Technology for Struggling Readers to Read Online for Success!
Help me give my students the ability to explore new books and expand their love of reading through interest! My goal is to increase motivation/enthusiasm for reading through technology websites such as Epic, Starfall, Sports news, etc.
This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
As a Reading Specialist, students with whom I service come into my classroom as struggling readers. They are well-below grade level, discouraged, and acting out to avoid work related to reading in their classroom. The grade-level content is too hard for them, so their motivation and love for reading is at its all time low.
Coming from an inner-city school with a high population of low socio-economic status, many families do not have books at home to read, effecting their literacy achievement.
Many are unaware of the magic they can discover and interests they can explore through reading books!
After working with students for a month, I start to see their mind-set change and a love of reading start to bloom. They begin reading texts on their level which gives them the motivation and success they need to kick-start their enthusiasm to read. I teach the love of reading through positive reinforcements, talking about a growth-mindset, the power of "yet," and giving them ample opportunities for success to increase their self-esteem. Give it two months and 99% of our students are begging to stay to continue learning to read.
My Project
I envision working with small groups to differentiate instruction, conference 1-1, and set goals for my students. While I am working to meet students needs, I want them to have access to texts that are of high interest and on their instructional level! Something they can sit down and dive into. Because my room is an intervention room, the students who come to me are the ones who refuse to pick up a book because they do not believe they are good enough readers. They are well-below grade level, frustrated, and lack self-confidence and motivation to read. Whether its football, dance, animals, or just a magical story with fictional characters, I want my students to learn to love reading! I also envision my students to form favorite authors and envision themselves as one. Through websites such as MyStoryBook and Storyjumper, students are able to become creative thinkers and authors themselves by creating their own stories to share with their peers.
Right now we only have a small classroom library and by the second month of school students are bored after they have already read the same books over and over again.
They ask for more! Right when I see them start to embrace reading, I do not have texts they can access. Rather than purchasing a library, I thought about how technology could provide us with any book, on any topic, at any given level such as: Epic, Starfall, KidsDiscovery, etc. I want them to be able to search for a book that is of high-interest at anytime!
Because these students are struggling readers, it is crucial I provide them with texts that keep them engaged! The more reading they do, the faster they will grow!
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Nelson and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
