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Blog About and Share a Literacy Resource for Struggling Readers

  • Posted by Susan Ruckdeschel
  • On 28 June, 2015
  • 3112 Comments

Let’s take all this knowledge from our course Literacy Strategies for Struggling Readers and put it to productive good. Whether a new literacy resource, a differentiated resource, a resource for inclusive classrooms, or one focused specifically on struggling readers, let’s share a resource and talk about it in this blog.

  1. First, tell us why you chose the resource.
  2. Next, provide us with a link to the resource and a brief description of it.
  3. Explain how the resource works effectively, or has the potential to work effectively, with struggling readers.

CompareContrastBlendedLearningHappy Blogging!

3112 Comments

Nikki
I have used www.readworks.org many times. It is a great resource for teachers to find passages. You can find passages on most any topic and grade level. I also like the fact that you can choose and article and print it in different lexiles. The students can have a passage on the same topic, but on their lexile level. These would be great for both whole group and small group.
Mallory
I chose the resource http://www.mobymax.com/. I have used it in my classroom and I have seen a difference in the students reading skills. I like that there are a variety of lessons for all subject areas and the students are rewarded with game minutes based on their work. The website has some assessments to evaluate the student and then it teaches the students the strategies they need to work on. Just 15 minutes a couple days a week helps the children.
Brenda Hart
Good morning, These resources are straightforward and comprehensive. I highly recommend. I use these resources when teaching and when planning lessons: https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/MakingSense_LessonPlans_ALL.pdf https://www.youtube.com/user/rachelsenglish?feature=watch Rachel knows ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I often use the following resources when I want modern, interesting material outside of the usual classroom material: http://writersalmanac.org https://www.merriam-webster.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lastly, the following websites are for for teachers to just enjoy themselves or to use for high school students. I think you will find some of these websites useful when when teaching or for lesson plans, even if it's just using a snippet here and there.The material can be easily differentiated. As well, students may enjoy listening to a poem read by a Guatemalan poet, for instance. http://www.wordswithoutborders.org/article/memories-humberto-ak-abal https://pen.org/a-brief-account-of-several-art-events-and-other-horrifying-experiences/ https://pen.org/literature/illustrated-pen/ https://pen.org/millennial/ https://pen.org/war-on-a-lunchbreak/ https://pen.org/move-the-back-of-your-heart-towards-the-front-of-your-heart-2/ https://pen.org/aufgabe-salvadoran-poetry-feature/ https://pen.org/john-reed-two-sonnets/ https://pen.org/robert-weils-tribute-to-edith-grossman/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The resources that I suggested work well for me as I teach my students, including struggling readers. Of course, I use www.cplams.org to ensure that most coursework and lesson plans follow Florida standards. Brenda Hart
Valerie Ming
After reading so many comments on this blog, I realize that my two favorite resources are the same as many others:-) I love using Reading A-Z and Brainpop Jr. and Brainpop ESL. I know that Reading A-Z requires a subscription, but if you can convince your school or district to provide it, the resource has so many valuable components to help with phonics, fluency, and reading comprehension. Then, the free resource of Brainpop is phenomenal! I love how it offers so many different ELA topics. https://www.readinga-z.com https://www.jrbrainpop.com https://www.eslbrainpop.com
Coston
A great resource for all students is I-Ready from Curriculum Associates. Students take a diagnostic that addresses all components of reading. The program then provides lessons suited for the student's level of performance. I like it for all students, but especially for my ELL students and struggling students. It gives them to practice skills and concepts on their developmental level. Each lesson starts with an interactive tutorial. They also take quizzes after the lesson. I am able to view their progress on lessons, tests, and diagnostics. It is also aligned to the Florida Standards Assessment that the student take. http://www.curriculumassociates.com/products/iready/diagnostic-instruction.aspx?utm_source=iReadyApp
Alexis Paquette
http://thisreadingmama.com/12-incredible-resources-for-struggling-readers/ I chose this website because it offers lots of reading resources for struggling readings. That includes ideas, apps, and other websites. Also, it’s about thinking outside the box. Yes, if you are stuck, she suggests, even Pinterest can help! I feel like I have seen all the website I can see, but this offered a few different ideas.
