This document provides information about various Chrome extensions and apps that can be used for literacy. It discusses the differences between extensions and apps, and then describes several specific extensions and apps, including Read&Write for Google, Newsela, Readability, Extensity, BeeLine Reader, VoiceNote II, EasyBib, Bookshare, Adblock Plus, Snapverter, Google Keep, and Teach for Google. It explains what each one does and how to access and use the various features and tools within each extension or app.

1. Using Chrome Extensions
and Apps for Literacy
Sharon Neveu

2. Extensions or apps: extend the functionality of the browser
(Chrome) and how you view websites. Available at the Google Chrome store.

3. Extensions vs Apps?
What's the Difference Between a Chrome Web App and an Extension?
Apps
The Chrome Web Store introduces the concept of installable web apps. These apps will live
alongside extensions and themes in the store, which will become the one-stop shop for all three types
of installable components. So what exactly are installable web apps and how do they differ from
extensions? I’m glad you asked…
Apps= applications you can run inside your browser with a dedicated user
interface and, typically, rich user interaction. (Once installed, use the apps launcher to access.)
Extensions also provide functionality, but unlike apps, there is little or no UI component. Instead,
they extend the functionality of Google Chrome and the websites being viewed in it. For example, they
can extend Google Chrome by adding a new button to the address bar

4. Click Apps Launcher,
then click Web Store
or “Google” Chrome Web store
Chrome web store https://chrome.google.com/webstore
Enter name of Extension or App in search box.
Extensions
& Apps

5. Google Chrome Extensions and Apps
Extensions:
Read&Write for Google
Readability
Extensity
BeeLine Reader
BookShare (for SpEd students)
Adblock Plus
Checker Plus for Google Drive
Google Voice, Hangouts
Apps:
NewsELA
VoiceNote II
EasyBib
Google Keep
Snapverter
MindMeister
Kaizena
Go to Chrome webstore: https://chrome.google.com/webstore

6. Read&Write for Google

7. Boost reading and writing confidence.
Offer support for Google Docs/web to students with learning difficulties, dyslexia or ELL/ESL.
Read&Write for Google™ offers a range of powerful support tools to help students gain confidence
with reading and writing, including:
● Hear words, passages, or whole documents read aloud with easy-to-follow dual color
highlighting
● See the meaning of words explained with text and picture dictionaries
● Hear text translated into other languages
● Get suggestions for the current or next word as you type
● Turn words into text as you speak
● Highlight text in documents or the web and collect for use in other documents
● Simplify and summarize text on web pages

8. Read&Write for Google™ is a user-friendly chrome extension for use with PCs, Macs and
Chromebooks. It works with web pages and common file types in Google Drive, including:
- Google Docs
- PDF
- ePub
- Kes
Install Read&Write for Google™ to access ALL of these features FREE for 30 days!
After 30 days, you can still access Read Aloud and Translator features in Google Docs and web pages.
Premium features for Google Docs, web, PDF, ePub, and Kes files are available by purchasing a subscription for single
users, groups of users, or domains.
Teachers can get a FREE premium subscription to Read&Write for Google. To register and activate your
subscription, go to rw.texthelp.com/freeforteachers after installing the Read&Write for Google trial.
Get more information on Read&Write for Google™ features, licensing, and pricing at
http://rw.texthelp.com/drive/Support/premium

9. Supports include:
■ Hear text read aloud with dual color highlighting
■ Have words explained with text and picture dictionaries and translated into other languages
■ Get suggestions for the current or next word as you type with Word Prediction
■ Turn speech to text in Google Docs
■ Highlight and collect text; build vocabulary lists
■ Simplify and summarize text on web pages
■ Annotations, including typewriter tool
■ Convert printed documents and inaccessible files into classroom files with Snapverter!
http://rw.texthelp.com/drive/Support/Install
http://www.texthelp.com/north-america/readwriteforgoogle/

10. Read&Write for Google Activities
Read Text: Highlight text to read selection or click to read all text.
Use Play, Pause, Stop controls.

