Best Middle School ELA Podcasts (2025)

1
5 Powerful Native American Activities for your Middle School ELA Classes 12:20

Play Pause

1h ago12:20

12:20

Bringing Native American activities into the classroom not only honors diverse voices but also helps students explore themes of identity, family, and connection to the natural world. Whether you’re teaching during Native American Heritage Month or weaving Indigenous texts into your curriculum all year long, these Native American activities will hel…

1
Episode 362: The Mystery Basket Game That Turns Any Lesson Into a Competition 10:31

20h ago10:31

10:31

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Ready to turn ordinary review time into pure excitement? In today’s episode of The Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, we’re bringing you another hit from our Classroom Games Series: Mystery Baskets 🧺✨ This activity works with any ELA concept—grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, root words, you name it—and …

1
Building Better Readers with Short Stories [Ep. 63] 11:25

10d ago11:25

11:25

Short stories are quick to read but powerful when used with purpose. In this episode, we’ll look at how short texts can strengthen reading skills, spark discussion, and build confidence for even the most hesitant readers. You’ll discover how these smaller pieces can fit naturally into your curriculum, giving students frequent opportunities to think…

1
Episode 127 Strategies for Grading Writing 20:29

4d ago20:29

20:29

Grading alone is a complicated topic, but grading writing, especially when wanting to value the writer, is even more difficult! The subjective nature of evaluating writing makes it difficult to be sure you have done so "correctly" for your students. It is also cumbersome to consider grading entire pieces from so many students. In this episode, I sh…

1
Episode 361: The Secret to Classroom Culture? It Starts With Your Mindset 43:30

3d ago43:30

43:30

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Your classroom culture starts with you. 💛 In this week’s episode, Caitlin shares three powerful mindset shifts that can completely transform how you show up—for yourself and your students. Tune in to discover how small inner changes can create big outer results. From Mark Traver's article: A Psychologist S…

1
Episode 360: From Quiet Review to Total Chaos: Knockout, the Game Students Can’t Stop Playing 9:30

8d ago9:30

9:30

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Welcome back to our Games Series! Today, we’re bringing the energy with one of the most exciting review games you’ll ever play in your ELA classroom—Knockout. This game transforms any concept—whether it’s text structures, grammar, or figurative language—into a high-stakes, fast-paced classroom battle. Stud…

1
TEACHING DYSTOPIA: Our NEW Favorite Stories & Protagonists [Ep 274] 32:19

8d ago32:19

32:19

Think you’ve seen all the dystopia books out there? Think again! In part three of our “Teaching Dystopia” series, we share hidden gems, fresh picks, and classics, from middle grade survival stories to YA novels exploring climate change and government control. We highlight favorites like Alone and Station Eleven, plus TV and movie options like The S…

1
Episode 126 The Ins and Outs of Language Composition with Matt Glover 45:08

11d ago45:08

45:08

This is such an important episode for all Pre-K, Kindergarten, First-grade and Second-grade teachers (and has helpful tips for upper grade teachers as well!) Language composition is the way students use language when reading books they have written, reading published books they are not yet decoding, and taking part in activities such as dramatic pl…

1
Bonus Halloween Episode: Don’t Plan a Thing for Halloween Week—Grab This Free Escape Room Instead 10:32

10d ago10:32

10:32

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Halloween week in middle school can feel like complete chaos—costumes, candy, and zero focus. But what if you could channel that energy into something productive and fun? In this special bonus episode, Caitlin shares a free, done-for-you Haunted Forest Escape Room that keeps your students engaged, practici…

1
Episode 359: This Simple Treasure Hunt Game Will Change How You Do Review Forever 9:29

15d ago9:29

9:29

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Welcome back to our Games Series! Today’s episode is all about Digging for Treasure — a review game that brings all the excitement of Battleship straight into your ELA classroom. With every correct answer, students get to “dig” for hidden treasures on their grids, turning grammar, vocabulary, and figurativ…

1
TEACHING DYSTOPIA: A Spotlight for Juxtaposition [Ep 273] 28:04

15d ago28:04

28:04

Have you ever felt like dystopia is the genre that just keeps on giving? In part two of our dystopia series, we focus on the essential skills that make these texts come alive in your classroom, showing why depth beats covering everything superficially. We explore how teaching students to notice author moves like juxtaposition helps them analyze ten…

1
Why the Paper Matters-Supporting students with paper choices 28:33

18d ago28:33

28:33

Writing volume, struggling writers, writing engagement, writing structure and more can all be affected by the paper that students are using to write. So yes, this episode is all about paper! We will explore: how paper makes writing more authentic the benefits of writers making "picture books" how paper choices communicate importance and expectation…