Susan Meiler
I chose Imagine Learning because I have seen the smiles on my students faces when they feel successful. www.imaginelearning.com/students/strugglingreaders I currently use this resource with two of my ELL students during my enrichment/intervention time. The program includes reading guidance for Early Childhood, Primary/Upper Elementary, ELL, Struggling Reader, and Students with Disabilities. I also use Flocabulary.com and STARFALL
Eleanor Madsen
After reading comments on this blog, I think its great to have additional resources. I have always liked and used several of the mentioned websites. ( Brain pop Jr., Reading a-z, Reading Rockets and Try Hubbardscupboard.org). I found a new one that I think really explains and demonstrates through video clips how to implement many of the strategies discussed in the course Best Practices for Differentiating in K-5 classrooms. Try this. It looks terrific. ell.nwresd.org
Valerie Baker
I checked out the website www.cal.org/siop/resources/, because I am not familiar with it. I found that many of these lessons would be very beneficial in my classroom, and would like to implement some of these.
Mark Mihopulos
I love the Just Words program from Wilson Language. This powerful program teaches struggling readers and spellers like ENL students to learn the rules of English for decoding and encoding. A link to the program is http://www.wilsonlanguage.com/programs/just-words/ The program fits all of the rules of English into a single year but the effective quality and what sets this resource apart from others is the multisensory material use. When students can touch, see, hear and speak the language and take it from parts to whole and from whole to parts, they really learn it!
Warren Daum
www.tumblebooks.com is the resource I chose to help a struggling reader. With a subscription to tumblebooks, students and teachers have a large variety of animated picture books to read aloud to students, or have struggling readers read. It includes graphic novels for older students that are struggling readers, and it uses high interest animations for the students. Sometimes students need that visual aspect in order to engage with the content of the book.
Rebecca Brady
I have chosen Epic!. This resource is wonderful for the students. They can pick a number of books to read depending on their likes. It also has the read aloud function to help the students who are struggling with vocabulary and phonics. A number of my students did not like to read until the ELA teacher suggested this site and wow, the students are excited to be reading!! www.getepic.com
Jamie Lopez
A literacy website that I like to use is easyCBM, https://app.easycbm.com. It provides interventions, progress monitoring tools and also makes reports of the students progress. I use many of these interventions and measurement tools for my tier 2 and tier 3 students. The website also provides short videos describing the intervention, why and how we use it-which is really helpful for new teachers.
Yamila Rezola
http://www.readingrockets.org Great resource for struggling readers. The students could listen to the story and answer questions about the story in the end. I also love http://www.starfall.com because kids learn different letters, sounds, through games and play.
Minde Moore
The resource I choose is Brain Pop Jr. The link is www.jr.brainpop.com. This website has animated, curricular content that engages students, supports educators, and bolsters achievement. There are videos about many different topics such as reading skills, social studies, science, health, art, technology, etc. Students enjoy the characters in these videos and the humor that is added to them. There are many resources available for after the video is watched. There are quizzes, games, writing activities and flash cards. My students beg my to watch the videos and they often times refer back to them when talking about a certain skill. The visual is great for struggling readers.
Sarah
Although it was previously mentioned... I wanted to talk about Epic!. We have iPads in our classroom and this is an app that is free for educators. As a teacher one can create a class list and students can log on just by clicking their names. My students love it and my struggling readers love the fact that they can have many of the stories read to them. They are also adding new features where you can set up questions to go along with the books. There are so many books to choose from and titles that students actually know that it increases their level of interest. Did I mention this is free for educators?! https://www.getepic.com
Bryan
I chose this resource because I think it is not only good for the teachers, but could also be beneficial for parents who want to assist their child with reading. http://www.readworks.org/ gives you a variety of lexile leveled passages. Not only does it provide passages, but it also provides questions. AND ITS FREE! I think readworks is effective because you can gauge comprehension, you can provide many different leveled passages, and you can print them out. We are constantly telling our students to read with a pencil or annotate the text. You may just see it as using too much paper, but it gives the students the opportunity to mark up the text and make notes to refer back.
