Archives for January 2020

Free Reading Programs for Kids to Break Brain Drain

January 31, 2020

Some children may bump down in reading proficiency after a long break—especially a holiday or vacation period! To keep the holiday slide from causing your child’s reading skills to tumble downward, books should be readily available. However, parents also can utilize free reading programs for kids; online programs combine tech with reading for kids who may put up a fight about opening a book.

According to the NWEA: “In the summer following third grade, students lose nearly 20 percent of their school-year gains in reading and 27 percent of their school-year gains in math.” This loss of learning becomes more pronounced throughout the academic years.

Instead of draining the brain during the summer, fill the mind with new stories, concepts, and characters. Here are a few of the best free reading programs for kids:

FunBrain:

Books on FunBrain are organized by grade level. The site includes games and other activities, too. Parents can encourage kids to brush up on their math schools via the site’s Math Zone.

BrainPop:

This site is free and has every school subject that children might wish to explore! The English section features lessons on writing, reading, grammar and an area to learn about authors. Kids can explore social studies, science, music, engineering and more! There’s even a section on social-emotional learning!

PBSKids:

PBS Kids offers a range of activities for kids, and the site even includes ebooks with your child’s favorite PBS characters. While PBS Kids isn’t necessarily a ‘reading program,’ it is an educational resource that combines fun with learning.

Room Recess

It’s time for recess! Have kids head online to this site for reading games and other cool activities.

Other Ways to Block out Break Drain

While summer is the worst time for kids to lose focus, parents may find that smaller breaks like the two weeks of winter holiday and a week-long spring break may lead to kids zoning out on screens. So how much is too much screen time?

Really, this is something that parents need to decide for their family. In today’s tech-driven world, kids are staring at screens more than ever. The screen, though, doesn’t have to be such a point of contention. Moderation is best when handling screen time, but the screen also can help kids enjoy reading and other enrichment activities.

How can parents use the screen to help block summer slide and brain drain? The sites listed above are great resources to help keep kids learning even during breaks. Check out ebooks from your local library or download books on a Kindle or reading app (like iBooks).

Of course, books are the best resources to ensure that reading levels don’t fall backward. Let kids check out books at the library or head to a local thrift store to find new titles and authors. Many thrift stores price kids’ books fairly low—you may score them for 50 cents! When kids are finished with their thrifty finds, donate them back.

Read with Kids

Whether your child likes to read online (or via an ebook) or prefers a traditional bound book, parents can enjoy quality time with their child by reading with them.

For older kids, parents can parallel read…meaning reading alongside them. Establish a family reading time and gather in the great room for a few hours of quiet time together. When kids see that parents enjoy reading, they may view the experience as a form of entertainment…instead of homework.

Parents of younger children can read to them nightly. Nightly reading time can be part of the bedtime routine. When reading to kids, be sure to talk to them about the story. Ask questions and point out key details.

When reading books on a tablet, parents can help children explore any interactive features in the book. Exploring these hidden features help bring the story to life. Not sure if a story or book is interactive? When downloading books, the description should include any interactive functions. However, parents can make all books interactive by asking children to point out key details in pictures and illustrations.

Join a Book Club

Many local libraries sponsor summer book clubs for kids to encourage reading. These programs will sometimes include a book log for kids to record their reading minutes during the summer. Prizes may be offered for kids who read the specified number of minutes (or books). Visit your local library to find out about summer book clubs or reading programs!

Before the breaks threaten to breakdown knowledge, encourage kids to engage in learning activities in between the fun of vacation days. Open a book, download an ebook, visit a learning web site and join a book club. For kids, who need more intervention or for parents who want to increase their child’s reading proficiency, try online reading programs like Readability. There are so many ways to keep learning…and to keep kids reading!

Finding a Reading Tutor “Near Me”

January 30, 2020

Reading struggles affect about 10 million kids, according to Reading Rockets. Parents who have a child who is having difficulty reading at grade level may feel that there is a lack of support options available, especially if the child fails to qualify for intervention programs at school.

Private tutoring may be one way to help struggling readers catch up to their peers, but families living in rural areas may have difficulty finding a qualified tutor. Parents may wonder: “Is there a reading tutoring near me?” The answer is: YES!

