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 students engaged well beyond the first month of school.

From spotlighting new book choices and mixing up routines, to incorporating quick reflections and building a stronger reading community, you’ll find simple ways to make reading time feel meaningful again. We also dig into the deeper benefits of reading challenges, how to give reluctant readers “quick wins,” and why it’s powerful to let students share the books they didn’t finish. Whether your students are eager readers or still finding their way, this episode will give you tools to re-energize your classroom and keep reading momentum going strong all year long.

Resources you may find helpful:

• Reading Challenges
• Book Review and Recommendation Templates
• Building Reading Stamina
• Finding Just Right Books

Related episodes and blog posts:

• How to Reduce Reading Anxiety (Episode 59)
• Using Reading Challenges to Engage and Stretch Readers (Episode 54)
• How to Use Choice Reading to Boost Engagement (Episode 19)
• How to Support Struggling Readers

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

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 their stamina and confidence with challenging texts. These strategies are designed to reduce reading anxiety, support struggling readers, and make reading more accessible and successful for every student.

Whether you’re working with students who have missed foundational skills due to learning disruptions or those who simply lack the confidence to engage with more complex texts, these strategies provide an easy access point for every reader. They’ll help your students take ownership of their learning, know exactly what to do when they hit a roadblock, and see reading as something they can do.

Read more in the show notes.

Get your FREE set of Reading Support Posters here!

Resources you may find helpful:

• Building Reading Stamina
• Finding Just Right Books

Related episodes and blog posts:

• Book Talks 101: A Simple Guide to Get Started
• Fostering a love of Reading through Teacher Book Talks
• Building Classroom Community in ELA Classroom
• The Power of a Book Talk - Ep 43

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

Getting students to talk to each other in meaningful ways is harder than it sounds—but it’s a crucial part of building classroom community and engagement. In this episode, I’m diving into practical strategies you can use at the beginning of the year to help students feel safe and confident sharing their ideas in class.

From low-risk warm-ups and silly writing prompts to silent debates and structured turn and talks, I’ll walk you through simple, intentional ways to ease students into academic conversation. These routines don’t just get students talking; they build trust, support learning, and help create a classroom where every voice has a place.

Whether you're launching back-to-school routines or looking for fresh ways to increase participation, this episode is packed with ideas you can try right away.

Read more in the show notes.

Resources you may find helpful:

• Introduction to Silent Debates
• Academic Language Sentence Stems
• Story Element Task Cards - Great for starting conversations
• Reader Response Task Cards - Reflective conversations

Related episodes and blog posts:

• Academic Conversations Through Silent Debates
• 12 Ways to Support Academic Conversations
• Building Classroom Community in ELA Classroom
• Task Cards: An Engaging Tool for Middle Schoolers

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