Fluency
Until students can decode words quickly, fluency becomes a challenge for students. Fluency is the key to being able to begin the process of comprehension and using reading as a tool for learning. As students become more fluent with their reading, the opportunities to use reading for enjoyment and knowledge increase.
Literacy Solution: Natural Reader
What is Natural Reader?
Natural Reader is a text-to-speech tool used either online or can be downloaded. Written text is copied into the tool and read in a natural voice. This software can be used for struggling readers to demonstrate the fluency of written text. Natural Reader is designed for any age.
How can Natural Reader be used?
Natural Reader can be used when doing web searches. Students can highlight the information they find, copy it and paste into Natural Reader to be read aloud. Natural Reader could be used as an editing and revising tool so students can listen to what they wrote and fix mistakes.
What does research say?
Research on Natural Reader and other text-to-speech software demonstrates that it “significantly increased learning disabled students’ access to grade level texts and assisted these same students with composition.” (Flood, 2007, p. 50) Text-to-speech allows individuals to perform tasks they would not normally be able to complete due to disabilities or struggles with reading. It levels the playing field for every student. The option of having both visual and auditory presentation allows “reading disabled students to focus on comprehension instead of text decoding. Multiple modes of input have also been shown to increase attention and the transfer of information into long term storage.” (Flood, 2007, p. 52)
Resources:
Flood, J. (2007). NaturalReader: A new generation text reader. Developmental Disabilities Bulletin, 35(1-2), 44-55. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview /622014299?accountid=12598
Literacy Solution: Natural Reader
What is Natural Reader?
Natural Reader is a text-to-speech tool used either online or can be downloaded. Written text is copied into the tool and read in a natural voice. This software can be used for struggling readers to demonstrate the fluency of written text. Natural Reader is designed for any age.
How can Natural Reader be used?
Natural Reader can be used when doing web searches. Students can highlight the information they find, copy it and paste into Natural Reader to be read aloud. Natural Reader could be used as an editing and revising tool so students can listen to what they wrote and fix mistakes.
What does research say?
Research on Natural Reader and other text-to-speech software demonstrates that it “significantly increased learning disabled students’ access to grade level texts and assisted these same students with composition.” (Flood, 2007, p. 50) Text-to-speech allows individuals to perform tasks they would not normally be able to complete due to disabilities or struggles with reading. It levels the playing field for every student. The option of having both visual and auditory presentation allows “reading disabled students to focus on comprehension instead of text decoding. Multiple modes of input have also been shown to increase attention and the transfer of information into long term storage.” (Flood, 2007, p. 52)
Resources:
Flood, J. (2007). NaturalReader: A new generation text reader. Developmental Disabilities Bulletin, 35(1-2), 44-55. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview /622014299?accountid=12598