When you’re struggling to find a tutor to help your child improve reading fluency and comprehension, here are a few resources to locate help:

Tutoring Through High School Service Projects

Some high school clubs or organizations require that members give back to the community through service projects. Students may tutor other students to earn community service credits to meet these membership requirements, and, yes, these services are typically free. If you’re struggling to find a tutor for your child, contact your local high school to inquire about any tutoring programs affiliated with clubs or school organizations. Since the tutor will be another student, tutoring times may be limited to certain days of the week.

Private Tutoring Services Offered By Teachers

Some teachers offer tutoring services to help struggling students during the summer break or maybe even during the school year. Your school may have a list of teachers who are willing to help your child during breaks or after school. Contact your school or school district for any available resources. Teachers also may be able to help you locate private tutors, too. There may be a charge for tutoring services.

After-School Tutoring

There are so many teachers who go above and beyond the call of duty. Some schools offer extra help after school for students struggling in specific subjects. Every school and district may have unique programs; get in touch with an administrator at your child’s school to inquire about any after-school enrichment opportunities.

Online Reading Programs

Online reading programs like Readability also provide tutoring services—via a virtual AI tutor. Online programs can ensure that your child receives the guidance needed to help increase phonetic fluency and improve reading comprehension. Like private tutoring services, online programs grow with your child. The virtual tutor also provides auditory feedback, gently correcting pronunciation errors to help children catch their mistakes.

Voice recognition software allows the tutor to identify your child’s unique voice; this recognition is important as everyone has unique voice inflections that can affect the pronunciation or sound of a word. Pronouncing potato as PO-tah-toe doesn’t change the meaning of the word, and the software is designed to understand that this isn’t a pronunciation issue.

Don’t Stop Advocating for Your Child!

When parents realize that their child is struggling to read, the first step should be to reach out to the school for guidance. Tutors are a great option, but parents need to advocate for their child to determine if s/he could qualify for help through the school. Qualifying for reading intervention programs may differ by school or school district. A child may be given additional support without question, but other schools may require more evidence to support intervention.

In the case of pushing for intervention, most parents find that “the squeaky wheel gets the grease.” Pursuing all options and advocating at all levels is important to ensure that your child doesn’t fall through the cracks. When approaching teachers or administrators about additional help for your child, you may need to consistently follow-up. Ask about what testing might be necessary to qualify for intervention, discuss options and keep an open dialogue with both your child’s teacher and administrators. Understand, though, that sometimes qualifying for intervention can take time.

Parents who realize their child is struggling to read at grade level may find the hunt for a tutor to be daunting, especially in more remote areas. “Is there a reading tutor near me?” may be a common question or concern. However, there are many options available to parents seeking reading help for their child. High school clubs or organizations may offer tutoring services as part of community service projects. Retired teachers also may be available to offer tutoring services to struggling students, and some schools also offer after-school programs that provide enrichment options for students needing help in a particular subject. There also are companies that help match families with local tutors. Of course, online reading programs like Readability provide a virtual tutor for unique one-on-one reading support. Interested in learning more about Readability? Try the program out for free to see if it’s a good fit for your child.

Free Reading Apps for Kids Who Hate Reading

January 29, 2020

Would your child rather do dishes or take out the trash than read a book? They are not the only ones. Parents often hope their kids have a natural genuine interest in reading, especially since reading is a fundamental language skill that can help in learning other skills. However, some kids are just not interested in reading for fun. In fact, some kids actively hate the act of reading. If you are concerned that your child’s lack of interest in reading might affect their performance and learning in school, there are ways to help them to become more motivated and actually enjoy reading.

Why does my child hate reading?

The first step in getting your child to enjoy reading is to find out why they hate reading in the first place. There are many reasons why your child dislikes reading, including:

Reading material is too hard– When your child tells you they find reading boring, it might not actually be the act of reading itself they find boring. Most likely the material they are reading is too challenging for them and they end up finding it boring because they cannot understand the text.
Reading material is too easy – Finding the right reading material for your child can be challenging. Although one reason they do not like reading is that the text might be too hard, another reason could be that they find the text too easy to read. When children read a text that is too easy for them it diminishes their motivation as they find the reading uninteresting.
Undetected learning disability – Sometimes a child might not enjoy reading because they are struggling with reading. While it could be a matter of reading material, it could also be that an undetected learning disability or dyslexia is manifesting as reluctance. In this case, it would be worthwhile to meet with your child’s teacher to discuss progress and possible assessment.
Underexposure – Children might not find an interest in reading because they are just not exposed to enough reading at home. Modeling an interest in books can help them to be more encouraged to explore reading on their own.
Connection to reading material – Reluctance to read might also come from not having any connection to the materials they are reading. They could be lacking comprehension and connections to the text which makes them bored with reading.
Genuinely not a reader – Another reason your child dislikes reading is simply they are not interested in reading as a hobby. Instead, they might be more into playing outside or doing something creative.

