For 26 years Reading Horizons has helped struggling readers of every age and every background. Now with the release of the NEW Reading Horizons v5 software, this program has the strength to help even more students learn to read! This post is a continuation of a 5 day post series focusing on 5 different features of the new Reading Horizons v5 software.

Day 1: Lessons
Day 2: Library
Day 3: Pronunciation Proficiency Tool
Day 4: Vocabulary Tool
Day 5: Administration System

Reading Horizons v5 software is effective for English Language Learners (ELL) because of the program design as well as the new Pronunciation Proficiency Tool. As previously discussed, Reading Horizons v5 software is effective in teaching the fundamentals of reading. The same fundamentals ELL students need to learn to be able to effectively learn to read.

Lesson and Passage Narrations

ELL students often need additional support when learning to read English because it is not their native language. To support these students Reading Horizons v5 provides narrations and texts of the Lesson Summaries in the student’s native language. These narrations help ELL students ensure they understand the key concepts taught in each lesson.

The following languages are currently available:

•    Mandarin Chinese
•    Japanese
•    Spanish
•    Haitian-Creole

This screen shot uses a Language translation (green area) to describe the material in the lesson

Also, the new v5 software provides English narrations of each reading passage in the Library portion of the software. This feature helps ELL students improve pronunciation and grasp the English language by hearing the narrator’s voice intonation and word stress throughout the passage.

PRONUNCIATION PROFICIENCY TOOL

To help ELL students adjust to the English language and improve their pronunciation, Reading Horizons has created the Pronunciation Proficiency Tool. This tool is an improvement from the ESL Say tool found in prior versions of the software.

Pronunciation Video Footage

The Pronunciation Proficiency Tool presents video footage of a mouth pronouncing each sound in the English language. These video clips provide ELL students with a visual to mimic when trying to grasp proper pronunciation. 

Tongue Animations

The Pronunciation Proficiency Tool also includes animated tongue placements. These animations show ELL students the movements their tongue should make in order to create the sounds of the English language.  

This is the visual which presents the tongue animations of the Pronunciation Proficiency Tool

Letter Formation Animations

To help students see how letters should be formed, the Pronunciation Proficiency Tool provides animated letter formations. 

Record and Compare Capabilities

As illustrated, the Pronunciation Proficiency Tool presents many features which help students see proper pronunciations, but the tool also allows ELL students to hear proper pronunciation.  The tool allows students to record their own pronunciation and compare it to a narrator’s pronunciation. This helps a student know if their pronunciation is accurate or if they still need improvement. This feature requires that students are equipped with a microphone. 

Video

This is video of Reading Horizons ESL Director, Heidi Hyte, and her thoughts on how Reading Horizons v5 can assist ELL students:

Question

Answer the following question in the comment section of this blog:

In the video clip Heidi Hyte discussed the Pronunciation Proficiency Tool and the benefits of the program design in assisting ELL students. From reading this post, which feature do you think will be most beneficial for ELL students?

Be sure to visit the blog again tomorrow to learn more about the Vocabulary section of Reading Horizons v5 software and to see a video clip from Reading Horizons Reading Specialist, Shantell Berrett.

Three years of long hours, new ideas, and improvements is finally paying off: Reading Horizons finally gets to celebrate the release of the NEW Reading Horizons v5 software! This post is a continuation of a 5 day post series focusing on 5 different features of Reading Horizons v5 software.

Day 1: Lessons
Day 2: Library Component
Day 3: Pronunciation Proficiency Tool
Day 4: Vocabulary Tool
Day 5: Administration System

The Library component of Reading Horizons v5 software is the NEWEST aspect of the program.  This new feature was added as an effort to help students transfer Reading Horizons emphasis on decoding skills into comprehension and fluency in everyday reading situations. Without a doubt the Library component will help students in their quest to learn to read!

Reading Horizons v5 Software Library Lesson Manager

Presents Extensive Range of Topics

The new Library component of Reading Horizons v5 accomplishes its task of transferring reading strategies into everyday reading situations through over 225 reading passages in 15 different genres.

Here is a list of the genres and a corresponding passage:

•    Animals- Piranhas
•    Culture- "American Idol"
•    Earth Sciences- Tornadoes
•    Fact or Fiction?- Vampires
•    Famous Firsts- Dolly, the Cloned Sheep
•    Famous People- Elvis Presley
•    Famous Places- Mount Rushmore
•    Health- Stress
•    Nature’s Mysteries- Hiccups
•    Overcoming Obstacles- Leonardo da Vinci
•    Space- Rockets
•    Sports- The Olympic Games
•    Sports Heroes- Lance Armstrong
•    Technology- Laser Eye Surgery
•    World Leaders- Mohandas Gandhi

When creating the passages, the Curriculum department kept each individual student in mind. Students are not required to read every passage, they are instructed to select passages which are the most interesting to them. By allowing students to select passages which appeal to them they have more motivation to sincerely try to read a passage. 

