General Comments

"I like the fact that the reading is levelled and it has both fiction and non-fiction books. "
Tracey-Lee, VIC

"The follow up activities with the books are very good and I like the fact that the reading can be interactive. "
Vikki, VIC

"Children can read at their level and activities support the stories."
Joanie, VIC

"A great resource - saves planning time and increases student engagement. Thank you! "
Hayley, QLD

"Doing a great job. Love that you keep including new titles. Keep up the great work Sunshine Online!"
Margaret, QLD

"Range of resources/text types, activities, resources."
Sheenagh, VIC

"Fabulous resource with Australian contexts. The students are engaged and can navigate the site independently. Colourful and child friendly. They love it!
Sharyn, TAS

"The option of books being read to students, follow up questions. Maths was also good"
"I teach an older grade so I like the flexibility the program gives with providing resources for struggling readers."
Alex Faulconbridge, NSW

"Differentiated for varying abilities, engaging, easy to use."
Sandra, VIC

"It is high quality. It matches most of our inquiry units..."
Michelle, VIC

"The children's enthusiasm when it's our turn to use it. Consolidation and development of skills. Easy to use. Children love the activities."
Joy Pedare, SA

"The students love using the program. Lettergetter is their favourite."
Janice, VIC

"I like that it has a wide range and the students enjoy interacting with the books and reading in a different format."
Lisa, QLD

"It's one of the most popular reading sites teachers at my school use. Students can access easily, reading material that is at their level of reading."
Leslee , VIC

“Thank you for creating such a user friendly program. It has been highly successful in our school and is incorporated into most class programs through guided, shared or self-selected reading, maths or science”
Sharon, NSW

“It is a very valuable tool in my classroom, especially since the National Curriculum expects use of multimedia in English.’
Marina, WA

How do teachers use Sunshine Online?

“We use Sunshine Online on our interactive whiteboard for our Prep, Year 1 and Year 2.”
Sue, QLD

“Used for whole class shared reading and students use individually during literacy rotations.”
Leasyl, VIC

“Our school uses Sunshine Online for small reading group activities and for whole class shared reading.”
Lisa, VIC

“I have a small group on Sunshine Online each morning in my prep class. At the start of the year they were doing the alphabet pages that corresponded with our letter of the week. Now they go into the literacy pages that correspond to their level of ability. They read the books and do the related online activities and games. During our inquiry time the students also opt to use Sunshine Online. They do their choice of activities on it at this time.”
Lauren, VIC

“Sunshine Online is used during both shared reading and maths sessions and children choose to read the texts during listening to reading in ‘Daily Five’ reading or work on maths related books and activities during individual maths activities.”
Jenny, VIC

“Literacy session: used as a reading group activity; as a ‘big book’ activity to start the reading session; students use Sunshine Online in their free time maths session: read and discuss and do activities, whole class and group activity.”
Leigh, VIC

“Both classes use Sunshine Online as a part of their reading programs. The students work at their own level and this program frees the teacher to work with other groups.”
June, NSW

“We use it as a teaching tool, for individual work, small group instruction and for whole class instruction on the IWB. We also use some of the lowest word count stories and some maths books for a “READY FOR SCHOOL” program we run for 3-4 year olds.”
Cheryl, SA

“Used in all grades from Kindy to Year 6. Yr 2/3 teacher uses it as independent reading lesson for the week. Year 4/5 teacher uses it in a similar manner.”
Marina, WA

“Guided reading, shared reading, reading activities, comprehension, spelling, writing.”
Susan, QLD

“As a big book on the IWB; as individual follow-up with story. Followed up by completion of activities.”
Maree, VIC

“In class as individual readers or for modeled reading instruction.”
Barb, NSW

“In reading groups and use the big books for modeled and guided whole class reading.”
Tanya, NSW

“As a whole group activity; to introduce a text; to teach concepts about print as individual practice: read the story, complete the online activities as well as the printable activities where appropriate to our students. Often we need to make up our own activity sheets using Boardmaker symbols for our children to sequence based on the story or text for the day. Having an intellectual disability, our children need tasks broken down a lot more than typically developed children. They also need activities that are not visually cluttered, hence we make up our own sheet work activities. The online activities and stories are perfect for our students at the lower levels.”
Jill, VIC

