Effective Literacy Website #1

Angela B. Claros

ED638-40

Dr. M. Rivera

IRA Newsletter Weekly Project: Effective Literacy Websites

Adolescent Literacy is a great website for teachers or parents of a student struggling with reading and/or writing. Their mission is to share research-based strategies and resources on the internet to as many people as possible. The website has an easy-to-use interface that makes finding resources simple. The information and resources are organized by categories such as trending topics, common core classrooms, strategies for the classroom, and multimedia—to name a few.

The section for teachers has resources for professional development, helping struggling readers, family involvement, strategies, booklists and authors, and literacy research and reports. There are great articles and reports on professional development and ways to improve literacy and to teach reading effectively. A common misunderstanding is that literacy can only be taught by English or Reading teachers, but this website and the resources provided can be used by teachers of all content areas.

The section providing a variety of strategies is great for teachers looking for graphic organizers to promote literacy. A comprehensive table is included, which lists the name of the graphic organizer, the format (including a downloadable link for some), and whether the specific strategy focuses on vocabulary comprehension or writing. This table makes it easy for teachers looking for graphic organizers for a specific purpose. All downloadable resources can be reprinted for free if used for educational purposes. Each strategy also includes a link with more specific information for teachers organized by background, benefits of using the strategy, and tips for creating and using the strategy in the classroom.

Although the website states it was created for struggling readers, the information and resources can be used to benefit all readers and writers. Teachers and parents can adapt the information to accommodate the child or children. This website is a great resource for promoting literacy and what is great is that the tools and strategies are research-based and proven to benefit and promote literacy in adolescents.