ED638 - Effective Literacy Websites #2 - Something Fortheteachers.org

Brandon Cruz

ED 638-40

Dr. M. Rivera

IRA Newsletter Project: Effective Literacy Websites #2

                 Fortheteachers.org is a website that was developed by a teacher in order to provide resources for other teachers and is ranked #128 in teach.com’s teach100. The developer knows that teachers of all grade levels take ideas they hear and see from other teachers and tuning them to make them their own and provides an overabundance of resources for just that purpose.  I came across the site while looking for journal starters and writing prompts to use with my middle schoolers and noticed the other materials offered on the site as well. The site is geared mostly at helping teachers, but links to articles that address parent needs can also be seen in their popular links section.

                The site offers resources in both fiction and nonfiction passages, each passage available in three different levels which is great for allowing struggling readers and advanced readers within a single class to read the same material. While browsing through passages and their levels additional resources can be found further down the page as well. The supporting resources include a plethora of formats, graphic organizers, alternative and connected strategies, varied versions of diagrams to go along with passages, or even links to articles that guide you through using the site, which are very helpful because of how much information the site has along with its resources.

                Along with the passages is a section on differentiation and articles to help guide through the application of differentiated instruction throughout multiple points within a lesson. Along with these guides and articles are additional links to content supported or provided by the NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Association) as well as curriculum ladders that can be used to help structure the skills that are assessed in district assessments. Presently the ladders are only available for Math, Reading, and Language with resources for Science and Primary grades in the works, but they are only a small part of the resources available through the site. Altogether, the site is easy to navigate, full of useful resources, and best of all is free.