1
Episode 358: Letting Go of Comparison — Your Journey, Your Classroom 27:30

17d ago27:30

27:30

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! In this episode, we’re tackling something every teacher faces — comparison. Whether it’s classroom decor, lesson ideas, or student success stories, it’s so easy to look at others and feel like we’re falling short. But here’s the truth: your classroom doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s. Your journey do…

1
Episode 357: The Game That Turns Vocabulary, Grammar, and More Into Student Obsessions 8:46

22d ago8:46

8:46

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! In this episode, Caitlin breaks down exactly how to bring this hilarious, energy-packed game into your ELA classroom — from simple icebreakers and vocabulary swaps to full-on academic reviews. You’ll learn creative ways to adapt the rules, sneak in rigorous practice, and keep your students begging for “jus…

1
TEACHING DYSTOPIA: New Essential Questions to Try [Ep 272] 30:16

22d ago30:16

30:16

Ready to refresh your dystopia unit? In this episode, we explore how to make the genre feel fresh, relevant, and engaging for today’s students by rethinking essential questions and diving deeper into structure, theme, and skill connections. From moving beyond the classic “Is America a dystopia?” debate to exploring what it means to rebuild a broken…

1
Episode 124 Nurturing All Writers with Author Christine Devane 30:17

25d ago30:17

30:17

1
Episode 356: Stop Staring at the Mountain in Front of You: Do This Instead 25:35

24d ago25:35

25:35

1
Boost Student Focus with Reading Sprints for Independent Reading [Ep. 62] 10:25

24d ago10:25

10:25

By Carolyn Wahl - Middle School ELA

1
5 Engaging Autumn Classroom Activities for Middle School ELA - Podcast 14:01

27d ago14:01

14:01

Halloween is the perfect time to get students excited about reading—stories with a little creep, mystery, and imagination are ideal for middle schoolers. Listen here for 5 Halloween books that strike just the right balance between spooky and engaging. We will discuss: 5 great "spooky" books Ideas for using them in the classroom Activities to go alo…

1
Episode 355: ELA Games Series: Why Bluffing Might Be the Most Fun Way to Practice ELA 6:51

29d ago6:51

6:51

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Today on the Teaching Middle School ELA Podcast, we’re bringing you one of our favorite high-energy classroom activities: The Bluff Game – Language Arts Edition! 🙌 This fast-paced game is perfect for practicing vocabulary, grammar, reading skills, and more—all while keeping your students on their feet (lit…

1
Episode 123 Practical Support for Utilizing Formative Data with Writers 33:40

1M ago33:40

33:40

This episode will prepare you to begin gathering formative data about your writers that will keep your instruction, and writer's progress, on track! As the data conversation continues, I share more in this episode about: How data adjust goals for writers How data informs your instructional choices Simple ways to choose data points and collect data …

1
Episode 354: ChatGPT Series: 3 ChatGPT Shortcuts Every ELA Teacher Needs to Save Hours on Prep 19:10

1M ago19:10

19:10

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Tired of spending endless hours planning, grading, and creating materials? In today’s episode, Caitlin shares three powerful ways to use ChatGPT to cut prep time in half—without sacrificing quality or your unique teaching style. From drafting discussion questions to batch-prepping warm-ups, you’ll walk awa…

1
Quick Wins for Helping Students Pick a Just-Right Book [Bonus] 8:36

1M ago8:36

8:36

September brings an extra Tuesday, which means you get a bonus episode! In this short and practical episode, I’m sharing quick wins to help your students pick out the just-right book for right now. Whether you’re planning your very first library visit of the year or heading back for another round, these strategies will make sure students walk out w…

1
Episode 353: The Shortcut Narrative Unit: How to Get Powerful Stories in Just 10 Days 23:21

1M ago23:21

23:21

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Narrative writing is such an important skill for middle schoolers—but let’s be honest, it often feels like it takes forever to teach. Before you know it, weeks (or even months!) are gone, and you’re scrambling to fit in argument and informational writing. In this episode, I discussed how to make narrative …

1
Episode 122 Knowing What's Next-The What and Why of Formative Data for Writers 19:46

1M ago19:46

19:46

Do you have independent writing time up and running in your classroom but feel unsure of how to keep your writer's moving forward? It is difficult to support struggling writers or even know what to teach for writing if you don't know enough about your writers. The right formative data will help you plan instruction that supports progress! In this e…

1
Episode 352: ChatGPT Series: Differentiation Without the Extra Work 14:30

1M ago14:30

14:30

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Differentiation doesn’t have to mean staying up late making three different versions of the same lesson. In this week’s Teaching Middle School episode, I shared how you can use ChatGPT to quickly create scaffolds, extensions, and tiered questions—so every student has a way into the learning without you dou…

