“It was amazing how words that I used to look at before were so hard to spell. Once I learned how to decode and break them down, they were so easy. It just opens new doors, areas where I struggled with things that I couldn’t understand—why words sound the way they sound—it just helps a lot...it’s a good program.”
View a special video highlighting how the Job Corps office in Clearfield, Utah, has implemented Reading Horizons, and how they have seen it change hundreds of lives.
"The Reading Horizons program has the patience and persistence that would wear out a small army of teachers."
"I'm confident as a teaching professional that I can say to a student, that if you hang in there and make it through this program, I guarentee it will change your reading skills forever..."
"We've been impressed by the genious and simplicity of the program's ability to deliver precise phonics instruction in a systematic way."
- Michael Feeney
Clearfield, UT – January 23, 2009 – In July 2007, the staff at the Clearfield Job Corps decided to give Reading Horizons a try. Now, 18 months later, the literacy-building program is helping to make a big difference in the lives of the students at the center.
"Reading Horizons (has made a) positive impact ... on my personal development and the professionalism in our entire reading program," says Michael Feeney, who teaches at the center and has witnessed many success stories first hand. "(It) has helped re-energize our entire area, because it has given us a vital tool to help students we didn't have the time or resources to help before. Reading Horizons can also supply the long hours of personal tutoring that many of our students need to become grounded in the basics..."
For more information: http://clearfield.jobcorps.gov
The following table represents a compilation of the pre and post TABE scores of some of the students at the Hubert H. Humphrey Job Corps who have completed the Discover Intensive Phonics class. The first set of scores represent students who participated in the "teacher instructed" phonics class in conjunction with the standard Job Corps reading program. The second set of scores represent the students who had access to the computer assisted phonics program as well as the "teacher instructed" program and the Job Corps reading program.
Scores are based on the Reading Comprehension portion of the TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education). As much as possible, scores reflect reading level at time of entry and after completing the Discover Intensive Phonics class.
"Humphrey has been very satisfied with the results of the Intensive Phonics program. We find that the lack of pictures and emphasis on language/word structure is a selling point to our students..."
"The availability of the software program is an augment to the teacher directed program The computer assisted program provides the students with extra practice as well as allowing students who may have missed class/es an opportunity to catch up. We also use it for students who may not need the intense focus of the teacher directed program, but can use the phonics help, eg., good readers/poor spellers. These students use the program independently."
- Karen B. Lehman, Education Manager, Hubert H. Humphrey Job Corps Center
Note: The Reading Horizons Computer Courseware was listed on the Job Corps Recommended List July 2000.
Read more about the correlation between Job Corps guidelines and the Reading Horizons program.