Creating an intensive lesson plan is a pressing job, especially for some teachers who juggle multiple classes from different grades. You don’t want to accidentally use a 3rd Grade material to teach a 4th Grade class.
No worries. Read theory is the hero every English teacher needs.
It is not a literal ‘theory’ for reading. It is a helpful website that provides materials to improve students’ reading and comprehension abilities.
How Did Read Theory Emerge?
It all started with a passionate English teacher who made his own teaching materials and shared them with his colleagues via his website.
As time went on, he discovered that his website had gained the attention of international teachers. In particular, they were interested in his reading comprehension texts that were specifically tailored to each level.
Their words had inspired him to create a platform that could benefit teachers in improving students’ reading compression skills. In 2011, he began his development on the Read Theory website and supported by an excellent team of writers and website engineers.
In the beginning, the team focused on lower-grade level reading and comprehension skills. As they soon realized the need of resources for upper-grade level learners, they began to extend the materials for English learners of all ages.
Today, the website has reached its 10th anniversary and benefitted English teachers and students worldwide.
How Does Read Theory Work?
This website is the home for various reading texts for English-learning students at all levels.
The texts and worksheets range from 1st to 12th Grade. There are also reading materials designed for other English learners:
- English as Second Language (ESL)
- Special Education (SPED)
- Adult (ABE)
Did you know that everything on Read Theory is AI optimized? This is how it works:
The system assigns passages that match the student’s abilities. Then, it automatically evaluates the students’ performance after completion.
What is even more astonishing is the AI’s ability to assign passages that tailor to the student’s abilities.
If the student shows improvements, the system will provide more challenging texts. On the other hand, struggling students will receive more accessible worksheets to boost their confidence level.
This enables a healthier learning environment, and students can complete their work at their own pace. Besides, there is less hassle in finding a text that caters to all students, and it saves a lot of time and energy in the grading process.
Are There Any Other Fantastic Features?
Of course, we are talking about a platform designed by teachers for teachers.
This website provides detailed lesson plans that you can use in teaching reading and comprehension. Each lesson plan includes class activities and materials along with a set of clear and concise teaching objectives.
Currently, it covers eight essential topics for teaching reading skills.
- Central Ideas
- Characterisation
- Inferencing
- Point of View
- Summarizing
- Theme
- tone
- Vocabulary in Context
Each planned topic lasts for a 5-day lesson. All you have to do is download these resources and run them in class.
Moreover, Read Theory also offers teaching tips and course structure for different grades. It gives more clarity on the students’ general performance and what to expect from them.
For example, dealing with 1st Grade students require more patience, and the teaching objectives should focus more on vocabulary building. On the other hand, 8th Grade students are more likely to understand literary devices. The teaching objective should then concentrate on sentence analysis.
We found these tips extremely helpful for some teachers who are struggling to cope with different grades. This website is your tool to better understand your students’ reading and comprehension skills.
How Can I Access the Materials?
To get those excellent teaching materials, you just need to sign in with your email address. Everything you can access within is completely free.
Read Theory is an ideal platform for blending learning. Not only can you download and print out the worksheets, but your students can also sign in with the classroom code you have created from your account.
With this platform, you can easily oversee your students’ progress along the way and have a better understanding of each of your student’s capabilities. You can also encourage students’ parents to create an account to recognize their children’s progress in class.
What is the Teacher’s Lounge?
The Teacher’s Lounge is a Read Theory community in which English teachers from different places make the founder’s vision come true. This column is the place where you can get inspired by other teachers from different countries.
These passionate teachers will share their experiences and suggestions in teaching English. If you find an obstacle when preparing materials, this spot will give you insights in terms of:
- English Language Arts (ELA)
- English as Second Language (ESL)
- Elementary Teaching
- Remote Teaching
- Special Education (SPED)
- Teaching Strategies and Tips
Every month, they will feature a teacher who applies exceptional teaching skills. You will be surprised at how teachers think outside the box to make their classes more engaging.
All in all, Read Theory is a marvelous tool for a more extraordinary teaching and learning experience. The platform proves that teaching can be convenient yet beneficial.
You can check out our blog for more wonderful online teaching tools and other recommendations.