IHMS Tech Tips

Readsy  is a free website that " help[s] you skim large amounts of text by focusing your eyes on one word at a time without having to move them."   It was created by a computer science undergrad at Princeton.  Readsy is a great tool for struggling readers or others that get overwhelmed by a lot of text at one time.  Retention and comprehension should not be affected. To get started with Readsy, visit the site and have some text in mind to use, or you can choose a sample and Readsy will choose text for you.  You can copy and paste a URL (news article, blog post, etc.), copy and paste text (Google Doc writing sample, or student work), type into the site itself, or upload a file.  Once you have copied/pasted or uploaded your text, click "Readsy". Readsy defaults to 300 wpm, but you can adjust that speed to be slower or faster as needed. Here is a two-minute overview of Readsy in action: Next week, we will talk about the companion website: Spritz

Formative is an assessment site that we have used in staff meetings in the past.  "F ormative  is a web assessment tool that works on any device. it allows teachers to create assignments, collect data, and provide feedback to students in real-time." Signing up is simple and syncs with your Google account.  You only need to create an account if you want to create your own Formatives or use the library.  Students do not need an account. There are 1000s of pre-made Formatives in the public library.  You can search by keyword, grade level, and standard.   Formatives can be in a variety of question formats with a few different assignment types.  You can upload pictures or PDFs for students to reference while taking their assessment.  There's even a "show your work" question type that allows students to draw a response.  I could see using the Wacom tablets for this to show student work in math, to have students draw on a map, or to annotate text.

Shout out to Jamilyn for this amazing site!  Trello is a website for organization comprised of lists.  Think Google Keep, but better!! Signing up is free and syncs with your Google account.  Boards can be personal or shared as a team.  Anyone that has signed up for Trello can access team boards. Within the boards, you can create cards/tasks (to-do, doing, done, etc.).  You can add files, due dates, create checklists, and labels.  You can move the cards around as tasks are completed. Here is what a sample board looks like: Use Trello with students to plan research projects, organize writing, or as a homework tool. Click this link for a Trello tutorial or watch this video: