A reading response provides teachers with lots of information on student understanding and sets a purpose for reading. It helps students make connections to what they’ve already read or experiences in their own life. There are a variety of technology tools that gives students creative ways to respond to their reading.
If you’ve visited ClassTechTips.com before or heard me speak at your school or conference, it’s likely you’ve seen me use the phrase task before apps. The apps and websites on this list could be leveraged for lots of different activities in your classroom. Below you’ll find ideas for how each one could be used for reading responses for students of different age ranges. Any apps you find in the app store or websites you come across in a search need to be connected to your learning goals. There should be a plan for how technology tools are used in your classroom.
- ChatterPix Kids: Students can snap a picture of their book and give a summary of what they’ve read.
- Explain Everything: Ask students to narrate a timeline of events from a section of their chapter book.
- Spark Video: Students can create a book trailer using key details from the text.
- PicCollage: After reading an informational text ask students to combine details from the text with images they’ve found.
- Storyboard That: Ask students to create a storyboard that shows an important part of the story they’ve read.
- Tellagami: Let students take on the role of a TV show host and pose questions to the main character.
- Shadow Puppet EDU: Ask students to snap a picture of five pages in their book where the illustrations helped them understand the story.
- Canva: Students can respond to a reading response prompt using this powerful graphic design tool.
- Spark Page: Ask students to add their daily responses to their reading to a Spark Page.
How are you using technology in the reading classroom? Share your successes and obstacles in the comments below!
cross posted at classtechtips.com
Monica Burns is a fifth grade teacher in a 1:1 iPad classroom. Visit her website at classtechtips.com for creative education technology tips and technology lesson plans aligned to the Common Core Standards.
