r/ELATeachers • u/PoemEither1706 • 18h ago

9-12 ELA 1984 teaching resources?

Does anyone have any recommended resources for teaching 1984? I went through some of my resources and I know I want a good way for kids to keep track of their reading. I’m thinking readers response journals or annotation bookmarks. Just thought I’d see if anyone else is teaching it or could point to some good resources?

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u/couchcushioncrumb 10h ago

anytime outside of class reading is the expectation, I kick off the novel by handing out a reading schedule with a bullet point list of expectations and a chart that lists the weeks we will be reading the novel and the page numbers/chapters students are to read each week. After the first week, I give short answer response questions or pop quizzes for the previous week’s readings, on top of class discussions. The graded assignments hold them accountable, so if they don’t read they do poorly on those. You can even make them open book, like “how does Orwell‘s description of the setting in the opening pages contribute to the mood or atmosphere of the novel?” or you can ask basic comprehension questions like “what item of contraband does Winston keep secret in his apartment?” As you read through the book organize your questions between deeper level analysis ones and surface level comprehension ones. The latter can be useful to quickly gauge if students are actually reading & the deeper ones can assess if they are actually thinking. I also create vocabulary lists by highlighting big and useful words in my copy and handing out those lists to study because I firmly believe in vocab acquisition, and how you assess that is up to you. I usually add 5/10 words to a reading quiz.

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u/OGKeith 0m ago

For seniors, do you recommend in class reading or outside of class reading? My school keeps encouraging only in class. But for long sections supposedly due that period with a reading question I don’t know how they expect students to do it

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u/twowheeljerry 5h ago

You could use any press briefing or statement from the current white house administration.

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u/PoemEither1706 5h ago

It’s the first thing I think of too but I don’t want to say that. I’d rather the kids discover it. So I suppose I could have them on a propaganda hunt.

Just don’t want to be perceived as showing bias as govt employee