Literacy Based Websites for Teachers and Students, Arranged by Literacy Component

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Here are some useful links for teachers and students on literacy. The links are arranged under five components of literacy: comprehension, fluency, phonics, phonemic awareness, and vocabulary.*

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All Five Components: these websites engage all five components of literacy.

Reading Rockets: this site’s “Classroom Strategies” section is ideal for teachers looking for tools and guidance on effective, research-based classroom strategies that help build and strengthen literacy skills. Sections for parents, principals, and librarians are also available.

PBS Kids: Fun and Games: Teachers and students will find dozens of fun games and activities for kids here, which are designed to foster early learning and child development (Pre-K through 3rd grade). It has a book finder feature, which allows users to choose an age and genre of book.

Reading Resource: The “Websites for Kids” section recommends interactive reading games that young learners can use to practice  letter knowledge, phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

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Other Websites: These destinations target one or more of the five literacy components.

Readquarium: (Comprehension, phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary) This is a site where students can explore different reading strategy games.

Storyline Online: (Comprehension, fluency) Award winners from the Screen Actor’s Guild award read aloud favorite children’s literature.  Activities are included to go along with the books.

Scholastic – The Stacks: (Comprehension) This is an engaging website for students, which includes book and author suggestions, interactive games and videos.

Scholastic - Poetry Creator: (Comprehension) With the help of the “Poetry Idea Engine” tool, students can practice their knowledge of different poetry such as haiku, limericks, cinquain, and free verse. This site is also interactive whiteboard-ready.

Scholastic – Character Scrapbook: (Comprehension) This fun, interactive activity helps students analyze the characters in any book and create a scrapbook they can print and save.

Scholastic – Building Language for Literacy: (Phonemic awareness)   -This site helps emerging readers identify letter sounds and words (Pre-K to K).

Funbrain: (Comprehension) Here, students can read certain books online. Games and and comics are also available.

ReadWriteThink – Comic Creator: (Comprehension, writing) A very engaging activity, wherein students create their own comic strip, which targets a “variety of contexts (prewriting, pre- and postreading activities, response to literature, and so on).”

ReadWriteThink – Trading Card Creator: (Comprehension, writing) Students can design “trading cards” for their favorite characters. “By answering a series of questions, children zero in on what’s obvious and not so obvious about a character. Not only will they describe the character’s appearance and actions, but also probe for thoughts, feelings, and motivations.”

ReadWriteThink – Fractured Fairy Tales: (Comprehension, fluency) Practice reading or writing a fractured fairy tale: “Fairy tales can teach children about how stories work—that there is a beginning, middle, and end. This online tool takes the fairy tale a step further. By changing essential elements in three familiar tales, children can enrich their understanding of story setting, point of view, and plot.”

Kaboose – Reading Games: (Comprehension, vocabulary)  Students can practice vocabulary, comprehension, and grammar using the reading activities on this site.

Turtle Diary: (Vocabulary, phonics) For younger students (Pre-K – 2^nd grade), this site contains activities for math, language, and science. “Our extensive range of educational computer games, animated lesson plans, skill building and puzzle games, printable worksheets, interactive storybooks and art and craft activities, provides kids with a comprehensive understanding of concepts in Math, Science, Language, Social Studies, Creativity and Logic, and helps them develop the necessary skills needed for progress in school. All kids educational games are suitably conceptualized by a team of educators and child experts who contribute their expertise and knowledge towards making learning an enriching and enjoyable activity for kids. These online kids’ games can be easily used for smart-board teaching in classrooms, as well as for home schools.”

Spelling City: (Vocabulary, phonics) Students can practice spelling patterns and play games. Teachers can create their own spelling words or vocabulary words lists for students to practice with in school or at home.

Word Central: (Vocabulary) This online dictionary is designed to help students find the meaning of unfamiliar words. “Alpha-bot,” the word-spelling robot, hosts their latest word game to challenge spellers of all ages.

*The National Reading Panel Report (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [NICHD], 2000) summarized several decades of scientific research that clearly showed effective reading instruction addresses these five critical areas (these areas were incorporated into the No Child Left Behind Act and the Reading First initiative as essential components of effective reading instruction).