For teachers
Free read-along classics for your English class
The Reading Corner is a free library of public-domain classics with read-along audio and CEFR-graded vocabulary support — built for English (EFL/ESL) learners, and ready for your classroom. No accounts, no installs, nothing to buy. Pick a level, press play, and every word above that level is highlighted and explained on tap, so students read the real book with exactly as much help as they need.
How teachers use it
Project it for whole-class reading
Put a chapter on the board and press play — the words highlight in time, so the class reads and hears the language together. Great for modelling rhythm, stress, and pronunciation.
Assign by level, not by book
The same classic works across a mixed-ability group: each student sets their CEFR level and gets exactly the vocabulary support they need, from heavy scaffolding at A2 to almost none at C1.
Set listening-and-reading homework
Share a book link for homework. Students read along with the audio at their own pace — the fastest way to connect spelling to sound and build reading stamina outside class.
Hand out printable companions
Download a free one-page companion PDF per book, or a reading-list PDF per level, to use as worksheets, lesson starters, or take-home prompts.
Pick by your students' level (A1–C2)
Every book is gradable to all six CEFR levels — choose the band that matches your class, or let students set their own. Each level page lists titles that work well at that level and links a free, printable reading list.
Beginner
BreakthroughYour first few hundred words, with almost every word voiced and highlighted as you read along.
1 classic ready at this level
Elementary
WaystageCommon words fade into the background so you stretch a little on every page without feeling lost.
2 classics ready at this level
Intermediate
ThresholdA great level for your first full classic — only genuinely less-common words are highlighted and explained.
4 classics ready at this level
Upper intermediate
VantageHighlights narrow to richer, more literary vocabulary — the words that make a classic feel its age.
2 classics ready at this level
Advanced
Effective proficiencyOnly rare, archaic, or specialised words are cued — useful for polishing exam-level vocabulary.
1 classic ready at this level
Proficient
MasteryAlmost nothing is highlighted; the lookup is there for the occasional obscure or antique term.
1 classic ready at this level
Lesson-ready classics to start with
Popular, approachable first reads at A2–B1 — open one and the audio, highlighting, and tap-to-define vocabulary start straight away.
Teacher questions
Is The Reading Corner free for classrooms?
Yes — completely. Every book is a public-domain classic you and your students can read along with for free. There is no account, no payment, no trial, and no limit on how many students use it.
Do students need to sign up or install anything?
No. Reading happens in any browser — no account, no app, nothing to download. Share a link to a book and a student can start reading and listening straight away, on a phone, tablet, or classroom computer.
Can I project a book on the board for whole-class reading?
Yes. Open a book, press play, and the words highlight in time with the narration — ideal for shared reading, choral reading, or modelling pronunciation. Set the CEFR level to control how much vocabulary support is shown.
How do I match a book to my students' level?
Pick a CEFR band (A1–C2) and only the words above that level are highlighted and explained on tap — so the same classic works for mixed-ability groups. Start from the levels page, or hand out a free reading-list PDF per level.
Can I print something for a worksheet or homework?
Yes. Every readable book has a free one-page companion PDF (cover, CEFR “best for”, what students practise, and a read-along link), and each level has a printable reading-list PDF. Use them as handouts, lesson starters, or homework prompts.
Is the text the real classic, or a simplified rewrite?
It is the real, unabridged public-domain text. Rather than rewriting the story into simpler English, we grade the support: students read the genuine classic with exactly as much vocabulary help as their level needs.