For some students, reading is enjoyable and exciting. But for others, developing their skills and progress in reading can be a real challenge.
Curriculum
CommonLit (Free Online Reading Program)
For some students, reading is enjoyable and exciting. But for others, developing their skills and progress in reading can be a real challenge.
This is especially true for students that don’t get reading time at home, leading to them quickly falling behind their classmates. CommonLit (Free Online Reading Program) is a tool that helps students improve their reading quickly and effectively through a free online program that’s practical to use and easy to implement as part of a more extensive curriculum. CommonLit is a valuable addition to lesson planning for anything from classic literature to Spanish writing.
We take a closer look at why CommonLit is such a powerful tool if it’s suited to the needs of your class and why you might want to consider adding it to your curriculum as a whole. Read on to find out more:
Education resources
$16.00
$20.00
-20% Off
What is CommonLit?
CommonLit is a free online resource for teachers and students, which offers a full library of educational literature to students through 2000+ different free reading passages. The web-based program is designed for grades 3-12 and can be easily meshed with teacher-led education, reading assignments, and overall student development. The resources that CommonLit provides are in line with the core state standards, and the platform itself is a non-profit created by teachers for educators. CommonLit aims to give students of all abilities and backgrounds an equal opportunity to problem-solve, read, write, and communicate to be successful in life.
Why is CommonLit a good choice for the classroom?
As a program developed explicitly by teachers, CommonLit has a unique perspective and insight regarding supporting students’ reading progress. As a research-based platform with years of experience to back it up, CommonLit provides free resources that are as high-quality as those with price tags attached, making the platform accessible even for those with no budget to spare. If you have students that are struggling with their reading or you want to provide convenient and practical assignments, CommonLit is an excellent tool for your classroom. The platform even defines itself as most suitable for Title I schools, which means it is designed to face even the high level of challenge that can arise from these schools and environments.
The positives of CommonLit
Are you considering whether CommonLit is the best fit for your class? Here are some positives to the system to help you get started:
- Provides completely free materials to students that they can utilize in and out of class to learn and develop both soft skills and academic skills
- Offers research-based materials that fall in line with the core educational requirements for the US
- With a wide range of grades covered, from 3-12, there’s plenty here for students of all ability levels and reading ages
The downsides of CommonLit
As a free and openly available platform with no cost, there’s no problem with simply trying CommonLit out in your classroom today. But if you’re struggling to choose between this platform and another, here are some of the downsides to consider when implementing CommonLit into your classroom:
- As a platform designed for Title I schools, this free resource isn’t developed for high-achieving or exceptional students – so children reading above their grade, they may find there is little they can do
- CommonLit is simply a resource for teachers, meaning there’s little for children to engage with activities and enjoy, unlike the minigames and other educational fun other platforms offer
- CommonLit isn’t always intuitive for younger students so additional support may be needed, even for independent reading.
Is CommonLit worth bringing into my classroom?
As a powerful, free, and highly practical resource, CommonLit is the ideal choice for Title I or lower-income schools where that additional helping hand is needed. Well-designed resources and thoughtful text passages provide a great deal of variety to students – enabling them to find the text they enjoy and what they can read and understand. CommonLit is a valuable resource, and with no cost attached, there’s no reason this impressive library shouldn’t be a part of your lesson planning as a whole.
