Archives for September 2020

How New Technologies are Transforming Education

September 30, 2020

Online education has exploded across the country amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and families are adapting to a new tech-driven normal. The Coronavirus may change the way we learn, using technology as a catalyst.

Augmented reality, virtual reality, the Internet of Things, and cloud computing are transforming the education sphere in 2020 by providing learners with an added layer of accessibility, efficiency, and innovation.

Read on to learn more about how new technologies are transforming education in the current marketplace.

Artificial Intelligence

With more students than ever before spending at least part of their school days online, automation and monitoring software is in high demand. Educators are using digital apps and tools to monitor student activity, and AI plays a large role in navigating the process.

Apps that rely on artificial intelligence to respond to user behavior are more accurate and adaptable than static programs.

Machine learning gives students the ability to control the lesson, while accurately adapting the material to their current skill level and learning speed. This has the potential to reduce learning anxiety, especially in early learning subjects like reading comprehension.

Parents can use a reading app, for example, to help their child learn how to read by “reading along” with them using AI voice tracking. The system can then respond to hesitations, reading speed, and commands in real time.

Using AI gives learners more independence and autonomy in the learning process, even without a human teacher present.

Augmented Reality

While virtual reality replaces the student’s surroundings with digital renders, augmented reality enhances it. AR technology in education gives each student an extra facet of interaction without completely removing the “reality” element from their learning environment.

Similar to the popular mobile game Pokemon Go, AR-enabled apps use existing features in the surrounding environment as markers and triggers. This allows the program to operate without any auxiliary equipment, except for the user’s mobile device.

When it comes to corporate learning and adult education, this has made the onboarding process easier than ever before for telecommuters. Corporate training and assessments have also been simplified with the use of responsive filters and AI-automated prompts.

In every level of the education sphere, augmented reality is a useful way to merge the digital and practical worlds. Artificial intelligence and mobile-friendly formatting are driving this industry toward the mass consumer marketplace.

Virtual Reality

Making learning fun has always been a main catalyst for making students interested in education. In short, kids want to learn more when they’re having a good time.

Using virtual reality technology, educators can simulate a roller coaster ride as the backdrop for their math lesson. Or, teachers can transport kids to a digitally created safari to learn about the climate of the Serengeti.

Virtual reality has also enhanced peer-to-peer communication, allowing students to discuss course material in a completely different digital sphere. While in the virtual environment, users are able to:

Use problem-solving in real time
Improve collaboration with more seamless connectivity
Work on projects simultaneously, similar to the classroom environment
Help introverted/reserved students perform more effectively among the group

The possibilities are as endless as the expanse of the web, and this technology is just kicking off in recent years.

Cloud-Based File Sharing

Telecommuting grew by more than 40% during the COVID-19 outbreak, and online education swept across the nation as schools scrambled to translate their lessons online. Corporate education also made a major shift, as more employees needed remote accessibility and location-independent course material.

Using the cloud to store and share information makes it possible to process information securely and easily from any network. This has provided families and individuals with a higher level of access to education than ever before. Literacy rates and overall education levels have risen as more and more people use the internet as their primary learning medium.

Rather than requiring students to use their resources and time to meet at one central location, remote and cloud-based learning solutions bring the classroom to the student.

Technology is present in virtually every aspect of our daily lives, but education has made significant strides with the distance learning boom of 2020. Educators are using systems like AR, VR, and AI to bring students together like never before. From creating completely manufactured digital worlds to providing learners with the realism of an in-person teacher, these tech tools will forever change the way students and educators interact – even after the pandemic.

Distance learning required students to have a higher level of independence and agency, and educational programs and applications are following suit. Using AI and automation capabilities puts the reader in control of their learning experience, not the program or teacher.

Artificial intelligence and immersive applications like Readability give parents and students more control over their learning plan. Take a look at one of the ways we’re using new technology to transform the world of education.

6 Reasons to Use a Reading Program for Struggling Readers

September 29, 2020

Many kids are stuck at home for virtual learning this fall. School isn’t the norm; gone are the days of recess, lunch room socializing and classroom learning. Backpacks aren’t being packed, school bus stops are empty and the routine of the school day is virtually…strange. Zoom meetings are better than nothing, but kids may be missing out on the old routine.

