From Apathetic to Engaged: Strategies to Motivate Reluctant Learners

Yes, it’s summer, and you should be resting and relaxing, not thinking about school. But you landed here because it’s still on your mind. You keep drifting back to your classroom, and you’re wondering what you can do next year to motivate unmotivated students. You’re tired of all of the apathy. You’re sick of being the one doing all the work in your classroom. We totally get it, and we're ready to help with some ideas you can try to engage and energize your students this fall.

First, Jackie from ROOM 213, knows that allowing students to move, even if it’s just for a short stand-and-talk, can make all the difference in the world for student engagement. Over the years, she's developed many strategies that energize reluctant learners through moving-to-learn, and you can check out her tips in this post: 5 Easy Ways to Add Movement in Your Classroom.

The Daring English Teacher suggests that one of the best ways classroom teachers can build and establish a positive classroom community with their students is by incorporating SEL, mindset, and mindfulness activities throughout the school year.  In this post, she explains how doing so can positively impact students and their engagement in learning.

When Presto Plans got ready for the first few weeks of school, one of the most important things she considered was what routines she wanted to establish for teaching ELA. Students thrive on predictability and structure - and let’s face it, so do we! Establishing good middle school classroom routines right from the get-go is one of the best ways to increase student motivation. Check out this post for 5 Routines to Transform Your Secondary Classroom.

We can’t forget the importance of classroom decor in keeping our students motivated. That doesn’t mean you have to spend a bundle of time and money setting up an amazing classroom for pics on social media; it can be as simple as creating a bulletin board that keeps students focused on their learning. The Classroom Sparrow knows that not only do bulletin boards add a pop of creativity, but students genuinely enjoy the change. On this post, she shares a few ways you can easily add a burst of color to your classroom while, at the same time, making the content meaningful and engaging.

And finally, we can't energize our students when we are exhausted, right? Mrs Orman offers lots of tips for dealing with this overwhelming job of ours. Teaching alone is a lot. But add all the extras that are piled on teachers and it’s no wonder teachers are leaving the profession by droves. Early in her career, she took on too many "extras," but as the years went by, she found ways to deal with the added responsibilities. In this post, Tracee shares some ways she gained time and kept her sanity.

There’s nothing wrong with letting your mind churn over the possibilities for increasing student motivation, even when you are supposed to be on vacation. In fact, when your mind is at rest, you often get some of your best ideas. We hope that you’ve found some usable classroom strategies in the posts that we shared, ones that will help you engage and energize your new students in the fall.

Let us know if you have any questions!

Low-Prep and Engaging End of the Year Activities for Middle and High School Students

End-of-the-year activities for middle and high school English class can be fun, engaging and a great way to review the year's material, while at the same time, being creative and collaborative. One of the easiest ways to ensure all students in a class are engaged would be to offer a variety of options to cater to diverse preferences. 

The end of the year is a time for celebration and fun and reflection, so let your students enjoy the process. By incorporating a combination of activities, you can create memorable and meaningful end-of-year experiences for your students. For younger years or to adapt to all learners in a classroom, simply adjust the complexity and scope of the activities based on your students' abilities. 

Literary Trivia or Bingo

This an easy way to test your students' knowledge of the years readings in a fun and competitive way. Whenever I have played a Jeopardy game with my students, it usually lasts 30-40 minutes. I divide the class into 3-4 groups and then give them an opportunity to come up with a team name (just for added fun!)  Each category of the game is titled based on novels or texts that we have read and the questions are simply facts about each category. It only takes a few minutes to create and it's worth the time based on the fun the class will have!

 Book Swap

Another fun and easy way to engage all students would be to have each of them bring in a book that they enjoyed reading (as a class or individually) and participate in a book swap. Instead of actually exchanging books, students could each write down the titles and authors that may interest them for their summer or future class reading.  

Interactive Games

Games and puzzles are a great way for a class to collaborate and celebrate. This End of the Year Escape Room does just that! This is great for the months of May and June (or even at semester turn around). In this escape room, students complete a variety of tasks using different skills, such as: problem-solving, reading comprehension, critical thinking and basic math. The best part? Different students will have different strengths in each area, so everyone truly participates in one way or another based on the skill needed for the particular task. Learn more about this resource HERE!

'Year in Review' Showcase

In this activity, students can create a visual or multimedia presentation summarizing their favorite pieces of work and skills throughout the year. This could be done via a poster, slideshow, video or even a play. This type of activity pairs very well with a final portfolio, where students compile their best work from the year. Check out this blog post that I wrote about why you should you try portfolios with your students!

