InfoTech Review

Smart Tutor: Reading

Smart Tutor Series

Smart Tutor: Reading (Smart Tutor Series). Learning Today, 954-584-5250. Pricing starts at $35 per student; contact producer for additional pricing. Date Accessed: February 2006. www.learningtoday.com [K-5, ELA] Smart Tutor Reading offers an extensive sequence of tutorials and learning activities that address sight words, phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, and reading comprehension for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Diagnostic assessment, explicit instruction, differentiation options, and report features are included in the program. After students complete an initial Challenge activity, the program uses an assessment profile to deliver subsequent lessons. Teachers also can create customized instructional sequences for individuals or groups from the lesson library. Lessons typically include a tutorial followed by ungraded and graded activities. Feedback repeats and reinforces concepts. The phonics strand provides 49 lessons that flow from beginning consonants, vowels, and blends to more complex forms to prefixes, suffixes, and compound words. Forty-six lessons on sight words are based on Dolch and Fry high-frequency words. The Reading Comprehension strand presents more than 70 lessons with concepts spiraled through several grade levels, and include main idea and details, prediction and sequencing, inference, context clues, story elements, and distinguishing between fact and fiction. The vocabulary strand offers more than 200 lessons, starting with themed word groups and ending with Latin and Greek roots. Administrator options cover set up, reporting, and central input of assessment dates. Teachers can assign and manage lessons for classes, groups, and individuals, and view or print reports. Progress reports identify intervention candidates as well as provide summary and detailed information on cumulative performance, lessons completed, state standards mastered, and time on task. Reports for initial and subsequent assessment show performance on subtests (sight words, phonics/phonemic awareness, leveled word vocabulary, reading comprehension, and fluency) with identification of priority areas and grade level status (below, middle, or above). Detailed explanatory reports also can be printed for teachers and parents. Reading lessons for grades 2-5 are scheduled for revision in summer 2006. A math version of the program also is available. Weaknesses: Students cannot enter answers before explanatory comment ends and must wait for review comments after entering answers. Some words in vocabulary sections are too advanced for the grade level (e.g., “constitute,” “wager,” “specified” for second grade). Strengths: Screen presentation is colorful with clear speech, upbeat tone, and detailed instructions. Carefully designed instructional sequences promote learning for students who struggle with basic reading skills. Effective use of highlighting and prompting provides additional support. Reports provide data for customizing instruction. Uses: Smart Tutor Reading would be best used with elementary students who are low performing or at risk in reading, or with selected older students who show gaps in reading skills. The program can help identify students who need remediation and intervention, and assist teachers in developing differentiated instructional plans for them. The program also can be considered for after school, tutorial, or ESL programs.

Keywords: phonics, reading, reading instruction, reading skills, tutorials

Subject Areas: English Language Arts