 students work best. *GIVE each group of list of 10-15 vocabulary words from novel, unit, or other reading . Each group should have access to a dictionary
When thinking about HOW to structure your creative writing class along with WHAT to do, here are some tried-and-true options for a 50 min class (you can adjust these minutes based on your own schedule, too): (10 min) Freewriting / journaling / doodle notes / quiet time (10 min) Read-aloud