And parents might notice that kids are struggling. Reading for some kids may be a challenge. For kids who don’t qualify for reading intervention during the school year, a reading program for struggling readers may help them progress their skills. Maybe your child fell behind during the virtual learning craziness of last spring. Perhaps they never recovered their skills or simply never gained the skills to be at grade level for the fall.

Here are six reasons to use a reading program for struggling readers if you’re not sure if you should make the purchase.

1. There’s almost always a free trial!

Not sure if a reading program for struggling readers is right for YOUR struggling reader? Programs and reading apps should offer a free trial to see if it meets your child’s needs and addresses your child’s particular struggles.

Readability, for example, offers a free seven day trial. This gives your child access to all the features and books available on the program. Let your child try it for a few days and see how it works. If they don’t like it, parents can cancel at no cost.

If a program doesn’t offer a free trial, you can always call the manufacturer and ask for a test period. If they say no, then it might not be the right program for you or your child. Never feel pressured to pay for something you can’t try.

2. Reading online may be more entertaining.

Some children who struggle to read may avoid reading. For this reason, they might not be too excited to grab a book from the shelf. However, virtual platforms like a reading program or reading app may grab their interest.

Readability’s stories feature colorful illustrations and interactive features to keep children engrossed in the story and entertained. Reading should be fun…not just another lesson!

3. The right program will address your child’s struggles.

Parents may try to help children at home but make little headway. This doesn’t mean parents are doing something wrong. Sometimes kids need different ways to learn, and the most impactful lessons may incorporate a multimodal approach.

Some kids are auditory learners, others learn visually (there also are tactile or kinesthetic learners). Readability addresses auditory and visual learning styles. As children read the words aloud as they see them on the page, an interactive AI tutor provides auditory feedback when a child needs help. The tutor also asks questions to gauge comprehension.

While some children have difficulty understanding the plot of a story (comprehension), others have struggles pronouncing the words or hearing the right pronunciation. Readability provides feedback and help with all these reading struggles.

4. Parents can better gauge progress with apps and programs.

Are the lessons even helping? If a parent pays for a private tutor, there may be a question about reading progress. Is a child advancing their literacy skills? Have they met the appropriate reading benchmarks?

Reading apps take the guesswork out of understanding the impactfulness of lessons. Readability’s Parent Dashboard allows parents to see their child’s reading level to better understand the progress that has been made with the program. Parents can also view how long their child engaged with the program.

5. Your child wants to use a reading program!

Maybe your child has used reading programs at school and likes this type of virtual learning environment. If your child has expressed interest in school reading platforms, ask them if they would like to practice reading with a reading program at home.

Some kids might not know that they can practice reading via an app. For many children, books are the traditional means to practice their reading skills. Parents can offer up reading apps as an option to help their struggling reader.

6. Reading apps and programs go everywhere.

Yes, parents can pack books for road trips, but sometimes devices like tablets are much more portable. With a reading app, parents can take the reading instruction anywhere there is a wi-fi connection or a cell phone signal.

Your child can read at the park, in the doctor’s office, in the back of the car during a long trip or even on the beach. No matter where you go, your child can have help while they read. Readability’s tutor goes everywhere, too!

Ready to try Readability? Sign up for your free trial today!

Tips To Help First Grader Read Independently

September 28, 2020

By first grade, your child is already learning so much and reading so much! Their reading skills are improving and advancing day after day.

In order to maintain their reading skills and for them to continue improving, it is important to find effective ways to help your first grader read independently and actually enjoy reading on their own.

In first grade, your child is likely not ready to tackle chapter books just yet, but they are definitely able to read picture books on their own.

By the end of the school year, they would have over a hundred sight words they can identify. They should also be able to read simple sentences on their own as well as have improved their phonemic awareness.

How can I help my first grader read independently?

Helping your child to improve these reading skills can help ensure they are reading at an appropriate level and also helps them to learn to read independently.

Here are some ways to help your first grader learn to read independently;

Read as a family – Reading as a family can help you bond with your child, but it also helps them learn to read on their own.

Parents often read books to their children before bedtime. However, having your child read to you can actually help improve their reading skills even more. You can also take turns reading pages or sentences throughout the story.

Use reading apps – Reading apps are a great tool to use to help improve your child’s reading skills.

There are tons of reading apps on the market so finding the right one that fits your child’s needs can be tricky.

We recommend having an app that helps with reading as a whole such as Readability and also another more specific app such as one that helps improve learning sight words.

