ABCya! Effective Literacy Review #2 by Jia

www.abcya.com

ABCya is an online resource that provides fun and educational games for kids.  Choose over 400 games for grades PreK through 6th grade.  The website is easy to navigate and its colorful layout and design would make any child want to keep coming back to play a game.  ABCya was created by teachers and the games and activities are designed by educators and parents.  You can quickly choose to browse all games or select a grade level.

Not only do I love all this site has to offer but I love the "Common Core Standards" tab. Under this tab you can search for games by the Common Core Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards or by the name of the game.  If you search by standard, it is broken down by grade level.  Under each grade level tab, you are given the option to search by ELA, Math or Next Generation Science Standards.  It gets better! Each content area is broken down even more by skills such as Reading: Foundational Skills, Speaking and Listening, Geometry, Operations & Algebraic Thinking, Life Science, Physical Science and so much more! 

The "Parents and Teachers" tab has blogs with useful information that any parent and teacher will appreciate.  I myself enjoyed reading the different tips and how to's that the blogs offered.

The "Videos" tab is another great feature on the website.  Here, you can find different "how to" videos such as, "how to make a paper mâché piñata" or "how to make a pipe cleaner insect".  I found a lot of cute crafts that I would like to learn how to make in my kindergarten classroom.

ABCya is definitely a great online resource to use in any classroom or home.  The games are fun, engaging and age appropriate.  It is easy for even the young ones to navigate through.  I personally use this website in my classroom as a technology center.  My students love it and it is great for reinforcement of skills.  I love how you can access all the games for free!  The site also offers a premium sign up for family or classroom.  This access allows you to not only access all games on a desk top for free but also gives you complete access through a mobile.  Premium access also allows you to play games at full screen and is ad free.  Whether you are enjoying ABCya with a free experience or a premium one, I promise you will love what this site has to offer! 

IRA Literacy Exploration Website #2

IRA Literacy Exploration Website #2

Dona Miles

ED638-40

Dr. Rivera

Scholastic

For the second Literacy Website Exploration, I will be share my review of the website called Scholastic (https://www.scholastic.com/home/). Scholastic is a literacy website that can be used by educators, parents and students. Originally Scholastic was started as a magazine in 1920. It was started by Maurice Robinson who wanted to be a publisher, and it is continued today by his son Dick Robinson who is the Chairman, President and CEO of Scholastic. Today, Scholastic continues to make student friendly magazines in literacy and science as well as produce curriculum supporting materials that are organized by themes. Unfortunately a lot of the websites resources are only accessible through purchase, there are some free components like games for students. Teachers may also access articles like "5 Ways to Rekindle Your Students' Love for Your Classroom Library," which is currently published on the website.

IRA does promote and sell items and books sold in Scholastic.com. Books are organized by grade level and themes, and the website is user friendly. This website is a good resource when purchasing books to build your classroom library as well as for students and parents to preview books. Many families purchase books from the Scholastic monthly book order forms, and being able to preview and see what books are available helps families selecting books a lot easier.

CASTANETO, Effective Literacy Site #3

           I found Reading Rockets (https://www.readingrockets.org) to be another good site to build literacy skills of children. The theme of this site is “Launching young readers”.  After sifting through the site’s content I have come to the conclusion that the material presented is best suited for elementary level students. However, this site can also be branched out to include student who are in middle and high school who are reading, writing, and comprehending at the elementary level. 

            Although the Reading Rocket site does not have materials presented by grade levels or subject area it still offers a wide variety of helpful resources. Similar to ReadWriteThink this site offers content related to parents, teachers, and professional development. These items can all be found on Reading Rockets home page. In addition to the home page there are four main categories to conduct searches: Teaching Reading, Helping Struggling Readers, Reading Topics A-Z, and Children’s Books & Authors. The Teaching Reading category offers classroom strategies, videos on teaching reading and writing, as well as more professional development opportunities for teachers. The Helping Struggling Readers Category features articles and research briefs to enhance literacy. This particular category also offers quips about enhancing a struggling readers self-esteem in relation to literacy and background information on why some children struggle with literacy. I found those last two features to go above and beyond because all too often I feel adults don’t quite understand why the child “just can’t get it”. The last two categories are self-explanatory. They offer reading topics and children’s books in relation to literacy and how to help enhance literacy skills in elementary children.  

