Middle School Grammar Made Fun: Interactive Games for Your Classroom
Middle School Grammar Made Fun: Interactive Games for Your Classroom
Middle school grammar can be a daunting subject for students, but it doesn't have to be! As an educator, you have the power to make learning grammar an enjoyable experience for your students. The key is to make it interactive and engaging, and what better way to do that than through games? With the help of technology, you can easily incorporate fun grammar games into your classroom routine that will not only make learning more entertaining but also help your students retain the information better. In this article, we'll explore some of the best interactive grammar games that you can use in your middle school classroom to make grammar fun and exciting for your students. From identifying parts of speech to understanding sentence structure, these games will engage your students and make learning grammar a breeze. So, let's delve into the world of middle school grammar games and see how you can make learning more fun for your students!
The Importance of Teaching Grammar in Middle School
Grammar is the foundation of effective communication. Without a strong understanding of grammar, students will struggle to express themselves clearly and concisely in both written and spoken communication. In middle school, students are at a critical stage in their academic development, where they are transitioning from basic to more complex grammar concepts. As such, it's essential for teachers to ensure that their students have a solid understanding of grammar rules.
Incorporating grammar into your lessons can also help improve your students' critical thinking, problem-solving, and reading comprehension skills. Students who have a strong grasp of grammar are better able to analyze text, identify author's intent, and determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.
As a teacher who is passionate about gamifying the classroom, I have collected certain gaming habits over the 12 years I’ve been teaching. For me, each game style comes with certain benefits. One of my favorite rules to follow when introducing games to Latin class is that I avoid games with “outs” or “turns”, so that no student is sitting with nothing to do. In my classroom, it is my goal for games to allow students to practice exponentially MORE than a traditional worksheet!
Resource Round-Up: Collections of Grammar Games
Since the rise of Kahoot about a decade ago, the quantity and quality of technology-based games in the classroom has grown exponentially. To create a classroom game only takes five minutes of traffic now. In most cases, even teaching something niche such as Latin, I am able to find sets of games that other teachers have made with no prep at all. Here are my favorite technology-based classroom games and in what context I find them most productive.:
Kahoot: I use Kahoot for the scramble/spelling game feature, mostly. I use this the day after students have learned new vocabulary words and we practice spelling them with this game. I have also seen it used in French classrooms to practice sentence word order!
Here are some no-prep, pre-made grammar games on Kahoot*:
Gimkit: The fast-paced nature of this game makes it good for terms that need to be memorized through repetition. I use it for vocabulary review and verb translation practice. If you have extra time in class, the Drawing game can be fun to review concepts as well!
Here are some no-prep, pre-made grammar games on Gimkit:
Blooket: I love asking questions that require thinking/application of knowledge through the Battle Royale mode. In the Battle Royale mode, students are paired against each other randomly to answer a multiple choice question. I use this mode the day before a test, after the class had completed a practice test. So, the Battle Royale questions are grammar-based and the students race each other to answer. One by one, the students are eliminated (although I make them continue answering the questions even after they are eliminated for extra practice)
Here are some no-prep, pre-made grammar games on Blooket:
Vocabulary Jam: This game is SO fun and reviews vocabulary (I used it for Latin/Greek derivative word practice for years until they required a paid subscription)
Here are some no-prep, pre-made grammar games on Vocabulary Jam:
Quizizz: This game has settings that allow students to reach mastery. For instance, if a teacher has “redemption questions” mode selected, students may have a second attempt if they miss a question.
Here are some no-prep, pre-made grammar games on Quizizz:
Baamboozle: While not the most productive of games (students take turns answering in teams, so this game I just play for fun, since there is no way to ensure 100% student participation), Baamboozle is hilarious and probably the game during which we laugh the most. It is silly, but grammar questions are still asked.
Here are some no-prep, pre-made grammar games on Baamboozle:
Nearpod: Okay, it might be a stretch to call Nearpod a game. Nearpod is mostly interactive slides. I use Nearpod the day after my students have taken notes on a new grammar topic. The students have their notes out, we go over the grammar concepts a second time, and within the slides Nearpod allows you to insert games to measure student understanding.
Here are some no-prep, pre-made grammar games on Nearpod:
Factile: Factile is a jeopardy-style game for the classroom. You can have students buzz in from their devices, or just play vocally without technology. I love that there are so many pre-made games that I can pull this up on a day I need an extra fun activity:
Here are some Factiles I’ve found:
*Unless stated, the resources listed are not created by me– I just provide a resource roundup of popular games online!
Gamifying your classroom: If you are interested in reducing workload and prep time, and adding in activities that increase student engagement, then sign up for a 30 minute gamifying session with me for $25! Click here to learn more.
360 Digital Escape Rooms: Here are some themed digital escape rooms I’ve made for:
In conclusion, teaching grammar in middle school is a critical part of ensuring that students have the skills they need to succeed academically and professionally. However, traditional grammar lessons can be dry and difficult to engage with, leaving students uninterested and unmotivated. By incorporating interactive grammar games into your lessons, you can make learning fun and engaging, helping your students master grammar concepts while also promoting critical thinking, problem-solving, and reading comprehension skills. Whether you choose to use online platforms or create your own games, there are many resources available to help you engage your students and make grammar fun and exciting. So, why not give it a try and see how interactive grammar games can revolutionize your classroom?
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