OUR PROGRAMS >>>
We can use the popularity of social networking sites such as Facebook and Myspace and virtual communities like SecondLife to improve student literacy levels. It is possible to take a student’s fascination with on-line gaming and new technologies and use it to teach literacy and literature.
Reading Ahead uses networking environments and focused skill building programs to improve student performance and connect teachers, students and even parents in a new and exciting way. Students can customize their space by completing literacy activities and collecting points. Students create avatars that represent themselves to their peers. They can even send messages to each other and decorate their room or locker as they see fit.
There are two programs offered within these environments:
Skill Building
Central to each of our environments is Reading Ahead’s skill building program. Students have access to the forum of the day, word of the day and article of the week and all of the literacy activities that are connected to them. Students can develop and build their writing and comprehension skills as they read and respond to the articles, write in their online journals, post responses on our monitored forums and connect to other students in the environment. Read more about our environments >>>
Novel Study
Reading Ahead’s novel study program
gives students access to the Skill Building program as well as a novel
study. Once students have been registered and have received their
novels and log-in information, they read the novel in modules. Students
then log-in to the environment and are asked comprehension questions
on their readings. Correct answers to these reading prompts trigger
the lesson launchers that link to the four lessons built around each
novel. Each lesson includes comprehension and vocabulary exercises,
as well as writing and discussion activities. Students can also read
and respond to non-fiction articles related to the novel.
Read more about our novel studies and lessons >>>
Summer and Transitional Programs
Reading Ahead offers Skill Building and Novel Studies in our Summer Reading and Transition to High School programs.
What sets Reading Ahead Apart
All of the student work is saved on our secure databases. Teachers, parents or administrators can view all students' completed activities, journal entries and forum posts for easy assessment and evaluation. With this transparent assessment process, both parents and teachers can see how much work a student has completed and when they last logged in. Teachers can access everything online. Teachers can see when a student has entered and exited the environment and there is no chance of the dog eating homework!
Read more about assessment and evaluation >>>
