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Increase Reading Comprehension with Actively Learn

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Rachel Lindsay

By the end of this project, you will be ready to use Actively Learn to bring meaningful nonfiction texts to your class. Whether you teach elementary or secondary students, Actively Learn has Science, Social Studies, and more texts that align with what your students are learning. With Actively Learn, students build stamina and comprehension as they interact with each text. Teachers benefit from the evidence they gather as their students skills grow. Throughout each task, we will work together to learn how to use Actively Learn to help your students thrive.

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By the end of this project, you will be ready to use Actively Learn to bring meaningful nonfiction texts to your class. Whether you teach elementary or secondary students, Actively Learn has Science, Social Studies, and more texts that align with what your students are learning. With Actively Learn, students build stamina and comprehension as they interact with each text. Teachers benefit from the evidence they gather as their students skills grow. Throughout each task, we will work together to learn how to use Actively Learn to help your students thrive.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Appeals to teachers looking to introduce nonfiction texts to their classroom, which is standard practice in education

Offers resources that are aligned with school curriculum, which is a useful tool for educators

Provides teachers with data to track students' progress, which is highly relevant to the field of education

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Reviews summary

Effective actively learn integration for teachers

According to learners, this course provides incredibly practical and directly applicable step-by-step guidance for educators on using Actively Learn. Students say it's well-structured, offers clear instruction, and significantly aids in promoting student engagement and reading comprehension improvement. Many appreciated the focus on leveraging Actively Learn's features for data tracking. While largely positive, some learners note it is focused entirely on Actively Learn, and those seeking broader pedagogical strategies or who are already familiar with the tool might find it a bit too basic.

Ideal for new users, potentially slow for experienced users.

"The course is okay if you're completely new to Actively Learn. I found some parts a bit too basic..."

"The course is short and sweet. It covers the basics of Actively Learn. For those who already have some tech familiarity, it might feel a bit slow. But for beginners, it's a good starting point."

Offers clear instructions and a well-organized learning path.

"The instructor was clear, and the pace was just right. The course is well-structured and easy to follow."

"Very direct and to the point. The instructions were clear."

"This course simplified the process of using Actively Learn greatly."

Helps teachers improve student reading comprehension and engagement.

"My elementary students are already showing improvement in their reading comprehension and engagement."

"Finding resources that genuinely engage students is tough. Actively Learn, combined with the strategies taught here, has transformed my approach."

"My students love the interactive features, and I can see how it would help student engagement."

Highly practical for integrating Actively Learn into teaching.

"This course was incredibly practical and directly applicable to my teaching. Actively Learn is a fantastic tool..."

"Exactly what I needed! This project-based course walked me through setting up and using Actively Learn effectively."

"The course made integrating this into my curriculum seamless, and I can immediately apply what I've learned."

Focuses exclusively on the Actively Learn platform.

"I was hoping for more general strategies for reading comprehension, not just a tutorial on one specific (and paid) platform."

"Good course for teachers. It's focused entirely on Actively Learn, so if you're not planning to use that specific tool, it's not for you."

"It's not a course on teaching theory, but on practical application of a specific tech tool."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Increase Reading Comprehension with Actively Learn with these activities:

Read and summarize a nonfiction text

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Review a nonfiction text to prepare for the course.

View The Writing Revolution 2.0: A Guide to... on Amazon

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Read the selected nonfiction text thoroughly.
Identify 3 key takeaways from the text.
Write a 3-paragraph summary of the text with your key takeaways.

Tutorial: Actively Learn

Show steps

Start by familiarizing yourself with Actively Learn and its features.

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Go to the Actively Learn website and create an account.
Watch the tutorial videos on Actively Learn's website.
Explore the Actively Learn platform and its features.

Take practice tests on topics covered in the course

Show steps

Assess your understanding of topics covered in the course.

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Gather practice tests from the course instructor or online resources.
Take the practice tests and review your results.
Identify areas where you need additional support and focus your studies accordingly.

Six other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all nine activities

Practice using Actively Learn

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Put your knowledge of Actively Learn into practice by using it to interact with texts.

