LetterPop - Simple Newsletter Creator

Here's one I made earlier.

I have found a simple, free tool for creating newsletters - basically a magazine-style page with a background theme and space for text and pictures to be included. I think it could offer a creative option for a writing project with young learners or adults as well, for that matter. It's called LetterPop. 

Users need to register, but it's easy to use and there's not much that can go wrong, which is a good start. Also, there are a number of background themes to choose from. Fonts can be altered, but the options are not limitless and photos can be uploaded - either your own or from flickr, or your own from flickr I suppose!

I don't think that anything done on LetterPop would be too difficult to (more or less) replicate with software such as Powerpoint or Word. However, with LetterPop the work can be published and viewed by others. The site also has a social element through its inclusion of a commenting feature and a link is provided so the work could be accessed from a class blog or wiki.

I think it is a good thing that the design options are limited. Kids will mess about all day with visual tools and although these things are important and motivating in such a design project, it's the text itself that the teacher is trying to focus on. So, it offers creativity, but is controlled. The text itself can be written in Word or notepad first and then copied into the design page on LetterPop.

The page can be saved and published (although the default setting is private) which allows other LetterPop users to comment. This could be done by the teacher, classmates or perhaps another class - in another country even, if a link-up has been arranged. As with many things, I suppose there's the possibility of weirdos posting comments and it seems that comments can't be deleted, but then I believe kids should be taught about these dangers rather than just being banned from the open web. All in all, considering you have to be signed up to comment and that there's no search function on the site, it would seem unlikely that anyone other than those directed to the page itself would even find it, let alone comment.


In the free option, up to 10 pages can be saved. This would allow students to create a number of these mini-projects during a school year and then review them to analyse their previous work. In fact, one of the key affordances for me is the fact that even after publishing the page can be revisited at a later date to be edited. Also, I almost forgot, there's a print option too, if you want a paper copy for a portfolio or a wall display, or whatever. You can watch some short introductory videos here.

There you go! I reckon this is certainly worth having a look at, particularly if you're worried about using some of the more complex web tools in class, or maybe if your students are low level techies, then this could be the thing for you!