Page 36 - iRead EL in Research Paper

RECOMMENDATION
To help young readers establish linkages among words, sounds, images, and meanings, employ technology that integrates and promotes multisensory connections among language’s written, aural, and oral forms. Include gami cation techniques that engage children in the task of learning to read.
iRead’s Approach
iRead takes maximum advantage of technology’s capabilities to develop foundational sound-to-text and text-to-sound associations with automaticity—providing visual support to draw students’ attention to key aspects of the learning focus (e.g., presenting a moving line under a word to show that
blending is occurring) and encouraging students to
respond interactively.
iRead also incorporates images to ensure that students acquire the meaning of word parts and words they encounter. Thus, iRead ’s lessons and exercises embody the multimedia principle, drawing on sounds, images, and text to promote reading with understanding.
For example, in Feed the Beastie (Word Building),
to build phonemic awareness through phoneme
addition, subtraction, and manipulation; and to build segmentation skills through encoding, students move
the letters to build words; and they manipulate words
by changing letters to transform one word into another. Students receive immediate corrective (visual and
auditory) feedback, speci c to their errors. The meaning
of words is reinforced through images and context sentences throughout the activity.
Word Building
In addition to these multimedia interactive activities, iRead o ers 51 controlled-vocabulary eBooks—an approximately even mix of ction and non ction texts—that follow research-based guidelines to ensure that all interactions support and extend learning, rather than distract from it. Each eBook features word pronunciation and de nitional support, both of which are under the control of the student.
“Power words” are featured throughout the eBook collection, including the high-utility academic vocabulary. De nitions, also available in Spanish, are accessible at the click of a mouse. After each eBook reading, engaging activities help students re ect on reading and reinforce their new vocabulary skills and comprehension.
At the partial alphabetic and alphabetic stages, students listen to an eBook read aloud, with the option to vary the speed of the reading. On the second reading, students can choose to read the book aloud themselves or have it read to them. They can also record themselves reading the book out loud for later assessment by the teacher via a provided rubric.
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