LaRhonda Brown
I am a big fan of Fountas and Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) for struggling readers. This curriculum allows teachers to target students who struggle with reading and or writing and bring them to grade level in a few months. I've used it with my first graders and moved students usually by mid year. It allows you to target student deficiencies whether its phonics, fluency, comprehension or a combination and support them through daily 30 minute lessons done in small groups. LLI has a progress monitoring component which allows teachers to see which areas students are progressing in and continue to need support. It's not a quick fix, but does work for most struggling readers if done with fidelity. Schools would need to purchase the program from a vendor like Heinemann or Fountas and Pinnell.
Virgilio Beato
I chose the following resource: Reading Rockets. This website provides good tips on think-pair-share activites. The website is http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/think-pair-share. As an American Government Teacher, I use this strategy often after reading complex texts. It allows students to share with a partner what they have read, to see if they arrived at different conclusions or perspectives. For struggling readers, they can check for comprehension after they have completed a guided reading organizer, with another classmate.
Sammantha Cassiday
I chose the resource ictgames. It is a helpful resource for literacy games that students can play. I have used in on my smart board during literacy centers. Students or teachers can choose a literacy based game. On each game, there are different levels or in some cases different skills. Teachers can select the skill that a struggling reader needs practice on and the student can play the game. My kindergarteners love the games on this site. www.ictgames.com
Celeste Holden
The resource I recommend as a great reading resource is https://www.readinga-z.com/ I use this in my class for whole group instruction as well as for a great reading center. It is a resource where you can differentiate easily for your varying reading levels in your classroom. There are many tools available on this link for various forms of reading from leveled books with comprehension questions for different reading skill instruction, to poetry, and reader's theater scripts. My students love this site. I highly recommend it.
shari
I use Reading Eggs and Math Seeds (www.readingeggs.com and www.mathseeds.com) These are online reading and math games which are easy to follow, self paced, highly engaging and interactive lessons for elementary students. I have the students take the placement quiz which allows each student to start with lessons on their present levels. There are downloadable activity sheets, online books and Big Books as well as detailed progress reports for me to track each students's progress, strengths and weaknesses.
Erika Foster
I chose the resource Tumblebooks because it is full of picture books that are read aloud. This is great for struggling readers who are having difficulty decoding words. It can be found at: https://www.tumblebooklibrary.com/Default.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2f This resource is great for a listening center during literacy centers, or for students who have difficulty focusing during read to self time. Kids can follow along with a paper copy of the book if you have one, or with the digital version on screen. They can even use a whisper phone to read along with the audio as well. It really boosts the confidence of struggling readers.
Cecilie Shealy
The resource that I found and would like to share is NewsELA. This resource is very useful in both the reading and social studies classroom. It is useful because it will provide informational articles on current events. These lexiles of the articles provided can be altered to differentiate according to student reading levels. This resource can be found at https://newsela.com/. It will give your students practice reading nonfiction text. It will engage them by allowing them to read about current events that they are interested in. You can also change the articles to Spanish with the click of a button if necessary. You do need a login to access the full site.
Angela
I frequently use readworks.org as a reading resource that contains a plethora of articles and various topics and varying lexiles. This is a go-to source for my intervention groups since I ca pick articles based on a skill that my group needs additional practice on. It allows you to search articles by topic, skill, grade level, and lexile, and always has an abundance of articles from which to choose so that you can also find topics that are of interest to your students.
