Article Summary #5

Overview
In "Assistive Technologies for Reading," Ted S. Hasselbring and Margaret E. Bausch describe several reading programs that provide support and interventions for struggling language learners. Assistive technology provides ways for students with disabilities to function at or near grade level. The authors concede that technology isn't a magic bullet and the main focus should be on providing quality instruction. But technology coupled with good instruction will produce dynamic results.

Reference Points
1. Reading support programs like Read & Write Gold allow students to hear text read aloud in varying gender, speed and pitch.
2. The word prediction feature of Read & Write Gold provides the student several word choice options based on context and the first few letters typed, making composition much quicker.
3. Students are more likely to listen to the text being reread by the program than by the teacher.
4. Reading intervention programs like Read, Write & Type, Read Naturally and READ 180 have led to gains in reading fluency and comprehension.
5. READ 180 is designed for older students, those in grades 4-12; it allows them to watch a short video on the background of the text they are about to read.

Reflection
Getting students to read at grade level is major issue in schools. The district I teach in has spent much time and money on programs and experts. Reading First targets K-2 and is not an assistive technology program. According to the experts hired, younger students do better with more face-to-face contact. We play lots of phonics and phonemic awareness games with them. However, READ 180 sounds like it would be an ideal program for the older students. It seems as though there are too many computer programs targeting younger students when really they just need more one-on-one time. I would like to see the results of a human doing the same thing a computer is doing in these programs.