Project-based learning can completely change the way students experience English Language Arts. Instead of completing a worksheet, answering a few comprehension questions, and moving on, students use their reading, writing, speaking, listening, and critical-thinking skills to create something meaningful. And that is one of the best things about project-based learning in ELA: you aren’t abandoning …
One of the most common frustrations in the middle school ELA classroom sounds something like this: “Where in the text did you find that?” And the student responds: “I just know.” Students may understand what they are reading, but getting them to prove their thinking with text evidence can be another challenge entirely. Some students …
Rubrics are supposed to make grading easier and expectations clearer. But sometimes, the rubric itself becomes another assignment students have to figure out. Words like organization, development, elaboration, and command of conventions may make perfect sense to teachers, but they do not always mean much to a seventh grader staring at a writing assignment. If …
Teaching nonfiction can sometimes feel a little less exciting than diving into a great short story or novel. But nonfiction texts are everywhere, and helping students understand how those texts are organized is one of the most useful reading skills we can teach. One of the best places to start is with nonfiction text features. …
A strong ELA classroom is about much more than reading novels, analyzing poetry, and writing essays. Before students are willing to share an interpretation, read their writing aloud, participate in a discussion, or take a risk with a difficult text, they need to feel comfortable in the classroom. That is why building a positive classroom …
Teaching story elements in middle school may sound simple at first. After all, most students have been learning about characters, setting, and plot since elementary school. But in middle school, the goal changes. Students are no longer simply identifying who the characters are or where a story takes place. They need to begin analyzing how …
Review days should be helpful. They should give students a chance to practice skills, clear up misconceptions, and build confidence before an assessment. Unfortunately, review can also become one of the most boring parts of the school week. Teachers ask questions. The same few students raise their hands. Everyone else stares at the clock while …
If your students’ writing sounds something like this: The boy ran down the street. The boy was scared. The dog chased him. The dog was barking. you are definitely not alone. Middle school writers often rely on short, repetitive sentences because those sentences feel safe. Students know how to write a basic subject-and-verb sentence, so …
The first time you tell middle school students that they are going to read Shakespeare, you may hear a few groans. You might also hear questions like: “Why does he talk like that?” “Is this even English?” “Do we really have to read this?” Shakespeare can feel intimidating to middle school students—and sometimes to teachers, …
Walk into almost any middle school ELA classroom, and you will find students reading at very different levels. One student may finish a novel in two days. Another may struggle to get through a single page without support. Some students understand what they read but have difficulty writing about it. Others can decode the words …
