CARS & STARS Online is a digital reading comprehension program based around the repeated application of twelve core reading strategies to make students better readers who can analyse and interpret any text at a high level of understanding.
A recent feature added to CARS & STARS Online, as standard across every level, is Read Aloud. Instead of reading the text directly themselves, students listen to the program read it for them. This option can be switched on for students who prefer to listen to content instead of reading it directly, allowing textual decoding to occur regardless of basic literacy level. This feature is particularly helpful for those with dyslexia or other learning differences, but can be of benefit to any student.
The Read Aloud feature increases word exposure and improves vocabulary by exposing students to words they may not be able to read themselves as text yet, but which they still understand when delivered verbally. But what are the advantages to students reading text out loud for the reader themselves?
Recent studies have shown that reading out loud improves pronunciation. English is a non-phonetic language, which means words are not always pronounced the way they’re written. Speaking unfamiliar words out loud is one of the best exercises to embed pronunciations in long-term memory, which is particularly valuable for English language learners.
Reading out loud also acts as practice for varied components of text, such as pausing at full stops and commas, mastering the appropriate intonation and emphasis based on what a text is actually about, and using the correct pace while reading. All these features aid in becoming a better reader, whether reading out loud or silently.
Finally, reading out loud can also boost confidence and reduce hesitation, especially for beginner readers. It’s also a great way for uncertain readers to get instant feedback and improve their skills, as well as making a pastime that can often be quite solitary into a group activity – something that can be of particular benefit for more extroverted learners.
CARS & STARS Online is primarily about individual readers getting better. But the way in which you can teach it in the classroom can harness the power of reading aloud – for individual students, groups or whole classes – to not just enhance comprehension, but improve reading abilities across the board. Particularly in these strange times, where distance education is once more the norm, including regular read-aloud moments in classroom instruction can be a great benefit to everybody – including the teacher.
If you are interested in learning more about the CARS & STARS Online subscriptions and how they can help children to achieve better results, then sign up for a free trial to be an integral part of your child’s reading success.
