Today, technology is a part of almost every aspect of life. It can assist you in connecting learners to the books they read, assessing their comprehension, and developing essential literacy skills such as vocabulary and fluency.

Digital learning technology has grown in popularity over the last decade. Thousands of educational programs are now available online in greater numbers than ever before. These websites and apps assist children in learning to read and hear sounds with ease.

Online reading programs are an excellent way to pique children’s interest in reading. They are an excellent way to kickstart a lifelong passion for reading. When a child learns to read, they are free to take their reading journey wherever they want.

5 Ways Technology Can help Educators in Handling struggling Readers

1. Apps for Text-to-Speech Assist Students with Learning Disabilities
Voice reading apps, also known as text-to-speech apps, are excellent resources for struggling readers. The app reads the text aloud so that students can listen while reading. It is especially beneficial for students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities, as it improves reading speed, reduces stress, and enhances comprehension.

2. MindMaps encourage students to think outside the box.
A MindMap is an excellent tool for visually displaying words within a text and aiding students in making connections and understanding keywords before reading.

3. Game-Based Learning Is More Interesting
Games are a surefire way to capture children’s attention, and the internet is teeming with them! You can find online games for everything from vocabulary to grammar to spelling and more with a quick Google search. Games are so effective because they can simplify complex grammar rules and make them more understandable in a fun and stimulating way.

4. Collaborative tools to boost reading skills
Rather than assigning reading assignments that only the teacher will read, make it more interesting by posting students’ work online.

5. Electronic Word References Make Dictionaries Smarter
Remember when you were a kid, reading a book, and came across a word you didn’t know? You had to look up the definition in the dictionary and sift through it. Dictionaries, thesauruses, and encyclopedias are available online and at today’s students’ fingertips. It’s critical that we use these simple tools and encourage students to use them as often as they need to, perhaps by requiring students to keep a weekly list of ten words they had to look up to improve comprehension and retention.

Teachers are expected to wear a variety of hats. But, most of the time, there isn’t enough time in the day to wear them all. Online programs are here to help teachers reclaim their time to focus on what they do best: teach!

Here are our top 5 recommendations for online reading programs.

These online reading resources, ranging from phonics instruction to vast digital libraries, will keep kids interested in learning!

1. Lumos Reading Buddy Program
If you are looking for a personal reading buddy to help your students become fluent readers, try out the Lumos Reading Buddy, an interactive oral reading fluency improvement program. The program allows kids to enjoy fun and engaging stories that match their independent reading level and creates an immersive experience through innovative learning tools. This program is a great way to motivate kids to practice their language skills in a fun, engaging environment.
Expert teachers have thoughtfully designed this cutting-edge program. It combines proven research-based methodologies such as independent reading, teacher modeling, repeated reading with advances in speech processing and machine learning to improve students’ overall reading ability – accuracy, speed, and expression. In addition, you can explore stories from the program’s ever-growing library for their children.

Price: Free

2. Starfall
Starfall is a beautiful program for young students from pre-k to 3rd grade. It teaches phonics basics through animated characters, songs, and interactive games. Starfall is especially beneficial for children who have reading difficulties, such as dyslexia.

Price: Free access to limited resources; all resources can be unlocked for $35 USD per year.

3. Storyline Online
You understand the value of reading aloud to your children, but it can be challenging to find the time. With Storyline Online, your child can listen to books read by some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. To accompany the actor in each story, an animated video is included. There is also an activity guide included helping you discuss the story as a group!

Price: Free

4. Khan Academy
Khan Academy continues to be one of the best online learning resources for, well, anything. This self-paced, personalized program is ideal for children aged 2 to 6. Watch them grow as they practice reading comprehension in a self-paced, safe environment.

Price: free

5. Vooks
Vooks wants to get your child interested in reading. It combines wonderful stories with delightful animation to help your students discover the magic of books. It’s the ad-free, healthy screen time your students need.

Price: sign up for a 7-day free trial, then pay $4.99 USD per month or $49.99 USD per year.

Educators must be innovative and take advantage of the many available free and valuable technological tools. However, adapting lessons to meet the needs of each learner is a difficult task. Today’s educational landscape is heavily reliant on technology. Children are learning more than ever before online, and multi-sensory, interactive resources are ideal for all types of learners. As educators, it is our responsibility to use it creatively and effectively, always finding new ways to grow our classroom experience.