Here in South Africa the 2012 year has started and the Foundation Phase (Grades R-3) has started implementing the new CAPS curriculum. I thought this would be a great opportunity to draw your attention to 12 websites that have great reading material for your young learners.

1. Storyline Online

http://www.storylineonline.net/

This site is presented by the Screen Actors Guild  Foundation. This is an online video programme with their members reading stories aloud. Each story has some activity suggestions plus a further Activity Guide download with some superb activities and ideas on it. 

 

2. The Tale of Peter Rabbit

http://www.rif.org/assets/interactive/peter_rabbit.html

This is Beatrix Potter’s famous tale beautifully retold using the original drawings and showing the words so that the learners can read along.

 

3. Speakaboos

http://www.speakaboos.com/stories

 

4. Riffs Reading Planet

http://www.rif.org/kids/readingplanet/bookzone/read_aloud_stories.htm

5. Topmarks

http://topmarks.co.uk/EducationalGames.aspx?cat=37

6. Meegenius e-books for kids

http://www.meegenius.com/store/books/free/

 

7.  AOL Kids

http://kids.aol.com/KOL/2/koljrstories/archive/animal-stories

8. PBS Kids

http://pbskids.org/lions/stories/

 

9. Read to me

http://www.readtomelv.com/current-books/

 

10. National Geographic Young Explorer

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngyoungexplorer/moreissues.html

11. Starfall

http://www.starfall.com/

 

12. Short stories

http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/childrenindex.html

Classroom application

Perhaps you don’t have the facilities to make use of these in your classroom – but have you ever considered creating a classroom blog? You could then list these websites on the blog so that parents can make use of them at home.