I love books and will read just about anything. This is not the case for everyone. So, I started thinking about what newer tools and resources are out there to support all students in literacy.
Reading is one of the most essential skills that students need to learn to be successful in their academic and personal lives. Let alone, books open us up to new worlds, perspectives, and fantasy. It is a critical component of learning that requires practice, guidance, and support. In recent years, technology has provided us with numerous tools to help students improve their reading skills through reading coaches and, read aloud features.
Microsoft Reading Coach
Microsoft’s Reading Coach is one such application that has become increasingly popular among teachers and students alike. Let’s explore how this application and others can help support students with their reading skills and how it can be used within Microsoft Teams.
Microsoft’s Reading Coach is a free application that can be accessed through Microsoft Teams. The application provides students with a range of tools and resources to support their reading skills, including fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The application is designed to be used by students of all ages and levels of ability and can be customized to meet individual needs.
Benefits of Using Microsoft Reading Coach
1. Students can work at their own pace.
One of the most significant benefits of using Microsoft’s Reading Coach is that it allows students to work at their own pace. Students can choose to work on specific areas of their reading skills, such as fluency, vocabulary, or comprehension, and can track their progress over time. The application also provides students with instant feedback on their performance, allowing them to identify areas where they need to improve and adjust their learning accordingly.
2. Provides opportunities for engagement and interactive activities.
Another benefit of using Microsoft’s Reading Coach is that it provides students with a range of engaging and interactive activities that help to reinforce their learning. The application includes games, quizzes, and other interactive activities that are designed to be fun and engaging, while also reinforcing key reading skills. This can be especially helpful for students who struggle with traditional classroom instruction or who may be disengaged from traditional learning methods.
3. Students can self-pace and teachers can monitor their progress.
Using Microsoft’s Reading Coach in Teams is also very easy. Teachers can add the application to their Teams channel and assign specific tasks or activities to their students. Students can then access the application and complete the tasks at their own pace. Teachers can also monitor their students’ progress through the application’s reporting and analytics features, allowing them to identify areas where students may need additional support or intervention.
Read Aloud and Text-to-Speech Features
Both Microsoft and Google offer features that allow students and teachers to turn anything into an audio book. This includes reading aloud web pages to articles. Some students just process material better when they follow the words with their eyes while also listening to the audio.
Another great feature is that, for example, Microsoft lets you download various languages for the listener. I am always looking for an accessible tool for ESOL students, and I know my foreign language teachers would love to have an audible for their students to listen in both English and the language they are studying.
Other Educational Tech Tools for Reading
There are many more tools out there designed to support students in their reading, comprehension, and engagement. For example:
What role do you see reading coaches and read aloud features can play in improving literacy in K-12 schools? How can we encourage higher education students to read more and engage with their course texts? Share some ideas with us that I have not mentioned so we can build on our list of reading tools.Â
See You Real Soon,
Erin
COME JOIN ME AND OTHER FUN, INNOVATIVE EDUCATORS THIS SUMMER IN ORLANDO, FL
- I am in education or the health care profession
- I have a passion for learning and/or innovation
- I need time for problem-solving and decision making
- I’m looking to build on my professional career
- I want to network with other professionals to find a community of support
Greɑt blog! Is your theme custom made or did you dоwnload it from somеwhere?
A theme like yours with a few simple tweекs would really make
my blog shine. Please let me know where you got youг deѕign. Bless you
Thank you for the compliment. I use a theme in WordPress. If you use this platform, there are choices of appearances.