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Allie Liotta

Allie Liotta

Bio: CommonLit School Partnerships Specialist. Former third grade teacher.

Featured Posts:

Smiling teacher working with a student

10 Myths and Folktale Stories With Moral Lessons from Around the World

Travel through stories with these ten exciting myths and folktales from around the world! In the past, myths and folktales were how people explained natural phenomena and dispensed wisdom from one generation to the next. Just as people in the past sought to explain the world around them using these

Allie Liotta

August 31, 2023 5 min read

Three students discuss a CommonLit 360 reading lesson in class.

CommonLit 360: An ELA Curriculum that Accelerates Learning for All Students

CommonLit’s comprehensive ELA curriculum for grades 6-12 comes with the professional learning, data tracking tools, and wraparound supports you need for seamless adoption. At CommonLit, we want every child to graduate with the reading comprehension, writing, communication, and problem-solving skills they need to be successful. That’s why we

Allie Liotta

December 12, 2022 6 min read

Boy smiles at laptop.

Exciting CommonLit Additions for SY 22–23

Canvas integration, 360 Units for grades 11 and 12, and hundreds of new lessons! At CommonLit, we’re always thinking of new ways to support teachers and students. That’s why we’re excited to share some great new additions to our digital literacy program for SY22–23! Canvas Integration

Allie Liotta

July 17, 2022 2 min read

All Posts:

Smiling teacher working with a student

10 Myths and Folktale Stories With Moral Lessons from Around the World

Travel through stories with these ten exciting myths and folktales from around the world! In the past, myths and folktales were how people explained natural phenomena and dispensed wisdom from one generation to the next. Just as people in the past sought to explain the world around them using these

August 31, 2023 5 min read

Student highlighting her work

Analyzing Individual Student Performance with CommonLit

Diving into an individual student’s data is a great way for teachers to develop a deep understanding of the student’s strengths and areas for growth. By analyzing different aspects of their performance, teachers can plan targeted instruction to give students exactly what they need to improve. CommonLit’s

August 23, 2023 4 min read

A screenshot of the CommonLit Original pieces in our library.

CommonLit Originals: Engaging, Diverse Stories only Available on CommonLit!

Check out dozens of high-interest and timely short stories, available only on our library. CommonLit’s library is home to over 3,000 digital lessons on a wide range of topics, complete with reading comprehension questions to sharpen standards-based skills and to prepare students for high-stakes tests. Now, teachers will

January 30, 2023 7 min read

Three students discuss a CommonLit 360 reading lesson in class.

CommonLit 360: An ELA Curriculum that Accelerates Learning for All Students

CommonLit’s comprehensive ELA curriculum for grades 6-12 comes with the professional learning, data tracking tools, and wraparound supports you need for seamless adoption. At CommonLit, we want every child to graduate with the reading comprehension, writing, communication, and problem-solving skills they need to be successful. That’s why we

December 12, 2022 6 min read

Teacher and students talk during class.

10 Short Stories Elementary School Teachers Love

These compelling short stories are sure to engage your students and build reading comprehension! When it’s time to plan a new unit that adheres to ELA standards, it can be daunting to find high-quality, relatable short stories your students will enjoy. That’s why we’ve put together this

September 19, 2022 6 min read

Girl smiles at classmate while working on CommonLit lesson.

Short Stories To Get Your Students Excited About Reading

These short stories from amazing authors like Gary Soto, Amy Tan, and Ralph Fletcher will help your students fall in love with reading! A love for reading begins with captivating stories. These short stories from CommonLit feature young protagonists that are grappling with problems that your students will easily relate

August 18, 2022 3 min read

Boy smiles at laptop.

Schools & Districts

Exciting CommonLit Additions for SY 22–23

Canvas integration, 360 Units for grades 11 and 12, and hundreds of new lessons! At CommonLit, we’re always thinking of new ways to support teachers and students. That’s why we’re excited to share some great new additions to our digital literacy program for SY22–23! Canvas Integration

July 17, 2022 2 min read

Teacher and student laugh while looking at laptop.

9 Texts to Help Teens Develop Social-Emotional Skills

These articles dig into important topics like happiness, stress, failure, and resilience. Some of the most important learning that happens in middle and high school goes beyond reading, writing, and math. As our students get older, they also need to develop key social-emotional skills like self-regulation and resilience. These nine

March 15, 2022 3 min read

Teacher talks with two students.

10 Fascinating Informational Texts for Elementary

These texts about famous figures, sports, art, and more are sure to engage your students! It can be challenging to find really engaging, exciting informational texts to hook your students and help them practice key nonfiction reading skills. That’s why we’ve put together this list of ten great

March 3, 2022 5 min read

Student using a CommonLit Target Lesson

Presenting CommonLit's New Target Lessons

Check out our new easy-to-use, highly engaging lessons that build specific reading skills! At CommonLit, we’re always thinking of new ways to support students and teachers. That’s why we’re excited to present our new Target Lessons! Target Lessons are short, easy-to-use, highly engaging lessons that support reading,

February 22, 2022 4 min read

Girl smiles while working on laptop.

