For 26 years Reading Horizons has helped struggling readers of every age and every background. Now with the release of the NEW Reading Horizons v5 software, this program has the strength to help even more students learn to read! This post is a continuation of a 5 day post series focusing on 5 different features of the new Reading Horizons v5 software.
Day 1: Lessons
Day 2: Library
Day 3: Pronunciation Proficiency Tool
Day 4: Vocabulary Tool
Day 5: Administration System
Reading Horizons v5 software is effective for English Language Learners (ELL) because of the program design as well as the new Pronunciation Proficiency Tool. As previously discussed, Reading Horizons v5 software is effective in teaching the fundamentals of reading. The same fundamentals ELL students need to learn to be able to effectively learn to read.
Lesson and Passage Narrations
ELL students often need additional support when learning to read English because it is not their native language. To support these students Reading Horizons v5 provides narrations and texts of the Lesson Summaries in the student’s native language. These narrations help ELL students ensure they understand the key concepts taught in each lesson.
The following languages are currently available:
• Mandarin Chinese
• Japanese
• Spanish
• Haitian-Creole
This screen shot uses a Language translation (green area) to describe the material in the lesson
Also, the new v5 software provides English narrations of each reading passage in the Library portion of the software. This feature helps ELL students improve pronunciation and grasp the English language by hearing the narrator’s voice intonation and word stress throughout the passage.
PRONUNCIATION PROFICIENCY TOOL
To help ELL students adjust to the English language and improve their pronunciation, Reading Horizons has created the Pronunciation Proficiency Tool. This tool is an improvement from the ESL Say tool found in prior versions of the software.
Pronunciation Video Footage
The Pronunciation Proficiency Tool presents video footage of a mouth pronouncing each sound in the English language. These video clips provide ELL students with a visual to mimic when trying to grasp proper pronunciation.
Tongue Animations
The Pronunciation Proficiency Tool also includes animated tongue placements. These animations show ELL students the movements their tongue should make in order to create the sounds of the English language.
This is the visual which presents the tongue animations of the Pronunciation Proficiency Tool
Letter Formation Animations
To help students see how letters should be formed, the Pronunciation Proficiency Tool provides animated letter formations.
Record and Compare Capabilities
As illustrated, the Pronunciation Proficiency Tool presents many features which help students see proper pronunciations, but the tool also allows ELL students to hear proper pronunciation. The tool allows students to record their own pronunciation and compare it to a narrator’s pronunciation. This helps a student know if their pronunciation is accurate or if they still need improvement. This feature requires that students are equipped with a microphone.
Video
This is video of Reading Horizons ESL Director, Heidi Hyte, and her thoughts on how Reading Horizons v5 can assist ELL students:
Question
Answer the following question in the comment section of this blog:
In the video clip Heidi Hyte discussed the Pronunciation Proficiency Tool and the benefits of the program design in assisting ELL students. From reading this post, which feature do you think will be most beneficial for ELL students?
Be sure to visit the blog again tomorrow to learn more about the Vocabulary section of Reading Horizons v5 software and to see a video clip from Reading Horizons Reading Specialist, Shantell Berrett.