            In addition to the wide array of topics already covered by this site there is also a sub-category for “fun stuff”. This is features downloads, web widgets, and writing contests for the children to enjoy. I really like this page because it gives the students different types of opportunities to showcase and practice their literacy skills. Overall, this site is very user friendly and offers a wide assortment of resources to enhance student’s literacy skills. 

Internet Tools/Resources

Internet Tools/Resources

The 3 Internet Tools/Resources that I will be discussing are all Google related. These resources are easily accessible for anyone who has a Google Mail (Gmail) account. Google makes it very easy and user friendly to access these tools online. Some of the tools offered include: Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, Sites, and Drive. The best part about these Internet Tools/Resources is that they are free of charge. There is also app versions of these resources that can be downloaded on a personal tablet device so that people can utilize them on the go. Google Docs, Google Sites, and Google Slides are some of the more common resources that Google offers. 

Google Docs

Google Docs is very similar to Microsoft Word, but it is all online. Where Google Docs differs from Microsoft Word is that since the browser is online, it makes it easier to share documents with other people. People are able to share documents with others and work on it together at the same time. Google Docs also saves all changes automatically so the user does not need to constantly worry about saving their work. This tool makes it very useful for students as they are able to work on group assignments together without needing to meet in person. 

Google Slides

Google Slides works similar to Microsoft Powerpoint but as mentioned earlier about Google Docs, this tool is also all online. This tool is also very useful for students because it makes it easier to do group presentations. This tools also works in educators’ favor as they can make lecture presentations and share it with their students. Google Slides also saves all changes automatically. Users are able to upload pictures, hyperlinks, video clips, and more to create detailed presentations. 

Google Sites

Google Sites is a way people can make web pages quickly and easily. This tool is very useful for teachers as they are able to make a website on learning material for the students to view. 

IRA Effective Literacy Websites #1

IRA Effective Literacy Websites #1

Dona Miles

ED638-40

Dr. Rivera

Reading Rockets

For the first Effective Literacy Website Exploration, I will be discussing a website called Reading Rockets (https://www.readingrockets.org). Reading Rockets is a public literacy site that offers many resources that can be accessed by everyone. It is a free site that provides useful literacy strategies for any grade level. The site is easy to explore with clearly labeled tabs and detailed information. Reading Rockets received the David M. Rubenstein prize in 2016. This prize is the top honor award that is given in the Literacy of Congress Awards program.

There are many resources provided on this website that can fit any student's needs. Some of the resources include videos, free reading guides, PBS television programs, blogs, and so much more. There is even a tab labeled "fun stuff" for the students to explore which includes activities such as writing contests and the picture book of the day.

This site is also user friendly for parents and teachers with a special tab made just for them. If you click this tab, a drop down menu appears and shows a selection of educators and providers you can select from depending on who you are (such as Principal, Librarian, Literacy Volunteer, and more).

There is also a Reading Topics A-Z you can chose from that include a variety of different topics that can help any student's needs. For students who are struggling with reading, this site can really help provide information and strengthen a student's reading comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary.

This site is very informative and user friendly and offers so many resources. Highly recommend!

Effective Literacy Website #2: ReadWriteThink | R. Doculan

Website: readwritethink

URL: http://www.readwritethink.org/

Source: Retrieved from http://www.readwritethink.org/

            Read Write Think is one of the most comprehensive websites for supporting literacy. The concepts of reading and writing are essentially embedded in their name. This website provides generous amounts of resources as well as support for educators, parents, and afterschool professionals. Read Write Think has partners like the International Literacy Association, together with the National Council of Teachers of English. With those two organizations backing up Read Write Think, users can be sure that the resources offered are of high caliber and are sure to improve student learning. Additionally, several of the resources are aligned to standards, and most of all, it’s free!

