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Wednesday, July 9, 2025

App Reviews : Courtney Kidd

Common Core 

ELA 6-12 

Reading Standard for Informational Text 

Key Ideas and Details 

2. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.  

 

Newsela third party review link 

Newsela is an educational platform that provides news articles tailored to different reading levels. The activities related to each article cover reading comprehension, vocabulary, and critical thinking skills. This is an excellent app to use when guiding students through nonfiction content. Also, it offers writing prompts that can be altered to suit the needs of your students. Newsela Lite is free to use, and Newsela Pro costs $18/student per year. Newsela is primarily designed for students in grades 2 through 12. Newsela can be accessed via web browser or mobile application. Also, Newsela integrates with various LMS platforms. Common Sense Education is a reliable source because they offer unbiased reviews from educators and students, providing insights into the educational value and potential of various resources. They offer research-based resources, transparency in the review process, and comprehensive resources.  

 

ReadTheory third party review link 

ReadTheory is an educational platform that offers students an adaptive reading comprehension program. It is able to determine the reading levels of each student and assign them passages to read on their level. It offers personalized practice and feedback, vocabulary training, and instructional support for students that can be accessed at will. ReadTheory is a free program. It is recommended for K-12 students. ReadTheory can be accessed via web browser or mobile application. Common Sense Education is a reliable source because they offer unbiased reviews from educators and students, providing insights into the educational value and potential of various resources. They offer research-based resources, transparency in the review process, and comprehensive resources. 

 

ReadWorks third party review link 

ReadWorks is an educational platform that provides numerous high-quality, nonfiction, and fiction reading passages. There are associated questions related to the text and vocabulary worksheets. Teachers can receive assistance with creating focused units based on skill and strategy lessons, comprehension, and novel study. ReadWorks is a free online resource. It is intended for students in grades K-12. This resource is only available via web browsers. Common Sense Education is a reliable source because they offer unbiased reviews from educators and students, providing insights into the educational value and potential of various resources. They offer research-based resources, transparency in the review process, and comprehensive resources. 

 


I have used all three of these apps in my classroom at some point in my career, but Newsela stands out as the most reliable and engaging platform. The articles and information are updated regularly, and my students were interested in current events and giving their opinions. Newsela offers differentiated reading levels and real-world connections for students. Additionally, I have grouped students within the same reading level range and rotated them into small groups. The platform is easy to use, and it provides tools for tracking student progress and adapting instruction based on performance.  

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