Read Naturally is a researched-based, web-based, individualized reading program that targets struggling readers. The program is designed to increase students' phonics skills, vocabulary development, reading fluency, and reading comprehension skills. The stories are non-fictional, increasing student engagement and motivation. Teachers are able to monitor students' success in each story through formal and informal assessments.
This program allows individual practice in a small group setting. It is highly motivational, not only for the high-interest stories but because the students can instantly track their progress in the areas of a student’s strengths, deficits, functional levels, and growth. Reading fluency is a challenge for many of our students, which makes it difficult for them to develop a love of reading as well as to read their core curriculum materials in a timely manner. Read Naturally works very specifically with reading fluency and systematically provides practice to help students increase their fluency and build comprehension. The program benefits students by increasing their motivation to read and helps them develop the necessary basic reading skills to become better readers and decrease the achievement gap.
Research has shown that students' reading skills increase when using this program for reading intervention. The website provides many positive reviews of how the program has increased reading achievement. Here at Glenshire, we have seen, firsthand, the benefits of the program through our students' increased reading fluency and comprehension.
Read Naturally Live will be used during designated Tier 2 (General Education Reading Intervention) and Tier 3 (Resource Center blocks) intervention blocks as an intensive intervention reading program to promote and encourage reading growth. At the present time, we are pulling together various materials and programs to use in our classes. Our Resource Centers have utilized Read Naturally over the last several years to increase reading fluency. This past year Read Naturally has also been used within our Tier 2 Reading Intervention programs. We are hoping to expand the use of Read Naturally to provide a systematic, research-based program to increase reading fluency, as well as decoding skills, comprehension, and vocabulary in a highly motivating way with even more of our students.
The number of licenses being requested would enable the use across four grade levels; 2nd through 5th grade, resource students as well as with students in the general education reading intervention program. We would like the continued opportunity to have an alternative intervention program, such as ReadNaturally LIVE, to support these Tier 2 and Tier 3 students.
Yes, we have spoken to our principal and the funds that were used to maintain the Read Naturally Live program through the 21-22 school year will not be available for the 23-24 school year. We truly appreciate your continued support of this program as it does make a tremendous difference for our students.