Show steps

Go to Actively Learn's website and find a text that you're interested in.
Use Actively Learn's features to interact with the text.
Reflect on your experience using Actively Learn.

Find and follow tutorials on close reading of nonfiction texts

Show steps

Enhance your close reading skills for nonfiction texts.

Browse courses on Close Reading

Show steps

Look for tutorials on how to critically read nonfiction texts.
Choose one tutorial and complete it.
Apply the close reading techniques you learned to your own reading assignments.

Join a study group to discuss nonfiction texts

Show steps

Engage with peers to enhance your understanding of nonfiction texts.

Show steps

Find a study group or form one with classmates or peers.
Choose a nonfiction text to discuss at each meeting.
Read the text and come prepared to discuss your thoughts and insights.
Actively participate in group discussions.
Summarize the key points discussed in the group.

Write a persuasive essay on the importance of reading nonfiction

Show steps

Demonstrate your understanding of the value of nonfiction reading by creating a persuasive essay.

Show steps

Brainstorm and outline a persuasive essay on the importance of reading nonfiction.
Research and gather evidence to support your arguments.
Write a rough draft of your essay.
Revise and edit your essay.
Publish your persuasive essay on a platform or share it with your classmates for feedback.

Contribute to an online repository of nonfiction texts

Show steps

Gain practical experience in curating and sharing nonfiction resources.

Show steps

Find an online repository of nonfiction texts that allows contributions.
Identify a nonfiction text that is not yet in the repository.
Scan and upload the text to the repository.
Write a brief description of the text and its significance.
Submit your contribution for review and publication.

Develop a teaching plan for a nonfiction reading unit

Show steps

Apply the principles of nonfiction reading to the creation of a comprehensive teaching plan.

Show steps

Define the learning objectives for the nonfiction reading unit.
Select appropriate nonfiction text resources and activities.
Outline the lesson plans, including the sequence of activities and assessment strategies.
Create a detailed timeline for the unit.
Present your teaching plan to an audience or share it with colleagues for feedback.

Career center

Learners who complete Increase Reading Comprehension with Actively Learn will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

English Language Arts Teacher

As an English Language Arts Teacher, you are responsible for planning and delivering instruction in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. You will need to be able to effectively use a variety of teaching methods and strategies to meet the needs of your students. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be an effective ELA teacher. You will learn how to use Actively Learn to bring meaningful nonfiction texts to your class. This will help your students build stamina and comprehension as they interact with each text.

See salaries and explore the career path for English Language Arts Teacher

Reading Specialist

As a Reading Specialist, you will work with students who are struggling with reading. You will need to be able to assess students' reading skills and develop individualized plans to help them improve. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be an effective Reading Specialist. You will learn how to use Actively Learn to bring meaningful nonfiction texts to your students. This will help your students build stamina and comprehension as they interact with each text.

See salaries and explore the career path for Reading Specialist

Instructional Coach

As an Instructional Coach, you will work with teachers to help them improve their teaching skills. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be an effective Instructional Coach. You will learn how to use Actively Learn to bring meaningful nonfiction texts to teachers' classrooms. This will help teachers build stamina and comprehension as they interact with each text.

See salaries and explore the career path for Instructional Coach

Curriculum Developer

As a Curriculum Developer, you will work with teachers to develop and implement curricula. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be an effective Curriculum Developer. You will learn how to use Actively Learn to bring meaningful nonfiction texts to teachers' classrooms.

See salaries and explore the career path for Curriculum Developer

Educational Consultant

As an Educational Consultant, you will work with schools and districts to improve their educational programs. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be an effective Educational Consultant. You will learn how to use Actively Learn to bring meaningful nonfiction texts to teachers' classrooms.

See salaries and explore the career path for Educational Consultant

Literacy Coach

As a Literacy Coach, you will work with teachers and students to improve literacy skills. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be an effective Literacy Coach. You will learn how to use Actively Learn to bring meaningful nonfiction texts to teachers' classrooms.

See salaries and explore the career path for Literacy Coach

Reading Interventionist

As a Reading Interventionist, you will work with students who are struggling with reading. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be an effective Reading Interventionist. You will learn how to use Actively Learn to bring meaningful nonfiction texts to your students.