Provides Reading Practice

Aside from providing motivation for students to make a real effort in reading, the Library also provides practice. Practice is necessary for anyone trying to change their habits and learn a new skill. The more time an individual invests into using a particular skill the more natural and second nature that skill becomes. The Library component of Reading Horizons v5 will make reading a more natural process for students. 

One of Reading Horizons v5 Library Passages

Ensures Progress

To ensure students are truly gaining effective reading comprehension and fluency skills, each passage is timed and followed with a series of reading comprehension questions. In order for students to pass off a reading passage they must answer the questions with the percentage set by the administrator.  

To view selected reading passages with corresponding comprehension questions, visit: http://www.readinghorizons.com/solutions/materials/samples/reading-library-samples.aspx

Testimonial

One of Reading Horizons customers, Mike Feeney, the Clearfield Job Corp Coordinator, reviewed the new Library component and expressed: “The Library you've added is fantastic. This is just the component we have needed to bridge the gap [for struggling readers].”

Video

Here is a video clip of Reading Horizons Reading Specialist, Shantell Berrett, discussing the benefit of adding the new Library component to Reading Horizons v5:

Question

Answer the following question in the comment section of this blog:

In the video clip Shantell Berrett discussed the benefit she sees in adding the new Library component to Reading Horizons v5.  From reading this post, what are your thoughts about this new feature?

Be sure to visit the blog again tomorrow to learn more about the English Language Learners (ELL) components of Reading Horizons v5 and the new Pronunciation Proficiency Tool.

For 26 years Reading Horizons has helped struggling readers of every age and every background.  Now with the release of the NEW Reading Horizons v5 software, this program has the strength to help even more students learn to read! Each day this week I will post content, video, and screen shots highlighting one of the features of the NEW Reading Horizons v5 computer software.

Day 1: Lessons
Day 2: Library
Day 3: Pronunciation Proficiency Tool
Day 4: Vocabulary Tool
Day 5: Administration System

Effective Strategies

The new Reading Horizons v5 software uses 68 lessons to teach students ages 10 to adult, the basics of reading. The lessons are designed to teach students the skills they need to build a solid reading foundation which will support successful reading in the future. Some examples of these lessons include:

•    Lesson 17: Special Vowel Combinations
•    Lesson 38: Many Jobs of Y
•    Lesson 54: Digraph Words with Plural Endings

One of Reading Horizons v5 Lessons in Progress

The lessons in Reading Horizons v5 software use a marking system which is unique to Reading Horizons products.  This marking system teaches students the skills they need to sound out (phonetic skills) and break down (decoding skills) the words in the English language.  Here are examples of some words which have been marked with this system:

5 Phonetic Skills

2 Decoding Skills

Student-Centered

In order to increase the effectiveness of the lesson material, Reading Horizons v5 takes a more student-centered approach than previous versions. Because many students learn at a different pace, administrators can now choose between three different student placement options: emerging, basic, and accelerated. These placement options will help teachers and administrators cater the lesson material to each individual, enhancing the success of each student.

Lesson Manager for Reading Horizons v5

Reading Horizons v5 responds to student needs by allowing students to personally adjust the following settings:

• Narrator- Male or Female voice
• Volume control
• Background color*

*Students who struggle with reading can benefit from changing the appearance of the screen, especially those with Visual Processing Disorders.

The new v5 software also caters to student needs by administering 6 chapter tests which evaluate each student’s strengths and weaknesses.  Based on student performance on chapter tests, the software adjusts the lesson tracks to provide additional help when needed or less material when a student reveals he or she firmly grasps a concept. 

By taking a more student-centered approach, Reading Horizons v5 lessons will positively improve the attitudes of students. Students will feel productive because they are not forced to spend time where they clearly do not need additional help. Because the program has become more flexible it can better respond to individual needs and help them feel successful and empowered.

Video

This video highlights Reading Horizons President, Tyson Smith, thoughts on the new v5 computer software lessons:

Question

Answer the following question in the comment section of this blog:

In the video clip Tyson Smith discussed the features of the v5 lessons which he is the most excited about.  From reading this post, which feature are you the most excited about, interested or intrigued by?

Be sure to visit the blog again tomorrow to learn more about the feature new to Reading Horizons v5: the Reading Library.

