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Reading is One Thing, Retaining is Another: How to Help Students Remember What They Read

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Literacy, at its core, is about more than just being able to read and write. It’s also about being able to understand what you’re reading. Part of this has to do with retention – you may understand all of the words in the previous sentence, but if they seemingly evaporate from your brain soon after you read them as if they were never there, did you really get any value out of reading them at all?

Many students across the country have difficulties with reading retention, which ultimately sets up an important roadblock to their ability to read and learn. According to a study conducted by the Literacy Project Foundation, roughly 45 million people across the country are functionally illiterate – meaning that they read below a fifth grade level.

Twenty percent of Americans read below the level required to earn a living wage. In the California school system alone, 25 percent of students can’t perform basic reading skills. This is a major contributor to the more than 8,000 students who drop out of high school every day.

Solving a Modern Day Challenge

The most important thing to understand about retention and reading difficulties is that every student is different from the next. Not everyone processes information in exactly the same way. The reason one student has trouble retaining what they’re reading could be entirely different from a similar student – even if they’re displaying similar symptoms of a problem.

As a result, you need to consider the situation using a truly flexible approach – one that allows you to pivot your approach based on what your student needs to break through his unique barriers. This is one of the many reasons why assistive methods such as See-N-Read® Learning Tools are so important – they provide flexible solutions that can be applied to problems on an individualized basis.

Not Reading Tools – Learning Tools

The See-N-Read® MemoryMark™ tool, for example, is a reading tool that enables students to focus on the proper line and also highlight key passages of text to allow for easy re-reading – all without moving the tool off the chosen line of text. This helps establish text as an anchor point, making sure that they can isolate ideas and emphasize important passages to improve the long-term retention of information without interrupting the natural flow that they’ve developed.

This all has a positive snowball effect: students learn to single out key passages and to identify essential points while continuing to read at the pace that works best for them. They develop the ability to recognize main ideas on which they should focus, both improving their ability to retain what they read and honing their critical thinking skills.

This simple assistive tool for reading and taking notes helps users to recognize the context of the passage they’re reading. They learn to expand and build on concepts, not just to read faster or remember more information, but to develop their thinking and learning strategies and improve the quality of what they’re remembering as well.

This is just one example of a tool that can help kids remember what they’ve read. It’s safe to say that whatever steps you take that support a student’s ability to combat reading deficiencies on their own terms and to retain what they’ve read  are worthwhile steps indeed.

blog, Improve Reading Comprehension, Improve Reading Skill, Reading Strips, Reading Tools

The “Language” Barrier: Why Students Struggle to Read Correctly and What You Can Do To Help

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When a child has difficulty reading, it’s important to understand that it isn’t necessarily because they’re not reading fast enough or they’re having a hard time discerning the meaning of the words. Oftentimes, issues develop with the physical act of reading itself. Kids can have a hard time staying on the proper line as their eyes move across a paragraph (thus changing the order of the words), or may accidentally switch words around in their heads.

This “Language” barrier (that is to say, a barrier not with any particular idea, but with language as a form of visual communication) is very real and is affecting millions of kids right now.

The Language Barrier: Facts and Figures

According to one study, more than $2 billion is spent every year to help students who are forced to repeat their current grade for no other reason than that they have a reading problem. A distressing fact from the National Research Council’s Committee on Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children is that the education of an estimated 25 to 40 percent of kids in the United States is in danger because, for a variety of reasons, they find reading too difficult.

According to a report commissioned by the National Institutes of Health, up to 10 percent of people across the country of all ages have these types of specific, brain-based reading difficulties – including those who are characterized as having average or above average intelligence. 

It’s particularly important to address this situation in young children because taking corrective measures while someone is still in their formative years has a profound positive impact on the rest of their lives.

Finding a Solution

Addressing this issue requires a certain change in perspective. A student who is struggling to read correctly for these types of reasons does not have a problem to be “fixed” or “eliminated”. They have a problem that must be solved. It’s about finding a solution to the issue, which is why assistive devices like those available from See-N-Read® Learning Tools are so essential.

