Effective Literacy Website Review #6

          Reading Rockets

         Reading Rockets is non-profit (http://www.readingrockets.org/) fully funded by the Poses Family Foundation since 2014.  This website was first launched in 2001 as an education initiative of WETA productions of Washington, D.C.  According to the Reading Rockets website (2019), WETA is the “second-largest producing station for public television.”  PBS NewHour, Washington Week with Gwen Ifill, documentaries by filmmaker Ken Burns, and various other history, public affairs, and performance specials are among WETA’s credits.  From 2001 to 2012, Reading Rockets was funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, and the Office of the Special Education Programs.  The following year, in 2013, Reading Rockets was funded through a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting as part of a relaunch of ReadingRockets.org.  The website provides free information and resources that will help struggling readers.  Teachers, parents, and students are able to utilize the information to access the many strategies, videos, tips in 11 languages, video interviews with top children’s authors, and daily literacy news. 

            Upon entering the website, a visitor may access four different subpages.  When you enter the “Teaching Reading” section, visitors may access articles that are useful for the classroom, tips parents may use to reinforce reading strategies at home, videos showcasing research based strategies, expert interview, and the latest research in the areas of print awareness, the sounds of speech, phonemic awareness, phonics, informal assessment, fluency, vocabulary, spelling, comprehension, and writing.  Those that are interested may read on of the many blogs that focus on literacy. 

            The subpage of “Helping Struggling Readers” focuses on helping students with reading difficulties.  Articles that help you assess struggling readers, and what to do to help those with reading problems are featured.  Resources that will help your struggling readers are posted as well. 

To better serve our learners, Reading Rockets provides additional research, blogs, and a section called “Fun Stuff.”  In the “Fun Stuff” section, a visitor has access to printables, quotes, and web widgets.  Current writing contests are listed for children that are interested.  All resources may be shared through social media, emailed, and/or printed. 

The Reading Rockets website has maintained its mission of promoting literacy and reading in the United States.  They bring the best research based strategies and resources to students, teachers, administrators, and parents.  It is an exemplary tool to utilize in the classroom and at home to scaffold learning and allowing a child to become a strong and confident reader.