StorylineOnline

Company: SAG-AFTRA Foundation

Cost: Free

Device: Internet browser on an Internet capable device

SAMR Model: Substitution

Description

StorylineOnline is a website put on by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation where celebrities read story books. This can be a great resource for learners who are in the beginning stages of reading. This resource provides opportunities for students to listen to stories being read fluently and with expression via video. These videos show the illustrations and some audio that help support the story. The videos sometime show some animation but not in a distracting way that may take away from the literacy content. The website provides a teacher activity guide for the stories that can be accessed if desired.

The website is fairly intuitive to navigate, showing a picture of the story along with the title. The students can click on the book which will lead them to the video of the read aloud. StorylineOnline may be a bit harder to access since there is not an app available. To help students independently access this and other websites, I use Symbaloo which is essentially a visual bookmark website. Students can independently click the StorylineOnline tile which will bring them to the website.

Differentiation

Storyline Online includes a range of text that differ in length and complexity. Students of any level may use these videos to build pre-reading or reading skills. This resource allows for a variety of learners to benefit. Students may use this resource to build listening skills

Comprehension

These videos are good resources for differentiation. Students who can not yet read independently can build reading and comprehension skills. Students who are reading independently can listen to the story and build comprehension skills based off of the story's events, characters, setting, etc. These story videos could be meaningful for students who are English Learners, have reading or learning disabilities, Autism, or a range of other needs.

Students who are able to read independently can benefit from this resource by listening to stories with complex storylines allowing for comprehension skills to be built. These readers also can hear fluent reading with expression adding to a student understanding of the characters and story events.

Storyline Online shows illustrations from the story that help support the story's content. These visuals help students comprehend what is happening in the story.

Possible Downfalls

Storyline Online does not show the text as it is read. While it shows illustrations that support the story, the text would be a nice feature to be added. Research has shown that students build word recognition and comprehension skills when listening to reading and following along with the narration as it is highlighted.

SAG-AFTRA Foundation. (2017). Storyline Online. Retrieved from http://www.storylineonline.net/