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Teaching Eighth Grade ELA can be a unique and rewarding experience as long as you have the right tools. A good classroom management system, novel checklists and a range of writing tips can make students and teachers successful a long way to go. But is this enough to prepare for new teenagers in grade 9?
We have collected our favorite essentials for eighth grade ELA teachers, including tips for brand new teachers and experienced veterans. All you need to add is a classroom full of desire for middle school students, and you have the best school year ever!
1. Maintain a stable supply
Anyone who teaches language arts (or any class) hears “I forgot my pencil” more than they do. Place excuses on a box filled with loan pens and pencils, extra paper, folders, dry erase marks and sticky notes for students to use as needed. Contact your administrator for any supply allowances or take advantage of those back-to-school sales.
And don’t stop office supplies! Provide students who leave books at home with a bunch of middle school approved novels, don’t like the books they choose from the library, or book selections that require a more calibrated reading level.
2. Include comment material in your course
It is easy to assume that eighth graders know the foundations of grammar, vocabulary, and writing, but not always. Integrate these basics into your courses at the start of the school year and throughout the ELA unit to ensure that every student is ready to meet the needs of high school.
For students who tested below grade, CCSS was included in the CCSS for language arts that were closer to their actual abilities. You can fill the learning gap before facing harder materials next year!
Decorate your classroom with vocabulary words
There is nothing like the word wall says “Ela class”! Use bulletin boards or wall space in your classroom to display vocabulary words that students need to know or possibly find during classroom reading.
Editable ela word wall for middle school
Erin Beers from Mrs. Beers Language Arts Classroom
Grade: 5th to 8th years
Standard: CCSS CCRA.L.5, L.6
Do your students know the difference between voices and opinions in stories? What about the difference between summary and synthesis? Use bold, easy to read poster cutouts as word walls to display common ELA concepts around classrooms.
3. Select a classroom management system
You work hard in class; don’t let student behavior derail your plans! From setting behavioral expectations and consequences early to ensuring classroom seating, establishing a solid classroom management system can keep students comfortable and your courses on track.
The biggest key to classroom management is to model the behavior you want students to demonstrate. It sounds too easy to achieve, but if you calm and self-assure, most of your students will follow suit. (For those students who don’t, see the consequences mentioned above!)
4. Provide relevant reading materials
It’s no secret that the key points of eighth-grade ELA teachers include middle school literature canon. But one of the secrets of a successful year is to let students choose what they read, including modern related texts that resonate with life.
Bridge themes and themes on classic literature and 21st century literature, for innovative novels they will never forget. Add more works that represent multiple sounds and cultures and let students choose from the title list to ensure they will be involved in reading.
5. Keep writing tips
Some eighth graders claim they don’t like writing, but we all know those eighth graders haven’t found the right tips yet! Throughout the course, use eighth grade writing tips to keep the pencil moving and creative thinking.
Journal topics, debated tips and narrative writing ideas will surely attract the interest of middle school students, especially if you write every day. Once they are used to writing one or two paragraphs a day, it doesn’t seem so daunting to write five paragraphs for a standard paper!
No eighth grader will admit this, but middle school students like structure. It makes them feel comfortable and organized, and it helps you hold classes as efficiently as possible. Building classroom organization by listing learning goals, assigning deadlines, and testing in the classroom allows you (and your students) to be one step higher than your schedule.
To list them, you need to plan them! Use a lesson plan template, which allows a structured approach to adapt to student needs.
State your standards and goals at the beginning of the course
“What are we learning today?” As you show the learning standards and goals of the course you are going to teach, answer their questions without saying a word. Students will know what the plan is today and whether they have met their goals.
Learning standards, goals, goals or “I can” statement poster template
By writing a letter with Miss G
This resource teaches students the most important lesson: they can do it! With editable “I Can” statement slides, along with standard and objective slides, middle school students feel organized and successful from the beginning of the class.
