ReadWriteThink vs SparkleBox
ReadWriteThink
readwritethink.orgSparkleBox
sparklebox.co.ukSide by side
| Figure | ReadWriteThink | SparkleBox |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Teacher Resource Libraries | 8.4 (#5) | 7.4 (#26) |
| Founded | LinkedIn lists 2002 as the founding year. | 2006 |
| Headquarters | LinkedIn lists Newark, Delaware as the headquarters. | 35 Badsey Road, Willersey, WR12 7PR, UK |
| Privacy | ReadWriteThink says it does not store user information or user-created artifacts on its servers and does not require site logins. | The privacy policy says SparkleBox uses physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard information collected online. |
| Purpose | ReadWriteThink offers reading and language arts instructional materials for educators, parents, and afterschool professionals. | SparkleBox shares downloadable teaching resources with teachers around the world. |
| Support | The privacy policy lists NCTE Customer Service at [email protected] and 877-369-6283 for privacy questions. | Visitors can contact SparkleBox by email, but the team says it cannot guarantee a response to every email because of message volume. |
Plans
In their own words
ReadWriteThink
ReadWriteThink is a free resource site for reading, writing, and language-arts instruction from kindergarten through grade 12. It serves educators, parents, and afterschool professionals with lesson plans, student interactives, printouts, calendar activities, and a teaching mat. Resources cover reading, writing, language arts, poetry, media literacy, literature, and assessment, with grade groupings from kindergarten through grades 11–12. Collections combine classroom materials with professional learning resources, including instructional strategy guides and a library listing NCTE books and journals. Lesson plans align with IRA/NCTE English Language Arts standards and, where applicable, state and Common Core standards. Interactive tools include Comic Creator, Timeline, Trading Card Creator, and Webbing Tool. The site says downloaded mobile apps work on tablets offline, and updated interactives should run on computers, tablets, phones, and other devices. No login is required, and the site says it does not save user information or created work on its servers.
SparkleBox
SparkleBox is a library of downloadable teaching resources for teachers, with a separate section of printables for parents. It covers EYFS, KS1 and KS2, with subjects including literacy, maths, science, ICT, geography, history, design and technology, religious education, art, music, PE, PSHE, modern foreign languages, dance, drama, HSIE and PDHPE. The site says its collection has grown from a small initial set to many thousands of resources, and editable files are available. Formats vary by resource: a home visual timetable, for example, includes more than 30 JPG images and a PDF arranging images six to a page on A4. SparkleBox launched in February 2006 to share downloadable materials with teachers. Nearly every resource is free to download; paid options start from £1.49. Free resources may be copied and shared with attribution for non-commercial use, provided digital products are not altered. The site accepts email enquiries, though its team says it cannot guarantee a response to every message.