The Literacy Shed

Jerica Dungca

ED638-01

January 11, 2018

Fall Intercession 2017

Dr. M. Rivera

IRA Newsletter Weekly Project: Effective Literacy Website #6

            The Literacy Shed (https://www.literacyshed.com) is home to a variety of video resources for educators and students. It includes an array of short films and animations that were thoughtfully curated into thematic sheds. Teachers could select a video from any shed and incorporate it into their lesson. Therefore, the Literacy Shed is a wonderful resource for teachers because it is a creative way to get students engaged and interested in what they learn.

            This amazing website was created by Rob Smith, a primary school teacher. He spent years collecting and compiling online videos to provide teachers with high quality resources that could be used with any literacy lesson. The website offers a free version, the Literacy  Shed, and a subscription, the Literacy Shed Plus. On the free version, users will have access to the original free site with short films, animations, and teaching ideas. The premium version offers users access to English unit plans, lessons, and resources to support reading and comprehension. With either version, teachers will have access to many useful tools and resources to support learning!

            Moreover, accessing the videos on the site is easy! Teachers can simply click on a shed to find a video that fits a lesson’s topic. The sheds also offer teachers tips and ideas on how

to teach with the videos. There are many fun and creative ways that the videos can be used with students. Teachers can use a video as an anticipatory set to begin the lesson and grab students’ attention. They could use the videos to activate students’ knowledge, spark conversations, and facilitate group discussions. They could also be used to supplement reading material or inspire students when creating writing assignments.

            Overall, the Literacy Shed is wonderful literacy resource! I would recommend this site to all teachers who want to find a fun and innovative way to engage their students. Many of the videos will appeal to students. They will love watching the stories and themes the videos convey. More importantly, it will motivate them to learn, support their reading and writing skills, and build their overall understanding of the lesson.