Newsela

Freemium!

Newsela is a comprehensive database of non-fiction articles that can be differentiated by reading level (e.g., lexile score). To begin, teachers must register with Newsela and then tap the “Gear” icon on the top left of the screen to create a class. They can then add their class information or import it directly from Google Classroom. Once created, teachers click the “Add Class” button to invite students to the class, either via email or sharing a link. (Students will need to register with Newsela as a learner and enter the class code.) Next, teachers can return to the homepage and begin perusing articles from the main page, or they can tap the “News” or “Text Sets” options. If selected, teachers can then view articles by topic, grade level, reading standard, or language (English or Spanish). When they find an article of interest, teachers can click its headline to access it. They can then adjust its lexile score using the buttons on the right, click the “Write” button to access an open-ended prompt related to the article, and the “Quiz” button to view multiple choice questions related to the article. If teachers wish to add it to their class, they can click the “Assign” button to choose a class. It will then appear on the students’ view of the website. Teachers can then click the “Binder” icon and use the “Assignment,” “Classes,” and “Student Progress” buttons to monitor student progress as they read articles, respond to the writing prompts, and answer quiz questions. In addition, teachers can view student performance in relation to all students on Newsela from this screen.

Please Note: Newsela includes additional options that exceed the scope of this review. We encourage teachers to first use Newsela as described above before expanding to the other options.

Instructional Ideas

1. Teachers can use this website to differentiate non-fiction texts for students by lexile level.
2. When teachers find an article they like and wish to use repeatedly, they can add it to their text set instead of assigning it to students.
3. As teachers assign articles and students complete them, teachers can monitor student progress using the “Binder” tool.
4. To help select articles, teachers can have students complete a questionnaire at the beginning of the year to gauge their interests. Teachers can then use that information to inform the articles they pick.

Screenshots