TOP PICKS | 35 TOOLS
ELA Tools Aligned to Common Core Standards
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HOMER Reading: Learn to Read
A captivating, comprehensive beginning reading resource
Bottom line: Concrete phonics learning alongside books, songs, storytelling, and art.
Literator
Handy app helps structure and track reading conferences
Bottom line: Once teachers are all set up and organized, this can be a useful tool for conferencing and tracking student progress.
ReadWriteThink
Excellent free resource for all things reading and writing
Bottom line: A language arts teacher's dream; lesson plans, professional development, and all-around quality support.
Lalilo
K-2 literacy program offers comprehensive, adaptive activities
Bottom line: An easy-to-recommend tool thanks to its broad coverage of key skills and nice balance of student-driven and teacher-differentiated learning.
Lexia Reading Core5
Interactive reading program promotes targeted, individualized growth
Bottom line: A good blended reading platform that offers students some choices, and teachers actionable data and useful offline resources.
Literably
Simple and useful reading fluency assessment tool frees up teacher time
Bottom line: Some districts may find this to be a cost-effective, time-saving option for reading records.
Flocabulary
Delightful hip-hop-based platform teaches vocab across content areas
Bottom line: Flocabulary has the goods: It's savvy enough to keep kids focused, and teachers will love the engaging, multi-modal platform.
LearnZillion
Quality Common Core-aligned lessons with great modeling for teachers
Bottom line: An innovative way to enhance lessons and tailor learning for individual needs.
Freckle
Target skills and differentiate with dynamic practice and assessments
Bottom line: Rich with content-aligned assessments, printable worksheets, and progress analytics; mindful teachers will find it a valuable resource to promote skills mastery through practice.
ReadTheory
Useful, adaptive tool for assessing, tracking reading ability
Bottom line: It's very utilitarian, but what it does it does well: getting students test-ready by effectively assessing and tracking reading ability.
ReadWorks
Differentiate reading instruction with high-quality texts and lessons
Bottom line: The quality and scope of texts, lesson plans, assessments, and supports on this platform can help facilitate targeted reading instruction in any classroom.
VocabularySpellingCity
Subscription-based, student-facing app fine for independent practice
Bottom line: A potentially more engaging -- although uneven -- option for your students, if you've got a Premium membership.
Quill
Let students do the writing to make grammar lessons more meaningful
Bottom line: Excellent opportunities for grammar and writing practice; teachers may need to tailor lessons to best fit into their own curriculum.
826 Digital
Popular after-school program shares its resources with teachers
Bottom line: This is a worth-bookmarking resource thanks to relatable writing lessons and motivating examples of actual student writing.
LightSail Education
Robust, full-featured reading app measures meaningful literacy gains
Bottom line: A powerful, well-designed literacy platform for developing engaged readers.
News-O-Matic: School 2018-2019
Flexible, interactive daily stories for elementary school students
Bottom line: Engaging, high-quality news stories help students learn about the world.
Biblionasium
Site for reviewing and sharing books makes reading a social adventure
Bottom line: This safe, simple social network lets kids share their reading success with friends, creating healthy competition and confidence.
TeachingBooks.net
Dense site collects resources on authors and books in one place
Bottom line: With time and effort, this database of literary resources can extend learning experiences with books and their authors.
Grammaropolis.com
Catchy parts-of-speech instruction, from hook to assessment
Bottom line: The fun songs will stick, and so will kids' knowledge about the parts of speech.
Newsela
Absorbing daily news stories offer kids just-right learning content
Bottom line: Up-to-date, high-interest articles meet students right at their level: Use this robust tool to bolster students' nonfiction reading practice.
CommonLit
Feature-rich literacy resource offers superb support for readers
Bottom line: Access a hefty collection of reliable, ready-to-print, leveled passages that allow you to tailor lessons, assign online reading, and track progress.
ThinkCERCA
Well-structured lessons encourage deep analysis, thoughtful writing
Bottom line: This is a ready-to-go, research-backed resource that focuses intently on CCSS-aligned and AP-level critical reading and writing skills.
Writable
Smart writing platform places focus on feedback and revision
Bottom line: While there's some room for improvement, this tool is rock-solid pedagogically and can be the engine of your classroom's writing process.
Actively Learn
Empowering reader keeps kids actively, independently engaged
Bottom line: Far beyond the average e-reader, this tool helps students connect and stay engaged while teachers easily measure progress.
Quandary
Slick ethics game teaches students to make tough decisions
Bottom line: This versatile game that can teach ethics, argumentation, and civics is light on interactivity but will come alive through discussion.
Community in Crisis
Game shows real-world uses for literacy and decision-making skills
Bottom line: A clever, real-world, and civic-minded context to learn and practice ELA skills.
Amplify Reading 6-8
Supplemental reading program puts sci-fi twist on core ELA concepts
Bottom line: This is a creative, thoughtfully built program that, while a bit contrived, could slot well into many classrooms with some scaffolding.
Listenwise
Bring real-world stories from public radio into the classroom
Bottom line: A fantastic resource that brings both historical and current event public radio stories into the classroom.
StudySync
Superb ELA/EL resource is a complete package
Bottom line: StudySync continues to thoughtfully grow its already robust platform, offering a complete secondary ELA/EL program that cleverly bridges reading and writing, online and offline work.
Wordflex Touch Dictionary
Amazing interactive visual dictionary makes exploring words exciting
Bottom line: Dynamic, highly visual presentation makes learning new words exciting.
The Learning Network
Process current events through engaging NYT-style lens
Bottom line: From a trusted news organization with its finger on the pulse of the world, this free resource can be a reliable source of activities and ideas for current event discussions.
The Sports Network 2
Make news and build ELA skills with this cable sports show sim
Bottom line: It's a great blend of important cross-disciplinary critical reading skills and a fun newsroom context that'll show students how learning translates to working life.
Youth Voices
Vibrant online community hosts authentic student writing
Bottom line: Supported student writing, collaboration, and communication make this a healthy space for kids to express themselves.
Shakespeare In Bits: Macbeth iPad Edition
Multimedia shines in this elegant remix of an old classic
Bottom line: Engaging and supporting kids throughout, it breaks down Shakespearean language and brings the play to life.
iTooch 6th Grade Language Arts
Quality lessons, challenging quizzes help kids learn core concepts
Bottom line: This solid companion to the ELA classroom offers brief lessons and quizzes to reinforce key concepts and skills.