7 Inspiring Texts About Influential Figures in Black History

These meaningful texts about Black heroes are sure to engage your students! Reading about influential figures in Black history is a powerful way to inspire your students. Learning about people who thought of new ideas, stood up against injustice, and pursued their passions can motivate students to take on challenges

January 10, 2022 4 min read

Students work on CommonLit reading lesson.

6 Powerful Poems by Black Authors

These thematically rich poems are sure to engage your elementary students! There is nothing quite like the magic of reading a beautiful poem. Descriptive imagery, figurative language, and multiple layers of meaning provide students with great opportunities to discuss themes, author’s craft, and more. Here is a set of

January 6, 2022 3 min read

A teacher pointing and smiling, sitting next to two smiling students.

3 Ways to Maximize Student Learning with CommonLit

Engage students in meaningful learning with these three purposeful strategies! As teachers, we always want to make sure students are engaged in meaningful learning. It’s important to provide them with opportunities to extend their thinking and make connections while building key skills. That’s why we’re excited to

December 23, 2021 3 min read

Student highlights CommonLit reading lesson.

10 Short Stories High School Teachers Love

These compelling short stories are sure to engage your students! When it’s time to plan a new unit, it can be daunting to find high-quality, relatable short stories your students will enjoy. That’s why we’ve put together a roundup of engaging, thematically rich stories that high school

December 22, 2021 4 min read

Boy looks up from CommonLit reading lesson.

10 Short Stories Middle School Teachers Love

These compelling short stories are sure to engage your students! When it’s time to plan a new unit, it can be daunting to find high-quality, relatable short stories your students will enjoy. That’s why we’ve put together a roundup of engaging, thematically rich stories that middle school

December 21, 2021 4 min read

Teacher holds papers while typing on laptop.

11 Elementary Short Stories for Social-Emotional Learning

These meaningful texts for grades 3–5 teach important life lessons and social-emotional strategies. Reading stories is a meaningful way to engage students in social-emotional learning. Great stories can guide students through common scenarios like making friends, building confidence, facing challenges, and more. Students can also learn important life lessons

December 20, 2021 7 min read

12 Engaging Myths and Folktales from around the World

12 Engaging Myths and Folktales from around the World

Explore different cultures with these stories from around the world! Reading myths and folktales is a great way to engage young learners. Since these tales were originally told to convey a moral or to explain an aspect of our natural world, they are perfect for students learning to determine theme

December 13, 2021 6 min read

Students complete CommonLit lesson on laptops.

11 Seasonal Texts to Kick off Winter

Here are eleven engaging texts about winter weather and holiday celebrations! The holiday season has just begun, and these last few weeks leading up to break can just fly by! We want to make the transition to break just a little bit easier with a collection of texts sure to

November 22, 2021 5 min read

Two students sitting at desks and looking at each other.

10 Texts about World-Changing Individuals

Use these texts to teach your students about the incredible ways people have changed the world. Reading about amazing people who have changed the world helps students envision the changes they want to make in their communities. These texts about acts of compassion, creativity, selflessness, and defiance that have happened

November 19, 2021 5 min read

Teacher talks in front of the classroom.

10 Meaningful Texts about Friendship and Conflict

These ten texts will teach students about friendship and conflict in relationships! Adolescence is a time of change. As kids get older, they may find their friendships change with them. Reading about kids dealing with conflict from moving to a new town, navigating peer pressure, or feeling left out of

November 18, 2021 5 min read

Teacher pointing out information to students

3 Ways to Use CommonLit in Social Studies Classrooms

Check out these strategies for effectively using CommonLit in social studies classrooms! Literacy is an essential component of social studies classes, but it can be really hard to find relevant, high-quality texts to use with students. At CommonLit, we aim to ensure that all teachers can access a wide range

November 18, 2021 3 min read

Teacher and student talk during class.

Heartwarming Lessons About Holidays and Traditions from Around the World

These texts for grades 3–5 teach students about a variety of celebrations around the world. We know that children love finding reasons to celebrate, whether it’s for a birthday, a big win in a soccer match, or a beloved family tradition. Reading about global holidays and traditions in

November 16, 2021 4 min read

Three teenage students complete CommonLit lesson on laptops.

Easy Tips for Data Analysis with CommonLit

Analyzing student performance is easy with CommonLit’s data tracking tools for teachers and administrators! Developing a deep understanding of student data is critical for all educators. It helps teachers drive classroom instruction and helps administrators determine school-wide priorities to support all learners. That’s why CommonLit offers tools for

November 16, 2021 3 min read

Teacher talks to students around table.

5 Ways CommonLit Helps Teachers Monitor Student Understanding

CommonLit’s technology helps teachers understand how students are growing. Providing students with targeted feedback is critically important. It helps to hold students accountable, makes them realize that you care about their progress, and provides them with actionable steps to develop their skills. In this blog post, I’ll share

November 15, 2021 5 min read

Teenage student smiles at his laptop in classroom.

Encourage Students to Embrace a Growth Mindset

Use CommonLit’s library and data tools to help students learn from their mistakes! Creating a classroom culture where mistakes are celebrated is a great way to promote student progress. Of course, students need the right support to learn from their mistakes and develop a growth mindset. CommonLit has a

November 15, 2021 5 min read