Readability is a great overall app to have because it essentially is a private reading tutor for your child that they can access anywhere and at any time. The app provides tons of original stories and its library is constantly being updated, so your child will never run out of reading materials.

Re-read books – Encourage your child to read books several times because this can help them to improve their vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.

Each time they read the same story they become more and more familiar with it and likely will be able to understand it better.

Make a comic – Getting creative and actually playing around with a story can help your child improve their reading comprehension and help them understand stories on their own.

Creating a comic about the story they read can help them to understand the story better and also learn the structures of a story. Some kids also are visual learners and can understand stories better if they create a visual of it.

Find books that interest them – A big part of getting your child to read independently and to actually enjoy reading is to give them reading materials they are actually interested in.

Young children have all kinds of interests and getting them a book about those interests can help them learn more and practice important reading skills.

At your next trip to the store, you should have your child pick books themselves so that they are more motivated to read them.

Practice Sight Words – Sight words are the building blocks for new readers.

Increasing your child’s sight word vocabulary can help them be able to recognize words quickly and easily. By the end of first grade, your child should be able to recognize about 150 sight words.

Sight words are words that are often commonly used but also do not follow the usual spelling conventions or phonemic rules. Because these words might not follow the same pattern as other words, they must be memorized.

Be patient– Reading can be a difficult process for new readers.

First graders also are learning much more advanced reading skills and are beginning to read longer sentences and books.

If it takes your child time to read, give them that time. The most important thing is that they learn to enjoy reading because when they enjoy it they will want to read more and more.

Reading is an essential skill your child needs to learn. Getting them to read independently and actually enjoy reading can be difficult.

But with lots of practice and using tools such as Readability, your child will be able to read all on their own and have fun reading in no time.

If your child is able to read independently, they are able to understand a story better and also are able to learn new vocabulary words on their own.

How to Help Your 3rd Grader With Reading Comprehension

September 25, 2020

Reading is taught throughout elementary school. In the early years, the curriculum is focused on decoding, which is understanding the sounds that letters make and knowing how to blend them all together to create words.

But reading curriculum begins to shift away from decoding and toward reading comprehension in 3rd grade. Many children—even those who are advanced readers—struggle to develop reading comprehension skills. So even if your child was a strong reader early on, they may hit a bump in the road during 3rd grade.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways for parents to help their children overcome this obstacle. Here’s how to help your 3rd grader with reading comprehension:

Find Interesting Books

Some children struggle with reading comprehension simply because they aren’t interested in the books they are reading. To address this problem, let your child choose their own books or take the time to find books on topics that interest them.

Your child will be more excited to read if they find a book interesting. Since practice makes perfect, keeping your child motivated to read on a regular basis is an important part of improving their reading comprehension skills.

Provide Background Information

Before your child begins reading, provide them with background information on topics related to the book.

For example, say your child is reading a historical fiction story set during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. It may be hard for your child to understand the events in the story without knowing more about the movement.

To improve their comprehension, provide an overview of the Civil Rights Movement before they begin reading. Then, they can keep this information in mind when reading, which will help them better understand the events that take place in the story.

Read and Discuss Together

If your child is struggling with reading comprehension, make an effort to read with them on a regular basis. You can each read the same story independently or take turns reading aloud to each other. Regardless of which method you choose, be sure to stop after each passage or chapter to discuss the text.

Help your child improve their comprehension by asking questions such as:

Why do you think this character acted this way?
What do you think will happen next?
What led to this event?

Discussing the answers to questions like these can help your child gain a deeper understanding of the text.

Create Storyboards

Many 3rd graders are more interested in drawing in painting than they are in working on their reading skills. But it is possible to combine these activities in a way that helps your child improve their reading comprehension skills.

Let your child flex their creative muscle by creating storyboards that illustrate the events taking place in a story. In other words, ask them to draw detailed scenes of what they are reading. This exercise will help your child learn how to visualize information they read, which is an effective way to improve reading comprehension.

Putting the storyboards in chronological order will also help your child understand the way that stories are structured with a beginning, middle, and end.

Build Vocabulary

It’s impossible for your child to understand a story if it’s filled with words they don’t know, which is why building their vocabulary is such a crucial part of improving their reading comprehension.