How do you motivate children to read?

Whatever the reason for your child’s dislike in reading, there are ways to help encourage and motivate them to read and to actually enjoy reading.

Provide reading materials at their level and slightly above their level – Getting your child interested and engaged in reading material is all about providing a variety of books at different levels. You should give them books that are at their reading level but also give them some that are just one or two levels higher. This can help them to steadily build confidence and keep them interested and challenged enough.
Encourage reading for pleasure not purpose – Only reading homework materials can make reading seem like a chore that they do not want to do. Instead of only encouraging them to read homework, you can build motivation to read by reading for fun with them. Start reading a book series together as a family or even just reading a short book with them every night can help them learn to read for fun and not just for school.
Let them choose the reading material – There are plenty of “must-read” lists out there for kids, but they are not going to be any of use in your home library if your child does not care to read it. When you visit the library or bookstore, you should give them the freedom to choose reading materials on their own.
Encourage environmental reading – Environmental reading is about encouraging reading anything and everything. From billboards on the road to shampoo bottles in the shower, reading everything they see can help them to see the importance of reading in everyday life.
Use free reading apps for kids – Another great way to encourage reading for kids not interested is to get them to read using technology. Most kids these days are playing and using computers, smartphones, and tablets. Why not use these tools to encourage reading practice? There are many free reading apps for kids that are designed to turn reading into a fun activity.

What is the best free reading app for kids to get them to love reading?

The Readability app uses AI technology and speech recognition to help young readers build their reading skills and stay engaged in the reading. It essentially works as a private reading tutor for your child. The app listens to your child as they read aloud and makes notes of any errors they might be making in pronunciation and fluency. It then gives them instant feedback to help them read better as well as provides you with progress reports. Readability makes reading fun for kids and can turn any reluctant kid into an avid reader.

Online Reading Programs for Kids – Breaking Down Reading Barriers

January 28, 2020

Most kids need some form of help with reading. However, for those that are struggling, it is vital they get help quickly. There are a lot of barriers to becoming a good reader, and in this article, we look at what they are and how to overcome them.

Online reading programs for kids can be a helpful aid in this journey, as online programs remove the fear of embarrassment and are always available. However, the program you choose needs to both support and encourage reading.

How can I improve my child’s reading?

The first step for many is to acknowledge and accept that there is an issue. Parents sometimes simply hope that it will fix itself, but when left unaddressed, your child can fall further behind. Your child also needs to realize that it is OK to struggle sometimes and that it is perfectly normal to find reading difficult to master.

They will, of course, need a reading program that focuses on improving their level, and that is followed in school and at home (at least it should be complimented at home). This program also should look to build their confidence and their own desire to read more.

How to break through reading barriers

Before any reading program can really take hold and yield results, there are likely to be a few barriers to break down first. Online reading programs for kids could help with some of these issues, as they allow a safe haven for exploring books and their own reading skills without judgment. However, let’s take a look at some of the key barriers to reading:

Motivation – Reading can often be judged as being boring, difficult and time-consuming. It takes effort and if someone is not motivated to read, chances are they will fall behind in their ability. Often the key to fixing this is to find interesting and level-appropriate reading that they want to explore. Once they discover stories they like and can read without struggling too much, they should gain interest. However, it is also important that the parents set the tone and show an interest in reading. As role models, having a reading time or showing your child that reading is fun can change their attitude.
Concentration – Many kids struggle to focus, especially when their energy levels are full. Children with ADHD struggle more than most. This is when varying the program times or combining them with activities can really help. For high energy children, reading for 30 minutes followed by 15 minutes of mad play, before returning to reading can help to bring in focus. Often the time spent on reading can be divided into easier to manage (and focus) chunks.
Type and size of the book – A large book can seem extremely daunting to a child. If pages are full of text and no pictures, it may also seem boring and like an impossible task. This is why it is good to start out with smaller books that include fun pictures to help explain the story. Pictures also help with reading comprehension.
Feeling Isolated – Many children who struggle with reading feel like they’re alone. They feel that they are stupid, or not normal, and can start to withdraw. This is when teachers, parents, and counselors can help by showing them how normal this is. Consider sharing your own experiences of weakness or failure, even if it isn’t related to reading. This can help the child to feel more ‘normal’.
Poor environment – Where you read will almost certainly affect how much you read. The environment should be clean, bright enough (to avoid eye strain), comfortable, and positive.

