TOP PICKS | 33 TOOLS
Elementary School Reading Apps and Websites
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Connect Students with Other Readers
Bookopolis
Cute social network lets kids log books and connect with other readers
Bottom line: Kids-only social network gives students a safe space to connect, allows students to showcase and share their reading progress.
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.
Harry Potter Reading Club
The fun and fantasy of Harry's world plus literary discussion
Bottom line: With activities, discussion questions, and lots of free access to the books, this site is a great place for Harry Potter fans new and old.
LitPick
YA review site gives students a real-world, although ad-driven, outlet
Bottom line: LitPick is a decent place for YA lovers to discover and discuss books, but the site is in need of a refresh and features a lot of promotion/ads.
Explore Current Events
Kid Scoop
News magazine features standards-aligned activity packs for kids
Bottom line: The print version of the magazine, or a printed-out digital version, offers a nice -- if rather typical -- collection of activities.
Smithsonian: TweenTribune
News site features human interest articles with useful classroom tools
Bottom line: This is a helpful and well-designed supplemental resource for reading development, but not necessarily a go-to news site.
News-O-Matic EDU
Daily news stories and supplements keep elementary schoolers current
Bottom line: This highly useful current events platform can be a daily fixture of elementary school classrooms.
News-2-You
Draw kids into weekly news with powerful symbols and voice narration
Bottom line: Students can expand literacy skills, learn about the world, and get involved with discussion questions and activities.
Newsela
Great stories, just-right leveled reading; now mostly by subscription
Bottom line: Up-to-date, high-interest articles will meet students right at their level, and help teachers bolster students' nonfiction reading skills.
Target Reading Comprehension and Fluency
HOMER Learn & Grow
Early learners follow an individualized path of skills and interests to gain literacy skills and more
Bottom line: Top-notch phonics program effectively balances and guides students, but isn't as strong in non-literacy-related topics.
StoryWorld
ELL-friendly reading program gives students support, independence
Bottom line: This is a good specialized program for small-group instruction, especially for ELLs, with a great teacher dashboard and a pedagogical approach informed by research.
Lexia Core5 Reading
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.
Raz-Kids
Leveled readings with progress-tracking enhances differentiated reading program
Bottom line: It's worth considering as a supplement to your reading program thanks to the good variety of leveled books, easy assigning and assessing, and detailed progress reports.
Bookshare
Unique digital library gives access to those with print disabilities
Bottom line: This fantastic digital library service provides a powerful sense of independence for students.
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.
Skybrary for School
Thorough lesson plans help teachers utilize an amazing digital library
Bottom line: Though it could use some updates, Skybrary for School has a set of top-quality resources with great value worth checking out.
Headsprout
Detailed, adaptive literacy program goes from basics to analysis
Bottom line: This is a comprehensive resource that's worth a look for teachers needing help getting students to actively engage with reading material.
ReadingIQ
Great looking, free library has a reasonable diversity of titles
Bottom line: This is a reading app that focuses primarily -- and successfully -- on the reading; don't expect many bells and whistles though.
Epic! - Kids' Books and Videos
Free, expansive digital library unlocks treasure trove of books
Bottom line: This large collection of books and videos on a wide variety of topics is an easy -- and free -- enhancement to any classroom library.
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.
Learning Ally Audiobooks
Digital library offers handy supports for readers
Bottom line: This is a great option for students that need extra support, and, while the library is smaller than competitors, the human-voiced narration is a serious upgrade.
Read&Write
Useful text-to-speech app and extension unlocks the written word
Bottom line: A valuable tool to make classroom use of websites and digital documents more accessible to all students.
ReadTheory
Useful if not exciting adaptive tool for assessing 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.
LightSail
Powerful, flexible reading tool measures meaningful literacy gains
Bottom line: A powerful literacy platform for developing and empowering readers, with useful customization features for both teachers and students.
Accelerated Reader
Boundless, flexible tools promote instructional, independent reading
Bottom line: A stellar literacy platform for assessing student reading levels and promoting further reading.
Rewordify
Text-leveling tool gives every student access to complex readings
Bottom line: This utilitarian differentiation tool is useful enough to be in every teacher's toolbox.
StudySync
Superb ELA resource features engaging activities, stellar support
Bottom line: An exceptional, ever-growing resource for helping your students become close readers, careful writers, and critical thinkers.
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.
Whooo's Reading
Read, write, and share with innovative independent reading platform
Bottom line: With a few thoughtful tweaks on the part of teachers, this can be a useful tool for building a classroom culture of active independent reading.
Find Lesson Plans, Activities, and Resources
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.
Reading A-Z
Package of leveled texts and supports can fuel reading development
Bottom line: Reading A-Z offers much of what teachers need to support tried-and-true instructional strategies, but the pricier packages add in digital reading experiences.
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 online or offline targeted reading instruction in nearly any home or classroom.
TeachingBooks.net
Comprehensive site collects resources on authors and books in one place
Bottom line: This rich database of literary resources is a must-bookmark for teachers looking to extend learning experiences with books and their authors.