Introduce your child to new words that they might encounter in the story before they begin reading. For example, if your child is about to read a story where a concert takes place, they may need to learn words such as “microphone” and “audience.” If they can’t read these words, they may not understand the text.

You should also encourage your child to write down new words they come across. Look the words up together so your child can learn what they mean. Then, ask your child to use each new word in a sentence. Doing this will ensure that your child commits the word to memory and understands the meaning of it.

Over time, this exercise will rapidly expand their vocabulary and improve their reading comprehension skills.

Download the Readability App

Let your 3rd grader work on their reading comprehension skills anytime, anywhere with the Readability app. Designed for children at reading levels K-5, the Readability app is the key to unlocking your 3rd grader’s true potential.

Readability’s Interactive Voice-based Questions & Answers (IVQA) feature will ask your child questions about the text and listen to their answers. This innovative feature keeps kids engaged while also helping them improve their critical thinking and reading comprehension skills.

You can even track your child’s progress on the parent dashboard so you can see how much their reading comprehension skills have improved by using the app. Download the app on your smartphone or tablet to start your free 7-day trial today.

How to Improve Kids Reading Ability When They are Disinterested and Disengaged

September 24, 2020

Some children avoid reading because of reading struggles, but others may not like to read. This could be related to feeling that reading is just another homework assignment given to them by teachers. Or maybe they just haven’t found a book genre that speaks to them. If a child doesn’t read consistently, they may fall behind in proficiency because they simply aren’t reading enough.

Here’s how to improve kids’ reading ability (and their motivation!) if they are disinterested in books and disengaged while reading.

Let Them Choose Their Books

Teachers in higher grade levels may assign books that the entire class must read. In this case, a child will not have a choice regarding what is read at school. However, reading time at home is a different story…literally!

Parents should let children explore topics that interest them. Let kids pick out their own books. While libraries may be closed during the pandemic, many will let members request books for pick-up. Or parents can download books for use on e-reader platforms.

How can parents figure out what books a child likes? Brainstorm with them! Grab a piece of paper and set a stopwatch for two minutes. During that time, encourage kids to list all the subjects, places, people and ideas that interest them. After the two minutes, review the list together. Then look for books on their level that fall in these interest areas.

Create a Rewards System

Kids may need a little motivation to read, and a rewards system can help. Create a reading program at home that includes both reading goals and reading rewards. Get creative and crafty; design a reading chart that allows kids to place stickers or stamps every time they hit a reading goal. These goals can be set in reading minutes, number of pages read or the number of books read each month.

Don’t make goals too easy or too hard. Create rewards that are simple and fun—they don’t have to be expensive! Rewards can include extra time for online play, a later weekend bedtime, additional privileges or even small tokens like pencils and erasers. Create a goal and rewards system that works for your child.

Read the Book and Watch the Movie as a Family

If a child is reading a book that has been adapted to the big screen, host a family book-movie night! Here’s the catch, though. The entire family needs to read the book together. Depending on the ages of family members this may mean that everyone reads independently, or parents can read to younger children.

Ask questions about the book after every chapter; talk about the events and characters. Then host a movie night and watch the adaptation. You may even consider munching on story-themed snacks.

Make Sure Kids Read On Their Level

Reading frustration can stem from kids trying to read a book that’s too hard. Maybe they want to read the same book as their friend—who might be on a higher reading level. Encourage children to always read on their own level, and at their own speed.

Reading isn’t a race, and books should be chosen to fit the abilities of the reader. If a child doesn’t read on their level, they may miss parts of the plot and simply disengage. The more kids read, the better readers they can become…and that means choosing harder books when they are ready! Understood provides guidance on how to find appropriate books on your child’s level.

Turn off the Stopwatch

Yes, your child’s teacher may have instructed 20 minutes of reading a night. Setting the clock, though, may cause kids to see reading as an activity that has to be finished just to run out the clock. A timer also may encourage kids to give up the book when they are engrossed in the plot. If a child reads for an hour on both Saturday and Sunday, they’ve still clocked more minutes than their peers who read for 20 minutes during the week. Kids should read regularly, and they should set weekly reading goals that meet classroom expectations. Forget about the traditional reading log!

Ask for Help

While goals, rewards, interesting books and some creativity may inspire kids to read more, they still may struggle with comprehension or fluency. If a child is struggling, reach out to the teacher and ask for help or guidance.

