An interactive, highly engaging literacy program for students; it offers students a wide variety of leveled texts and rigorous higher order thinking questions that align with the CCS.
Community Review for LightSail
My Take
The LightSail App is a highly engaging and interactive program. As a classroom teacher, I would recommend this program to other teachers who are looking for a way to provide students with the opportunity to grow as readers by incorporating blended learning with 21st century skills. The fact that I can confer with students both digitally and face to face, monitor how often they are practicing their reading goals, and monitor their comprehension through rigorous assessments allows me to better set goals on each student's instructional level to foster as much growth as possible. The students are able to select from a wide variety of texts on their instructional level. As the students grow as readers they are able to access more difficult texts. I love that the students are able to see how they are progressing on their goals independently. This program is truly an asset to any language arts classroom!
How I Use It
LightSail is applicable to students of all reading levels. The students are provided with a wide variety of leveled texts to select from and read. As a teacher, I am able to set goals for each of my students during individual conferencing or guided reading groups. While the students are reading, they are able to record their thinking on virtual sticky notes that I am able to see as the teacher. The LightSail App also provides the students with the opportunity to practice using context clues throughout the text; as well as, answer rigorous higher order thinking comprehension questions on assessments about the text they are reading. The teacher is able to communicate with each student through the app, in addition to face to face conferencing. The app also provides teachers with a place to record conference or guided reading group notes, which can be used during RTI or IEP meetings. This program is aligned with the Common Core Standards and is designed to foster growth in reading through a blended learning format.