If you’re looking for a no-prep, high-engagement way to get your students writing, I need to tell you about something that has completely changed the energy in my classroom: GrooveLit.
As a 6th-grade self-contained teacher, I’m always looking for tools to make writing feel less overwhelming and more exciting, without adding extra work to my plate. GrooveLit does exactly that.
If you want to try it out, you can create a free account here → GrooveLit Website
What is GrooveLit?
GrooveLit is an online, gamified writing platform that gets students actively writing, revising, and editing through timed writing challenges.
Students:
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Respond to engaging teacher-created prompts
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Earn red, yellow, and blue flames (blue is the highest level!)
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Participate in a bonus editing round
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Compete individually or as a team
One of my favorite features? The bonus editing round. Students can earn extra points just for revising and fixing capitalization, punctuation, and grammar - which is HUGE for middle school writers.
How It Works (It’s So Simple)
After creating a free account (or upgrading to premium - you get free access to premium for the first 30 days), you:
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Click “Launch Game”
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Choose from a growing library of prompts (narrative, persuasive, vocabulary, seasonal topics, and more)
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Select:
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5, 10, or 20-minute writing time
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Individual or team mode
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Skill focus areas (for bonus points!)
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Optional editing round
Students join using a simple code, and you click launch.
That’s it.
If you’d like to test it out with your students, you can sign up here → GrooveLit Website
My Favorite Way to Use GrooveLit: Argument Writing Practice
We recently wrapped up argumentative essays, and I used the prompt “Is brain rot harmful (or just harmless fun)?” to have students practice crafting an argument.
It was PERFECT.
Students had to:
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Take a stance
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Support their reasoning
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Think critically
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Write quickly and clearly
If you teach upper elementary or middle school, this prompt alone is worth trying: Check it out HERE!
6 Ways I Use GrooveLit in My Classroom
#1: Early Finishers
Some students finish their essays quickly, while others need more processing time. Instead of extra worksheets, I assign a 20-minute GrooveLit session.
My students stay engaged.
They practice writing.
No extra prep for me.
#2: Fun Fridays (or Writing Wednesdays!)
Sometimes, you just need something fun but still academic.
I’ll run:
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One 10-minute quick write
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Followed by one 20-minute extended session (with an editing round)
My students are so silent and focused on their writing, you could hear a pin drop in the classroom.
#3: Pre-Assessments
Starting a new unit (narrative, argumentative, informational)?
I run a GrooveLit prompt first to:
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See where students are
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Gather quick writing data
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Identify strengths and gaps
It’s the easiest pre-assessment I’ve ever given!
#4: Editing Practice (Game-Changer for Grammar)
After the writing round, students enter the bonus editing phase.
They reread.
They revise.
They fix capitalization, punctuation, and clunky sentences.
And they actually want to do it - because they earn points.
If you have students who struggle with conventions and grammar, this alone makes GrooveLit worth it → GrooveLit Website
#5: Substitute Plans
If you’ve ever had an emergency come up or a surprise illness and have had to call out last minute, GrooveLit is the easiest sub plan you could ever use!
I will just leave my login information and have them choose a prompt to use with the class.
#6: Team Mode for Engagement
My students LOVE the team feature.
They still write individually, but they earn points collectively.
That said, if you have a competitive class like mine…
My Top Tips for Success
Tip #1: Hide the Leaderboard
If your class is competitive, don’t project the leaderboard.
The first time I used it, my students were more focused on points than writing. Removing the leaderboard instantly improved their focus and quality.
Tip #2: Control the Atmosphere
I mute the GrooveLit music and play Lofi playlists from YouTube. I also put seasonal scenery on the screen (examples: snow, ocean, fall, etc.).
It keeps the room calm while the game energy still motivates them.
What My Students Have Said
After our first session, here’s what I heard:
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“This is actually fun.”
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“GrooveLit helps with typing and editing.”
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“I like how it makes you think quickly.”
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“The team mode is my favorite.”
But what stood out most to me?
Even my reluctant writers wrote A LOT.
They were focused.
They were thinking.
They were engaged in the writing process from start to finish.
Teacher Data = Huge Bonus
After each game, you can:
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View student writing
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Download results
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Analyze strength and growth areas
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Highlight strong examples
It makes informal writing assessment so much easier.
Final Thoughts
GrooveLit has become one of my favorite low-prep, high-impact tools for writing instruction. It:
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Engages reluctant writers
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Reinforces grammar through editing
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Supports argument, narrative, and informational writing
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Provides real data for teachers
If you’re looking for a way to bring more energy into your writing block (without adding more to your to-do list) I highly recommend giving it a try.
You can create a free account (and explore premium features) here → GrooveLit Website
Let me know if you try it - I’d love to hear how it goes in your classroom!