How to Incorporate a Student’s Interest in Technology in the Middle School ELA Classroom

Let’s explore the many ways that you can incorporate a student’s interest in technology into the middle school ELA classroom.

When teachers genuinely care about their students, they find ways to incorporate their interests into the classroom. In this new blog series, we will explore a variety of high-interest topics for students, including technology, sports, animals, video games, and more.

As we delve into each of these engaging topics, we will examine different ways to incorporate them into middle school ELA classes and activities.

In today’s post, we’re focusing on how to integrate a student’s interest in technology into the middle school ELA classroom.

Getting Started

When introducing a topic like technology in middle school ELA, it’s essential to start by discussing the topic with your students. Ask them pointed questions to gauge their interest and understanding.

Here are some sample questions you might use:

• What is your favorite form of technology?
• How do you use technology in your free time?
• What are your favorite tools?
• Do you see technology being a major part of your future?
• What is your favorite thing about technology?

Incorporating Your Student’s Interest in Technology into the Middle School ELA Classroom

There are many ways to approach the topic of technology. As with most topics covered in this series, key strategies include book choices, resource choices, creative projects, and student-led activities.

Book Choices

When selecting books to discuss technology, consider using texts that explore the subject from different angles:

• Dystopian Classics: Books like Fahrenheit 451 examine technology in ways that students may find intriguing, as the technology depicted has foreshadowed many current advancements.
• Historical Perspectives: Choose texts that discuss past technological developments to help students understand how technology has evolved over time and its various applications.
• Nonfiction: Consider books that detail the creation of the first cell phone or notable technological advancements of recent decades.

Consult your librarian for book recommendations that could be incorporated into your class or suggested to students who are passionate about technology.

Technology-Themed Resources

In addition to books, you can use resources that specifically address different forms of technology in various ways. For instance, our store offers a range of paired passages on technology.

Click the links and images below to learn more about these technology-themed resources:

• Technology Paired Passage
• Cell Phone Paired Passage
• Phone Paired Passage

To learn about even more high-interest paired passage sets you can use with your middle school ELA students, click here!

Creative Projects

Creative projects provide another avenue to incorporate technology into the middle school ELA classroom. While creative projects often evoke thoughts of art or graphic design, they encompass much more.

Encourage students to use their favorite forms of technology in their classroom projects. For example, if students enjoy editing videos or creating memes, allow them to use these tools to present information studied in class.

In middle school ELA, this could involve creating a social media page for a character, complete with short-form videos and images that reflect what the character might post if they were real.

Many ELA standards also require students to integrate technology into their work and how they share their ideas. Present this standard to your students and ask how they would use their preferred technology to convey information and knowledge.

Student-Led Activities

Finally, let’s discuss student-led activities related to technology interests.

One effective way to incorporate a student’s interest into the classroom is to assign a project that involves or discusses their topic of interest. Allow students the freedom to decide how they want to approach the project.

Encourage students to create activities that will teach their classmates something new. For example, students might introduce a new technology, app, or tool to their peers through a presentation or other learning experience.

Let students take the lead in these projects. Their knowledge of the subject is often greater than that of the teacher. Tell them you want to see their creativity in action and then step back and support them as they work.

In these moments, much like in a project-based learning model, the teacher acts as a guide or mentor. Don’t worry if you’re not an expert on the student’s chosen topic. Be available for discussion, feedback, and support as they navigate their project.

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about incorporating a student’s interest in technology into the middle school ELA classroom. Stay tuned for more posts in this blog series, where we will explore additional high-interest topics such as sports, animals, and video games.

Have a great day!