Your child’s teacher may be able to give advice on how to best help them at home, or the teacher may initiate further reading evaluations. Parents should trust their gut instinct; they know their child best. Sometimes a teacher can provide reassurance that everything is ok, but they also can be the best resource if more help is needed.

Use a Reading App at Home

As many parents are at home with children supervising virtual learning, they may utilize reading apps or reading programs online to help children with reading fundamentals. There are many programs available that are designed to make children better readers or to help struggling readers; investigate the options and utilize trial periods to better understand the program’s features and capabilities.

Readability offers lessons that can help children who struggle with fluency and comprehension. A built-in AI tutor provides assistance if a child has difficulty with pronunciation or if they stumble during lessons. The tutor also asks comprehension questions after each story to gauge understanding. Parents can sign up for a free-seven day trial period to better understand if Readability is a fit for their child; the trial provides access to all features.

Ready to try Readability? Begin a free trial today!

Raising A Reader: Toddler Reading Programs That Work

September 23, 2020

Learning to read does not just start when your child enters school. Babies and young children are constantly learning skills that will help them master literacy. Children between the ages of 2-5 years old are at a critical age where their language skills are quickly evolving, and they are constantly absorbing information.

Parents often think that the actual act of reading only begins when their child begins reading actual books. However, the reading process starts long before that.

Learning to read actually begins once your child starts becoming aware of language and phonemic awareness. This starts as early as the womb, when parents talk to read their soon-to-be baby.

The key to raising a reader is giving them opportunities to learn different reading skills early on. Toddler reading programs can help young children acquire the foundation to become a successful reader in the future.

Getting your toddler to use a reading program can be a helpful way to make sure their language skills in general, not even just reading skills, are on track.

Here are some of our favorite toddler reading programs that truly work wonders:

Readability – Readability is a great app for school age children to practice and enhance their reading skills, but it can also work great for very young children as well.

The app has a massive collection of original content that is constantly being updated, so your child will never run out of stories to read.

This reading app is especially great for toddlers because it has the ability to read the stories to your child so that they have a model for reading whenever they want.

The app also provides an interactive reading experience with colorful and engaging illustrations that your toddler will love.

ABCMouse Early Learning Academy – ABCMouse has fast become a go-to for preschool and kindergarten teachers to help facilitate learning in the classroom with tablets.

It is a great reading program to use at home as well because it “grows” with your child.

The program has different levels and can help your child build their skills no matter what grade they are. They start off with learning phonemic awareness and the alphabet. As your child grows older they can access more advanced levels.

FirstWords: Animals – This fun and interactive game is meant to help your child learn to recognize letters and enhance their phonemic awareness.

Your child has to match the letter tiles to spell out the names of animals. If they get the spelling right, the illustration makes the sound of the animal.

This app also helps enhance your child’s fine motor skills when they are matching the tiles.

Interactive Alphabet – Learning the alphabet is often the beginning steps of teaching your child to read.

This highly interactive app makes learning the alphabet fun and engaging. The app provides various activities for your child to stimulate their learning in different ways.

Your child can hear songs and singalong to learn the alphabet. They also get a little bit of writing practice by tracing letters and you can even customize it to upload your own photos and images.

Homer – This award winning app takes the approach of content-learning to help your young children learn to read.

You can choose from topics that your child is interested in such as their favorite TV show or activity. There are thousands of lessons on phonics, sight words, and other reading skills.

This is another app that your child can use as they grow up. The app provides specific lessons for specific age groups.

Reading Raven – This interactive reading program helps your toddler build their reading skills by focusing on their phonemic awareness.

This phonics-based program uses fun games to help your child become familiar with the sounds of the letters and also helps them to learn to spell words.

There are also lessons to help build their sight words familiarity, which is often the first step to vocabulary building for young children.

Exposing your children to reading skills early on can help ensure that they are successful with learning to read when they are in school. In fact, children who are exposed to reading and reading is set as a priority in their households usually end up doing better when they are learning to read.

Learning the alphabet, sight words, and building phonemic awareness are the building blocks to successful reading in the future. When they learn these skills early, they are able to actually enjoy the act of reading quicker and end up becoming enthusiastic readers.

Using effective reading programs like Readability can help get your child ahead in the reading game and can also enhance other skills such as writing. These research-based toddler reading programs are effective ways to help your child build the necessary reading skills even before they enter 1st grade.