Christina Prisco-Buxbaum
I chose this resource because I have a lot of ENL students in my classroom and wanted to make texts more accessible even if I do not speak their home language. This is something they can use independently to help during lessons or on work that is assigned. It translates the text, or rewords it with simpler explanations of vocabulary words that might be overwhelming for their developing stage of language acquisition. http://rewordify.com/
Julia
I have been using Raz Kids for all my students. My students are able to read and progress nicely through the program. I like how to kids choose the books they are interested in. One of the things I had to teach my students is to slow down while reading. There is an assessment portion on Raz Kids so I have to conference with the students to show them their progress. Another thing I like about RAZ kids is the voice recording. Students are able to hear themselves read.
Michael
I chose this App, Reading Train because it contains over 400 books developed by a kinder/first grade teacher to help with all levels of readers in that age group. The students can begin by listening to the story, then reading the story, can earn points to spend. I have found it very beneficial in helping my struggling readers to experience confidence in reading.
Michael Harris
I chose http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games_vocab.htm, because in my opinion games are always a win-win in education kids are immediately drawn in and enjoy the learning process. While playing the game they are learning but they really don't see it that way they are just having fun.
Travis Thomas
I use https://www.readinga-z.com/ when helping my students select an appropriate book. I strongly believe that if you get the right book in their hands miracles can happen.
Travis Thomas
I use https://www.readinga-z.com/ when helping my students select the just right book. I strongly believe that if you get the right book in their hands then miracles can happen.
Laurie OBrien
I chose this resource because it is motivating and interactive. It also allows for home-school communication so that parents feel more involved and are able to effectively communicate with the teacher and what their children are learning. Students are excited to use this resource. https://www.readinga-z.com/ell/ This website is full of leveled readers so students can move at their own pace. it also students access to Raz-Kids and Raz Rocket where they can listen to videos that motivate and inspire. kids have fun interacting with these online resources. it also allows teachers to assess students digitally and provide immediate feedback.
CASSANDRA WYNN
I like to use Think Cerca to differentiate readings for my students. Think Cerca allows to assign activities based on grade level. I can then assign below grade level text, at grade level text, and above grade level text to my students on an individual basis. Think Cerca also will read the text to students out loud. Think Cerca is a step by step analysis of a text. Once a student completes one assignment, then it lets them go on to the next assignment building onto the first. It allows my struggling readers to focus on one thing at a time, and when they start at a grade level more appropriate for them, they begin to build confidence in their reading skills.
    Sheri
    Think Cerca is awesome for different levels of readers. I need to find a way to incorporate this more in my curriculum. Thanks for the reminder.
Katlyn Sandage
I love using readworks digital in my classroom. This resource allows for me to digitally assign different articles to each student as well as different question sets. This allows me to differentiate reading levels and skill practice. You can search under a specific skill, by reading level, or by topic. It allows differentiation to occur without students even knowing it. Previously I printed readworks articles for students and had students chose from their "color" folder, which contained their reading level. Now students just log into their account and their work is there. My students love it and I love it! It also does a lot of the grading for you!
Laurie OBrien
I utilize Brain Pop with my struggling readers. It not only shows them a short video on a particular concept in a student friendly way, but engages and motivate each child. Brain pop also allows for a brief quiz based on the video where the teacher can receive immediate feedback to assess comprehension.
Erin
This website provides multi sensory activities to help students learn letters and sounds, rhyming, and other reading concepts by getting them up and moving. It is geared towards young children, emergent readers but could possibly be used for students learning a second language or adapted for older children using reading skills and concepts at their level. http://thisreadingmama.com/multi-sensory-activities-teaching-reading/
Angela Ceccarelli
Newsela.org is a great site to use to find quality passages on pertinent topics that can be leveled for your students. This is a great way to differentiate instruction for my students.
Cassie McCammon
The resource that I have chosen is called Epic. You can access Epic at this link: https://www.getepic.com/app/profile-select . Epic is an online resource that has hundreds on e-books at all different levels. When you sign up as a teacher (free), you can choose your grade level, interests that fit your students, and needs of your students. The program then chooses suggested books for your class, but you still have access to any books on their site. I love this site for my struggling readers, because they are usually eager to get on the computer and read the books on this site. Some of the books are offered as audio books which is another plus for my lower readers. I find that the books available are high interest for my fourth graders, but easier readability. I will on occasion use this website whole group and do a read aloud on my smart board. Usually I offer this website as a station rotation during reading groups. It is also a good idea to check if a book has an AR test before reading it! My students get so excited to read a book on Epic and then they get to take an AR test. I find that my students are more successful on AR tests when they have read the book on EPIC.
