International Reading Association Newsletter Weekly Project: Effective Literacy Websites #2 Exploration by Celia Chavez

While there are many reading resources available online, not all literacy websites are created equally. One site that keeps coming up in my professional communities is ReadWriteThink.org. It is a free online literacy resource that is completely free, and does not require membership, which is a major plus for me. I will meander through all the available facets of this website and discuss utility and ease of access.

ReadWriteThink.org (Read Write Think: Homepage) is linked to NCTE and Common Core standards, making it academically sound and aligned to Guam Department of Education’s standards and requirements. You can even approach the stockpile of materials based on Lexile Level, or grade level. Regardless of your angle, the website has exactly what you need for your students’ literary requirements. You can search by subject, resource, or so many other different ways. When you click on a topic, you are redirected to specific pages that contain a huge list of options, such as lessons, printables, connected standards, instructional plans, and reviews.

When you click on the “Resources and Preparation” section, there are multiple categories to choose from. There is a list of materials and technology that is required from the teacher to conduct the lesson, as well as easily accessed printables, all ready to go. The exact websites required are also listed, with live direct links to these pages or tools. A step-by-step instructional guide is given at the end, to ensure a smooth and easy ride through the lesson. There is literally nothing else you will need to access or create. It is all there, at the free click of your mouse (or mouse pad).

One of my favorite parts of the website is called “Student Interactive,” which is found on their main menu. I explored a few topics, and was quite impressed with what I saw. In “The Haiku Poem Interactive,” this tool starts the student off with a quick tutorial about Haikus, explaining what it is, and even guiding them through counting and recognizing syllables. Next, the brainstorm is presented, so students can start playing with different words and syllable counts. The next step is to finalize the actual poem, followed by the fun activity of picking a background and layout for the actual poem. Finally, the student is able to save and download their transferable file. It’s amazing, really! This activity can be used for literally any topic or content area, and for any grade level above first grade.

I will definitely be accessing ReadWriteThink.org in the near future. Although I spent a good amount of time navigating the goldmine of resources, I feel that it is nearly impossible to get through all of it, which makes it exciting and versatile to use. The website offers so many different angles and manifestations of literacy that it so beneficial for students, teachers and parents. I highly recommend using this resource as often as you can.