Professional Learning Suite (website)
[Teachscape (877) 98TEACH]

         For teachers, finding effective, convenient, and affordable professional development courses can be difficult.  Now, Teachscape's Professional Learning Suite provides powerful research-based learning resources, combined with the publishing and collaboration tools of the Teachscape XL platform.
         Winner of the 16^th Annual EDDIE Awards category: Teacher Tools - Professional Development Website, Professional Learning Suite offers the kind of personalized, just-in-time, authentic courses teachers must have, in a user-friendly format even computer neophytes can navigate.  In the Teacher Support Series, courses include Effective Instructional Strategies Series, New Teacher Support Series, English Language Learner Series, The Literacy Series, The Mathematics Series, Science Series, and Early Education - so any educator, from the beginner to the veteran Science teacher, can obtain expert advice, view interesting topics, lively videos, exercises and more, when and where they choose.
         Each course offers an Overview, a Getting Started activity, Video Demonstrations, a Learn About and Reflect On It section, Strategies in Action, Using Strategies, and over 10,000 Resources which can be viewed in any order using the simple navigation bar which is always visible.  A collaboration option allows teachers to share self-created videos of teaching demonstrations, post student work, or brainstorm lesson plans with other teachers.
         Professional Learning Suite is a valuable addition to any teacher's toolkit.

ClickN READ Phonics (website)
[ClickN KIDS, Inc. (877) 254-2522]

         Some children learn to read, virtually effortlessly, through what educators call "whole language" methodology; but others struggle, sometimes throughout their entire academic years.  This is where ClickN READ Phonics comes in. Designed to simply and thoroughly move children through a hundred phonetically designed lessons, the program ultimately helps them to become readers.
         Although almost all struggling readers can benefit from this program, it is best suited for children as young as four (nonreaders), or older students in need of remediation; hence ClickN READ Phonics richly deserves its award in the 16^th Annual EDDIE Awards in the Early Learning Phonics Website category.
         ClickN READ Phonics is comprised of four separate learning areas: Letter Sound Chamber, Listening Cube, Reading Room, and Speed Chamber. In each of the one hundred lessons, simple exercises teach and reinforce learning, starting with Sight Words and ending with Story Reading.  The story-reading exercises are the equivalent of dozens of early reading books.  A real bonus are the keyboarding drills in every lesson, which promote an often-neglected skill so essential in the 21^st Century.
         A detailed and easy-to-use management tool is available for parents and teachers to check individual or class progress. And, if the many testimonials lauding this program are a guidepost, ClickN Read Phonics is a must-have for all struggling readers. (A free trial for public and private schools is available.  Parents and homeschoolers get a 60 day money back guarantee.  See website for more information.)