Accessing Free Educational Resources Hello Literacys Comprehensive Collection Of Classroom Materials And Professional Development

Hello Literacy, founded by experienced educator Jen Jones, offers a wide array of free educational resources for teachers and literacy professionals. The platform provides classroom materials, assessment tools, professional development opportunities, and teaching resources at no cost. This article explores the various free resources available through Hello Literacy, including membership benefits, downloadable teaching materials, professional development recordings, and additional resources accessible through their website and Pinterest presence.

Hello Literacy Membership Program

Hello Literacy has introduced an exclusive membership program that provides access to free educational products and professional development resources. According to the information provided, membership currently offers:

• Free products for classroom use
• Access to professional development content available for viewing anytime and anywhere
• Options for annual or quarterly membership plans

Notably, the documentation indicates that membership is currently free of charge, though there is mention of potential future plans with associated fees. Those interested in joining can find details about available plans and pricing on the Plans and Pricing page. The membership includes access to a "Freebie Library" containing resources that members can utilize in their educational settings.

Free Classroom Resources and Materials

Hello Literacy offers numerous free downloadable resources for educators:

Teaching Templates and Tools

• A CVC template created in Canva, which requires a free Educator account to access and edit
• Fluency data graphing pages for each quarter, designed to help students take ownership of their learning progress
• A letter formation assessment tool for evaluating students' handwriting skills
• A quick reference sheet for 25 common prefixes and suffixes, ordered by frequency and parts of speech
• An Author's Craft reference sheet with examples that teachers can use in their classrooms and share with parents
• A grammar terms reference sheet with examples

Specialized Educational Resources

• Bloom's Taxonomy "cheat sheets" focusing on the three highest levels: Analyze, Evaluate, and Create
• Each sheet contains level-specific thinking verbs and question stems
• Resources for National Poetry Month, including a Poetry Stop & Jot Sheet designed to be used with the Author's Craft Cheat Sheet
• An intervention menu compiled from three years of implementing RTI (Response to Intervention) at Lake Myra Elementary

Fonts and Design Resources

Hello Literacy provides 262 Hello Fonts available for personal and non-profit use. These True Type font files are: - Available in the standard .ttf format - Packaged in a zip file for easy download - Accessible through a single download link - Available with the request that users leave a short comment or feedback upon downloading

Professional Development Resources

Hello Literacy offers free professional development recordings that provide educators with valuable teaching strategies and content knowledge:

Picture Book Analysis Series (PB&J)

The PB&J series focuses on extracting educational value from picture books: - "The Invisible Boy": Uncovering reading, writing, and language standards within this picture book - "Rosie's Glasses": Similar analysis of educational standards and mini-lesson development - "I Dissent: Ruth B. Ginsburg": Exploration of literacy standards within this biographical picture book

Each PB&J session demonstrates how to transform favorite picture books into reading and writing mini-lessons.

Specialized PD Offerings

• "Stream Deck PD": A free, interactive 1-hour course presented by Jen Jones and Darin Nakakihara
• Originally created for gamers, this PD explores how Stream Deck devices can become valuable tools for teachers
• The course is designed to be practical and immediately applicable in educational settings

Access and Usage Guidelines

When accessing Hello Literacy's free resources, users should be aware of certain guidelines:

• Professional development recordings are for the purchaser's use only and provide lifetime access
• Unlawful sharing or viewing of recordings by individuals other than the purchaser violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act
• After purchasing a PD recording, users receive instructions for enrollment in a Coassemble course, which houses the recording and associated resources
• Questions about resources or access can be directed to [email protected]
• Many free resources include requests for feedback from users, which helps the creator understand which materials are most valuable

Additional Platforms and Resources

Hello Literacy maintains an active presence on multiple platforms where free resources are shared:

Teachers Pay Teachers Store

• The Hello Literacy store on Teachers Pay Teachers offers numerous free resources
• These include teaching materials, assessments, and reference sheets
• The store has reached 15,000 followers, indicating significant educator interest in the resources

Pinterest Presence

• Hello Literacy's Pinterest profile (hellojenjones) has 40.8k followers
• The profile is organized into boards covering various educational topics:
  • "Literacy" with 76 pins
  • "Raising Readers" with 4 boards and 901 pins
  • "Best of Preschool" with 99+ boards and 72.5k pins
  • "Free design resources" with 99+ pins across 9 sections
  • Additional boards on technology, Common Core standards, and educational topics

Blog and Website Resources

The Hello Literacy blog provides additional context and information about the resources: - Updates on new free resources - Educational philosophy and methodology explanations - Information about the Science of Reading approach - Recommendations for text resources aligned with current reading research

Creator Background and Expertise

Hello Literacy is created by Jen Jones, a K-12 Reading Specialist with 30 years of experience in education. Her background includes:

• Creating Science of Reading-aligned decodables and small group lessons
• Providing staff development to schools and districts across the country
• Authoring Hello Decodables, a series of educational materials
• Participation in educational initiatives, including having resources selected for inclusion in the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium Digital Library

Jones' extensive experience and credentials lend credibility to the educational value of the free resources offered through Hello Literacy.

Conclusion

Hello Literacy provides an extensive collection of free educational resources for teachers and literacy professionals. The platform offers classroom materials, assessment tools, professional development recordings, and teaching resources at no cost. The resources span various aspects of literacy education, from foundational skills like phonics and letter formation to higher-order thinking skills and analysis techniques. The current free membership program provides access to these valuable materials, along with opportunities for professional growth through recorded PD sessions. Educators can also find additional resources through Hello Literacy's presence on Teachers Pay Teachers and Pinterest, making it a comprehensive resource for those seeking to enhance their literacy instruction without financial investment.

Sources

1. Hello Literacy Membership Page
2. Hello Literacy Teachers Pay Teachers Store
3. Hello Literacy Free PD Page
4. Hello Literacy Pinterest Profile
5. Hello Literacy Blog