At their core, the learning tools from See-N-Read® are designed to give readers the ability to support the cognitive and visual skills required to not only read faster and more effectively, but to also process and remember that information more easily. They don’t address the symptoms a person may be experiencing, but instead offer a solution by way of improved and supported fluency – that is, the ability for a person to read text at a natural, accurate pace.

The See-N-Read® reading strip, for just one example, uses a clear strip to essentially “highlight” a full line of text on a page WITHOUT visually blocking other lines that may be valuable for context. The text is essentially emphasized, allowing a reader with difficulties to focus on the current line while still improving fluency and overall comprehension.

When students suffer from reading difficulties, it can be overwhelming for everyone involved – from parents to teachers to, most importantly, the students themselves. Teachers who utilize research-based, classroom-tested products to students that support natural reading processes will improve student performance in multiple subject areas. Such research-based tools offer functional solutions that create an environment where students can truly flourish.

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4 Reasons Kids Have Reading Problems and How You Can Help

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As a classroom teacher, you know how important reading is to the success of your students. For those that struggle with this skill, though, the causes might not be as clear. Some of the most common reasons that make it difficult for youngsters to read include:

1. Attention-deficit disorder (ADD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

A brain-based condition, attention-deficit disorder (ADD) is the most common one identified in children. Its core symptom is a lack of focus that can make it difficult for kids to stay on task. In many children, this lack of focus is coupled with hyperactivity — attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) — which can lead to fidgeting and/or acting out in class.  Too often, these kids are merely labelled as ‘behavior problems’.

2. Dyslexia

Dyslexia is another brain-based condition that can make it difficult for children to learn to read. Youngsters with dyslexia often find recognizing letters and their accompanying sounds laborious. Recognizing and sounding out new words and connecting rhyming can be challenging for these kids. Skipping words and losing their place while reading are other common issues seen in children who have dyslexia, partly because they’re spending so much effort on decoding. Dyslexia can also make reading comprehension exhausting.

3. Visual processing disorder

A child with a visual processing disorder could struggle with recognizing the differences between shapes and/or letters. The order in which the letters appear might be jumbled. Word and line-skipping is common due to visual processing or eye control issues. Kids with visual processing disorder often complain of seeing double or that their vision is blurry.

4. Auditory processing disorder (APD)

Students who have auditory processing disorder (APD) have difficulty processing what they hear. This makes it difficult for them to understand directions or grasp the plot of a story that is read aloud to them. Because reading involves successfully connecting each letter with its appropriate sounds, APD makes it challenging for kids to hear the subtle differences between letters that are essential for reading.

How You Can Help

Whether your struggling students have been formally diagnosed with one of the above conditions, they are undergoing testing to determine if there is a medical explanation for their struggles or they exhibit some telltale signs, there is a practical solution you can offer in your classroom to help them now. See-N-Read® Learning Tools were developed based on the latest research. Classroom tested, simple to implement in the learning program of any child and affordable, See-N-Read® Reading Tools help children stay focused on specific lines of text. This invaluable resource helps the child keep the place on the page to improve reading performance, reduce frustration and increase confidence

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Tips To Improve Your Online Reading Skills

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Reading is a great activity that not only enhances knowledge and uplifts mood but also improves concentration. People who start reading at an early age develop analytical thinking skills that greatly helps their decision making abilities later in life. It also helps to improve vocabulary and enables readers to gain a better understanding about the topic.

Nowadays, the internet has brought the library into our pockets. You can scroll through a list of e-books by any writer in a variety of genres. However, there are certain people who may face difficulty while reading online, such as eye strain, screen glace, word/line skipping etc. Listed below are some tips which can help to improve your online reading skills:

  • Use tricks, save time: For a faster reading, you can practice skimming and note making techniques. Skimming provides a clear idea about the topic so you know what exactly is being discussed. On the other hand, note making involves segregating important information that is required for an in-depth reading. Both these techniques save time and enhance the reading skills.
  • Adjust the screen: In order to get a better view and reduce fatigue while reading, you can adjust the computer screen parallel to the eye level. You can also change the screen brightness according to the lighting conditions in your room. This can help to provide a comfortable reading experience and improve your fluency as well as concentration.
  • Do not disturb: The setting of your room should be such that you can minimize the distractions and noises. Effective reading can be done in tranquility so that you do not lose your focus. It will help to enhance your concentration.
  • Block the ads: Change your settings to block the pop-ups. These are ads that can be quite distracting while reading. You can also download some apps that will permanently block these pop-ups.
  • Use reading tools: There are various tools available which can be used to improve on-screen reading speed and minimize distractions. The reading strip provided in these tools help to prevent word-line skipping and reduce screen glare as well as eye strain.
  • Regular Practice: It is important to practice on a regular basis as it will help you comprehend and read faster online. Consider reading on topics that you find interesting to avoid getting bored. This will help to improve both your reading fluency and speed. You can take online comprehension tests to keep a track of your progress. It can motivate you to improve further.