            The website is well organized and easy to navigate through without any unnecessary advertisements. The search feature allows users to find specific resources they may need. In addition, searches can be filtered by grade level, resource type, a specific learning objective, or by theme. There are four types of resources Read Write Think offers. They include: Classroom Resources, Professional Development, Parent and Afterschool Resources, and Community Stories.

            Under Classroom Resources, users can find a variety of lesson plans, such as, ‘Building Vocabulary Lists’ and ‘Prewriting and Drafting.’ In addition, there are included interactive activities, mobile applications, holiday themed activities, and other supportive printouts. It is also important to note that all of these resources provide overviews, standard alignment, preparation instructions as well as other related resources. All of these resources focus on a central idea of literacy.  In addition, each resource clearly indicates the recommended grade level.

            Within the Professional Development tab, it shares guides and strategies to help students be better readers with an emphasis on fostering different learning styles. Additionally, there is an included Professional Library that recommends books related to the promotion of literacy. Lastly, there is a tab in which indicates upcoming meetings and events that may be of interest.

            The other two features offered by Read Write Think include resources for Parents and Afterschool Professionals along with Community Stories. For parents and afterschool professionals, they may find activities, projects, games, tools, tips, printouts, and podcasts to help their efforts in supporting students out of the classroom. Lastly, Community Stories offer first hand experiences and personal stories that can help motivate and inspire users to improve literacy for all students.

            Overall, Read Write Think is a well organized website in which is supported by big names that promote literacy. The resources are easily accessible through its search module and are all very detailed. This site is sure to be of great use for several teachers, parents, and other community partners who wish to improve their student’s learning for literacy.

ABCya - Effective Literacy Website #2 by Jackie

ABCya.com (http://www.abcya.com) is an educational game website that organizes grade level appropriate games according to subject categories for grade Pre-K to 5^th grade. In addition, on each icon there is a letter or number (grade) to let you know the level for that game. The subject categories include letters, numbers, holiday, strategy, and skills games. Games include arcade-style games, word find games, racing games that can be played against other players, typing games, matching games, and more. Most games are easy for students to use without much adult or teacher assistance, the games include voice directions which make it easier for younger students to navigate. On ABCya.com most games are free for all users, users that would like ad-free use of the website or access to content unavailable to non-subscribers would have to subscribe to the ABCya.com website and follow the websites payment terms. The website is a great tool for students to work on and practice skills that they have learned in the classroom.

ABCya.com is a great way to have students actively engage in fun games and activities online on skills that they have learned in the classroom. I personally use ABCya.com with my kindergarten students. This is a great way to introduce them to the keyboard and mouse. I was very pleased that the literacy games were great resource for my students to learn how to use the mouse as well as reviewing skills that we were learning in the classroom.

Though most of them are not able to read yet, the grade level appropriate games are very self-explanatory and have voice instructions. Overall, ABCya.com is a great tool for teachers and parents of students grades Pre-K- 5^th grade who want to find fun and engaging activities for their students to practice and review skills taught in the classroom.   

Effective Literacy Website #2 by Alison

Starfall (http://starfall.com) was initially launched in 2002 to teach children to read. The program is funded by the Starfall Education Foundation, a publicly supported nonprofit organization. Its mission is to provide free and low-cost learning experiences, in which children are able to successfully explore and learn. In addition to teaching reading, Starfall also offers resources for mathematics and other language arts skills. It can be used for children in PreK-3^rd grade. Starfall is a free online service that can be accessed through multiple devices such as a computer, laptop, cell phone, or tablet. There is also an app available to download. Starfall consists of resources, games, and activities that are research-based and aligned with Common Core State Standards. Although Starfall is mainly effective for English language learners, special education, and homeschooling, it is also generally enjoyable for children of all ages. Starfall offers various choices for its annual membership program, which includes a home membership, teacher’s membership, classroom membership, and school membership. 

