Usage: I would use this program to assist our school with increasing the number of students that read on grade level.
Strengths: The focus area has been defined to meet a critical problem area in American education. By limiting the products focus area, the content addresses defined needs and area where student need to gain higher levels of achievement. Students are able to read on their grade levels and they can build skills at their own pace. Teachers have the ability to gather data, and utilize lesson plans from a variety of sources.
Suggestions for Improvement: The product has to provide opportunites for students to select material for reading. The program can be more interactive for students. It would also be helpful to display the content students can read within the program.
Verdict: This program targets students in grade levels K-3. Research shows that if a student cannot read by the 3rd grade they will continue to have challenges not only in reading, but students will also experience difficulties in other subject areas.
Usage: I would use it do differentiate reading instruction.
Strengths: It would save teachers time when lesson planning, it would allow teachers to differentiate by group, sub group, or individiually, it tracks and archives student progress for data analysis.
Suggestions for Improvement: I would extend this to above k-3 level as there are many students in higher grades who are not reading at grade level.
Verdict: It would be useful for tracking student reading progress, setting individual reading goals and differentiating lesson.
Usage: I would use this to support and dfferentiate instruction with my students. I like the fact that it gives both data and graphs which I can use to show my principal how the students are progressing.
Strengths: The product gives me helpful feedback in both graphs and charts. I can look at different students data all at the same time
Suggestions for Improvement: I need to look at others before I am able to suggest anything.
Verdict: I would recommend it but not advocare hard for it at this time because I would like to research other companies and their products in order fo rme to make a fair comparison.