If you are fond of reading online, these tips can surely help to make your reading experience enjoyable.

See-N-Read Reading Tools can help to improve your online reading skills and fluency. For more information, you can call at (630) 236 – 5592.

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Why Some Children Have Difficulties Learning To Read

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If your child has problem in reading, it can not only affect his academic performance but also lower his self-confidence. It is necessary to understand the cause behind the reading difficulties in kids to figure out ways to overcome them and improve reading skills.

Here are a few reasons which can cause difficulties in reading among children:

  • Dyslexia: This is one of the most common learning disabilities. Kids with Dyslexia face difficulty in recognizing letters and the sounds associated with them. They may often forget words which have been learned recently. It may take a long time to become familiar with the commonly used words. Dyslexia can also affect the comprehension skills of the kids.
  • Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): It is a condition which impacts the focusing ability of kids. Poor concentration can cause hindrance while reading. If the mind is distracted, the kid may have trouble understanding the context of the reading material. This can not only lower down his reading speed but also affect learning ability.
  • APD (Auditory Processing Disorder): Kids suffering from this condition have trouble processing the information they listen. They have a hard time differentiating between alphabets that have similar sounds, which can make it difficult to read aloud. Thus, this can be another issue why some children have problems learning to read.
  • Visual processing issues: In this disorder, kids are not able to distinguish between the letters. They may have blurred vision which can cause hindrance in reading. Having visual processing issues can affect the learning abilities of the child to a great extent.
  • Reading failure since childhood: Kids who face learning difficulties early in childhood often have a tough time later on. They may not be able to match up with their peers. It is important to diagnose the learning disability at an early stage and use appropriate tools that can improve reading.
  • Autism: Learning basic reading and writing skills can be difficult for a child suffering from Autism. It can also affect his academic performance. Parents and teachers should pay special attention to these kids and devise strategies to help them learn in a better way.

There are various reading improvement and fluency intervention tools which can help the children suffering from these conditions.

See-N-Read Reading Tools can help to overcome learning difficulties among people of all age groups. The research based products are designed to improve reading skills. For more information, you can call at (630) 236 – 5592.

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Read Faster With See-N-Read Reading Tools

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Reading fast is not just about improving speed to save time and skim the content. It involves reading fluently while being able to comprehend and retain the information for a longer period of time. Speed reading not only facilitates academic success, but also helps an individual in his personal and professional life.

See-N-Read Reading Tools are designed to help readers improve fluency and ensure smooth line-to-line transitions without stopping. The reading strip, ReadBar™, consists of a non-glare transparent window, which allows the readers to view content as small chunks instead of separate words. It helps to filter out the distractions, focus on the content within the reading strip while simultaneously tracking the upcoming information. In addition, the reading tool also allows the reader to smoothly move across the words being read, without losing place on the page.

Here are some other benefits of reading faster with See-N-Read Reading Tools:

Improves Memory

The human brain requires regular training so that it can perform better, even in challenging situations. Speed reading compels the brain to grasp and process information at a faster pace. With regular practice, it will improve your ability to retain information, filter out the irrelevant information and store the important content more quickly.

Boosts Academic Performance

Reading fast can significantly improve the academic performance of the students. This is because they will be able to read comprehension passages, understand the context and answer the questions asked in a much lesser time. Minimizing distractions and controlling eye movements also help the child to maintain complete focus on the reading material.

Reduces Fatigue

A quick reader is likely to cover more information in a much lesser time. It not only saves a lot of time but also reduces fatigue caused due to prolonged strain on the brain and eyes. The time thus saved can also be utilized for other commitments or recreational activities, which ultimately keeps the mind refreshed.