The website itself is very appealing to the eye because of its colorful graphics and neat layout. On the homepage, it allows users to choose between Pre-K/Kindergarten or grades 1-3. Starfall is a wonderful website that is easy to navigate, even for children. On the top of the homepage, there are different tabs such as the Starfall store, parent-teacher center, sign-in option, and information on how to become a member. There is also an additional side menu that consists of additional information on how to contact a representative for help. If children were to select that option, it leads to a page that contains a mathematical problem that can only be solved by an adult. Adults will definitely appreciate the child restrictions on the Starfall website. Under the parent-teacher center, there is an endless amount of free resources, which includes guides, posters, lesson plans, practice sheets, and research. The practice sheets can be customized as well. In conclusion, Starfall is an amazing website that has a lot to offer. Its reading games and activities emphasize skills on phonemic awareness, phonics, and sight words. It provides an audiovisual interactive experience and has been proven to be effective in teaching emergent readers. Additionally, Starfall provides supplementary resources for mathematics up to children in the 3^rd grade. Their services are free, easy to navigate, and fun for children. 

Website Review #2

Diopulos Diopulos

ED 638 -40

Dr. M Rivera

Website Review #2

From toddler’s educational blocks to Robots kits for kids, The Early Childhood Education Zone is a free pre-school literacy website that has all the best educational tools for preschoolers, grade school, high schools, teachers, and families. The website focuses on 5 domains, Toddler, Preschool, Elementary, Family, and Teacher. Under each of the domain, it has sub domains. These sub-domains are educational activities that includes, kindergarten reading checklist, education arts, books, music and songs, graphic novels, and robot engineering.

For instance, the toddler domain consist a sub-domain Toddler’s Educational Blocks. This subdomain has six different blocks features. It has the One Two Squeeze Baby Blocks, Fisher-Price Baby’s First Blocks, Welink 120 pieces Stem Building Blocks, Teaching Time Number Blocks, Wooden Alphabet Blocks, Jumbo Bilingual ABC Stacking Blocks. Each of these blocks has their own specific instructions for usage. These are great educational activities for toddlers, to first use them to develop their motor skills and at the same time start to build or practice their kinesthetic abilities.

One sub domain that I like about this website is the technology involvement. For preschool, creating robots or robot engineering, and other science kits are introduced at an early age. These opportunities are limitless because students are exposed to learn basics of programming, advance intellectually, grow in confidence, and it prepares kids for constant technologically advancing world.

Parents can track and monitor their kid’s performance through their kindergarten Readiness Checklist. The Earl Childhood Education Zone have compiled a list of all the skills needed kids to succeed. There are home workshops and activities that are designed for both parents and their children.  

Edutopia: Effective Literacy Review #1

          Edutopia is a very useful educational technology resource. It is a foundation that is dedicated to transforming K-12 education so that all students can obtain and apply the attitudes, knowledge, and skills necessary to thrive in school, careers, and future adult lives. Edutopia was founded in 1991 by the innovative and award-winning filmmaker George Lucas who created Star Wars and Indiana Jones. This website has an abundance of articles and videos to enhance literacy in our youth. It is easy to navigate through, especially when using the search bar to find anything related to reading and writing. 

          Exploring through this website, I found a multitude of resources to enhance literacy in children from K-12. From learning to research on the web to teaching literacy through photography to cultivating literacy skills with interactive fiction to encoding literacy in computer science to financial literacy from ages 5 on to nurturing literacy tips and resources for developing lifelong readers and more, Edutopia is your one stop for building effectiveness in literacy in many different content areas.

Source: https://www.edutopia.org/search?query=literacy&page=2

A Review of The Children's Book Review! - Effective Literacy Website Review #2

Founded and created by author Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review is a website filled with book reviews just for children. The goal of this wonderful Internet resource is to provide parents, educators, and students information about children’s literature to help grow readers. The website was named one of the ALSC (Association For Library Service To Children) great web sites for kids. A team of teachers, editors, writers, and even web content providers help to keep information current, organized, and useful for viewers.