1
5 Engaging Autumn Classroom Activities for Middle School ELA 15:57

1M ago15:57

15:57

Autumn is the perfect season to bring fresh energy into your middle school ELA classroom. With cooler weather, colorful leaves, and plenty of seasonal inspiration, it’s an ideal time to spark creativity and keep students engaged in reading and writing. In this post, we’ll explore five engaging autumn classroom activities for middle school ELA. Each…

1
Episode 351: Balancing Creative and Academic Writing in the Middle School Classroom 14:17

1M ago14:17

14:17

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! How do we strike the right balance between fun, engaging creative writing and the academic writing skills our students need to succeed? In this episode, let's dive into why both matter, how to weave them together, and practical strategies you can start using right away. Tune in to discover how creativity a…

1
Episode 121 How to Move from Telling to Teaching 22:23

2M ago22:23

22:23

A coach just telling a player to "hit the ball" or "be aggressive" does not improve their performance. The same is true for us as teachers of writers! We need to teach, not tell by addressing their needs and showing them how to do what we want them to do. Struggling writers will just keep struggling if all we do is have them keep trying to write wi…

1
Episode 350: ChatGPT Series: Communication & Admin Tasks Made Easier 17:46

1M ago17:46

17:46

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Emails, newsletters, behavior documentation… oh my! Communication and admin tasks can easily eat up hours of your week—but they don’t have to. In today’s episode of Teaching Middle School ELA, I shared how ChatGPT can act like your personal assistant for the behind-the-scenes work of teaching. From draftin…

1
10 Easy Ways to Encourage Student Book Recommendations in Your Classroom [Ep. 61] 10:58

1M ago10:58

10:58

Peer recommendations are one of the most effective ways to spark interest in reading. Students are much more likely to pick up a book when a classmate suggests it. In this episode, I share ten practical ways you can bring student voices into your classroom and help create a living TBR list that students will actually use. These ideas make reading f…

1
5 Inspiring Books for Middle Schoolers: September Reading for Hispanic Heritage Month 16:22

2M ago16:22

16:22

September is the perfect time to refresh your classroom reading list, especially as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Middle school students can gain empathy, cultural understanding, and inspiration through stories that reflect diverse experiences. In this episode, we will discuss 5 books that are perfect for September reading. There are ideas …

1
Episode 349: Scaffolding Evidence: How to Help Students Choose Quotes That Actually Work 15:11

2M ago15:11

15:11

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Ever had a student pick a random quote just because it “sounded good”? 😅 You’re not alone! In today’s episode of Teaching Middle School ELA, I talked about practical scaffolds to help students go beyond guessing and actually choose evidence that supports their claims. From curated quote banks to our powerf…

1
Episode 348:ChatGPT Series: Planning Support Without the Overwhelm 19:42

2M ago19:42

19:42

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Planning doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. In today’s episode of Teaching Middle School ELA, I am sharing how ChatGPT can be your planning partner—helping you brainstorm, differentiate, and save hours each week without sacrificing quality. Whether you’re an EB teacher already using the Portal or just look…

1
Episode 120 Your Writers Need More. 19:09

2M ago19:09

19:09

Are you wondering.... Why you have struggling writers? Why your writers aren't showing growth? Why your writers aren't engaged in writing? Perhaps they need MORE of something. In this episode, I share three main "mores" that writers need in order to be successful, and a few additional "mores" that are just as important. The first more is one I'm su…

1
5 Best Bell Ringer Ideas for Middle School ELA That Students Will Love 17:37

2M ago17:37

17:37

Join me for season 3! One podcast a month will focus on 5 activities that you can easily implement in your middle school classroom for this month/season. In this episode, we will discuss 5 engaging bell ringers for your students. We will discuss bell ringers for: Seasonal activities Vocabulary Grammar Poetry Reading Skills Let's connect! Membership…

1
Episode 347: From Summary to Justification: Teaching Students to Go Beyond the Obvious 24:19

2M ago24:19

24:19

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Today’s episode tackles a challenge every ELA teacher knows well: getting students to move beyond simply summarizing a text and into true analysis. This episode, From Summary to Justification: Teaching Students to Go Beyond the Obvious, is all about helping students answer the big “So what?”—why their evid…

1
Episode 119 BOY Lessons that Spark Writers 23:55

2M ago23:55

23:55

***I share some exciting news in this episode!*** In this episode, I discuss lessons cultivated from a multitude of resources combined with years of experience working with writers and with teachers who are new to writer's workshop. Ideas for lessons will be provided that will help with: How to introduce writing to your students Ways to support str…

