Beginning Reading Strategies

Teach Your Monster to Read is a program that has three developmental levels to support early primary literacy growth. First Steps supports the learning of 31letter-sound combinations, blending and segmenting CVC words, and the first six non-decodable tricky words. Fun With Words teaches new letter-sound combinations, provides plenty of practice with blending and segmenting more complex words, and introduces new tricky words. Champion Reader introduces new spelling sounds and pronunciations, more tricky words, and plenty of reading for meaning and comprehension. While this program does not instruct all of these phonics skills, it does support the learning occurring within the classroom in a fun, gamified environment the children seem to enjoy.

Reading A-Z has over 400 eBooks and open book eQuizzes with new books added every month. The program provides teachers with online running records, reading lessons, decodable books, reader's theater scripts, reading worksheets, and assessments. Leveled readers have over 29 levels of difficulty, fluency passages to improve reading rate, accuracy, and expression. In addition, there are activities to promote phonological awareness, phonics lessons, flashcards, and worksheets. There is a free trial however there is a cost associated with longer use.

Epic provides students with tens of thousands of reading books as well audiobooks and videos to help children learn and develop their reading skills. Epic grows with students as they improve their reading, with personalized recommendations based on their skills and interests. Epic also has additional tools such as "read to me" books, highlighting, dictionary look-up, progress reports, daily tracking, and more. Epic is free for educators.

Raz - Kids has more than 400 e-books that include electronic quizzes to determine reading comprehension skills. This allows teachers to make data-informed decisions about student learning. In addition, Raz-Kids keeps running records to support teacher assessment. Raz Kids allows students to participate in a motivational, gamified atmosphere where they are able to create Avatars and earn badges as they achieve various milestones. Students are also able to achieve rewards and certificates to celebrate their achievements. Raz Kids is suitable for kids from Kindergarten to Grade 5 and has a Free Trial but there is a fee for extended use.

Lexia Core 5 allows students to follow their own personalized learning plan which allows them some control over path and pace. Core 5 provides teachers with data and resources that allow them to support each student's growth effectively. Lexia provides student assessment and direction for their future learning activities. It gives all students an individualized learning program that provides scaffolding activities and appropriate initial placement. Core 5 has been identified in some studies that indicate it to be an effective addition to a literacy program.

IXL is a comprehensive website that supports literacy growth in all grades from Kindergarten to Grade 12. IXL assesses student knowledge and suggests a program of activities to support each child's growth. IXL provides a guide to support teachers' use of the website in-person, in a hybrid learning situation, or fully online. The website AI suggests skills for individual student reinforcement and helps with setting student goals. The program also includes parent support suggestions for at home use. Students and parents can sign in from anywhere where there is an internet connection. Students are also able to track their own growth, and there are a variety of motivational certificates, photo props, and posters to support student engagement. The program also recognizes top teachers and provides professional development opportunities. IXL has offices in many countries but is an American based program. There is a fee for use with this program.