Curricular+Tools+-+ELA

= Common Core Standards - English / Language Arts = Information from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) about the implementation of the Common Core Standards and PARCC assessments is available on the **ISBE** website.



= ELA Curricular Tools & Resources on the Web (free) =

**Figment** - share, connect and discover! Share your writing, connect with other writers and discover new stories and authors. It's a free community.
====**Lexile Framework** - match readers to books based on their Lexile score. The website offers a wealth of resources for instruction based on the Lexile Framework for Reading.==== ====**PicLits** Inspired picture writing - browse & use existing PicLits or create your own. A creative tool to teach vocabulary, sight words, abstract concepts and idioms or use as a visual writing prompt.==== ====**READ.GOV** - supports literary heritage and the importance of books, reading and libraries in all 50 states. Resources for teachers - booklists, contests, links to local resources, author webcasts & Books That Shaped America.====

**ReadWriteThink** - classroom and professional development resources. A must have bundle of teacher resources.
====**Screen Actors Guild Storyline Online** - an online streaming video program featuring SAG members reading children's books. The website does provide captioning and lesson ideas and activities. Choose the 512K connection when on a SEDOL campus.====

**Wonderopolis** - a new "wonder of learning" every day. Go explore the wonders around us and make it your home page!
= = = ELA Curricular Web-based Tools (subscription required) = = = = = = =
 * Reading A-Z** - a reading resource center with everything from ready to print leveled books to worksheets, activities and assessments. It has just about all a teacher needs for reading instruction in one place and now there's an app for the iPad too!
 * User name and password information for SEDOL employees is in FirstClass.
 * ** Go to: FirstClass Desktop > Staff Resources > Instructional Tech Guide **

= = = =
 * Raz-Kids** - interactive and leveled eBooks for children in grades K to 6. Students can access and use at school or home.
 * User name and password information for SEDOL employees is in FirstClass.
 * ** Go to: FirstClass Desktop > Staff Resources > Instructional Tech Guide **

= = = Deaf & Hard of Hearing Literacy Tools =

**Deaf Characters in Adolescent Literature** - collection of adolescent books with Deaf Characters. The blog also contains author interviews and book reviews.
====**Visual Phonics** - used by the SEDOL Deaf & Hard of Hearing Program, visual phonics is a system of 46 unique hand cues and symbols that represent the English sounds. It is a simplified kinesthetic version of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) that includes vowels, consonants, diphthongs & digraphs. The hand cues and written symbols mimic the production of each particular sound as seen on the mouth.==== ====**Univ of Minnesota - Resources for Teachers of the DHH** - a wonderful web resource that provides tools to maximize deaf and hard of hearing students’ academic growth across a variety of educational settings.====