As middle school teachers, we all know how hard it can be to get students engaged in lessons. That’s why I always try to make my lessons as fun as possible so that they can’t help but enjoy learning in my class.
When students enjoy the work they are doing, they are more likely to retain the information they are learning. Plus, participation goes way up. It’s a win-win!
If you are looking for some easy ways to make ELA fun in middle school, you’re in the right place! Here are 5 simple tips you can start implementing today:
Incorporate Games and Interactive Activities
Playing games or doing interactive activities in class is a surefire way to get students motivated. There are tons of easy games you can easily incorporate into your lessons including ELA Jeopardy, word scavenger hunts, escape rooms, vocabulary bingo, or even games like this Trashketball one that I created to help with figurative language. You can always look online on places like YouTube for free options as well.
There are so many benefits to playing games or doing activities like this, but one of the biggest ones is that it engages different learning styles so you can reach different students. It also fosters a competitive yet collaborative environment in your classroom.
Use Creative Writing Prompts
When it comes to making learning fun, it is always helpful to incorporate student interests. You can easily do this with writing prompts. You can create prompts around superheroes, social media, future careers, musicians, or popular books or movies. You can use these for individual writing prompts or even a “pass-the-story” game where students build a story together, one piece at a time. This approach encourages imagination and can help improve writing skills.
Leverage Technology Resources
It’s no secret that students these days are tech-savvy, so why not use that to your advantage? There are so many digital resources available to us now that we can use in the classroom to get students engaged. There are digital reading apps, interactive quizzes (like the ones you can find on Kahoot), podcasts, and so many educational YouTube videos that you can use for free Taking this approach meets your students where they are and makes learning more dynamic and interactive. Plus, no paper or prep work for you!
Create Book Clubs or Literature Circles
Book clubs or literature circles promote more peer discussions, a deeper understanding of what they are reading, and a sense of ownership over learning. Allowing students to have a say in which book is chosen from a list is a great way to get them invested. Encourage them to discuss the book with their peers and share their opinions.
Connect Lessons with Real-World Topics, Events, and Issues
Using current events or real-world topics can help make ELA more relevant to your students’ lives. This encourages them to think critically about their world and formulate their own opinions. You can do this by discussing current events, analyzing lyrics from popular songs, or studying the themes in popular movies and TV shows that your students are enjoying.
There you have it! I hope you try these methods in your classroom to see which works best for your students!
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