“Used in learning centres and with students with specific learning needs. Used the big books as part of our Inquiry unit.”
Christine, VIC

“P-6 are using it daily in their literacy and inquiry blocks. It is an invaluable resource for us.”
Jennifer, VIC

“Interactive Whiteboard sessions with explicit teaching followed by worksheet activities.”
Special Development School, VIC

“Part of Literacy sessions for small groups. During our whole class IT sessions. Use the non-fiction texts for integrated studies.”
Helen, VIC

“We use Sunshine Online in a tutoring centre. Students from 4 to 14 use the program. Most students have literacy problems. We also use galaxy kids and Sunshine readers with activity sheets. Each student starts at an ‘instructional level’ and for the most part work independently on the program. They often complete printed off activity sheets. Some students also use the maths texts and activities.”
Roy, VIC

“To engage reluctant readers to utilise technology as part of individual development and to incorporate technology in the classroom.”
Janet, VIC

“It has been used extensively for focus pull-out teaching during guided/shared reading sessions, a computer follow up activity for a small group, whole class maths focus, letter/sound for the day or week.”
Helen, VIC

“We use it every morning. I have a 55-inch interactive LCD panel. We share the story, try activities together, then students follow-up with reading the story in book format.”
Prim, QLD

“To supplement guided reading and to use as whole class reading as you would with a big book.”
Susan, NSW

“Individual lessons, whole class focus teaching, big book reading and letters and sounds work, group tasks with levelled text.”
Judy, VIC

“Many of our teachers are using Sunshine Online as part of their literacy rotations. We also use it for students who need extra intervention as a 1-on-1 tool.”
Viv, QLD

“The children access the program during the daily literacy block and complete self-selected tasks at their level.”
Ruth, VIC

“Part of and supplementary to whole school literacy and targeted reading programs.”
Katrina, QLD

“We use Sunshine Online for a special “Reading at Paradise” Club. Students needing extra reading support are invited to our club at 8.30 each morning. Students listen to a story at their instructional level then read the story to and adult. They listen to/read the same story 4 or 5 days in a row. After a year in our club most students are reading at their year level! We also use the texts as big books on IWB and in spelling lists to compliment sound of the week. It is used by all four junior primary classes.”
Heather, SA

“We use it for big books on the IWB for whole class reading/shared reading and we use it in guided reading groups. Students also access books during reading activities and at home. They sometimes supplement our take-home reading program and the maths texts are often used to introduce a new concept or to reinforce a concept introduced earlier on in the program. We utilise the word family texts for our spelling program and students access many of the sight words activities during the literacy block. Sunshine Online is used daily across the entire school.”
Monika, VIC

“We use it as part of our reading groups K-6. K/2 children are supported by a teacher’s aid. Children below RR level 10 do a shared activity using an interactive whiteboard. Other children work, reasonably independently.”
Greg, NSW

“I use it for whole class sessions on the interactive whiteboard and for small group work on the classroom computers. We use it almost every day.”
Janet, WA

“It is part of our preschool program. It proves to be an excellent addition to our new program and the children really enjoy using it.”
Jodie, NT

How do children respond to Sunshine Online?

“They really enjoy the activities."
Joanne, VIC

“They absolutely love it. We have headphones so it's an individualised program."
Sandra, VIC

“Students like the maths activities that are linked to some of the books. There is a range of topics for older readers."
Denise, NSW

“We do a lot of whole class with the maths texts and activities and the children really enjoy it."
Bernadette, VIC

“Our kids love it and the special ed kids love it, too."
Chris, QLD

“The kids love the program. They often ask, when they have free choice, if they can use Sunshine Online on their iPads or on their computer in the lab."
Sue, WA

“They love it, can't wait for the next time we visit."
Cassie, VIC

“Really enjoy the activities, especially Number Cruncher."
Vicki, NSW

“Some students ask to go on during choice time."
Margaret, VIC

"The children really enjoy reading the books and find it easy to navigate." Lisa, VIC

"Totally positive response from students. They enjoy the colourful graphics and the relevant stories. Love the follow up activities." Kerrilea, VIC

"They enjoy it, the bright colours and noise draw them in. They are very engaged in what they are doing." Lauren, VIC