Portfolio's are great because:

• They measure student growth
• They provide opportunities self-reflection
• They provide opportunities for teacher reflection
• They help promote organizational skills
• They can guide future planning

Collaborative Novel 

Students can work together to re-create a novel, short-story or play that they read during the semester. Not only is this fun to create, it also serves as a great keepsake for years to come. This end-of-the-year is a favorite for myself and my students. I wrote this blog post about how to complete the activity step-by-step.  

While the project is quite informal in its presentation, the final outcome is very fulfilling! This project is posted in my TpT store, so if you're looking for a low-prep, but engaging activity to wrap up the school year, this might just be it! Click HERE to check it out in more detail. 

Here is a list of some other easy ways to wrap up the school year:

• Top 10 lists
• Class debate
• Creative writing prompts 
• Podcast/Radio show
• Literary time capsule 

Check out these other great ideas from other Coffee Shop members:

• End of the Year Activities & Keepsakes 
• Last Week of School Resource 
• End of the Year Growth Mindset Activities 
• End of the Year Activities for English Class
  

 

Tips for Running a Successful Socratic Seminar in ELA

by Presto Plans

Have you ever wondered if a Socratic seminar might be fun to try with your middle or high school ELA students? These student-led discussions allow participants to explore a topic (or an entire text) through open-ended questions and critical dialogue. But there's a catch! In a true Socratic seminar, there is no "leader" (teacher or student) who facilitates the discussion. Instead, all students share in the conversation by directly responding to - or building on - each others' ideas. The conversation flows freely, and when someone wants to share an idea or ask a question, they jump right in.

I love Socratic seminars in the upper middle school and high school grades for so many reasons. I find this method encourages students to analyze multiple perspectives and practice active listening skills as they engage in meaningful discussion with their peers.  If you're looking for an opportunity to step back and let your students take the lead, here's how I like to approach Socratic seminars from start to finish.

1. Set Clear Expectations and Norms

Because the goal of a Socratic seminar is for students to keep the discussion flowing, I find it useful to begin by setting some ground rules. Establishing clear expectations for respectful discussion can create a safe framework for students to express their thoughts and ideas. 

Here are some of the norms I like to share with a class before they get started:

• Stay on topic
• Speak one at a time/avoid interrupting other
• Respect different perspectives
• Keep the discussion focused on evaluating ideas, not judging individual
• Assume good intentions and give others the benefit of the doubt

Some students might be a little apprehensive about trying something new. Not to worry! You are here to guide them through the entire process from start to finish.

2. Select Engaging, Thought-Provoking Topics

The secret to a successful Socratic seminar is choosing a topic that students find relevant and interesting. Depending on how you structure your seminars, you might offer students a few different choices to select from. Alternatively, you might run a few Socratic seminars throughout your course on diverse topics that incorporate students' interests and various points of view.

Socratic seminars can be based on a thought-provoking question, an issue for students to problem-solve, or relate to a work of literature. As long as the topic supports lively discussion and incorporates multiple perspectives, almost anything goes!  

Here are some seminar topics that, in my experience, always get students talking:

• Will AI make our world better or worse?
• Should we go to Mars?
• Should school start times be later in the day?
• Should there be age limits for certain sports?
• Should we capture life on social media or live in the moment?

3. Build Background Knowledge with Pre-Reading Materials

One important thing to remember - especially in middle and high school - is that not all students have the same level of background information on any given topic. I find it useful to establish a level playing field by providing students with accessible background information. One thing I like to do to set the stage is show a high-interest video (like these hand-drawn ones from Dr. John Spencer from Spencer Education) to get students thinking about the topic. To make this even more accessible, providing a video transcript can be especially helpful for students who could benefit from reading along.

From here, I also have students read a relevant article related to the topic and provide a vocabulary preview to help students understand important terms and definitions related to the topic of their discussion.

4. Prepare Students for the Discussion

As students begin to prepare for their Socratic seminar, a graphic organizer can help them track their thoughts. For example, in a discussion about the benefits and drawbacks of artificial intelligence, students may wish to record some key details or keep a "pros" and "cons" list as they learn about the impact of AI from social, political, and economic perspectives. 

From here, they can then discuss what they have researched from the video and the article and reflect on their understanding. For this step, I break students up into small groups for a round-robin discussion to help them gain some additional perspectives on the issue. 