What is an online reading program?

Online reading programs for kids are designed to support children through the various levels of reading development. It’s important that they have a range of related literature that is fun and at the right level to avoid boredom. Ideally, they will allow for the text to be read aloud, but also for the child to follow the text on the screen and practice reading.

In the case of our online reading program, we also integrate an advanced AI reading support system to help their reading growth. Not only can they read aloud to the AI, but it will also provide feedback and an assessment of their accuracy. This system monitors everything they do in the application, which means that the AI can develop a perfectly matched reading program with reading materials that match both the interests and the ability of the learner.

Online reading programs for kids are an amazing support system for parents and schools. They are a tool that supports school and parental efforts. The system is available anytime the child wants to read, and can, in fact, become their hobby. It encourages the exploration of text with live support, but no judgment and no embarrassment. All of this helps to hold their focus, encourage reading even larger books (as the book is not visibly thick), and boosts their confidence.

Parents also get ongoing updates and reports from the AI, showing exactly how their little one is progressing and where the weaknesses are. It allows parents to then interact with children about what they’ve been reading and support the issue areas.

This is a relatively new tool for reading practice. However, online education applications are starting to gain more acceptance, respect, and development around the world, even at the university level. They have been proven to work, and their flexibility and personal focus is a large part of the success.

Is Your 1st Grader Struggling With Reading?

January 27, 2020

Every child learns at their own pace. Some children might quickly develop reading skills, whereas others may take longer to master these skills. Because every child is unique, it’s hard for parents and teachers to determine when a child is falling behind.

However, it’s important to know how to spot the signs that your child is struggling. This is especially true in 1st grade, when children first start to focus on developing crucial reading skills. Knowing how to determine if your 1st grader is struggling with reading is the key to getting them the help they need to succeed.

What Should A 1st Grader Be Able to Read?

First graders will focus on improving their reading skills throughout the school year. By the end of the year, children at this age should be able to read and understand grade-level books.

Before moving onto second grade, 1st graders should also be able to read about 150 “sight words.” These are words that need to be memorized because they don’t follow traditional spelling rules. Some examples of sight words include “the,” “who,” “does,” and “their.”

Your 1st grader’s vocabulary should be expanding rapidly to include longer and more complex words. This is because children at this age should be starting to gain a better understanding of how sounds and syllables work.

Many first graders will start to identify and correct their own reading mistakes. For example, they may use context clues in the story to determine that they made a mistake.

How Do You Identify Learners With Reading Difficulties?

Spotting the signs that your 1st grader is struggling with reading is important. Why? Educators believe that it is in first grade that children start to define themselves as either poor, average, or above average readers. If your child is struggling, now is the time to give them the tools they need to improve.

Here are some of the signs to look for:

Guessing More Than Reading
Unable to Read Nonsense Words
Significant Spelling Errors
Unable to Remember Words

Guessing More Than Reading

Young readers are encouraged to use context clues to figure out what a word means. For example, a young reader may figure out how to pronounce the word “monkey” if it’s on a page with an illustration of a monkey.

This is referred to as “guessing using context,” and it’s a great way to learn new words. But if children are guessing without context, this could be a sign that they are struggling to read. They may guess words that make no sense or don’t fit in with the rest of the sentence. If children start to guess more than they actually read, they may be falling behind in reading.

Unable to Read Nonsense Words

First graders should be familiar with the sound that each letter makes and know how to blend sounds together to form words. Without these skills, children will not be able to sound out and learn new words.

To test your child’s skills, ask them to read made-up words aloud. For example, ask your child to read the words “gat” and “fep” aloud. These aren’t real words, so your child will have to rely on their skills to determine how to pronounce them. If your child is unable to read simple nonsense words, this could mean that they need to improve their phonics skills.

Significant Spelling Errors

It’s normal for children to make spelling errors at this age. However, if your child is making significant spelling errors, it could indicate that they are struggling to read.

For example, leaving a single letter out isn’t a major mistake, but leaving an entire syllable out of a word is a significant spelling error.

