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Apps to Improve Reading Skills. (Part 1)

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Apps to Improve Reading Skills. (Part 1)

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1. Headsprout: Uses video lessons for step-by-step learning, covering phonemic awareness to advanced reading comprehension.

2. Starfall: Utilizes play-based interactive games and animated songs to make learning fun while aligning with Common Core standards.

3. Libby: A user-friendly app by OverDrive, allowing users to borrow and read books on the go.

4. SwapTales: Leon!: A unique app where children solve puzzles by swapping around the story's words, leading to different endings.

5. Tales2go: Offers over 10,000 audiobooks, promoting vocabulary growth and story interest.

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Headsprout is the smartest kids' reading program on the market today.
The program uses effective, interactive online episodes to teach K-5 students the reading fundamentals and comprehension skills they need to become successful readers. Learn More

Makes learning to read fun

Adapts instruction to every learner's needs

Proven to boost test scores and literacy rates

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Headsprout Teaches K-5 Students to be Successful Readers

Online instruction automatically adapts to the specific learning needs of every student

Teaches nonreaders and early readers critical reading fundamentals, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and basic vocabulary

Teaches grade 3-5 readers the four main components of comprehension: finding facts, making inferences, identifying themes, and learning vocabulary in context

Experience Headsprout
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Headsprout's Technology Adapts to Meet the Needs of Every Unique Learner

Multiple levels of error correction embedded within the sequence ensure student mastery before moving on

Embedded progress assessments ensure students understand core reading concepts and provide practice for future high-stakes tests

Automated reports make it easy for teachers and parents to quickly track student progress through the program

Built-in motivational sequences and rewards encourage students and keep them engaged

View Features
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Headsprout is Teacher Tested and Approved

Proven to help boost test scores, improve literacy rates, and enhance overall academic performance

Shown to be an effective reading resource for ELL students and students with special needs

Research and Efficacy

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Headsprout is Part of the Learning A-Z Family of Award-Winning Websites

Since 2002, Learning A-Z has been dedicated to delivering resources that:

Save teachers time, providing all the resources they need accessible online 24/7

Save teachers money, delivering thousands of resources at a fraction of the cost of print and other online provides

Support student achievement, ensuring the right high-quality resources for every preK-6 student

Learn More
Free Samples Free Trial Order Now

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Headsprout is the smartest kids' reading program on the market today. The program uses effective, interactive online episodes to teach K-5 students the reading fundamentals and comprehension skills they need to become successful readers.

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Apps to Improve Reading Skills. (Part 2)

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Apps to Improve Reading Skills. (Part 2)

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1. Spark Reading: Focuses on reading comprehension through fiction and nonfiction books, aiding in test preparation.

2. Epic: A vast collection of over 40,000 books, audiobooks, and videos, offering read-aloud books and progress tracking.

3. Wanderful: Interactive stories for preschoolers, featuring classic titles with engaging animations.

4. Vooks: Allows children to watch animated storybooks, promoting the joy of storytelling with hundreds of titles.

5. FarFaria: Provides access to an interactive map-style dashboard with over 1,000 age-appropriate titles aligned with Common Core standards.

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Peekaboo Studios LLC is an educational app developer based in Central Ohio with a focus on creating apps aligned with Common Core State Standards for PreK-12. When time permits, we like to go back to our roots and make games too!

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3 APPS i USED TO IMPROVE MY ENGLISH! (n.d.). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OKk3rLHiI5k

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4. Engagement: Contextualized materials tend to be more engaging and motivating for learners compared to isolated exercises or drills. Meaningful contexts capture learners' interest and encourage active involvement, leading to more profound learning experiences.

5. Retention: Studies suggest that learning within context enhances the retention of language structures and vocabulary. When learners encounter grammar and vocabulary in meaningful contexts, they are more inclined to recall and apply them accurately in their own communication.

6. Communication Skills: Teaching grammar and vocabulary in context helps learners develop not just linguistic competence but also communicative competence. They acquire the ability to use language appropriately in diverse situations, thereby enhancing proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

7. Cognitive Benefits: Engaging with contextualized materials requires learners to process language at a deeper level, which can improve cognitive skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and pattern recognition.