Questions like these can help to guide this discussion:

• Do you agree with the text? Why or why not?
• How does this text relate to your world?
• Where can you find evidence to back up the main idea? (What evidence might contradict it?)
• What can you clarify about the text?

After this discussion wraps up, I ask students to return to their own seats and personally reflect on the issue. This helps to refine their reasoning before the discussion and anticipate counter-arguments that other students might make.

5. Facilitate a Structured (but Student-Led) Discussion

Now, it's time for the fun to begin! For me, the hardest part of running a Socratic seminar is removing "myself" from the conversation - but it's also the most rewarding! Turning the control over to the students provides them with the freedom and flexibility to explore their ideas and consider new perspectives.

Before students get started, I briefly remind them of the discussion norms. At this time, I also like to provide a handout with suggestions for sentence stems to initiate a discussion, agree with another student's argument, or respectfully disagree with someone's ideas. These sentence starters can also be used to build on another student's thought or to clarify a point of information. 

Once the discussion is underway, I like to let students take the lead - intervening only to facilitate if the discussion gets too off-topic or to give a warning about how much time remains. More often than not, I find that students are usually quite engaged in the discussion and that they are keen to follow the structure of the seminar. While they are speaking, I like to take some quick notes, tracking each student's contribution.

6. Debrief and Reflect

I believe there is real value in a post-discussion reflection - for students, and for the teacher, too! A reflective conversation after the seminar can reinforce learning and help students identify areas of strength and growth to be aware of for the next discussion.

Reflections can take many different forms. Sometimes, I like to share a response sheet to provide structure for students as they analyze their own participation and the group's discussion. Other times, a journal prompt offers a more free-form approach to reflection. I might also have students self-assess their contributions to the seminar using a rubric and then compare their assessment to my observations and notes. This collaborative assessment can help to provide constructive feedback and encourage growth.

If you've never tried a Socratic seminar in middle or high school ELA before, they can provide an awesome way to help students develop discussion and critical thinking skills. I hope this post gives you lots of ideas for how to make one work in your classroom!

Looking for more resources and ideas for great class discussions in middle school ELA? Check out these great links from my friends here at the Secondary English Coffee Shop!

Socratic Seminar for End of Year Review by The Daring English Teacher

Scaffolding Speaking Skills for Student Success by Room 213

Find Quality Resources on Teachers pay Teachers

 

I've seen the criticism: Teachers pay Teachers offers nothing but a bunch of mindless worksheets that waste students' time and do nothing to advance learning. Yes, teachers can find resources like this on TpT. However, if they search wisely, they will find many valuable resources that not only save them time but also lead to meaningful learning for their students. It is not hard to find quality resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, and this post will help you learn how to distinguish the good from the bad.

Finding great resources on TpT is really no different than any time you go searching online. Looking for a new sweater? You can end up with something that looked oh-so-cute on your phone, but when it arrives on your doorstep, it's poorly made, doesn't fit well, and a seam tears after one wearing. Or, you can go to trusted sites, carefully read the details & reviews, and end up with a go-to comfy sweater that becomes your all-time favorite.

This works the same on TpT. With a careful search, teachers will find many resources that provide quality learning for students. These lessons are research-based, classroom-tested, and designed to scaffold the skills that students need. The activities are far from mindless and can add to the engagement and learning in a teacher's classroom. They can also lead to less work in the evenings and weekends. 

So...how do you get what you need?

Use the right words in the search bar

First, like any research, it requires quality terms in the search bar. If a teacher types "Writing Lessons," they will get thousands of hits and will have to scroll through piles of irrelevant resources to find something good.

So, be as specific as you can while searching. First, toggle the correct grade & subject so you aren't getting activities for K-2 when you need something for high school. Then, instead of searching for "writing lessons," search for the specific lessons you need: "teaching focus and organization" or "showing not telling lessons." If you are looking for a specific type of writing, add that in too: "literary analysis embedding quotations," or "research skills paraphrasing MLA." Do you want to help your students improve their ability to analyze text? Try "active reading literary analysis" or "elements of fiction mini-lessons." 

These very specific terms will give you a better chance of downloading something that really works for you and your students.

Also, when you type in the search bar, other relevant ideas will be provided by TpT, so look below it to see if one of those suggestions fits. Once you've narrowed your search, you'll have an easier time finding what you need.

Look closely at the thumbnails and the previews

We all know that you can not always judge a book by its cover. However, the thumbnails and preview are the first clues to a quality resource. Check out the cover and then take the time to look through the preview provided by the seller. If it's done well, that's the first sign that you're getting a quality lesson or activity. 