Unable to Remember Words

Your child may run into several words that they are not familiar with when reading a story for the first time. If they encounter an unfamiliar word, they should try to sound it out before moving on. The next time they encounter this word in the story, they should be able to read it without hesitation.

If your child is stopping to sound out the same word over and over again, this is a red flag. Failing to remember words could indicate that your child is unable to pay attention or process the information that they are reading.

How Do You Help 1st Graders Who Are Struggling With Reading?

It’s important to give your 1st grader the tools and resources they need to improve their reading skills. Start by downloading the Readability app on your smartphone or tablet. Using the app, your 1st grader can connect with a virtual tutor to work on their phonics, spelling, pronunciation, and other crucial reading skills. This is the best tool to help struggling readers dramatically improve their reading skills within 90 days. Sign up for a free 7-day trial today.

Online Reading Programs for Struggling Readers

January 24, 2020

Reading is a language skill that helps improve other language skills: writing, speaking, and listening. However, learning to read might not be very easy for everyone. New readers might find learning this skill to be difficult and struggle with their progress. Parents and educators concerned with a struggling reader might be concerned about helping. Thankfully, there are many ways to get a struggling reader to improve their reading skills and actually enjoy reading.

How can I help my struggling reader?

Parents concerned that their child might be falling behind with their reading skills often wonder the best ways to help them. The best way to help when a child is struggling with reading is to give them many opportunities for practice such as:

Reading with them because this can encourage them to build good habits on their own and helps them see a good model of a good reader (you!).
Discussing readings helps you check their reading comprehension skills and also builds your relationship with your child. Talking about what they have read also helps them to become more engaged and excited with reading.
Letting them choose what they read gets them invested in their reading. Children learn best when they are having fun and when learning does not feel like a chore.
Encouraging them to read a higher level can help them progress slowly without them being discouraged. In your home library include books that are at their reading level but also throw in a few that are just above their level. This can help build self-esteem to progress to more complex books.
Utilizing online reading programs that make reading fun and engaging can help them become avid readers. There are now many reading apps and websites that are designed to turn reading into a more game-like experience. They help to scaffold reading through exercises within the texts and also measure reading comprehension with post-reading games.

What are some reading intervention strategies?

Incorporating reading practice into your home is a great way to get your child to become more confident in their reading skills at school. You can also incorporate reading strategies that educators often use in their classroom for struggling readers, including:

Scaffolding exercises help to build confidence in reading as they move on to higher reading levels. Before reading with your child, take some time to do pre-reading exercises such as vocabulary review.
Practicing oral reading can be scary for struggling readers, but encouraging them to read out loud will help them get better and be more confident.
Using cloze activities helps struggling readers move from just identifying words to putting meaning into what they are reading. Remove or blank out one or two vocabulary words so that the reader has to think about the meaning of the whole sentence rather than just individual words.
Encouraging environmental reading is a great way to get your child into the habit of reading anything and everything they come across. Encourage them to read billboards, menus, and even shampoo bottles in the shower!
Practicing extensive reading rather than intensive reading can help them learn to actually enjoy and be enthusiastic about reading. Extensive reading is reading a lot of books simply for pleasure while intensive reading is reading for a specific purpose such as identifying parts of speech in a sentence.

How do you make reading fun for struggling readers?

Using the strategies above can help get some practice for your child at home, but the most important thing that can help them improve in reading is to make reading fun. You can encourage a struggling reader to actually enjoy reading by:

Creating a reading space and home library to help them feel ownership in their reading process and have a comfortable space for them to read for enjoyment.
Listening to audiobooks while driving to help them find different ways to enjoy reading if they are not feeling encouraged to read on their own.
Using books at playtime by acting out books they have read. This gets them engaged with the reading and helps them remember what they read.
Start reading a series to help them become invested in a story. Books series are great to get struggling readers engaged and having fun while reading.
Visiting the Library gives them access to a large number of reading materials and other resources such as reading groups and activities.
Downloading reading apps can help incorporate technology they are already using into their learning.

What is one of the best online reading programs to use at home?

The Readability app is a great way for struggling readers to learn to love reading and improve their skills. It uses AI technology and speech-recognition to help struggling readers make progress in learning to read. The app acts as a personal tutor for your child and reads stories with them so they have their own guide as they read. The app can identify errors as your child reads aloud and gives them feedback to help them with their learning. The app also can read the passages to your child as they follow along. It is a fun and interactive way to get your struggling reader to improve their skills and learn to have fun when reading.