11. Settings: Use to change voice, speed, language.Translator
1. Highlight text.
2. Click Translator icon.

12. Prediction
● Enter text in the document and a
list of 10 suggestions will appear.
● Mouse over a word in the list, the
word will be read aloud.
Picture Dictionary
● Highlight word
● Click Picture Dictionary
Dictionary
● Highlight word
● Click Dictionary

13. Fact Finder
1. Highlight term.
2. Click Fact Finder.
3. Google Web Search.

14. Highlight and collect highlights

15. Vocabulary
Highlight to collect terms, then click
Vocabulary icon. A new document is
created with the vocabulary list. Click
title to rename. See Vocabulary List
Wild Animals on this Planet

16. newsela.com

17. Quick Start Guide

18. Apps Launcher (to locate after installation)

19. Click subject area or topic.
Select class level, write, quiz, print.

20. Readability
Read comfortably- cleans up webpages, remove distractions,
change font, size.

21. CNN article

22. Change font & size
1. Click on the text
area on the page.
2. The tool panel will
appear on the left.
3. Click the font icon
to change the article
appearance.
4. Click font style, use
sliders to
increase/decrease
size.
You can also add tags,
favorite, recommend,
share, send, download
the article.

23. Extensity
Use to manage extensions

24. Click Extensity icon in
address bar.
Click extension you
want to turn off/on- it will
“grey out” if turned off.

25. BeeLine Reader
BeeLine Reader:
Adds a color gradient that guides
your eyes from the end of one line
to the beginning of the next.
You can choose colors and use
OpenDyslexia font.

27. VoiceNote II
Typing with your voice and speech
recognition. Simple and functional
notepad. Can also use to record in
several languages.

28. 1. Click the globe.
2. Select language using drop
down arrows.
3. Click mic icon to record.

29. Use Editing
mode editing
tools to edit your
notes- add
punctuation,
correct spelling,
etc.
Save note.
Erase/return
text.
Customize and
Control- view
My Notes, use
My Dictionaries,
Settings

30. Can record in several other languages!
Save a note.

31. customize and
control
Use to view:
My Notes
My Dictionaries
Settings

32. My Notes:
My Dictionaries:
Use to create a
dictionary that
corrects voice
recognition errors.
Setttings:
Use to Change skin
or Mic setting

33. EasyBib
EasyBib Introductory tutorial
easybib.com
Cite a Website, Book, Newspaper,
Journal, Database, Digital image, etc.

35. Bookshare
Text-to-speech and word-level highlighting
Bookshare is the world’s largest online library of copyrighted content for people with qualified print
disabilities. Installing this extension enables text-to-speech and word-level highlighting for the
Bookshare Web Reader.
Open only to LD w/IEP.

36. Bookshare YouTube Channel

37. How to use Bookshare

38. Adblock Plus
Add in Chrome Web Store as an Extension

40. Icon shows how many ads have been
blocked on the webpage.
You can also choose to turn on/off
features using the switches.

41. For Elementary Teachers
and Students

42. Hooda Math Games
HoodaMath.com contains
over 500 Math Games. All
available online for free. No
registration required.
● Math Games by Grade
K-12
● Math Games by Subject
● Timed Tests
● Manipulatives
● Logic Games
● Physics Games
● Jigsaw Puzzles

44. IXL

45. Checker Plus for Google Drive
Quickly browse your Google Drive files without opening a webpage and get notifications of modifications to your shared
documents
• Browse, open, search or delete your files and documents right from a browser button (without waiting for Google Drive's page to
open)
• Get desktop notifications when any of your files/documents are modified or updated by a shared user
• Can be used as an FVD Speed Dial widget

46. Additional Extensions & Apps

47. AdBlock
The original AdBlock for
Chrome. Block all
advertisements on all web
pages, even Facebook,
Youtube, and Hulu.
It works automatically: just
click "Add to Chrome," then
visit your favorite website
and see the ads disappear!
You can also get AdBlock
for Safari, Opera, and
Firefox from
getadblock.com.
News8

