Reading Assistant
Intensive Reading Practise for English Language Learners
Reading Assistant enables English Language Learners to practice reading by using speech recognition technology which acts as a patient, non-judgmental listener who:
- "Listens" to a student read aloud
- Monitors for signs of difficulty and intervening with assistance when the student is challenged
Schools teaching English as a Second Language can use Reading Assistant to ensure all students get more regular oral reading practice and receive immediate, individual feedback.
Reading Assistant Develops Vocabulary by providing:
- Audible syllabification
- Dictionary definition
- Contextual sentence
- Picture representation in most instances
Reading Assistant Builds Fluency
Students Improve Fluency – their ability to read with sufficient ease and accuracy to focus their attention on the meaning of the text - through:
- Oral reading practice
- Supportive intervention
- Repeated reading
- Review words
- Feedback on fluency (words correct per minute)
Reading Assistant Fosters Comprehension by:
Question Answering
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Primary level students are presented comprehension questions at the end of each passage. Students can not take the quiz unless they have read the entire selection.
Comprehension Monitoring
- For more advanced readers, embedded comprehension questions ensure attention to meaning and comprehension
- Students quickly learn to focus attention on meaning so they can answer the questions without need for time-consuming reviews of the text they have just read.
- They learn it is far more efficient to think while they read than to read quickly, but without thought.