See salaries and explore the career path for Reading Interventionist

Special Education Teacher

As a Special Education Teacher, you will work with students with disabilities. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be an effective Special Education Teacher. You will learn how to use Actively Learn to bring meaningful nonfiction texts to your students.

See salaries and explore the career path for Special Education Teacher

English as a Second Language (ESL) Teacher

As an English as a Second Language (ESL) Teacher, you will work with students who are learning English. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be an effective ESL Teacher. You will learn how to use Actively Learn to bring meaningful nonfiction texts to your students.

See salaries and explore the career path for English as a Second Language (ESL) Teacher

School Librarian

As a School Librarian, you will work with students and teachers to promote literacy. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be an effective School Librarian. You will learn how to use Actively Learn to bring meaningful nonfiction texts to your students and teachers.

See salaries and explore the career path for School Librarian

Education Policy Analyst

As an Education Policy Analyst, you will work with policymakers to develop and implement education policies. This course may be useful in developing foundational knowledge.

See salaries and explore the career path for Education Policy Analyst

Education Researcher

As an Education Researcher, you will conduct research on education policies and practices. This course may be useful in developing foundational knowledge.

See salaries and explore the career path for Education Researcher

Professor of Education

As a Professor of Education, you will teach and conduct research on education. This course may be useful in developing foundational knowledge.

See salaries and explore the career path for Professor of Education

Instructional Designer

As an Instructional Designer, you will design and develop educational programs. This course may be useful in developing foundational knowledge.

See salaries and explore the career path for Instructional Designer

Education Administrator

As an Education Administrator, you will oversee the administration of schools or school districts. This course may be useful in developing foundational knowledge.

See salaries and explore the career path for Education Administrator

Reading list

We've selected six books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Increase Reading Comprehension with Actively Learn.

Cover image

Cover image

Reading in the Wild

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Offers insights into how to create a classroom environment that fosters a love of reading. It valuable resource for teachers who want to motivate their students to become lifelong readers.

Reading in the Wild: The Book Whisperer's Keys to...

Reading in the Wild: The Book Whisperer's Keys to...

Cover image

Cover image

The Book Whisperer

Save

Provides practical advice on how to help struggling readers become successful readers. It valuable resource for teachers who want to help their students overcome reading difficulties.

The Book Whisperer

The Book Whisperer

Cover image

Cover image

Save

Provides a comprehensive overview of the teaching of reading. It valuable resource for teachers who want to improve their knowledge and skills in this area.

Language Arts: Patterns of Practice 9th Revised...

Language Arts Essentials

Language Arts: Content And Teaching Strategies...

Language Arts: Patterns of Practice

Language Arts: Patterns of Practice by Gail E....

Language Arts: Patterns of Practice with Enhanced...

Language Arts: Content and Teaching Strategies

Language Arts: Content and Teaching Strategies

Language Arts: Content and Teaching Strategies,...

Language Arts: Content and Teaching Strategies, 5th...

Language Arts: Patterns of Practice

Cover image

Cover image

The Science of Perception and Memory

Save

This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the research on cognitive psychology. It valuable resource for teachers, researchers, and policymakers who want to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in this field.

The Science of Perception and Memory: A Pragmatic...

The Science of Perception and Memory: A Pragmatic...

Cover image

Cover image

Save

This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the research on psycholinguistics. It valuable resource for teachers, researchers, and policymakers who want to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in this field.

Cover image

Cover image

First Language Acquisition

Save

This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the research on language development. It valuable resource for teachers, researchers, and policymakers who want to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in this field.

First Language Acquisition

First Language Acquisition

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Effort

1 Hour

Level

Introductory

Via

Coursera

Institution

Coursera Project Network

Instructor

Rachel Lindsay

Language

English

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Appeals to teachers looking to introduce nonfiction texts to their classroom, which is standard practice in education

Offers resources that are aligned with school curriculum, which is a useful tool for educators

Provides teachers with data to track students' progress, which is highly relevant to the field of education

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