Secondly, a good preview will show you how can use the resource with your students. If it's just a bunch of pretty worksheets with little substance - that's what you're getting. Instead, look for previews that clearly explain exactly what you and your students will be able to do with the resource.

Click here to see the preview for my Embedding & Citing Quotations resource as an example.

Read the resource details and description

I've gotten reviews where the teacher comments that the resource was not appropriate for their grade level when the resource was never meant for, let's say, a grade four SPED class. It was labeled for grade nine, but they bought it anyway and were disappointed it didn't fit. So take the time to read the bullets that state grade and subject, and then move on to the description.

Reading the description will show you if the resource suits your needs, AND it will also give you some insight into the quality of the resource you are getting. If the seller has taken the time to provide lots of detail about the ways you can use their resource, chances are you will find detail and rigor in the download too.

Search "Most Recent" as well as "Best Sellers"

If you find sellers you like, their "best sellers" are a good place to start. However, look at their most recent resources too. Why? Because quality sellers are always learning and growing. They want to perfect what they put out for teachers. Their best sellers may be good, but their more recent creations are based on all of the things they have learned about creating resources and may be some of their best, even if they haven't earned best-seller status yet.

Quality TpT resources focus on student learning

I will admit that the criticism I see hits hard sometimes because I know how much effort I put into creating resources that help students engage with meaningful learning. Blanket (and false) statements make teachers feel bad about using TpT and ignore the fact that many of us are working hard to create good stuff.

My resources are based on three decades of watching how students learn AND three decades of studying just what engages them. From my first day as a teacher, I was a voracious learner too, noting what worked and what didn't.  I read the research. I tweaked my lessons time and again until I was happy. I started creating lessons for TpT when I'd already been at this game for twenty years, and all of my learning has gone into my resources.

So, when you get a lesson from ROOM 213 (or any of my friends here in the Coffee Shop), you are getting one that is carefully crafted to engage students in meaningful learning. Instead of busy work, you get:

• Detailed lesson plans that scaffold the learning process
• Slideshows that teachers can use to guide instruction, discussion, & activities
• Activities & exercises designed to give students practice building the targeted skills
• Handouts (you might even call them worksheets - ones that aren't mindless)
• Opportunities for collaboration & movement
• When appropriate, assessment tools and classroom management tips

That, my friends, is far from a mindless worksheet - so don't believe the blanket statements some people make about TpT resources because you will find many sellers who offer you quality resources to use with students.

I wholeheartedly believe TpT can provide a lifeline for teachers who are overworked and under-resourced. It can give those who are just too tired to come up with something themselves a lesson that will get students excited about learning. And it can provide s inspiration for teachers who are just looking for something new to try. Just as I look for inspiration online when I want to redecorate, a teacher can find lots of creative inspiration from fellow teachers online too.

So, when you go on TpT in search of something for your students, don't just go for something that looks all pretty and flashy. Be discerning: read the details and look at the previews. You may just get an all-time favorite.

Jackie, from ROOM 213

My colleagues here at the Coffee Shop also offer resources that go way beyond busy work. Check these out:

Tracee Orman - Guided Poetry Presentation

Presto Plans - Figurative Language Escape Room Review

The Classroom Sparrow - Essay Writing Scavenger Hunt

5 Ways to Get Your Students Talking About Books

By: Presto Plans

If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that middle school students LOVE to talk! If you have a chatty class, why not channel that energy into talking about books?

Reading helps middle schoolers broaden their understanding of the world, empathize with characters of different ages, genders, and backgrounds, and build their vocabulary. If you’re looking to build a stronger reading culture in your middle ELA school classroom, here are five sure-fire ways to get your students talking about books!

1) Make it Social with Book Clubs

Reading doesn’t have to happen in isolation. Literature circles and book clubs can provide structure for collaborative reading activities and encourage deep conversations about books. While there are many different ways to approach literature circles, I like to assign students to a discussion group (five students in each group works best!) based on a good-fit, high-interest book. Once they are in their groups, it’s important to make sure each student has a clear role. This lets them take responsibility for different parts of the discussion in their meetings.

One advantage literature circles or book clubs have over a whole-class novel study is that they allow students to express more choice and voice about what they read. You might want to offer a selection of books that touch on a similar theme or genre (like historical fiction or sci-fi), or you could provide a selection that caters to the wide variety of interests your students likely have. However you choose to approach your book club, your students will love the opportunity to connect with each other and have conversations about their books. You can read in more detail about how I implement literature circles here.

