COMPUTER:  Apple II/ MAC LC/ MS-DOS

GRADE LEVEL: 1-12

SPECIFIC SKILLS: Visual/functional and perceptual skills, vocabulary development, reading fluency, and skills which develop literal understanding, interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and appreciation of written material.

DESCRIPTION: This program is multi-faceted in its approach to improving comprehension skills. To begin the program, the student reviews the key words in context sentences and previews the selection. All key words can be flashed tachistoscopically to build stronger word impressions. In addition, a phonetic pronunciation of the word is presented. Then the story is divided into two parts, Part A (Free Reading) and Part B (Guided Reading). As the student reads Part A, she/he will be preparing for the fluency training that will occur in Part B, by reading the non paced displays of nine lines each. His/her "free reading" rate is displayed at the end of Part A. This rate will determine a "rate track" for a student which provides a series of rate increments based upon the rate and the comprehension score. The second part (Part B) of the selection is read in a left-to-right presentation (scanning slot) if rates are below 300 wpm, or full-line if rates are above 300 wpm. Finally, a comprehension check of ten questions is then completed. Upon completion of the questions, a skills report is presented along with the reading rate for Part B and the comprehension score. Each level in the program consists of 12 lessons on 4 diskettes. Topics of the reading selections include adventure, contemporary issues, sports, biography, careers, consumer awareness, travel, literature, life adjustment, and other topics.

EVALUATION SUMMARY: Guided Reading proved to be an outstanding reading improvement program. To ensure success, teachers should enter students into the program one grade level below their independent reading level. As a student progresses through the training program, his/her reading rate is constantly monitored in relation to comprehension and is increased when comprehension levels are satisfactory (70% or above). The detailed skills report can be used as a basis for prescriptive skill reinforcement practice and it allows the student to monitor his/her own progress. The program actually provides practice with a tachistoscope and a controlled reader through the computer, so the student is developing visual and perceptual skills. As training progresses, all essential rate and comprehension skill information can be transferred from one diskette to another. All recorded information is readily available to the teacher on the monitor or in printout form. Our students, whose ages range from 16 to 64 years, were enthusiastic about this program. They felt that the lesson content was quite interesting and the enthusiastic about this program. They felt that the lesson content was quite interesting and the controlled reading was stimulating. This program can be used effectively in any reading program.