Adolescent Literacy and Technology

Teachers know that useful and creative materials are available on the Web, but they often don’t have the time to locate and experiment with them. To make Web resources more readily available, EDC’s Judith Zorfass and her staff at the Center for Family, School, and Community have developed the Literacy Matters Web site, an online resource for middle and high school teachers, parents, and students committed to supporting adolescent literacy.

“We have compiled the best of what’s available online and made it easily accessible for parents, teachers, and students,” says Zorfass. “It provides a great number of literacy resources for grades 4-12 and it’s free.”

The site covers key topics in adolescent literacy, including teen literature, reading and writing in the content areas, and most recently, technology and literacy. This new section provides teachers with up-to-date and practical information about how to use technology tools as a part of reading and writing instruction.

Information in the Technology section is divided into three sub-sections: Technology and Writing, Technology and Reading, and Technology and Communicating. Each section offers an overview of the key issues in the field followed by an annotated list of “sites that matter.” The list of recommended Web sites includes sample lesson plans, online tools, and additional resources. While the Technology section of the site is designed for teachers, it is open and available to all users.

In addition to these resources, the Web site also sponsors online courses for middle and high school teachers on a variety of literacy topics and interactive tutorials for students.