focus Area:
phonics & Fluency development
Strong phonics skills lay the foundation for successful readers. As students enter middle and high school, they are expected to read grade-level texts accurately and fluently. Students who are not able to do this often lose motivation to read since it feels like such a laborious task, and in turn fall farther behind because they are not practicing the skill. Since phonics instruction is mainly taught during the early elementary years, middle and high school students who struggle in this area frequently don't get the intervention they need since it's not part of the general education curriculum. Their teachers struggle to find the time to provide them with the intensive individualized instruction they need. Specialized software can provide a way for students to improve basic reading skills more independently and at their own pace. Many of these tools also achieve the added bonus of student motivation through positive reinforcement and multisensory engaging activities.
research
Phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency are three of the five essential components of reading identified by the National Reading Panel (1). Teacher modeling, repeated reading, and progress monitoring are three research-based strategies that are effective in improving reading proficiency (2). Each of the technology tools suggested below incorporates one or several of these features. While these tools alone may seem like a quick fix to a significant problem, they should only represent one component of the balanced reading curriculum offered to students (3).
technology based solutions
Lexia Learning Software - This highly research-based software is designed to provide supplemental instruction to improve the development of literacy skills in the early grades and remediation for struggling readers in middle and high school. Lexia places students at their appropriate skill level and allows students to choose from a set of activities until they have made adequate progress to move on to the next level. The program incorporates high quality graphics and sounds. Even the youngest users can be fully independent while using Lexia, as the friendly on-screen character guides them through each activity. Lexia can also be accessed by registered students using the free iPad app.
Teachers can establish Lexia as a computer or iPad station that students regularly go to during Language Arts instruction. Students can also access Lexia from home to provide additional support. myLexia.com, which is the teacher site, provides an easy way for teachers to track student progress and view additional lessons that could be useful for individual students.
Teachers can establish Lexia as a computer or iPad station that students regularly go to during Language Arts instruction. Students can also access Lexia from home to provide additional support. myLexia.com, which is the teacher site, provides an easy way for teachers to track student progress and view additional lessons that could be useful for individual students.
Take a look at some of the great features Lexia has to offer. |
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Starfall.com - This website is designed for 1st graders, however it is appropriate for use with pre-K to 2nd grade students. Starfall provides engaging and fun supplemental reading instruction that promotes phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency skills. Engaging activities, songs, and digital interactive books increase student motivation and enthusiasm for learning. Teachers can also download printable materials that correspond to the online activities.
Starfall can be used as a phonics station that students go to during Lanuage Arts instruction. Teachers can have students participate in specific activities or allow them to explore the site on their own. Teachers can use the printable materials for whole class instruction before or after students engage in the online version. Teachers can also inform parents of this site and encourage them to explore the site with their child at home.
Starfall can be used as a phonics station that students go to during Lanuage Arts instruction. Teachers can have students participate in specific activities or allow them to explore the site on their own. Teachers can use the printable materials for whole class instruction before or after students engage in the online version. Teachers can also inform parents of this site and encourage them to explore the site with their child at home.
Easy CMB - This website provides free curriculum based measurements in reading and math for students in grades K-8. easyCMB was designed by researchers at the University of Oregon as an integral part of an RTI model. Reading assessments include letter names, letter sounds, phoneme segmenting, word reading fluency, passage reading fluency, and reading comprehension. Student scores can be input into the system in order to monitor progress over time. Teachers can print out phonics and fluency assessments to be administered orally with students, while reading comprehension and math assessments can be printed or completed by students online.
In the early grades, general and special educators can use easyCBM benchmarks to regularly assess students' skills in order to inform instructional decisions. In the middle grades, resource teachers can use assessments to measure progress toward students' IEP goals and improve reading fluency.
In the early grades, general and special educators can use easyCBM benchmarks to regularly assess students' skills in order to inform instructional decisions. In the middle grades, resource teachers can use assessments to measure progress toward students' IEP goals and improve reading fluency.
more information
SpellBoard is an Apple app that students can use to learn spelling words and improve sight word knowledge.
Earobics is an award-winning software designed for providing individualized reading instruction through multisensory activities.
Explode the Code Online is a program designed to provide direct phonics instruction to students in grades K-4. It combines auditory and visual cues to promote independence, as well as engaging games and progress monitoring.
First Grade Internet Activities: This site provides a variety of online activities for 1st graders to develop phonics skills.
Read Naturally Software Edition incorporates the research-based strategies of teacher modeling, repeated reading, and progress monitoring to maximize growth in reading fluency.
Earobics is an award-winning software designed for providing individualized reading instruction through multisensory activities.
Explode the Code Online is a program designed to provide direct phonics instruction to students in grades K-4. It combines auditory and visual cues to promote independence, as well as engaging games and progress monitoring.
First Grade Internet Activities: This site provides a variety of online activities for 1st graders to develop phonics skills.
Read Naturally Software Edition incorporates the research-based strategies of teacher modeling, repeated reading, and progress monitoring to maximize growth in reading fluency.