Sheri
https://www.flocabulary.com/ This website engages students, helps them with understanding, and builds their own skills all while being fun, entertaining, and non-threatening. It covers almost any subject and topic and they are always adding to it--even social-emotional topics. As an English teacher, I use it to teach new concepts and then assign them to write a poem on what they learned. The site offers site words to use in creating the poem and offers words that rhyme to help alleviate the pressure of writing a poem. You can add any parameters as well. It is a great introduction tool and a clarifying tool for readers.
Amy
The site that I just signed up for and am going to use with my students is Vocabulary Journey. What I like best about the site is that the students pick Vocabulary Words that they don't know and only work on those words. So many times Vocabulary instruction is boring to kids because so many of the words they study are already words they know and are not challenging. This is wonderful for the advanced students in class because they are continuing to be challenged. The address is: https://www.vocabjourney.com Since you pick the lexile level of the words, it can be for any age, grade or level.
Anne Turner
The resource I choose is newsela.com. I just began using this resource this year to help my students with nonfiction comprehension. You can choose topical articles that will pique your student's interest and assign or print them for your students. The site also provides a short quiz that assesses your students' comprehension. Articles are also available at various reading/grade levels.
Todd
This website provides parents, educators and students many useful tips and activities to help the struggling reader. They provide research, guides, articles and videos that can be navigating easily. http://www.readingrockets.org/reading-topics/struggling-readers
Livia Forrest
The resource that I chose is https://www.readinga-z.com. I chose this resource because it provides resources for teachers to aide students that may struggle in different areas of reading. This works effectively because there is an opportunity to work and assess at different reading levels.
Sonia Findleyson-Webber
I used this website to help facilitate students practicing skills for English Language Arts, Math, Social Studies and World events in a resource classroom. The website is Kahooit.com. With this site the students are able to complete against each other in the classroom. This interactive game test their intellectual ability . Students feel they are playing a game while learning.
Kimberly Mokry
I use MobyMax. It allows my students to work on skills that are customized. I can easily set it up to align with their IEP goals. I can also reassign content as needed. MobyMax also allows me to print off assignments and we complete the tasks as a whole group, if needed. I like that it monitors their progress and I have full access to everything. My students like to earn the badges and "game" time even as high school students. They are motivated to make progress.
Kalynn Harshbarger
I was first introduced to this homophone song in a college Reading course. I have since used it in my classroom every year when I introduce homophones. It is a fun, silly and engaging video that the students love. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3prL9EHifw0
Mandy Morey
One of my favorite resources is Readworks.org This resource allows me to pull from a database of passages that are leveled and relevant to many topics that we read about during the school year. Whether for homework, intervention, seatwork,or other purposes. I can chose texts that are on a particular student's reading level and even paired passages that provide an opportunity for written responses in comparing passages. This site has proven itself both extremely useful and versatile.
Stacy
I chose this resource because I was new to the grade and a colleague recommended it. www.readworks.org The diversity of topics allows me to find topics that students not only need to learn about, but also ones that will help a struggling reader to become more interested and engaged in the reading process. The availability of differentiated reading levels makes access efficient.
Emily G
I chose the resource readworks.org. I am a new Kindergarten teacher and our reading coaches talk about this website a lot. I trust this resource and I think that It helps students who are struggling and are in need of an extra boost for reading.
Emily G
I chose the resource abcya.com I am a new Kindergarten teacher and our reading coaches talk about this website a lot. I trust this resource and I think that It helps students who are struggling and are in need of an extra boost for reading. We play sight word bingo during centers and I think that my children are learning a lot from it.
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