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Download the Libby App: ebooks & audiobooks FREE from your library. (n.d.). Libby App. https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby

Epic! Creations Inc. (n.d.). Fuel curiosity & reading confidence with Epic. [Video]. Epic - Books for Kids. https://www.getepic.com/

Featured apps — Peekaboo Studios. (n.d.). Peekaboo Studios. https://www.peekaboo.mobi/featured-apps

Gilmore, A. (2007). Authentic materials and authenticity in foreign language learning. Language teaching, 40(2), 97-118. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/language-teaching/article/abs/authentic-materials-and-authenticity-in-foreign-language-learning/1AE0DE71E691F3D738A8FC9825C07607

Headsprout. (n.d.). https://www.headsprout.com/

Intuary, Inc. (n.d.). FaRFaria - Get free children’s books & read stories. https://www.farfaria.com/

Joraboyev, B. B. O. (2021). Using authentic materials on english lessons. Academic research in educational sciences, 2(2), 1018-1025. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/using-authentic-materials-on-english-lessons

Starfall Education: Kids Games, Movies, Books & Music for K-5 and above. (n.d.). https://www.starfall.com/h/

SwapTales: Leon! (n.d.). Witty Wings. https://www.wittywings.fr/en/swap-tales-leon/

Tales2Go - LearningWorks for Kids. (2016, September 4). LearningWorks for Kids. https://learningworksforkids.com/apps/tales2go/

Vooks. (2023, December 21). Vooks - Storybooks brought to life with beautiful animation! Vooks - Storybooks Brought to Life! https://www.vooks.com/

Wanderful_Story_Book_Sampler. (n.d.). https://wanderfulstorybooks.com/wanderful_story_book_sampler

Atlantis Press, Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Sustainable Innovation 2020, Grammar Teaching Materials: What Makes

Them Interesting?, PDF

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Importance of designing or selecting specific materials to teach grammar and vocabulary in context, at the same time

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Importance of designing or selecting specific materials to teach grammar and vocabulary in context, at the same time

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Creating or choosing specific resources for teaching grammar and vocabulary within real-life contexts simultaneously is essential for successful language learning for various reasons:

1. Relevance: Utilizing contextualized materials allows learners to grasp the importance of grammar and vocabulary in practical situations. When presented within meaningful contexts, learners are more likely to comprehend and remember the language structures and words they are taught.

2. Authenticity: Authentic materials mirror genuine language usage, exposing learners to the subtle nuances and complexities of grammar and vocabulary in natural settings. This authenticity aids comprehension and helps learners internalize language rules and usage patterns.

3. Integration: Integrating grammar and vocabulary instruction within contextualized materials demonstrates how language elements collaborate in coherent communication. This approach promotes a comprehensive understanding of language, moving away from isolating grammar and vocabulary.

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Authentic materials provide real-world context for language learning.

They expose learners to natural language use and cultural nuances.

Using authentic materials can enhance motivation and engagement in the classroom.

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Importance of Designing Authentic Materials

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Importance of Designing Authentic Materials

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Designing authentic materials allows for customization to meet specific learning goals.

Tailoring materials to student interests can increase relevance and engagement.

Well-designed materials can scaffold learning and support diverse learners' needs.

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Using Authentic Materials in the Classroom [RELO Andes Webinar]

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Importance of Selecting Authentic Materials

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Importance of Selecting Authentic Materials

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Selecting appropriate authentic materials ensures alignment with curriculum objectives.

Choosing materials that reflect students' interests and backgrounds can enhance relevance.

Thoughtful selection of materials can cater to different learning styles and preferences.

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Designing vs. Selecting Authentic Materials

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Designing vs. Selecting Authentic Materials

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Designing authentic materials allows for creativity and flexibility in lesson planning.

Selecting authentic materials can save time and effort when resources are limited.

A combination of designing and selecting authentic materials can provide a balanced approach to teaching.

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Implementing Authentic Materials in Teaching

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Implementing Authentic Materials in Teaching

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A good teacher would:

Incorporate a variety of authentic materials such as newspapers, podcasts, and videos.

Provide guidance and support for students to navigate and comprehend authentic materials.

Encourage critical thinking and interaction with authentic materials to deepen understanding.

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Preparation.

After stating the strategy, the teacher should choose a reading selection material. He should read the text carefully, and mark points where he can use strategy.

Description

Students can predict the text to make guesses about what will come next. When the students can use the strategy, they can predict before, and during the reading.

Demonstration

He should start by reading the selected text aloud. When he gets to his marked spot, stop, and begins to think aloud. He should tell the students that he has made a prediction.

