• Before Initiating ANY classroom reading activities "walk through" the text with the students to identify major concepts, issues, vocabulary words, and anything you want students to be accountable for remembering, using, or synthesizing.
• Oral reading and classroom discussion of word meanings & concepts and guided (teacher modeling) practice for  reading comprehension.  Students should take turns discussing at appropriate points (What do you think will happen next? What does this remind you of? ) – books should be grade level appropriate, yet challenging because the teacher is there to help and discuss new vocabulary and concepts.
• Read along (on grade-level)– teacher reads & class follows….context clues are used for new words.  Site words can be spoken out loud by whole class.  (Example: Teacher is reading the Three Pigs.  Class previously practices all the “animal” words as an enrichment.  As teacher reads and comes to the word “Pig” or “Fox”, “Chicken” or “Cow”, the entire class says it out loud following along in the text. This teaches children fluency, expressive reading, and keeps them using their eyes across the page.
• Vocabulary building & Vicarious Learning Experiences –  books should be above grade level…in other words too hard for students to read by themselves…but an enjoyable story that all children will be interested in hearing and learning more about the subject matter as the teacher reads.  Students hear vocabulary words first….they should learn to use them in discussion before learning to read or spell them….this is the natural progression of language acquisition. Oral language should be stressed using questioning techniques every day in the classroom…building oral vocabulary before reading level.
• All classrooms and courses must put an emphasis on writing with reading, questioning, oral discussion, and productivity artifacts.

	English Language Center (awesome opportunities to practice online)
	Reading Workshop (early reading workshop)
	Early Literacy (alpha bet, phonetics) in Flash! (Starfall-Cute!)
	Online Reading Tests Grades 1-8
	BBC Online Reading, Math, SS, Science Resources! (Great!)
	3-5th Grade Reading Comprehension (online activities)
	Free Pre-K to 4th grade Reading Online (must sign up)
	Read & Think Rubric And K-12 Reading Activities
	Interactive Online Literacy Exercises (Great for ESL also)
	Nellie's English Project (more practice online)
	Sequencing and More with Binky (K-2)
	Interactive Reading Resources
	Proverbs from Different Cultures
	Literacy with CNN (9-12)
	Interactive Reading Comprehension Exercises Online: These may be best as teacher or student lead for small groups
	Upper level integrated curriculum (current events) reading comprehension services
	Reading Comprehension Lessons for K-12 Classrooms
	Reading, Math, Research Free Resources (tons!)
	Reading and Multicultural Resources from Pre-K to adult
	Reading Comprehension Tools
	Fabulous Reading Skills Tests and Graphic Organizers (you will be asked to insert your name)
	http://www.wordcentral.com/ Children's Dictionary and "Word for the Day"
	Free ESL, early literacy, cartoons, Web Quest Resources and Reading Comprehension Tests Online
	ESL Activities
	Tons of ESL Activities--Interactive Listening
	Guidelines for Becoming a Good Reader
	Reading Comprehension Resources

Example of Alternative Assessment Project