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 …
Usually I will post helpful articles on teaching middle school, but if you have followed me since before I lost my other site (this one had to start all over from scratch) you will know that I love Socratic Circles/ Seminars for so many reasons. The largest reasons are that it teaches students the critical …
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 …
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 …
Comparing two texts sounds simple enough—until students actually have to do it. Many middle school students can tell you what happens in Text A and what happens in Text B. The real challenge comes when they are asked to explain how the texts are similar, how they are different, and why those similarities and differences …
The moment you announce a poetry unit, you may hear a few sighs from around the classroom. Some students immediately assume poetry will be confusing. Others picture endless worksheets asking them to identify metaphors, rhyme schemes, and unfamiliar vocabulary. A few may insist that they simply “do not get poetry.” Fortunately, poetry does not have …
