Highlighting the need to improve literacy rates and provide access to educational opportunities for all children, LitWorld will host the third annual World Read Aloud Day on March 7, 2012. Last year, World Read Aloud Day united 200,000 people in 60 countries. Show your public support for this important literacy initiative and promote reading in local and global communities by participating in World Read Aloud Day. Suggested activities and other resources are available on LitWorld's website.
I am web geek, and not just because I own a Foursquare t-shirt that I bought at a discount after my 1000th check in. The real reason I know I am a web geek is because I LOVE discovering cool web 2.0 tools that can enhance my classroom! I am about to share with you my not so secret sources for teacher Web 2.0 excitment! ...and that's not all! Actually, it is, but I think you will enjoy discovering all of the new tools that these web sources will present. I guarantee that you will find something new that will amaze you as you explore. So get ready to dive into these web 2.0 treasure troves!
"Extreme Speed Booking" The idea behind the site is to introduce students to a variety of books and form classroom book groups. How does Extreme Speed Booking work? A whole lot like speed dating. :) Students spend a little time with each book and then rate them accordingly with "I want to read more", "Interesting", "Not for me", or "I've already read". Students can also make a note of how interested they are in reading the book (maybe a 1-10 scale)? This process introduces students to a variety of books, genres and authors. Students may come across titles and authors they wouldn't otherwise find. It also helps teachers form classroom book groups that are of high-interest and investment to students because they had input.
The dramatic changes in society, exponential advances in technology and globalization of 'everything' are easily recognizable one decade into the 21st Century.
"We need to continue reinventing because this is the one place that all the students have in common, more than the cafeteria or the dorms or any other social place on campus," she said. "It's where they learn. It's an extension of the classroom."
Reluctant readers are those who, for whatever reason, do not like to read. Reluctant readers are typically students who are disengaged, struggling readers, many of which are not realizing success in any aspect of their school career. Educators encounter struggling readers in the classroom every day. These students need to be engaged in reading and must be helped to develop the skills required to not only be successful in school, but to become lifelong readers and learners. All students will require advanced literacy skills regardless of their post secondary pathway, and reluctant and struggling readers need extra support in achieving this end.
Here we will meet the writers whose words are presenting nonfiction in a whole new way. Discover books that show how nonfiction writers are some of the best storytellers around
"Librarians, teachers and parents have told us how hard it is for students to understand web searching. Boolify allows students to visualize and interact with the abstract concept behind the search process--it is intuitive and easy to use with your class or in your library.
Search results are presented through Google's "SafeSearch STRICT" technology to prevent objectionable content from appearing in their search results. There are two important caveats: a) no filtering technology is 100% secure, as this blog posting astutely points out and 2) we are unable to control or modify the results that we provide, beyond the filtering settings available through Google."