Weekly Reader Unveils Multimedia Redesign and Expansion
Classic company delivers compelling new digital formats and content designed to engage today's students through multimedia platforms
NEW YORK, April 22 -- Weekly Reader, the leading publisher of educational magazines and a division of Reader's Digest Association, Inc., today announces a sweeping multimedia redesign of its website, magazines, and other curriculum-based products.
The website, http://www.weeklyreader.com, offers new navigation, design, and features. Other components of the brand's multimedia evolution include an energized logo, a new look and feel to its K-12 print publications, the introduction of Digital Editions, and an exciting new web-based reading-comprehension product, Weekly Reader Connect. These interrelated resources on multiple platforms combine the depth of print content with the power of multimedia interactivity. The redesign and new digital elements of the Weekly Reader brand accomplish a dual mission: appealing to the current generation of students as well as meeting the needs of today's educators.
As a leader in education reaching more than 7 million students annually, Weekly Reader continues to deliver timely content that connects with students. Beyond its award-winning print publications, Weekly Reader now incorporates technology in innovative ways that meet the rapidly changing demands in education. The newly remodeled website provides students and educators alike with easier navigation tools and online access to all K-6 titles. With its clean, bold new design, http://www.weeklyreader.com delivers themed teaching packages, weekly current events stories, free webinars for teachers, and downloadable activities for students.
Parents and teachers have trusted Weekly Reader as an educational resource since the company was founded in 1902. The new multimedia platforms include redesigned print publications that will premiere this fall showcasing vibrant images, captivating material, and engaging educational activities. The print publications will continue to create age-appropriate content for grades K-12 that is lively, appealing, and stimulates a love of learning.
"Now more than ever, Weekly Reader provides extra elements of innovation and interactivity that students crave," said Ira Wolfman, Senior Vice President, Editorial, at Weekly Reader. "The redesign demonstrates how fresh and relevant we are, by offering quality content in the most compelling and contemporary formats. Our lively new logo and the redesign of digital and print platforms were created specifically to bridge our fast-growing suite of products and formats."
The new Digital Editions, available through subscription for grades K-6, provide captivating, grade-specific multimedia content aligned with state and national standards. Delivered at the same time as the classroom print issues, Weekly Reader Digital Editions add exciting video and audio clips, slide shows, and read-aloud functionality, plus pre-reading questions, vocabulary practice, and interactive quizzes. All of this dynamic content can be viewed at home or at school on projectors, interactive whiteboards, laptops, or personal computers.
In addition, the recently launched Weekly Reader Connect enables educators to teach 21 crucial reading-comprehension skills -- the Concepts of Comprehension ® -- in a clear and explicit fashion. This new reading-comprehension program is available exclusively for school-wide usage. Its multimedia elements are designed to inspire students and motivate them to read. This multi-sensory approach to reading instruction also helps teachers provide differentiated instruction, which is increasingly important in schools across the nation. Through Weekly Reader Connect, learning comes to life with sight, sound, and motion that grabs students' attention and gives teachers powerful tools to help students understand the materials they read.
Weekly Reader materials also support vocabulary instruction and the expansion of background knowledge -- thereby providing teachers with resources in the three research-based components of reading-comprehension instruction: inferential thinking skills, vocabulary, and background knowledge. All of this rich content is supplemented with follow-up activities and assessments.
Media Contact
Melissa Bach
Coburn Communication, Inc.
212.382.4454
melissa.bach@coburnww.com