Middle School Café – Strategies & Support for Middle School ELA Teachers
Are you a middle school ELA teacher looking for practical, proven strategies to help your students grow as confident readers and writers? Middle School Café is your go-to podcast for engaging teaching ideas, classroom-tested tools, and real talk about what works in today’s ELA classroom.
Each episode delivers actionable tips to help you close reading gaps, build student ownership, and create a classroom culture where literacy thrives. Whether you're navigating a curriculum, supporting struggling readers, or just looking for fresh ways to inspire your students, you'll find support, strategy, and a sense of community right here.
Join a community of passionate middle school ELA teachers working to build confident, engaged readers. Visit www.middleschoolcafe.com for classroom tools, podcast extras, and resources to support every student on their reading journey.
Middle School Café – Strategies & Support for Middle School ELA Teachers
How to Increase Student Motivation Through Choice and Voice [Ep. 5]
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In this episode, I’m digging into a topic every teacher wrestles with at some point—student motivation. If you’ve found yourself wondering how to get your students more engaged, more curious, and more willing to take risks with their learning, you’re not alone.
I’ll walk you through some of the biggest barriers to student motivation and share practical ways I’ve helped reignite excitement and effort in my own ELA classroom. From offering meaningful choices to shifting our classroom language, sometimes it’s the small changes that make the biggest difference.
Read more in the show notes.
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Resources you may find helpful:
Related episodes and blog posts:
- 5 Book-Based Activities to End the Year Strong
- Tips for Making Silent Reading Time More Productive in the Middle School Classroom
- Keeping Students Engaged with Simple Student Choice Strategies
- How to Use Choice Reading to Boost Engagement in Secondary ELA with Samantha in Secondary
Be sure to join the Secondary ELA Facebook group where the conversation continues.
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