Product Overview of Newsela
Newsela is an education technology company that offers a comprehensive suite of instruction and assessment products designed to enhance classroom learning and support teachers in meeting the diverse needs of their students.
What Newsela Does
Newsela provides a personalized reading and learning platform that helps students master non-fiction literacy by offering daily news articles, educational content, and interactive activities. The platform is tailored to support various subjects, including English Language Arts (ELA), Social Studies, Science, and more. It aims to empower teachers to engage, support, and grow every learner by providing rich, targeted feedback and actionable data.
Key Features and Functionality
Adaptive Reading Levels
Newsela articles are available at five different reading levels, ranging from grades 2-12, allowing teachers to assign the same article to an entire class while each student reads it at their own reading level. This feature is accessible via the “Leveler” button, which adjusts the text to include more background information, simpler vocabulary, and fewer complex sentences.
Quizzes and Assessments
The platform includes multiple-choice quizzes and customizable writing prompts that are aligned with educational standards. These assessments help teachers evaluate student comprehension and understanding of the material. The “Write” feature allows students to answer open-ended questions, providing deeper insights into their reading comprehension.
Differentiated Instruction
Newsela supports differentiated instruction through scaffolding tools for whole-class, small-group, and individual instruction. Teachers can customize assignments to respond to each student’s needs, ensuring that every learner is engaged and supported.
Content Library and Current Events
The platform boasts an extensive library of authentic, cross-topic nonfiction texts from renowned publications, covering over 20 genres. It also features daily news articles on current events, making learning relevant and engaging.
Annotations and Highlights
Students can annotate and highlight articles, which helps in active reading and comprehension. Teachers can also view these annotations to understand student engagement and provide targeted feedback.
Classroom Integration and Customizable Assignments
Newsela integrates seamlessly with classroom workflows, allowing teachers to assign articles, quizzes, and writing prompts easily. The platform supports customizable assignments, enabling teachers to tailor the content to their specific instructional needs.
Standards Alignment and Student Progress Tracking
All content on Newsela is aligned with educational standards, ensuring that it supports core instruction in various subjects. The platform also offers tools for tracking student progress, providing teachers with real-time insights into student learning and performance.
Interactive Activities and Professional Development
Newsela includes interactive activities, such as reading comprehension exercises and reading clubs, to keep students engaged. Additionally, it offers professional development resources to help teachers enhance their instructional practices.
Translation Tools and Offline Access
The platform includes translation tools to support diverse student populations and offers offline access, making it accessible in various learning environments.
Additional Features
- Classroom Integration: Newsela can be integrated with existing classroom tools and systems, facilitating smooth implementation.
- Teacher Resources: The platform provides instructional supports, including Lesson Sparks and Implementation Guides, to help teachers plan and deliver effective lessons.
- Admin Reports: Administrators can use Newsela to drive consistency and gather progress data across classrooms, supporting district-wide instructional initiatives.
In summary, Newsela is a robust educational platform that combines high-quality content, adaptive reading levels, and comprehensive assessment tools to support meaningful classroom learning. Its features are designed to empower teachers, engage students, and drive long-lasting learning outcomes.