Teaching 1984: Activities, Experiments, and Real-World Connections

I’ll admit, I wasn’t always a huge fan of 1984. When I first read it, I was about 15. I found it dense, tough to get into, and the message completely went over my head. But now? I can’t imagine not teaching it. You see to me, 1984 has this unique power to make students think (and keep thinking) long after the book’s final page.

Here’s the thing: 1984 isn’t just a dystopian novel. It’s a lesson in how we see the world today. Orwell’s warnings about surveillance, government control, and language manipulation are just as urgent now as they were when he wrote it. In fact, I sometimes think they get more relevant every year. And when you teach this book, you’re not just teaching them to analyze a text; you’re giving them the tools to question the world around them. It doesn’t get more important than that.

Why I Keep Teaching 1984

I’ve taught 1984 in a range of settings: from an IGCSE classroom to one-on-one sessions with A-Level students who’ve chosen it for coursework. Honestly, I think 1984 is one of those texts that everyone should read at some point, so when I get the chance to teach it, I jump at it. It's not just about what’s on the syllabus - it’s about providing my students with something that makes them look at the world differently. And let’s face it, sometimes the exam spec lines up, and that’s a bonus too!

Sometimes, though, it’s challenging for students. And I get that. When they’re introduced to the idea of a totalitarian regime, or Newspeak, some of them struggle to wrap their heads around it. But here’s the secret: breaking it down and making it relatable is the key. We talk about it, and I mean really talk about it, and it clicks. And that’s when the magic happens.

The Social Experiment that Made My Students See 1984 in Action

One of my favourite lessons for 1984 came directly from a brilliant article I read on The Atlantic. It discussed using a live classroom "social experiment" to show how easily people conform under pressure - and I knew immediately I wanted to try something similar.

It all started when my students insisted that they would never fall for the rules of a totalitarian society. They were so sure that could never happen to them. I didn’t want to just tell them otherwise. I wanted them to experience it for themselves.

So, inspired by that article, I decided to recreate the experiment in my own classroom. I borrowed a clipboard from the Geography department (to make myself look more official), greeted them at the door with a completely new set of rules, and got started. The rules were random. They had to raise their right hand to speak, refer to each other as “comrade,” keep their homework diaries on their desks at all times, and, crucially, report on anyone breaking the rules.

I honestly thought it might take a few days before anyone caved. But it didn’t. Within a single lesson, almost every student had reported someone else so real or made-up misdemeanour. Friends turned on friends. One student even reported her boyfriend for "deliberately" letting his diary fall to the floor (it was 100% an accident, I watched it happen).

It wasn’t about scaring them, it was about showing them, first-hand, how a totalitarian society gets under your skin. How fear, uncertainty, and reward systems work. How people start to monitor each other when they think it’s in their best interest.

You can explain the theory of Orwell’s world all you want, but nothing makes it land like seeing it happen right in front of you.

If you haven’t read it yet, the original Atlantic article is brilliant and absolutely worth a look.

Breaking It Down for Students

When it comes to teaching 1984, breaking the text down into manageable chunks makes all the difference. It can feel complex, but it’s completely accessible when you take it piece by piece.

In my classroom, I use a combination of quizzes, chapter-by-chapter resources, and a lot of discussion to make sure students stay engaged and don’t get overwhelmed. Checking in regularly, whether it’s through a quick self-marking quiz or a deep dive into a key chapter, helps keep students accountable for their reading, and it gives me plenty of opportunities to catch misunderstandings before they snowball.

We tackle major themes like surveillance, control, and manipulation of truth - but I also focus heavily on helping students make real-world connections. Whether it’s talking about how social media algorithms control what we see, or how language is used to frame political debate, students start seeing that Orwell’s world isn’t as far removed from their own as they thought.

If you're looking for ready-to-use resources to help guide your students through the novel, I have a full set of 1984 materials available on my TpT store and on TES, including quizzes, chapter activities, discussion cards, and creative writing tasks all designed to break the novel down into manageable, engaging steps.

Why It’s Still Worth Teaching

So, what makes 1984 so powerful year after year? It’s the way it sparks those debates, the way it forces students to question everything they thought they knew about power, freedom, and truth. It’s a timeless text that never stops offering new insights.

For teachers who are just starting with 1984, I always recommend easing in with some context and breaking it down slowly. Let the students lead the discussion, because 1984 is all about perspective - there’s no right or wrong answer, just a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Resources to Get You Started

If you’re looking for resources to help teach 1984, I’ve got a couple of things that might be useful:

◆ Free Book 1 Chapter 1 Self-Grading Quiz – A great way to assess understanding and kick off early discussions.
◆ Free Book 1 Chapter 1 Creative Writing Prompts – These allow students to explore the opening of the novel and its themes in a creative way.
◆ Free Post-Reading Creative Tasks – Available in my TpT store, these offer fun, engaging activities like writing newspaper articles, creating TikTok reviews, podcast scripts, graphic novel pages, and more.

If you're looking to dig even deeper into 1984, I also have a full set of creative writing prompts covering each section of the novel, available here. They’re ideal for helping students explore character development, theme analysis, and the lasting impact of Orwell's world.