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Effective readers are strategic, adjusting their reading purposes for different tasks and using various strategies to construct meaning. Strategies are deliberate plans chosen by readers to achieve specific goals or complete tasks.

Learning to use strategies effectively is crucial for meaning construction, as non-strategic readers often face reading difficulties that can impact their learning throughout life.

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Interactive practice

In this phase, the teacher should tell the students that now they will take part in making predictions. He should continue reading aloud until he arrives at the next marked stop point.

Guided Practice

The teacher should lead the students into a guided practice of using the strategy. He should hand out the text selection to the students to read silently, and stop at designated spots to use the strategy.

Independent Use

In this phase, the teacher tells the students that they will be using the strategy they learned while they read silently.

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The strategic reading techniques were beneficial and effective in developing and improving EFL reading skills. These techniques provided a useful framework for developing reading skills.

Students should focus on teaching reading in the English language as a process, not as a product. There is a need for using new techniques for providing feedback to EFL learners in reading, such as peer-review, reading conferences, and self-correction.

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Approaches to teaching grammar, vocabulary, and reading.

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Approaches to teaching grammar, vocabulary, and reading.

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Approaches to teaching grammar, vocabulary, and reading.

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Approaches to teaching grammar, vocabulary, and reading.

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Traditional/structural approach:

-Grammar: Emphasizes explicit instruction of grammatical rules and structures. It focuses on memorization and practice through exercises.

-Vocabulary: Typically integrates vocabulary within the context of grammar lessons, often through word lists and rote memorization.

-Reading: Involves reading texts that exemplify the grammatical structures being taught.

Reference: Azar, BS (2002). Fundamentals of English Grammar. Pearson Education.

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Approaches to teaching grammar, vocabulary, and reading.

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Approaches to teaching grammar, vocabulary, and reading.

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Communicative approach:

-Grammar: Grammar is taught in the context of communication. Emphasizes the use of language for meaningful communication rather than rote memorization.

-Vocabulary: Vocabulary is learned through real-life communication and contextual understanding.

-Reading: Reading materials are selected to promote communication skills and understanding of language in context.

Reference: Brandl, K. (2008). Communicative language teaching in action: putting principles into practice. Prentice Hall.

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Approaches to teaching grammar, vocabulary, and reading.

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Approaches to teaching grammar, vocabulary, and reading.

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Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT):

-Grammar: Grammar is taught as part of tasks or activities. Students engage in meaningful language use and grammar is learned incidentally.

-Vocabulary: Vocabulary is integrated into the tasks, focusing on the practical use of the language in the real world.

-Reading: Reading tasks are designed to achieve specific communicative objectives, allowing students to apply grammar and vocabulary in context.

Reference: Nunan, D. (2004). Task-based language teaching. Cambridge University Press.

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Approaches to teaching grammar, vocabulary and reading. 

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Approaches to teaching grammar, vocabulary and reading. 

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Lexical focus:

-Grammar: Grammar is seen as the result of the way words are combined and placed. It emphasizes teaching chunks of language rather than isolated rules.

-Vocabulary: Focuses on teaching high-frequency chunks and collocations to improve fluency.

-Reading: Encourages students to notice and understand how words and phrases work together in authentic texts.

Reference:Dellar, H., & Walkley, A. (2016). Lexical teaching: principles and practice. Delta Publishing.

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Approaches to teaching grammar, vocabulary and reading.

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Approaches to teaching grammar, vocabulary and reading.

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Content Based Instruction (CBI):

-Grammar: Grammar is embedded in the content of academic subjects or real-world topics.

-Vocabulary: Vocabulary is learned within the context of the topic being studied.

-Reading: Reading materials are related to the content being taught, making language acquisition more contextualized and meaningful.

Reference: Coyle, D. (2008). CLIL: Content and Language Integrated Learning. Cambridge University Press.

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Approaches to teaching grammar, vocabulary and reading.

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Approaches to teaching grammar, vocabulary and reading.

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Interactive reading models:

-Grammar: Grammar is acquired through reading and discussion, with a focus on comprehension.

-Vocabulary: Vocabulary is acquired in context and words are often learned through exposure to authentic texts.

-Reading: Reading is a central component and students actively interact with texts through discussion, summary and analysis.

Reference: Nuttall, C. (2005). Teaching reading skills in a foreign language. Heinemann.