The days leading up to winter break can feel a little wild, and it’s easy to overlook all the quiet reading growth happening in your classroom. In this episode, we’re slowing down just enough to notice those moments. I’m sharing simple, low-pressure ways to celebrate reading wins—nothing fancy, nothing time-consuming—just meaningful moments that help students feel seen as readers.

These small celebrations can bring a surprising amount of calm to the December classroom. They help students recognize their progress, feel proud of their efforts, and walk into break with a stronger sense of confidence in their reading. And the best part? These tiny boosts now can help set the stage for a smoother, more motivated return in January.

See more in the show notes.

Related episodes and blog posts:

• Embracing Holidays as Learning Opportunities in Middle School
• Holidays in Secondary Resource Roundup
• How to Celebrate the Holidays in Your Classroom
• Winter Break Countdown: Easy, Inclusive Activities for Middle School ELA

Be sure to join the Secondary ELA Facebook group. If you’re loving this podcast, please rate, review and follow!

Website: https://middleschoolcafe.com/
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In this episode I’m talking about those familiar one-line reading responses like “I liked it” or “I don’t know” and how we can help students move beyond them. Students are capable of deeper thinking, and sometimes they just need a few simple routines to help them slow down, notice more, and explain what they’re seeing in a text.

We’ll explore practical, low-pressure ways to strengthen student conversations around reading and create a classroom environment where students feel comfortable sharing what they’re thinking. If you’re looking for small shifts that lead to more meaningful discussions, this episode will give you a few easy places to start.

Read more in the show notes.

Get your FREE set of Reading Support Posters here!

Resources you may find helpful:

• Reader Response Cards
• More Reader Response Cards

Related episodes and blog posts:

• Building a Reading Culture Where Students Feel They Belong
• Task Cards: An Engaging Tool for Middle Schoolers
• How to Reduce Reading Anxiety

Be sure to join the Secondary ELA Facebook group. If you’re loving this podcast, please rate, review and follow!

Website: https://middleschoolcafe.com/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/secondaryela
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/middleschoolcafe
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/middleschoolcafe/
TPT Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Middle-School-Cafe

Looking for new ways to make reading more meaningful? In this episode, we’ll explore how pairing fiction and nonfiction can benefit all readers, helping every student, from those who need a little more support to those ready for deeper analysis, make stronger connections and think more critically. Together, these texts can deepen comprehension, build empathy, and help students see how reading connects to the real world.

You’ll hear easy-to-use ideas for blending the two, from short articles and infographics to full-length novels, along with examples you can try right away. Whether you’re following a set curriculum or designing your own lessons, this episode will help you use nonfiction to bring stories to life and strengthen your students’ understanding of what they read.

Read more in the show notes.

Get your FREE set of Reading Support Posters here!

Seasonal Nonfiction

• Holiday Traditions Reading/Writing Activity
• History of the Poinsettia
• History of New Years Eve in Times Square

Resources you may find helpful:

• Reader Response Cards
• More Reader Response Cards
• Reading Reflection Sheets
• Genre Review Scavenger Hunt
• Titanic Text Structures

Related episodes and blog posts:

• How to Use Nonfiction to Engage Reluctant Readers
• Building a Reading Culture Where Students Feel They Belong
• How to Build Reading Stamina

Website: https://middleschoolcafe.com/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/secondaryela
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/middleschoolcafe
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/middleschoolcafe/
TPT Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Middle-School-Cafe