 “What’s your best digital reading format?” Do you prefer Arial font with 15 point size and wide character spacing, or Helvetica font with 20 point size and traditional spacing?” Have you ever even thought about which digital format works best for you while reading on a device? Maybe you already adjust your screen away from the default text or you have used the pinch and zoom feature to adjust text size. The ability to quickly and easily change your font size and spacing can result in instantaneous improvement in reading speed and comprehension. Many of these adjustable features and tools are not yet available for young students. ReadWorks is leading the charge to provide access to digital format options for K-12 students on all of our high-quality passages. Tailoring education to individual needs is not new– some students need glasses and some need to sit closer to the front of the room in order to learn and perform better. Differentiating to meet students’ needs looks different, however, in the age of digital learning, finding solutions is a deep focus at ReadWorks. “We feel privileged to be part of the research team investigating how the visual features of typography affect reading fluency and comprehension by having a variety of digital formats implemented on the ReadWorks platform. Much of this work has already been implemented for college and adult students, and now we are able to be leaders for K-12 students,” said ReadWorks Chief Academic Officer, Susanne Nobles, Ph.D. So, how do we know that reading format can help students with reading comprehension? In a first-of-its-kind research study conducted by ReadWorks, Chapman University, The Royal Danish Academy, and Readability Matters, students showed an average increase of 20% in comprehension based on a change to the reading format, which can translate to an increase in up to two letter-grades for students. And for those most impacted by text format, the percentages gained were even higher. Source We are continuing to dig into these exciting early findings. As part of a research study with the University of Oregon, Readability Matters and the iDEAL Institute at Loyola Marymount University, students on ReadWorks will use a new assessment tool to determine their best reading format. Student’s best-performing reading format will be provided to them while on ReadWorks without any additional burden for teachers to manage. The outcomes of this research can significantly inform Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines and best practices for how edtech organizations create and deliver tech-enabled resources and tools. With a vast educator base, ReadWorks is in a uniquely advantageous position to quickly roll-out new features to support millions of students and help lift the barrier to high-quality, research-based tools and resources that improve reading comprehension. Digital text formats are an important new avenue to continue to differentiate and personalize learning needs. Rather than using tools that work better for many students, we can implement tools that work best for each student. Written by:
Melissa Calder, Director of Marketing and Engagement Susanne Nobles, Ph.D., Chief Academic Officer
0 Comments
July 4, 2023, is likely to be a day full of fireworks, barbecues, and red, white, and blue. But what really happened on July 4, 1776? Take your readers on a journey through the Revolutionary War and the ratification of the Declaration of Independence with ReadWorks texts! Learn about another significant day for American independence, Juneteenth, commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans on June 19, 1865. This Independence Day, read all about the history and celebration of American independence.
Written by:
Samuel Siegel, Marketing & Development Specialist At ReadWorks, one of our core values is Diversity & Inclusion. As June is Pride Month, we want to feature several of our passages that highlight the diverse accomplishments and rich history of members of the LGBTQ+ community! Join us in celebrating Pride Month by sharing these passages for Grades 6-8. Soccer Superstars
 Jamie Smed from Cincinnati, Ohio, CC BY 2.0 From TikTok to the Grammys
 Cosmopolitan UK, CC BY 3.0 Who Was Sally Ride?
 NASA; retouched by Coffeeandcrumbs, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons The NAMES Quilt
 Bluerasberry, CC BY-SA 3.0 Find any of these passages by searching the titles in the search bar under the content section of readworks.org. Written by:
Paige Evans, Executive Intern Report cards aren’t just for students. The ReadWorks Report Card is for our educators! This school year, educators have created incredible impacts with ReadWorks. Students across all 50 states read billions of words from diverse, differentiated content assigned by our superstar educators. The ReadWorks team is proud to share this year’s educator and student highlights through our Report Card. Here’s a preview of what you’ll find inside:
Written by:
Samuel Siegel, Marketing & Development Specialist Whether you are a teacher or a parent, these tips will prepare your reader for a successful school year! 1. Turn on the Student Library 📖 Helps students improve reading comprehension and foster a love for reading By turning on the Student Library, you grant unlimited student access to our online passages all summer long 24 hours, seven days a week! 2. Explore our curated summer reading packets ☀️ Provide a range of preparatory reading resources to enhance your reader’s learning We offer a large selection of reading packets that you can print for free! These packets include nonfiction passages, fiction passages, and question sets. Our curated collection of passages engages students and prepares them for the next academic year. 3. Purchase our Summer of ReadWorks Workbook for readers entering grades 2-4 🏫 Plans high-interest readings that stimulate learning and reinforce new knowledge. This illustrated bound workbook provides eight weeks of high-interest pre-planned content to engage your reader all summer. This unique workbook strategically introduces diverse topics and supplements reading comprehension with a physical Book of Knowledge. 4. Supplement novels with Book Studies 📚 Builds the knowledge needed to critically engage with novels and explore their themes. If you have a novel assigned for summer reading, use Book Studies to deepen your reader’s learning! Book Studies offer expert-curated fiction and nonfiction passages formulated to deepen your reader’s understanding of the novel. 5. Differentiate with content and digital supports 🔎 Can be shaped to your reader’s needs to enhance understanding and optimize learning. Our differentiated content and digital supports adapt to your reader’s needs and interests. Illustrated eBooks, accessible StepReads, relevant Article-A-Day collections for English Language Learners, and more are available. We also offer audio capabilities, multilingual Article-A-Day instructions, and reading tools that help readers navigate challenging texts. First time using ReadWorks at home? We’ve built a guide just for you! Check out our ReadWorks for Families page for tutorials, tips, and resources. Written by:
Samuel Siegel, Marketing & Development Specialist |
