I don’t know about you, but I find that middle schoolers are amongst a different kind of breed. They can be some of the most difficult students to motivate. It’s almost like something magical happens when my elementary kids graduate to middle school. My once fun-loving, can’t wait to come to speech and earn stickers students suddenly become “too cool for school” and that, unfortunately, also includes speech. No longer do my sticker charts work…nor do excited compliments from Mrs. Allison like “Wow! You’re doing such great work”. Instead, I’ve had to learn to be creative with this bunch.
Instead of stickers, I use Class Dojo as a reward system with my middle schoolers. It’s easy to keep track of student’s points on my phone and iPad. Best of all, it’s free. If you haven’t heard of this program, hop on over to my previous post HERE.
Once my students receive 5 points each, they are allowed to play a “game” in speech. Although it’s technically a “game,” my students are still always working on language-thus the quotes =). This seems to have worked for most of my students. They tend to be competitive, especially with peers, which makes games a good route when motivating.
When I asked my students for their favorites, here is what they came up with:
Blurt!
This game is great to practice word finding. It gives you a definition and then students must come up with the word. Two versions are included-one for kids 10 and older and a junior version for kids 7-9. For example: “A substance usually made from fat and lye, used for washing” (soap) is on the red side (kids 10 and older) and “Hot melted rock that flows from a volcano” (lava) is on the blue side (kids 7-9).
TriBond Jr.
Students are given 3 words and must figure out how they go together. I would strongly suggest the Jr. edition because it provides words more on my kiddo’s levels. However, I’m a control freak (as I tell my students) and it is within my rights to hand-pick the words they receive. Some are easy (daisy, rose, tulip) and some take more thinking (wheelbarrow, pizza cutter, unicycle).
Let’s see how you do. Comment below with your answers and I’ll send a product out of my store to a winner!
*boomerang, yo-yo, unstamped mail
*stud, hoop, diamond
*capital, love, lowercase
*salt, maracas, dice
*iron, super, gingerbread
For fun language games, these are relatively inexpensive. I hope you found some new ideas when working with this sometimes tough crowd!
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Speechy Musings says
November 11, 2013 at 10:00 pmAlways looking for ideas for older kids! I also LOVE TriBond Jr. I’d say…. 1) They come back to you, 2) Types of earrings, 3) Types of letters, 4) Mexican _____, and 5) _______ man. Not sure on all of those, but I guess that is what makes the game fun! 🙂
Denise C says
November 11, 2013 at 10:16 pmGreat game suggestions for the middle school crowd! Here are my answers:
1. Things that come back to you (or are returned to you)
2. Types of earrings
3. Types of letters
4. Things you shake
5. They are all men (Iron Man, Superman, Gingerbread Man)
Nicole Allison says
November 14, 2013 at 8:42 pmYou got all the answers! Email me at nrallison@gmail.com and I’ll send over a product from my store! Thanks for reading this little blog!
Denise C says
November 17, 2013 at 6:17 pmYay! Thank you so much! I sent you an email. Thank *you* for all your amazing materials and great blog!
Chelsea Smith says
November 11, 2013 at 11:53 pmThis post is just what I need after my day! Let’s just say my middle schoolers were a bit unruly!!! I had no idea how I was going to manage their behaviors because stickers and praise definitely do NOT work. I’m definitely going to try out Class Dojo!!
Stephanie says
November 12, 2013 at 12:36 am1. returned items
2.earrings
3. letters
4. shaken items
5. men
Deborah Kasminsky says
November 12, 2013 at 1:49 am1. return
2. earrings
3. letters
4. shake
5. men
Carly says
November 12, 2013 at 2:26 amI love tribond! I wish I had it for my speech room. Maybe I should steal the one at my dad’s house!
1) Things returned
2) Earirngs
3) Letters
4) Things you shake
5) All types of men!
Katie Orr says
November 12, 2013 at 3:06 amWhat a great post! I am a reading interventionist at a 5/6 center….and I am currently living what you have described. So, I agree—it is very difficult to motivate “older students.” My students, like yours, need a little extra help….so they are even harder to motivate. I do play a lot of games, set goals and stay positive and encouraging!! I am going to have to check out some of those games.
1. return
2. earrings
3. letters
4. shake
5. man
Katie
Mind Sparks
Nicole Allison says
November 14, 2013 at 8:42 pmYou got all the answers! Email me at nrallison@gmail.com and I’ll send over a product from my store! Thanks for reading this little blog!
Valerie says
November 12, 2013 at 9:11 amFun! I love those games!
1. Things that return (come back to user)
2. types of earrings
3. letters
4. things you shake
5. men
J says
November 12, 2013 at 11:13 am1. Things that return to you
2. Types of earrings
3. Types of letters
4. Things that you shake
5. Man
mary says
November 12, 2013 at 11:33 am1. things that come back to you
2. types of earrings
3. types of letters
4. things you shake
5. types of “men”
Maryann says
November 12, 2013 at 11:53 am1. things returned
2. earrings
3. letters
4. shakers
5. men
Amy Carlton says
November 12, 2013 at 3:00 pm1. Things that return to you
2. earrings
3. types of letters
4. things you shake
5. types of men
Emily Weiss says
November 12, 2013 at 8:11 pm1. things that return to you
2. types of earrings
3. types of letters
4. things you shake
5. types of men (i.e. iron man, gingerbread man, etc)
Maggie R. says
November 12, 2013 at 11:49 pm1. things that return back to you 2. types of earrings 3. letter types 4. things you shake 5. words that end with ‘man”
elangevin says
November 13, 2013 at 12:29 am1. Things that come back.
2. earrings
3. types of letters
4. things you shake
5 types of men
Nicole Allison says
November 14, 2013 at 8:43 pmYou got all the answers! Email me at nrallison@gmail.com and I’ll send over a product from my store! Thanks for reading this little blog!
mheavey says
November 13, 2013 at 2:45 am1.things returned to you
2. types of earrings
3. types of letters
4. things you shake
5. types of men
jlshimab says
November 13, 2013 at 9:31 am1. things that come back
2. earrings
3. letters
4. things you shake
5. types of Man
annied says
November 16, 2013 at 10:03 pmThings that come back to you
earrings
letters
things that are shaken
MEN
Love it!!