Middle School literacy resource list
Recommended language development resources for middle school children ages 11-14
Advanced literacy skills often begin to diverge among students in the upper elementary to early middle school years, typically around ages 9 to 13. This is when texts become more complex, requiring deeper comprehension, nuanced vocabulary, and the ability to analyze structure and meaning.
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The divergence becomes more noticeable as academic demands increase, particularly in subjects like science and social studies, where reading to learn becomes essential.
Writing also becomes increasingly important as students progress to middle school, and is a particularly effective way for students to express themselves. It also helps reveal gaps that might not show up in reading alone.
Merriam-Webster's Intermediate Dictionary
Merriam-Webster
Access to a middle-school level dictionary is crucial as students increasingly encounter unfamiliar words less frequently used among friends and family in everyday speech. Merriam-Webster offers some of the best dictionaries for school aged students, consistently making these new words easy to understand. (For English learners or other reluctant dictionary users, we also recommend the Longman Dictionary of American English.)
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This Intermediate Dictionary nearly roughly doubles the entries of the Merriam-Webster's Elementary Dictionary
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Vocabulary Building
The Creative Writer, Level One: Five Finger Exercise
Boris Fishman
The Creative Writer, published by Well-Trained Mind, is an extensive 4-part curriculum designed for mentor-student use that aims to develop students with solid foundational language skills into exceptional writers.
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Level 1: Five-Finger Exercises is well-suited for 5th or 6th graders, introducing key elements of story writing and examining superior writing techniques. Each level builds on the last and is intended to take several months to complete. By the end of the curriculum students can expect to become story tellers well beyond their years and produce publish-worthy stories.
Language Building, Imagination, Adult-Guided Learning