7. Decide how to communicate with students, caregivers and administrators
No one likes surprises (unless it is their birthday!). Whether it’s the end of the rating period or the beginning of a big project, communication with eighth graders and their nursing staff is key. Send communications with parents once a week and use a classroom messaging system to ensure students know what they expect.
Don’t forget the administrator in your communication! Invite government members to meet with you during the meeting, or observe your class from time to time, even if your contract does not require you. Seeing your actions can keep them looping in what they do, better provide the front desk with what you and your students need.
8. Add accountability activities to your organization
Teachers don’t give grades – students win them. This news has been used as a core part of the classroom’s foundation from day one. Ask students what grades they want to achieve in your class and then have them develop a plan to really win that grade.
Once the transcript is up, ask students to reflect on their work and evaluate whether they stick to the plan. You can even put the final score of the evaluation section (or if they win) part of it!
9. Merge project management
Too much assignment can be harmful to the child, not helpful. Rather than the nightly ELA task, it inspires students to hone their more important skills: time management. Students are encouraged to balance project work between class and family time so that they have enough time to complete the work without procrastination.
Speaking of procrastination, project-based learning is a great way to make students aware of their learning habits. Check, reflect and team meetings regularly to keep students on track for larger projects. Assign mini goals for them to complete by the deadline and provide smaller project results for each successful milestone.
10. Be prepared for accidents
The most successful teachers are those who swing their fists. Whether it’s too many kids, not enough tables, a sub-day before the finals, or a complete plan for the novel student reading last year, keeping the toes treated is essential to keeping the class running well.
Create backup plans, sub-plans, differentiated materials, solve all types of lessons and endless discussion questions for use in the last five minutes before the clock. By maintaining flexibility, you will meet more student needs and build a growth mindset for your students!
Continue to study through the Emergency ELA Sub-Program
In your course, it is not necessarily a lost day. Ensure that students maintain the momentum of courses through planning any unit or sub-plans of the courses planned for the day. Having a sub-plan template can also keep you away from planning your classes late at night when you’re feeling uncomfortable!
Middle School ELA Course | Emergency Sub-Program Sixth, Seventh, 8
Through educational performance
Grade: 6th to 8th
Standards: CCSS RL.6.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, RL.7.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, RI.7.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, RI.8.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, RI.8.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, W.6.9, 7.9b, 8.9
Step-by-step lesson plans, reading paragraphs, graphic organizers and discussion questions make these ELA plans a No-Prep solution for child days! Anyone can take over your class and lead students to rich and engaging courses to ensure clock-to-clock teaching.
11. Keep a copy of your teaching philosophy nearby
Every ELA teacher dreams of a zealous discussion about an inspiring novel, Rapt Personing poetry, or inspired writers, harshly a perfect paper. Bring your dreams into life – yes, even papers! – Be loyal to your teaching philosophy.
Choose books you like to talk about, bring you poems that bring you chicken skin ump, and write lessons that really appeal to students. When you are fascinated by the topics you choose to teach the next generation, you bring willing readers and writers to you.
Eighth grade ELA teacher’s necessities you don’t know you need
Sometimes the difference between a normal course and a great course is having the right tools! Keep your classroom stock and prepare these simple school materials that may not be on your list.
- A wireless speaker that can play music classes, audiobook clips, and even interview with the author
- A course or template to make the plan simple and intuitive
- A filing system to maintain multiple students’ organization
- Old magazine and newspaper collage of literature or poetry
- Group answers or brainstorming personal whiteboard
- Paper scores (to backup your online scores)
- An interesting timer to keep students on their tasks
- A place in the classroom for students to work independently
- Baskets of reading supplies such as finger highlighters, sticky notes and unique bookmarks
- Printed literature reference materials, including dictionaries and lexicons
Seamless transition to 8th grade ELA students to high school
By the time students reach eighth grade, they may have decided what kind of student they are. When you add these eighth grade ELA teachers’ essentials to your repertoire, you will enhance their choice of success or inspire struggling students to find a new way to learn.
Find more 8th grade ELA resources to match their students and inspire them to fight for more. Once they have acquired these important middle school skills, they won’t stop them in high school!
