What Newsela does

Newsela is an educational platform that provides high-interest articles on a variety of topics, from current events to science. The platform is designed to support nonfiction literacy for students, with adjustable Lexile levels for every text and quiz. Newsela's library of nonfiction texts is constantly updated with new content across 20+ genres. The platform also offers reading comprehension quizzes, writing prompts, and annotation features. Newsela's content can be adjusted to suit the reading level of each student, allowing for targeted intervention and differentiation. The platform offers a range of subscription packages, including Newsela Essentials, which features news stories, and subject-specific subscription packages for four subjects: ELA, Social Studies, Science, and SEL.

Key features for teachers

• Adjustable Lexile Levels: Newsela allows teachers to adjust the reading level of each text, enabling targeted intervention and differentiation.
• Reading Comprehension Quizzes: The platform offers quizzes that teachers can use to assess students' understanding of the texts and track their progress.
• Writing Prompts and Annotation Features: These tools can help teachers engage students in the reading process and encourage them to think critically about the texts.
• Subscription Packages: Newsela offers a range of subscription packages, including Newsela Essentials and subject-specific packages for ELA, Social Studies, Science, and SEL. These packages provide teachers with a dashboard to manage assignments and track students' progress.

Pricing

Newsela offers a range of subscription packages. The pricing for Newsela Pro is around $6,000 per school, $2,000 per grade level, and $18 per student per year. However, the exact pricing depends on the client's requirements and the number of students. Newsela also provides a free version called Newsela Lite, which offers a limited selection of premium content, activities, and real-time data each week.

Potential classroom applications

1. Cross-Curricular Literacy Enhancement: Teachers can use Newsela to promote literacy across different subjects by assigning Newsela articles related to the topic they are teaching.
2. Real-World Connections and Critical Thinking: By pairing a primary source with a current event text, teachers can use Newsela to help students make connections between historical events and their own lives.
3. Differentiated Instruction and Peer Learning: Newsela's ability to adjust the reading level of each article makes it a powerful tool for differentiated instruction. Teachers can assign specific articles to individual students based on their reading abilities and interests.