International Literacy Association (ILA) Newsletter Weekly Project: Effective Literacy Website #1 Exploration: ReadWorks
Joseph Addison once said, “reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” Similarly, ReadWorks is an inclusive website filled with many reading exercises that enhance students reading and comprehension abilities through its features. For background, the platform was founded by David Ciulla on September 6, 1990. According to Edtech Nonprofit ReadWorks Celebrates 10 Years and Doubles Down on COVID-19 Learning Loss (2022), “5 million teachers and about 29.5 million students, 92% of students across the country use reading rockets” (p.1.) Furthermore, ReadWorks is user friendly, inclusive, and encouraging for growing readers K-12.
The ReadWorks (RW) website is user-friendly for teachers and students. With the click of a button, you can attach your Gmail to the platform when signing up. In addition, teachers can connect their students' Google Classroom to the forum and assign reading assignments. The platform RW is perfect for providing a plan for the year with its Scope and Sequence feature. The website allows teachers to assign particular Articles by month to specific grade levels.
Besides the user-friendly features, RW has embedded features that assist teachers with many classroom challenges involving inclusivity. For example, teachers face two challenges: English as a second language speakers and below-average students. More specifically, RW provides audio features that assist teachers with students of English as a second language and struggling readers. Another helpful feature is the color-coated grading system to meet student needs. For instance, red means the student incorrectly answered the quiz question, and green means that the student correctly answered the question. The color coding acts as a formative assessment for teachers to go back and re-teach or create small groups for intervention based on students' test results.
ReadWorks.org encourages readers to have a positive reading mindset through its Reading Mindset Snapshot (RMS) feature. The RMS helps teachers get to know their students as readers and watch them grow into super readers. The RMS is a "survey style inventory designed to track: students' joy and topics of interest" (ReadWorks, n.d.) The feedback from student surveys provides teachers with the tools to assist students: "reading and comprehending text, choosing a text for independent reading, and enjoy reading more by tapping into their interest" (ReadWorks, n.d.)
In a nutshell, RadingWorks.org is a fantastic reading platform that is easily accessible, inclusive of diverse learners, and promotes a growth mindset necessary for developing students. The website allows students and teachers to access resources and assignments using technology. ReadingWorks.org supports English language learners and struggling readers through its audio assistance features. Lastly, the platform boosts students' reading and comprehension skills through the RW Reading Mindset Snapshot feature.
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