Tools to Support Struggling Readers and Writers

Introduction

Embedded in today’s readily available technology are free or inexpensive supports for struggling readers and writers. While there are other supports you students may need, these are powerful. If your student has an allowable accommodation, they may be using one or more of these supports regularly in the classroom and on the STAAR Online assessment.

Choosing the Right Support: SETT Framework

How do we select the right tools and supports for students? The SETT Framework by Joy Zabala is an excellent resource. SETT stands for Student, Environment, Task, and Tools.

Student

  • What is the area of instructional concern?

  • What are the student's current abilities?

  • What are the student's area of need?

Environments

  • What are the significant characteristics of the student learning environment?

  • What is the physical arrangement of the learning environment?

  • What is the instructional arrangement in the learning environment, e.g. classroom, small group or learning stations?

  • What materials and equipment are students and teachers using?

Tasks

  • What are the instructional expectations for all students in the learning environment

  • What specific learning tasks are essential in the student’s achievement in this instructional environment(s)

  • Where are the gaps between student performance and instructional expectations?

Tools

  • What tools (low and high tech) are being used currently to support the student(s)?

  • What additional tools does this student require to perform in this environment?

  • What strategies might be used to motivate the student’s performance?

  • How will these tools provide an equitable learning environment for the student(s)in meeting learning outcomes?

Reading Supports

Here’s the big picture. Students need to be able to read from multiple sources: PDF, Documents, and Websites. Whatever platform your district uses, these tools will help students: Text-to-Speech, Define, Alter Text, Focus on Text, and Clutter.

Text to Speech

Text-to-Speech (TTS) uses a computer to convert online text into spoken voice output, which “reads” aloud to a student with a reading disability, dyslexia, or document reading disabilities. TTS allows a student to independently select and change the level of reading support and to read single words, passages, or whole documents.

Define/Dictionary

Using a dictionary to enhance written assignments and reading comprehension, particularly for a student that struggles with comprehension, vocabulary or spelling.

Alter Text

Enlarging images or text. Providing focus on the text or images by magnification.

Focus on Text

Allows the student to better focus on text.

  • Screen Mask

  • Highlighting

  • Line Focus

Clear Clutter

Simplify the material on the screen for fewer distractions.


Reading supports for use on the Google Chrome Browser or Chromebooks.

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Reading Supports in MS Word, Word Online, and Office 365.

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Writing Supports

Many students need writing supports. Let's explore some readily available (built-in) and accessibility features among the technology giants. The time is now to own the knowledge, to locate the features, and to utilize the resources within our everyday devices to help struggling learners access and produce print.

Reading supports for use on the Google Chrome Browser or Chromebooks.

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Reading Supports in MS Word, Word Online, and Office 365.

Icon made by Pixel perfect from Flaticon