One of the best features of the website is that it includes reviews of many different types of children’s books. I like that most of the books are current, which speaks to young readers and sparks interest. In fact, there is a tab dedicated just for trending literature subjects that we can explore. Along with that, the site showcases authors and illustrators to spread awareness about new and upcoming writers and artists. Books can be searched based on age, subject, and type. There is even a directory that you can use to search for specific authors and illustrators.

Besides the book reviews, the website offers additional literacy perks. You can read author and illustrator reviews based on their books. In addition, there are opportunities to enter giveaway contests just by filling in online entry forms. There are also tons of pictures of the books that present great visual information.

The Children’s Book Review is a wonderful website dedicated to young readers. It offers new and trending literature information that is useful for classroom instruction. These books can build motivation and interest for students. The only thing I would say can improve is the content layout and navigation. I feel that the presentation of the books and text can be better organized on the web page for a stronger aesthetic. However, the website material is very much valuable to readers and educators who are always looking for fresh and current children’s literature.

CASTANETO, Effective Literacy Site #2

ReadWriteThink (http://www.readwritethink.org) is a great website to enhance literacy. This particular site is designed with resources for all grade levels in mind. As a secondary teacher, this is very handy. I teach 6^th grade and often get incoming students who can only read and write at the second or third grade level. I appreciate the wide array of resources because I do not have to sift through dozens of websites in order to find materials for students who are at different levels. 

Upon further inspection of this site there are four categories showcased to break down the user’s search. The four categories are classroom resources, professional development, parent & after school resources, and community stories. The classroom resources offer great materials for teachers to build their lesson on such as activities, printouts, and lesson plans geared towards building writing, reading, and comprehension. In the professional development category users can browse convention opportunities, books, as well as something referred to as “strategy guides”. These strategy guides serve as guidance for new and exciting ways to implement literature into the classroom. Some examples include preparing students for success in reading, how to creating text dependent questions, and utilizing inquiry-based learning. The community stories tab features first-hand accounts of how the ReadWriteThink site has empowered people in the in their quest for literacy enhancement. 

The main item I found refreshing on this site was a clear category for parents & afterschool resources category. Although teachers play a vital part in the development of a child’s literacy, it ultimately beings and ends at home. This tab features games, tools, printouts, podcasts, activities, and projects. What more could a parent ask for in terms of resources? In addition to a child’s time spent in school, literacy skills should be reinforced at home. This site provides fun and engaging activities to be done with their child. ReadWriteThink is an easy to navigate website that provides meaningful learning to children of all ages.  

Effective Literacy Website #2

Mayleen S. Wichep

ED 638 Fall Intersession 2019

Dr. M. Rivera

IRA Newsletter Project:  Effective Literacy Website #2

Word World (http://www.wordworld.com) is a site that offers an introduction to word and word building targeting preschool learner.  It focuses on the concept that letters make up words and words are linked to real-life objects and ideas.  It provides interactive experiences for early readers through videos, stories and books.

The homepage includes Shop, Watch Videos, Apps & Games, and Parents and Teachers.  When exploring the tabs on the homepage, they also provide sub-tabs to a variety of resources and tools for teachers and parents to help their beginning readers.  Under parents and teachers tab, there are tips that provide simple and clear steps to follow when previewing the videos.  There is another sub-tab that provides information and articles explaining Educational Approaches that highlights skills necessary for young readers and writers to develop.  Skills such as Print Awareness, Phonological Sensitivity & Letter Knowledge, Comprehension, Socio-Emotional Skills, and Self Awareness skills.  There are also free printable activities that include coloring pages, games and other activities.  Young learners are introduced to a colorful, vibrant world of words.  I especially like the Find the Letter Fun Sheet!  These resources can be downloaded from this site: http://www.wordworld.com/apps-and-games/printable-activities/

In Word World, words can actually become objects they represent in an innovative, educational and entertaining learning experience for beginning readers and writers.  This is another tool that I believe can help educators promote literacy development.