Teach Primary Issue 18.5

RE V I EWS An online reading programme that develops students’ reading skills and confidence AT A GLANCE L I TERACY /READ I NG l Aweb-based reading platform l Designed to help readers becomemore efficient and effective l Adaptive intelligencematches learners to texts and continues to do so throughout l Huge range of fiction and non-fiction texts l Compatiblewithmost web-based devices For more info, see readingsolutionsuk.co.uk , call 0191 389 6078 or email info@readingsolutionsuk.com DreamBox Reading Plus REVIEWED BY: ADAM RICHES box. Not only does this reduce the extraneous load for readers as they look at the whole page, reducing the temptation to skip ahead, it also sequentially speeds up, stretching the reader to progressively increase their words per minute over a period of time. Reading Plus is designed to build vocabulary confidence and expose learners to a plethora of different words. The vocabulary section boasts 2,500 words and the accessibility and functionality of vocabulary exploration is seamless. In addition to this, Reading Plus encourages visual skill building, getting pupils to strengthen their reading muscles and training their eyes to move in an effective and efficient way. This is a particularly helpful feature for weaker readers and EAL learners who may read from right to left in their mother tongue. One of the most notable factors for me as a teacher is the detailed and precise use of pedagogical approaches to support reading. The scaffolding, consideration of cognitive load and impressive range of text types highlights the pedigree of the creators and staff of Reading Plus. It was designed by people who know about learning. The online platform is compatible with the majority of web-based devices, meaning that students have access to reading wherever they are and they can read regardless of the device they own. All they need is the internet. Teachers can track progress with ease through the highly functional and navigable interface. Finding a reading programme suitable to each student’s ever-growing needs can be challenging. Many schools are now looking for edtech solutions to supplement their offers. Reading Plus isn’t your stereotypical online programme – it teaches reading skills and is adaptive, meaning it can be used as a whole-school solution and something that improves each student’s confidence and skills. Guided by the most prominent reading and pedagogical research from the last 30 years, Reading Plus builds and sustains fluency and reading efficiency whilst exposing pupils to a diverse range of topical content in line with their ability. The platform has a simple aim –to make readers better. The science behind the functionality is phenomenally impressive. Each reader is given a short baseline test upon first login. This baseline is adaptive, testing and assessing the reader as they move from text to text. At the end of the process, the pupil is matched to a level aligned with their reading ability. There are 14 levels in total, with each level consisting of 70–80 texts on each level. One of the huge draws is that the content is suitable for KS2–4 – perfect for a number of contexts. What strikes me about Reading Plus is it actually makes children read better. Not just in terms of exposure to different texts, but literally, read better. Features such as the guided window are pure genius. This particular feature trains the learner how fast to read by utilising a moving VERD I CT 4 Impressive assessing functionality to ensure reading is pitched right for each learner 4 Huge range of texts and text types meaning learners are exposed to different types of reading 4 Online functionality and usability is second to none 4 Content applicable for KS2 through to 4. UPGRADE I F . . . You are looking for an all-inclusive reading package that allows tailored reading experiences for all learners. www.teachwire.net | 81