Top Rated Newsela Alternatives
I like that Newsela offers multiple different types of text and at different levels. It gives informational and news worthy reading but also provides literary too. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
Some of the texts may not have levels that are needed for specific students within the classroom and an alternate passage may need to be chosen, however sometimes it is hard to find something on the same topic. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
19 out of 20 Total Reviews for Newsela
My favorite part is being able to adjust the reading level for the students. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
I would appreciate more tutorials on filtering to find a preferred assignment. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
I love that I can find articles about a variety of topics, and I can choose the reading level that my students need. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
Sometimes I need to ask my own questions instead of using the questions that come with the article. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
The most beneficial aspect of Newsela is that it gives students the ability to set the reading level of the text to that which is the most appropriate for them. I am able to give the entire class the same article and know that all students will be appropriately challenged in their reading, regardless of their reading ability. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
The only downside of Newsella for me is that I have a hard time integrating it with Google Classroom. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
I use Newsela in my classroom because it allows me to provide differentiated material for my students' varying reading levels. When assigning readings, readers are able to adjust the content based off of their Lexie level, so if the material is too challenging or too easy, the reader can adjust accordingly. I also really appreciate that Newsela allows me to connect what my students are learning to real life situations and current events. This enriches my students' understanding and fosters curiosity in the concepts they are learning. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
This is less of a criticism of Newsela and more of a challenge with teaching, but the more advanced features of Newsela are only offered through a subscription cost. I also wish that Newsela was a bit more user friendly. Once you understand how to use the features, it gets a bit easier, but I do wish there were more guided lessons for instructional use. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
I love that there are a variety Of articles that students can choose from. Kids today need more access to real news stories that are unbiased. It also is able to be differentiated. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
Some of the content is above students reading ability. However, with help students can find articles that are on their reading level. I wish that there could be a better way to filter topics. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
I like that I can see my students' progress instantly Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
The downside is getting in contact with someone when there is a problem...such as when a student click on the teacher button instead of the student button Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
Everything! I like the paired sets and the multitude of options for assessment. I have used Newsela for years and will continue to do so. Great for all K-12 grades. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
Nothing! They are always improving and I will continue to use them for instruction in my classroom. I like that I can assign my students work which they can complete on their own. Additionally, the stories can be read to them which helps build fluency!
Update: Not much for Kindergarten to be considered on grade level so would like to see improvement in this area. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
I like that the information that gives me students is factual and not someone's point of view. It is easy for my students to read on all reading levels. There is many different topics to engage the reader. Teachers can research and set the topics that pretains to their content so students can see articles that relate to the content they are learning. Many of the articles students read they can relate to the story. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
I would say there are so many articles it is hard to decide which one or two articles to assign for students to read. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
I like that NewsELA provides up to date, current event news in a format that works for kids.
The website is arranged in such a way that it is easy to find what you are looking for whether it be latest news, good news or surprising news. You can also search by topics if you are looking for something specific.
It gives you the opportunity to create assignments for your students that include the lexile (reading level) as well as a writing activity and a quiz. I really like that articles include a variety of lexile levels so that you can best meet the needs of each student in your class. Differentiation is huge so the ability to quickly switch between reading levels is invaluable.
Finally, many of the features are free. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
The one thing I don't like is that to access all of the features, you need a subscription. Like most things, there are features like seeing your students progress that you can only access for a fee. As a public school teacher, this isn't feasible for every platform I use. I have found that enough of the features are free and usable without the subscription fee. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