Enhances Logic And Reasoning Ability

Reading is an intellectual exercise that improves your brain’s efficiency in sorting new content and developing connections with the information already stored. When you have a better than normal reading speed, all these processes will also occur at a faster rate. This will ultimately improve your reasoning and problem solving ability.

See-N-Read Reading Tools are an assistive reading technology that helps to improve reading speed and fluency in people of all age groups. For more information about the products, feel free to call at (630) 236 – 5592.

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Signs Your Child May Have A Learning Disability

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Learning disabilities are neurological problems that can make it difficult for the children to acquire simple skills such as reading and writing. They can also have an impact on the manner in which the child organizes and retrieves information. These days, many assistive reading tools are available to help children with learning disabilities. These tools allow them to read fluently and more accurately reducing distractions on the page.

Listed below are some signs that may indicate your child has a learning disability:

  • Issues in speech: If your child is unable to speak clearly or has a slow language development, he may be having a learning disability. Pay attention if he has a limited vocabulary and finds it difficult to communicate his thoughts. Difficulty with speech clearly indicates some sort of a problem.
  • Poor motor skills: Another sign of learning disability may be poor co-ordination and irregular development of motor skills. Your child may find it difficult to learn how to sit, walk, use scissors or differentiate between colors. As he grows up, he may also have issues in writing letters and numbers.
  • Restless behavior: Some children get easily distracted and display restless behavior most of the time. This is another probable symptom of a learning disability. Your child may not follow your instructions and may not be able to concentrate on what you are saying.
  • Trouble with memorizing things: Children with a learning disability can also have problems with memory and routine. For instance, they will not be able to remember the exact manner in which daily activities need to be performed. There may also be a lot of trouble in understanding and following multiple instructions. Such things may confuse them even more.
  • Clumsy posture: Other signs of a learning disability may include difficulty in performing simple activities such as skipping, jumping or catching. Your child may also be physically clumsy and may keep on bumping into things more often as compared to other kids of his age.

Apart from these, there are certain signs that your child might exhibit during the course of his development. When children are loaded with more responsibilities and start handling complex work, they can display clear symptoms of a specific learning disorder. For instance, they may have difficulty in remembering facts, forming a time-table for finishing a project, organizing thoughts for public speaking etc. As a parent, you need to observe your child in order to understand if he exhibits any signs of a learning disability. Recognizing the symptoms early on can help in tackling the problem effectively.

If your child has a learning disability, consider See-N-Read Reading Tools. The research based products have been designed to overcome moderate to severe learning and reading disabilities in children. For more information about the reading tools, you can call us at (630) 236 – 5592.

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ReadBar™ Reading Strip – The Benefits

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Children with learning disabilities often find it difficult to concentrate and keep a track on page while reading, which in turn affects their reading speed as well as fluency. Children who have Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, ADHD or those who tend to skip word or lines while reading can greatly benefit from reading strips. These are practical assistive tools aimed at improving the ability of the readers to see, focus and retain any information that they read.

See-N-Read Reading Tools are research based learning products to help struggling readers develop an interest in reading, rather than simply focusing on maintaining place on the page. The products come with a clear ReadBar™, a ruler sized strip with a cut out window that needs to be placed over the sentence being read. The shaded transparent part of the reading strip helps to filter out other distractions, such as tables and images, without entirely blocking the line that has to be read next.  

Besides children, people of any age group with mild to moderate deficiencies in thinking, learning and study skills can benefit from See-N-Read Reading Tools. The reading strip can be a great tool for people who are reading complex material, fatigued, have difficulty controlling their eye movements, read slowly or have comprehension deficiencies. The tools help to develop and utilize unique strategies to improve reading skill, along with the ability to understand, retain as well as apply the learnt knowledge in real life situations.

How Are The Reading Tools Used?

The reading strip needs to be placed on the content so that the text can be read through the cut-out window. Move the strip down as you complete reading a sentence, allowing a smooth line transition and maintaining place on the page. The shaded portion helps the reader to see the content in large chunks to reduce pattern glare and avoid affecting reading speed.  

