As an Intervention Specialist, I am always on the search for tools to assist my students' needs. Our school just converted to Google Drive last school year and I began exploring different Chrome Apps and Extensions that would help my students that were struggling in the regular education classroom. I came up with a list of Chrome Apps and Extensions that I have explored and believe will help my students. During this school year, my students will download these apps and extensions and test them out. There are many more apps and extensions provided by the Chrome Web Store, but these are the main five that I will introduce to the students.
List of Chrome Apps and Extensions for Struggling Readers
1. Tab Resize
2. Newsela
3. Readability
4. TLDR
5. SpeakIt!
Tab Resize - This Chrome Extension allows you to have a split screen. I use this extension all the time! I had a couple students try this out last year and they loved it. In the science classroom, students use Schoology and often times have videos or interactive website that they have to use while taking a quiz in Schoology. This extension is wonderful but they can do both at the same time.
Newsela - This Chrome App provides 5 reading levels from grades 3-12 of current events.With me teaching students with disabilities, I have many that are reading at a 3rd or 4th grade level while in 7th grade. This app will allow the students to keep up with current events but at his/her ability level. I have discussed this app with the Language Arts teachers and they like the idea of all students using this.
Readability - This Chrome app is great for those that get distracted easily while reading articles online. Readability takes away the clutter and focuses on the text. It will also save articles for you that you want to read later. I do not use this feature, but you can have articles sent to your Kindle.
TLDR - Too Long Didn't Read could be a good and bad extension. TLDR summarizes the web article you are reading. On the positive side, students with disabilities can get the main idea of the article without actually reading the whole article. However, on the negative side, I can see students using this extension a lot because they don't want to read an article assigned to them.
SpeakIt! - This Chrome extension allows readers to listen to web pages. For those struggling readers, they are able to listen to an article or section of a text and comprehend the material. The students that are in an inclusion setting can put on their headphones and listen to the same text that the rest of the class is reading. This will allow them to be at the same spot as everyone else.
This is a great idea for a list. I have a teacher at my school who is always looking for things like this. Inclusion is important in my school district so I always have a few students who could use these supports as well. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! I love searching for ways to assist my students in the inclusion setting. I plan on finding more resources to share. If the teacher in your school uses Twitter, have them follow me @datech13.
DeleteMany of my students last year struggled and I had a hard time deciding what the best resources for them were. This is great, thanks!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! As I come across more, I will add them to my blog.
DeleteDanielle, it might be useful for you to annotate the list to explain why you have chosen each one.
ReplyDeleteUpdated.Thanks!
DeleteDanielle, this list is great. To be completely honest I had no idea that Chrome had these apps and extensions available. These seem very helpful - I will share with our schools math special education coordinator. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! Did you know that you do not have to have a Chromebook to add these apps and extensions? All you need to do is download Google Chrome as your web browser and have a Google account. After you have your Google account and have downloaded Google Chrome, check out the Chrome Web Store. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/apps
DeleteClearly is another one that is similar to Readability. My kids love it. There is also the Diigo extension to save bookmarks. I recommend for you the google shortener so that when you want to share a file, the URL is not so super long and cumbersome. And our district has the Web Of Trust on all student accounts so that they can see in a search which links are safe and which are sketchy.
ReplyDeleteI will have to check out Clearly and the Web of Trust, thanks! I just recently discovered Google URL Shortener and love it!
DeleteGreat list. Thank you for listing them all. I will definitely be coming back to this entry.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! I plan on adding more as I find them.
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