A reading publisher has been contacting you for weeks looking for an appointment so that he can demo his reading program. Before you get swept away by the hype and hyperbole of used “everywhere,” ask the account rep these five questions:
1) What does the post-purchase professional development and training look like? It’s critical that teachers not only understand how to implement the reading program with fidelity but they also need to know how to actually teach reading. You might be surprised by how many teachers don’t know how to teach basic decoding and encoding skills. You will want a reading software publisher to provide affordable and sustainable training for your teachers.
2) Does the reading software come with non-consumable direct instruction materials? The right reading program offers a complement of direct instruction and individual computer aided programs. Why spend money purchasing new books and instructional materials every year when you should be able to access materials that can copied and re-copied at will?
3) Does the reading program align with Common Core State Standards? As budgets get tighter and the scrutiny becomes more acute, administrators are saying no to the quick fix reading programs.
4) Is there any kind of guarantee if the reading program does not help students show a significant improvement in their reading skills during the school year? This should be true of both programs that supplement emerging readers and reading software for remediation like RTI and learning disabilities.
5) Is the program research based? A proven reading software program should be able to demonstrate how their methodology and rationale is current and effective. Ask for the publisher's research packets to get an idea of whether or not the results are fact or folly.
EdWeek published an article last October about Finding the Right Reading Program. I was drawn to the section that spoke to Clarifying What You Mean by Reading Problem. In essence educators need to be certain that teachers understand why students are struggling readers. Is it fluency, phonemic awareness, comprehension, or combination of these issues that have stymied the students' progress?
This means that an educator needs to find a reading program that also includes an assessment-guided approach. Whatever decision you make, don’t forget to get input from your teachers. They are at the frontline of education and their opinions and ideas matter more than ever.
What criteria do you use when selecting reading software and programs for your schools?