"They love it. Find it motivating, fun and easy to use." Jenny, VIC

"Students love it! It has had very favourable responses from all children particularly those who are often disenchanted with reading." Cheryl, SA

"Very positive, especially from the ESL and poor achievers as it lets them read unassisted." Suzanne, VIC

"They love it. They enjoy reading the stories, especially if they are allowed to use the headphones and listen to the story. The activities are always popular." Marina, WA

"They find it engaging and fun. They love the games and the songs, especially in the younger classes." Lynne, VIC

"The students thoroughly enjoy it and they like the activities that match the books." Tanya, NSW

"Our students are highly engaged by and love using Sunshine Online. Your program has made a significant difference, especially with our students that have ASD who needed to learn where and how to direct their attention in and to a reading event. The children love using the online activities and games and have learned a great deal since we began subscribing to Sunshine Online." Jill, VIC

"Students absolutely love Sunshine Online – independence in reading and monitoring their own progress and engaging activities." Christine, VIC

"Our students love it. Because they have an intellectual disability, they find the sound and pictures a great help when learning to read." Special Developmental School, VIC

"Students are always very engaged when using Sunshine Online. Although hard to prove, some students have made significant progress since utilizing Sunshine Online and other reading programs using technology." Janet, VIC

"The kids love it!! They will often request the online books and related activities as a preferred reward activity or for free time. Lettergetter is their favourite character." Andrew, NSW

"Very popular. They enjoy the games that are linked to their books." Kynan, QLD

"Children work independently at their own level. They enjoy the stories and activities and have exposure to a range of text types." Lynne, VIC

"Our students enjoy the texts and especially the interactive activities up on an Interactive Whiteboard." Viv, QLD

"They love it and we have some titles marked on our wall near the smartboard so that if there is a spare minute they can visit their favourite activities." Kath, NSW

"Students are engaged and enjoy the option of listening to the text and then reading it with the added help of being able to click on difficult words. They like the independence it brings to them, that they can read a book by themselves. They enjoy the activities that follow the books and love the certificates that print out to say that they have completed all the online activities for that text." Monika, VIC

"Students enjoy the games and how it looks. It has good visual appeal." Margaret, VIC

What do teachers like about Sunshine Online?

“Levelled stories meet PM Benchmarks. Stories that students can identify with. Stories are Australian and appeal to kids.”
Kerrilea, VIC

“I found the alphabet section really great, using it meant the students were hearing the sound and letter name over and over, from someone different than their teacher. I also like the literacy sections, particularly as it is already levelled to what children need. I have found the staffroom section helpful, as well as the bookshelf books which I have used for shared reading purposes.”
Lauren, VIC

“All of it. We like the levelled books, the comprehension aspects and the English sections.”
June, NSW

“Being able to have the audio on or off is really valuable. We like the ability of being able to use the maths section as part of literacy. Activities with the stories are also really great.”
Cheryl, SA

“In the lower level, the way the text is supported with highlighted text, animations, interesting topics, lots of opportunities to practise and reinforce a particular skill. Levels 1-10 structure is well suited to our student’s needs.”
Jill, VIC

“Ability to differentiate for students who are reading at different levels in the class.”
Susanne, QLD

“The fact that the books are leveled makes it very easy to target focuses for children. The number of books and range of titles means there is always something new for them to read.’
Leasyl, VIC

“The Staffroom is very useful when preparing sessions for targeted intervention.”
Christine, VIC

“The variety of texts, word/letter work and the layout of the website is easy to navigate.”
Jennifer, VIC

“All elements, but we love the activities that follow. They do not need teacher direction, freeing the teacher up for guided reading sessions.”
Glenda, VIC

“Easy for children to navigate on their own – bright, colourful, fun.”
Rachel, NSW

“Lesson plans are useful and also the breakdown of what each book can be used for, eg. Letters, words writing and comprehension etc.”
Lisa, VIC

“The fact that it is levelled, teaches skills in an orderly way. Students LOVE the maths books.”
Gay, QLD

“Ease of navigation is a huge plus, working at their own level, the activities really seem to excite the students. Also the children seem to enjoy the ownership of being able to use the computer and navigate on their own.”
Jodie, NT

“It is very clear. The children can navigate it themselves and I teach kinder! The teacher resources are great so I have a quick reference point for a lesson.”
Dawn, NSW