48. Snapverter
Snapverter is the easy-to-use document conversion add-on for anyone using read&write for
google.
Snapverter cleverly recognizes text from worksheets, handouts, book pages, photocopies and
other paper based classroom materials.
Just grab your smartphone and snap. Documents are converted into accessible PDF files for easy
sharing with your students in Google Drive. Then use the powerful tools in read&write for google
to help struggling readers, ESL/ELL and students with dyslexia or learning diffculties.
And that’s not all. Snapverter also converts Bookshare® digital publications in DAISY format to
accessible EPUB files for reading aloud with read&write for google.
Users have 10 scans for initial trial. After that, the number of scans drops to 1 per week.

49. How to use it
http://support.texthelp.com/index.php?action=artikel&cat=15&id=127&artlang=en

50. Google Keep
Quickly capture what's on your mind and share those thoughts with friends and family.
Quickly capture what's on your mind and share those thoughts with friends and family. Speak a voice memo on the go and have it automatically transcribed. Grab a photo
of a poster, receipt or document and easily organize or find it later in search.
Capture what’s on your mind
• Add notes, lists and photos to Google Keep. Pressed for time? Record a voice memo and Keep will transcribe it so you can find it later.
Share ideas with friends and family
• Easily plan that surprise party by sharing your Keep notes with others and collaborating on them in real time.
Find what you need, fast
• Color code and add labels to notes to quickly organize and get on with your life. If you need to find something you saved, a simple search will turn it up.
Always within reach
• Keep works on your phone, tablet, computer and Android wearables. Everything you add syncs across all of your devices, so your thoughts are always with you.
The right note at the right time
• Need to remember to pick up some groceries? Set a location-based reminder to pull up your grocery list right when you get to the store.
Available everywhere
• Try Google Keep on the web at http://keep.google.com and on your Android phone by downloading the app at http://g.co/keep.
What's new:
Better organization
• Organize your notes by adding labels to them. Labels are quickly accessible in the main menu.
• Add recurring reminders to never miss regular to-dos.

51. https://keep.google.com/

52. Literacy Tool
The Literacy Tool will help you DISCOVER, UNDERSTAND and EXPLORE online scientific texts.
The aim of the scientific Literacy Tool is to lower the barriers to scientific knowledge. We would like to encourage you to
discover, understand, and explore scientific texts – and by doing so, stimulate your natural curiosity. This is a big goal – and
it might take some time to satisfy all needs, but it is a path we are eager to pursue.
To activate the extension, click on the Literacy Tool icon (top right corner of your chrome browser) – a green tab will appear
on the left side of your browser – and you are ready to go!
If you want to explore a term while reading a scientific text – simply double click on the term and a list of options will be
offered to you. No need to save for later - all the resources you explored through the Literacy Tool are automatically added
to your editable boards.
http://literacytool.com/

53. Teach for Google www.TeachforGoogle.com
http://support.texthelp.com/index.php?action=artikel&cat=18&id=161&artlang=en
What is Teach for Google?
Teach for Google is a professional development solution that helps Educators increase student achievement using
proven tools and strategies within the Google Apps for Education environment.
Teach for Google offers a fast growing library of short, easy to implement courses consisting of How-To videos, strategy
overviews, templates, checklists and more that provide all the tools necessary to successfully implement effective strategies
in the classroom. Each course is designed with the everyday classroom in mind and based on evidence from research
literature.
Teach for Google’s flexible nature allows for use when and where it’s needed most. Educators can complete an entire
course and earn a certificate to prove it, or drop in and grab only the resources needed for a specific lesson. Regardless of
how it’s used, these strategies will increase engagement and achievement in almost any classroom setting.
When will Teach be available?
Teach for Google is available now at www.TeachforGoogle.com