See-N-Read Reading Tools can be easily used with all types of reading material, including documents, spreadsheets and standardized tests. The reading strips come in two different sizes, “Book” (5 ½” x 3” for regular size books) and “Document” (8 ½” x 3” for larger books and printed documents). The clear window fits most commonly used font sizes.

For more information about the ReadBar™, the reading strip offered by See-N-Read Reading Tools, feel free to call at (630) 236 – 5592.

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Fluency Interventions: Tips For Teachers

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Fluency is one of the most critical components required for an efficient reading. It not only refers to the ability to read quickly, but also accurately and with the right expression. A fluent reader can easily comprehend the content being read and remember it for a longer period of time. Therefore, reading fluency is important for a child’s academic success.

Here are some fluency intervention tips to help teachers develop reading skills in children:

  • Model Fluent Reading: Teachers must read aloud to the students to make them familiar with the concept of fluent reading. Choose a small and easy paragraph, read at a normal pace, with the right tone to match the words in the content. Read a wide range of genres, including poetry, fiction, fairy tales etc. so that they can identify the difference in speech. You can also make them read a book while listening to its audio version at the same time.  
  • Do Repeated Readings: Allow students to practice the skill by reading the same paragraph again and again. If they are taking longer than usual or are not able to pronounce any word correctly, read it aloud and let them repeat after you. Encourage them to do repeated readings till they attain the desired level of fluency. You can also organize group readings to boost participation and reduce students’ apprehension about making a mistake.
  • Echo Read: It includes reading to the students and making them read back to you simultaneously. This technique will help them recognize the sound and expression of words in the context. By having the printed version of the text you are reading, they will identify the words and add them to their vocabulary. Start by making them echo a small phrase repeatedly before moving to a sentence or a paragraph
  • Promote Phrased Reading: Fluency involves reading information in phrases, rather than word by word. Hence, students must be taught to segregate the content into small but meaningful phrases so that they can understand it easily. They must also be made familiar with the usage and importance of punctuation marks at relevant places throughout the text.

See-N-Read Reading Tools can help to improve reading fluency in students of different ages. The fluency intervention tools help to improve concentration and filter on-page distractions to avoid skipping words/lines while reading. For more information about the reading tools, you can call at (630) 236 – 5592.

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The Benefits Of Reading Strips For Students

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When reading any given content, our eyes must make small stops after a few words along the sentence. However, struggling readers tend to make many more stops, thereby, reducing their reading speed and inhibiting comprehension.  Contrasting font and background colors can make it difficult for them to focus and track smooth line transitions. Reading strips are practical assistive tools that can help students to better visualize, concentrate and retain the information they read. They are usually a ruler sized strips with a transparent shaded cut-out window that is placed over the text being read.

See-N-Read Reading Tools are research based and classroom tested products designed to improve reading skills for children of all age groups. The reading strip helps students to control their eye movements while reading and avoiding problems like skipping words and sentences, repeatedly reading same sentences, losing concentration, swapping letters and reading too close to the page.

How Do Reading Strips Work?

Place the reading strip, ReadBar™, on the page and read the sentence through the cut-out window. Move the strip down the page as you read to maintain concentration and track upcoming information. The transparent shaded portion filters out distractions without blocking the entire reading context.

The reading strips offered by See-N-Read Reading Tools can be easily used with all types of reading material. The ReadBar™ fits almost all commonly used font sizes. The tool is also available for on-screen reading of documents, spreadsheets and standardized tests. The reading strip comes in two different sizes – Book (to be used with small books) and Document (to be used with large books and printed documents).

Benefits Of Reading Strips

  • The clear reading strip helps the readers to keep their eyes focused on a single sentence to control visual field.
  • It controls eye movement for a smooth transition from left to right and top to bottom, without losing place while changing lines.
  • The reading strip also supports chunking reading strategy, allowing the readers to view the content in larger ‘chunks’ for better comprehension and information retention.
  • Having a controlled visual field helps to reduce pattern glare, prevent word or line skipping and increase reading speed as well as fluency.

For more information about the benefits of reading strips offered by See-N-Read Reading Tools, feel free to call at (630) 236 – 5592 or visit 2533 Sutton Lane, Aurora, IL 60502.