 |
| An innovative computer program called Soliloquy is helping children improve reading scores at the Mary C. Burke Elementary
Complex in Chelsea, Mass. Joanne Ciccarello - staff |
'Listening' computer revs up reading skills
The interactive Soliloquy Reading Assistant boosts confidence and test scores.
from the August 2, 2007 edition
Page 2 of 3
Dramatic results
After learning about Soliloquy at a conference, the district decided to invest about $30,000, one chunk of a grant they received through the federal Reading First program, to buy the equipment and software licenses. By the 2006-07 school year, about 200 elementary school children were using the program two to four times a week. Seeing dramatic results, the district is now expanding its use.
Fluency is measured by the number of words a student reads aloud correctly per minute. At the William A. Berkowitz Elementary School in Chelsea, for instance, third-graders gained 35 words per minute between winter and spring testing, compared with a national average gain of 15. Fourth-graders used the program for two semesters, gaining 39 words between the fall and spring, compared with 25 nationally. Several other elementary schools here saw similar results.
On top of the eye-popping gains, Ms. Maresco says, "we moved kids we couldn't move prior to [using Soliloquy].... We had tried a lot of interventions with these kids and it just didn't work." Many are boys who "don't want to look babyish" reading a book for younger children, she says. When they read aloud on the computer, their peers aren't listening as they practice trouble spots.
Making and meeting goals
"I did not have one problem with any of my students not being on task because they're excited – they get excited when they see that red star," says Debbie Krinsky, a fourth-grade teacher overseeing her summer school students in the lab. As if on cue, Francisco lets out a yelp of joy after earning his star on a story that took him several sessions to master. "Children need to see themselves have success," she says.
Teachers choose students who can benefit from the program because they already know phonics. "We're very explicit about why they are here: 'You're a good reader, you're progressing beautifully, but we'd like to see you read a little bit faster,' " says Heidi Moran, a reading specialist at the Sokolowski elementary school.
RSS feed