1
Episode 346: ChatGPT Series: Brainstorming & Lesson Hooks Made Simple 14:07

2M ago14:07

14:07

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Welcome back to Teaching Middle School ELA! Today, we’re continuing our ChatGPT Series with an episode called Brainstorming & Lesson Hooks Made Simple. If you’ve ever found yourself staring at your planner, wondering how to start a lesson in a way that actually captures your students’ attention—or if you’r…

1
How to Keep Reading Energy Alive Beyond the First Month [Ep. 60] 13:56

2M ago13:56

13:56

The first few weeks of school often bring a real buzz around reading—students are exploring the shelves, setting goals, and diving into new books. But as the back-to-school excitement fades, that momentum can slip, and independent reading starts to feel more like just another assignment. In this episode we share fresh, practical strategies to keep …

1
Episode 345: Teaching Grammar in the Flow of Writing 21:35

2M ago21:35

21:35

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Have you ever taught a grammar skill on Friday, only to watch your students completely forget it by Monday? You’re not alone. Grammar taught in isolation rarely sticks—but when it’s woven into the flow of writing instruction, everything changes. In today’s episode, I’m sharing the EB Grammar Framework, a s…

1
Episode 118 From Reluctant to Engaged-Finding Meaning for Writers 13:17

2M ago13:17

13:17

Reluctant writers won't stay reluctant with the right supports! As you start a new year with a new group of writers, you will want to make writing meaningful for each of them because engaged writers become successful writers! In this episode I share a few ideas for helping students make connections with writing by offering a variety of entry points…

1
Episode 344: ChatGPT Series: How to Train ChatGPT to Create Rubrics and Feedback 20:50

2M ago20:50

20:50

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! Grading doesn’t have to steal your weekends anymore! 🎉 In this brand-new series, I’m showing you how to train ChatGPT to become your teaching assistant—saving you time, reducing stress, and giving you space to focus on what matters most: your students. In this first episode, we’re tackling the grading stru…

1
Episode 343: You’re Probably Already Doing This—But It’s the Secret to a Strong Reading Culture 23:26

2M ago23:26

23:26

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! So many teachers want to build a strong reading culture in their classrooms—but the truth is, you’re probably already doing one of the most important things without even realizing it! In today’s episode, I pull back the curtain on the “secret” to fostering a love of reading and shows you how to amplify wha…

1
Episode 117 Writer's Identity as a Fuel for Growth with Leah Thomas 39:34

2M ago39:34

39:34

" ... it's really important that we start building their identities as writers and readers from that young age because they will rise to whatever level we set for them." ABSOLUTELY!!! So many good things in this episode with the wonderful Leah Thomas! -Building writing 'empathy' by being a teacher writer -Allowing writers to be self-directed, makin…

1
Episode 342: The Secret to a Thriving Classroom Culture 22:02

2M ago22:02

22:02

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! What if your classroom didn’t run on a long list of rules, but on a few powerful core values that shape how everyone shows up each day? In this episode, let's explore why core values inspire more ownership than rules, how to choose the right ones for your students, and simple ways to bring them to life dai…

1
How to Reduce Reading Anxiety: 6 Strategies for Confident Readers [EP. 59] 14:19

2M ago14:19

14:19

In this episode, we are talking about reading anxiety, how to recognize it, why it holds students back, and six practical reading strategies you can start teaching right away to help move students past it. You’ll hear ideas for creating a safe, supportive classroom environment, giving students concrete steps to try when they get stuck, and building…

1
Back to School Reading: 5 Amazing Books for Middle School Students 15:41

3M ago15:41

15:41

Join me for season 3! One podcast a month will focus on 5 books that are perfect for this month/season. In this episode, we will discuss 5 books that are perfect for the back-to-school season. There are ideas to go along with each novel, plus a link to my YouTube channel where I read these books as part of my "First Chapter Friday" series. The book…

1
Episode 341: Mini Socratic Seminars: Big Impact in Small Groups 18:12

3M ago18:12

18:12

I’d love to hear from you! Send me a text! If you’ve ever tried a Socratic seminar and ended up with just a handful of students dominating the conversation while the rest stayed silent, you’re not alone. In this episode of Teaching Middle School ELA, I’m sharing my favorite twist on the classic format—Mini Socratic Seminars—that get every student e…

1
BACK TO SCHOOL: State of the BNT Union + Reading Update [Ep 271] 46:44

3M ago46:44

46:44

In this “State of the BNT Union” episode, we’re sharing where the Brave New Teaching podcast is headed next, from a new focus on YouTube and refreshed dystopia content to better-organized resources for teachers...plus a peek at the projects we’re most excited about this year. Along the way, we’re swapping back-to-school recommendations, current rea…