Today, in celebration of St Patrick’s Day, Psychology Today posted the following three articles about luck:

Tempt Luck Your Way

Down on Luck

Harder, Better, Faster, Luckier

This post will examine how the information from these three articles can improve your “luck” in teaching reading or in learning to read:

Tempt Luck Your Way

The article Tempt Luck Your Way examines the personality characteristics of “lucky” people.  This article complied research from Richard Wiseman who coined the following characteristics as “lucky”: 

• Observant
• Open
• Friendly
• Optimistic

Observant people notice what is going on around them and thus take more away from every situation.  In order to be “lucky” in teaching reading or learning to read one must pay attention to what is being done and how the goal is being accomplished.  One must observe the current teaching strategies and re-evaluate progress.  No one will ever obtain “luck” (or success) in teaching or learning if they are not honest and observant about what is or isn’t working.
 
By being aware and honest about the learning environment one may also find “luck” in teaching or learning by being open-minded.  If upon one’s observations it is discovered that the current situation is not producing results one must be open to change current methods or strategies in order to change one’s “luck.”  When it comes to reading instruction Reading Horizons program could help many teachers and students obtain “luck” in reading progress.
 
“Lucky” people are also usually friendly people.  They engage in more conversations with a wider range of people.  This habit invites more opportunities or “luck” into the lives of friendly individuals.  With reading instruction being friendly can increase one’s “luck” by allowing the sharing of ideas from other teachers or students who have found success in reading.  Being friendly increases the amount of information and input one receives in relation to goals or struggles. 

Lastly, “lucky” people tend to be optimistic.  Optimism increases self-confidence in one’s abilities and thus improves performance (refer to Harder, Better, Faster, Luckier).  Optimism also helps turn bad situations into positive situations.  Improving one’s teaching or learning abilities will improve reading success.  Also optimism can encourage the effort of students or peers to keep trying when a task (such as learning to read) seems daunting.

Down on Luck

The article Down on Luck explains how luck is the factor that creates the majority of relationships in our lives.  In order to relate to a person we must first meet them.  The article describes that proximity is the biggest predictor that a friendship will be created.  It is difficult to build a relationship with someone you never see or that is never around.  Thus teachers and students should realize that it is “luck” that brings them together to help each other and they should try to maximize on their luck to find success in teaching and learning.   

Harder, Better, Faster, Luckier

The article Harder Better Faster Luckier discussed research on lucky charms and their impact on performance.  The researcher, Lysann Damish, conducted four experiments which compared task performance of a control group versus a group completing the task with a lucky charm or with the moderator using phrases which suggested luck.  In every experiment the “lucky” group performed notably better on the task.  The reason for higher task performance of course wasn’t “luck” but was a higher sense of self-confidence.  They had the participants rate their level of confidence and anxiety on each task, and anxiety was not found to have a significant effect on performance (both groups reported equivalent levels of anxiety) but the “lucky” group rated themselves as having higher levels of confidence.  Thus building your self-confidence will increase your “luck” in task performance when teaching students to read or as a student learning to read. 

Share your thoughts on luck or tips you have found to be "lucky" in teaching or learning to read. 

To find more "luck" in teaching reading visit: www.ReadingHorizons.com

To find more "luck" in learning to read visit: www.ReadingHorizonsAtHome.com

The English language is not the most straight forward language. There are multiple sounds for each letter, there are rules that apply... sometimes, there are words from other languages, etc... 

Because of the intricacies of the English language, research by George Georgiou of the University of Alberta, has found that it is extra important for children to be read aloud to.

Georgiou discovered three important benefits of reading aloud to children:

1. Reading to a child is a positive activity which helps strengthen the bond between a parent and a child.
2. Reading to a child teaches a child that the parent values reading and creates positive reinforcement for the child to enjoy and engage in reading.
3. Reading to a child increases a child’s understanding of the rules and sounds in the English language.

The rest of this post will focus on the third benefit: reading to a child increases a child’s understanding of the rules and sounds in the English language. This concept is called orthography, the study of the letters and spelling in a language. English is a difficult language to learn because it does not have consistent rules of orthography. The rules of the English language allow letters to have multiple sounds, unlike some of the other languages. For example, Greek and Finnish only have one sound for each letter and are thus much easier to learn. The importance of reading aloud to children learning the English language is a result of this concept. Reading to children helps them learn the various sounds and language rules of the English language.

Georgiou makes the following points about reading aloud to children:

"We have found that in English, you need a rich home literacy environment. It's absolutely necessary."

"In English, having someone read to you frequently as a child- explaining what the meaning of words are and playing around with the letters- makes a big difference as to whether you will become a good reader."

For students that lack phonemic awareness and word decoding skills because of a lack of early childhood reading experiences or because of learning disabilities, researchers have found that explicit and systematic phonics-based reading instruction can help them make large strides in their reading abilities. Also, you can include read aloud sessions during classtime to get students extra exposure to the sounds and rules of the English language.