The Use of Electronics in Helping Children Learn to Read

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The Use of Electronics in Helping Children Learn
to Read

• By Lauryn Goughnour
• Mary Gray
• Courtney Weisman

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• Literacy rates among adults are dropping
• One in twenty adults in the U.S. are not
  literate in English
• Over 11 million people in this country are
  lacking basic reading skills needed for everyday
  tasks

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• Computer-aided instructional programs in reading
  have been found to be increasingly successful in
  education
• Recent studies have shown they are actually quite
  successful when used to supplement regular
  classroom instruction

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• One recent study printed in the Journal of
  Research in Reading found that first graders who
  participated in the computer programs made
  significant reading gains through the school
  year, and read better than those who did not use
  the computer programs

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AutoSkill Reading Program

• Has been proven to be successful and effective
• This software is designed to supplement the
  teachers curriculum and allows students to work
  independently
• The program determines what reading skill level
  the student will start at, and the teacher sets a
  goal for the student to reach
• The computer tracks the students progress by
  monitoring the time it takes to complete each
  task and the accuracy
• Once the student reaches their goal, they move on
  to the next skill level

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AutoSkill Continued

• AutoSkill International Inc., students achieve
  an average gain of 2.5 grade levels in reading
  skills after 25 hours of time
• This program can be purchased at www.autoskill.com

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Starfall Reading Program

• While there are many computer games and programs
  that can be purchased to help children learn to
  read, a skill as important as reading should not
  have to be compromised by putting a monetary
  value on it.
• There are many different options on the website
  which are free.
• The first option is an introduction to the letter
  sounds, and the next three options go in order of
  progression
• Early beginner reader, intermediate beginner
  reader, and beginning reader to advanced reader

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Starfall is effective

• Starfall incorporates entertaining activities,
  such as games, characters, and a story line to go
  along with it
• Children can navigate the website and have
  complete control over their reading progress
• Can be found at www.starfall.com

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Headsprout

• Headsprout's programs consist of interactive
  online lessons, printed stories and automated
  progress reports
• It covers the five critical components of early
  reading - phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,
  vocabulary, and comprehension
• This program will adjust to the childs
  individuals needs
• there is a progression map so it will encourage
  the child to advance further into the program

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Headsprout continued

• There is a fee for this program of 99.00
• However, there is a free three lesson trial at
  www.headsprout.com. If you feel that your child
  is not making any progress then there is a money
  back guaranteed
• Two different programs you can purchase
  headsprout reading basics Headsprout Reading
  Independence

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What makes computer games effective?

• In the journal article The use of Computer games
  as an educational tool identification of
  appropriate game types and game elements,
  students rated game elements such as logic,
  memory, visualization and problem solving as the
  most important game elements. Such elements are
  integral to adventure games and are also required
  during the learning process.
• These aspects are included in most educational
  computer games.

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Why are kids motivated to use them?

• It is important for a child to be interactive
  when they are learning how to read so they will
  not get bored or distracted
• In the article What video games can teach
  educators about improving our schools, Nolan
  Bushnell, a concerned parent states, the digital
  life in which kids live today is turned off at
  school. That leaves them with boredom and
  frustration. A man in front of a blackboard with
  a piece of chalk is just very boring.

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In Conclusion

• Video games are not the enemy, but the best
  opportunity we have to engage our kids in real
  learning (Prensky, 2003).