2) Ditch the Traditional Book Report

Hear me out - I think book reports can be really useful in middle school ELA! The trick is to take a fresh, choice-based approach that lets students express themselves, make relevant, personal connections, and meaningfully share their understanding with others. Although book reports aren’t necessarily intended for discussion, I have found that if you take an alternative approach to fiction analysis, it often sparks meaningful conversations as students work together. That is why I like to have students complete these alternative options to book reports in pairs. I’m always surprised by how a simple but unique twist can enhance discussion and engagement with the books students are reading. Here are three of my favorite book report “alternatives” to try with your class:

CREATIVE ASSIGNMENTS FOR ANY NOVEL OR SHORT STORY:

I love to keep a bundle of fun, ready-to-use assignments that work with any novel or short story on hand. The tasks offer opportunities for students to explore plot, theme, characterization, conflict, setting, author’s purpose and more! More than that, though, these assignments actually get students working together and talking about the books they are reading in a different context. Some of the activities included in the 50 reading tasks I share with students include…

• Hashtags: Writing social media updates (with hashtags) as a character.
• Check My Internet History: Sharing a character's browsing history during the plot of the story.
• Point of View Change Up: Retelling a part of the story from a different character's perspective.
• The Setting Tour Guide: Taking on the role of the tour guide and writing a description of the setting of the reading.

You can see how these types of assignments would lend themselves to more discussion and engagement with the text rather than simply having students answer questions or write an analysis paragraph.

TURN A STORY INTO A VIDEO GAME: 

Hook students who love gaming with this engaging multi-step project! As they create a plan to turn their novel or short story into a video game, they’ll demonstrate their understanding of character, setting, and plot. This outside-the-box approach will definitely get your gamers talking!

TURN A STORY INTO A MOVIE:

If you have any film buffs in your class, they will love this fresh take on a book report, which asks students to re-imagine a novel or short story as a movie. I share eight assignments with students and have them work in pairs. The assignment draws on students’ creativity and critical thinking skills as they consider which actors would play their favorite characters and design promotional materials for their film. The assignments require outside-the-box thinking, which lends itself well to fostering discussion around the content in the text.

3) Use Engaging Discussion Prompts

Discussion prompts are a quick and easy way to get students talking about books! I like to keep a set of general prompt cards that can be used with any text to use with groups in any novel unit. Discussion cards allow students to explore new ideas, share personal experiences, express their opinions, and create deeper connections to literary texts. Simply pick a card to generate a lively whole-class discussion, or distribute a handful of cards during group discussion to help inspire meaningful dialogue.

What’s great about these questions is that they work even when students are reading different books. Have students provide a bit of context about their independent novel before sharing their response, allowing the whole class to engage with a variety of texts while still discussing literature. It’s a quick and easy way to spark meaningful conversations and broaden students’ exposure to different stories.

4) Make Connections with Video Prompts

Want to get students talking about the books they’re reading? Try using videos! Watching a short, high-interest clip related to a novel’s themes or topics can spark meaningful discussions, encourage deeper connections, and engage even reluctant readers. Plus, videos help students develop active viewing skills and strengthen media literacy.

I love using videos to inspire thoughtful writing in all of my novel units, but they’re just as effective for generating lively classroom discussions.

Here’s how it works:

• Students watch a video that connects to a key theme or topic in the novel.
• Put students into groups and have them each share how they think the video relates to the text they are reading.
• Have each group share their thoughts with the whole class to generate even more discussion.

5) Hook Students with Book Talks

A book talk is essentially a commercial for books! Students love sharing their ideas, and I love seeing them get excited about books. Best of all, book talks offer opportunities for students to engage in natural conversation about reading. 

I like to begin with a focused lesson on what makes a compelling book talk. From here, middle school ELA students often benefit from some guidance and structure as they begin planning their own book talks. Graphic organizers can help students make sense of their ideas and plan out their talk. Likewise, checklists can be used to support students as they finalize their book talks and prepare to share their ideas with their classmates! 

I hope these suggestions give you a few fresh ideas to get your middle school ELA students talking about books! 

Looking for more resources and ideas for teaching novels and short stories in middle school ELA? Check out these great links from my friends here at the Secondary English Coffee Shop!

• 3 Ways to Use #BookTok in Class by Tracee Orman
• Book Talk Hacks for Secondary Teachers by Room 213
• Reading Activities Escape Room by the Classroom Sparrow