Starfall
This is a brilliant website for practising phonics. It is also very helpful for parents, as it says the sound that each letter makes in the English alphabet.
World Book
All Levels
The World Book is a resource offered by the PDST. It’s like a virtual encyclopedia except a lot more interactive.
https://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/products?ed=all&gr=Welcome%21
World eBook
World Book Online have just made their collection of over 3,000 ebooks and audiobooks available for free for children to access at home. They have books suitable for all ages. Click here to access them.
Literacy / English Resources
EPIC
All Levels
Epic! is an online library which offers over 35000 resources including “Read to Me” books, audiobooks, student tracking, reading level linkage with Accelerated Reader and other reading levelling schemes. It also offers high interest texts such as National Geographic Kids and Guinness Book of Records. It is suitable for children from ages 4-12.
https://www.pdst.ie/DistanceLearning/SourcesofInformation#epic
Gill Explore
Junior Infants to 2nd Class
Gill Education has provided free access to gillexplore.ie to all of the pupil resources from Junior Infants to 2nd Class from our Over the Moon complete Primary English Language programme.
Pupil resources for programme include:
- Skills Books
- All readers
- Pupil’s digital resources
Notes: Sign up required. For any digital support queries, please contact 01 500 9542 or digitalsupport@gill.ie.
BorrowBox
All class levels
If you or your child/children or parent/s are a member of the local library, you can access an App or website called BorrowBox. It is free. I use it for audio books and also, ebook. There is a children’s section.
Notes: To register, you need your library card which has your membership number on the back.
Vooks
All class levels
Vooks is committed to being a resource for families to keep kids reading at home. Vooks can also be a welcome distraction for parents, allowing them to enjoy time with their kids, watching and discussing books together. To help, we have created take-home lesson plans that can be shared with parents and guardians – built to provide children with 20 minutes a day of read aloud time and activities.
Notes: Free one month, sign up required
Oxford Owl Ebook Reader Library
Junior Classes
Oxford Owl has an ebook library with over 250 books in it and offers free access to teachers and parents once you create an account at www.oxfordowl.co.uk They also have some vocabulary and comprehension activities for most of the books.
Writing Legends
Junior Classes
As part of their Assistance for Schools response to Coronavirus they are providing Writing Legends free of charge through to July 31, 2020. Writing Legends is a comprehensive writing program, containing hundreds of activities for students in grades 3 to 6. The regular price is $11.50 (USD) per student.
https://www.writinglegends.com/
www.sorchaj.com
Infants to Fifth Class
This site covers phonics, dolch, Jolly Phonics including tricky word lists and practice reading sentences following the Spellbound order of words and more.
Scholastic Learn at Home
https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome/grades-6-12.html
Spelling Programme
Reading Eggs
Two week free trial available at https://readingeggs.co.uk/
Duolingo – Gaeilge
2nd – 6th Class
Duolingo can be used for learning any language but I use it in school to improve Gaeilge. Teachers can set up a class and input their pupils. This generates a username and password which can be shared with your pupils. They can use Duolingo on phones, tablets, computers. Teachers can set a weekly goal for pupils to reach or set a new skill to be learned.
Literacy Apps
This link will bring you to a list of Literacy Apps for children recommended by the PDST https://www.pdst.ie/sites/default/files/Literacy%20Apps.pdf