Engaging Vocabulary Activities to Make Review Fun and Effective [Ep. 15] Artwork

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.

All Episodes

Middle School Café – Strategies & Support for Middle School ELA Teachers

Engaging Vocabulary Activities to Make Review Fun and Effective [Ep. 15]

February 21, 2023 • Carolyn Wahl - Middle School ELA • Episode 15

0:00 | 16:15

We know that strong vocabulary instruction is key to helping students access complex texts—but it doesn’t have to be dull or repetitive. In this episode, I’m sharing creative ways to make vocabulary instruction more engaging in the middle school ELA classroom. From games and student-created skits to letting students help choose which words to study, these strategies bring movement, voice, and fun into your lessons.

By combining purposeful instruction with playful activities, vocabulary becomes more than memorization—it becomes something students enjoy. These ideas are low-prep, high-impact, and easy to adapt for any unit. If you’re looking to make vocabulary more meaningful (and a little more fun), this episode is full of ideas to try right away.