Category Archives: Reading

Supports for Reading

Immersive Reader in Minecraft EDU

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Minecraft EDU is a tool which provides learners with the ability to build in a sandbox environment. Learners can create anything using a robust library of building blocks. One aspect of Minecraft is creating signs for other participants to read. Participants can press the letter I on the keyboard to launch Immersive Reader which provides text to speech support for someone who might need to listen to the text displayed on the sign. This video provides a detailed description of how to use Immersive Reader in Minecraft. Have fun exploring a more inclusive virtual world using built-in tools like Immersive Reader!

Two signs in Minecraft. The first one reads This is a sign in Minecraft. Pressing I opens Immersive Reader. The second one reads Immersive Reader will read text aloud helping people decode.

Signs in Minecraft

Immersive Reader with the text Immersive Reader will read text aloud helping people decode!

The text on the sign in Minecraft displayed in Immersive Reader

Immersive Reader Integration into Nearpod

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Nearpod is an interactive, multimedia presentation tool. Immersive Reader is an embedded feature created by Microsoft. Immersive Reader provides text to speech, text display options, syllable and parts of speech support, and more! Explore the integrated features that Immersive Reader provides by watching this brief video below.

Three Ways to Use Text to Speech with Read&Write for Google Chrome

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Read&Write for Google Chrome LogoClick on the purple puzzle piece to install the Google extension Read&Write for Google Chrome.

Or click here for installation instructions in English

Or click here for installation instructions in Spanish.

  1. Click the play button play buttonto listen to text being read aloud in Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Forms, Google Sheets, Schoology, and the Chrome web browser. Try it now to listen to any text in this blog post!
  2. In Google Meet, click the Hover SpeechHover Speech Icon button to hear the text in the chat read aloud. Place the cursor over text in the chat…no need to click!
  3. Do you see text within a picture? Use the Screenshot Reader Screenshot Reader iconto draw a box around the text to have it read aloud. Try it with the text in the image below.Children at play sign

Reading on the Move! Storywalks for Everyone!

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A story walk is an interactive experience where learners travel along a path discovering different parts of a narrative which has been broken up and placed around an environment using signs, posters, or some other display. The following are some tips for creating a storywalk so that everyone can enjoy the experience!

  • Font
    • Use a font size of 20pts or higher. 
    • Use a font that is thicker at the bottom, such as the Open Dyslexic Font.
    • Use black on white or white on black to provide a high contrast between the text and the background colors.
  • 3D Object Integration
    • Include tactile objects of items represented in the story at some or all of the stops that can be held, felt, and explored through touch.
    • Invite learners to make objects to be added to various stops throughout the story.
  • Multiple Means of Representation of Text
    • Use Braille on the bottom of the page.
    • Use QR Codes linked to an audio version of the text displayed at the stop.
    • Use symbols used on communication boards to compliment the story.
  • Environment
    • Create the walk in an environment that can be traversed by wheels such as those on walkers and wheelchairs.
    • Post the story pages at adjustable or multiple heights for people of varying sizes to access. 
  • Pages
    • Laminate pages for durability and protection from weather in a glare-free location.
    • Post pages with Velcro so that they can be held for readability and the replaced when finished.
    • Always have a second copy!
  • Additional Ideas
    • Invite students to create a walk of their own for family, peers, or the community. Students can work together breaking up the tasks including writing, illustrating, determining the route, mapping the course, making objects, and issuing invitations. Get everyone involved!

Podcasts with Audio Stories

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Listening to audio stories can help learners become better readers. Summer is a great time to listen to stories while on a podcast iconwalk, on a hike, or in the garden. Listen to stories in the car during any summer adventure. Podcasts featuring fictional content are a fun way to enjoy literature alone or together! Some examples of podcasts with fictional content include the following:

 

Text Simplification for Websites

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Text simplification invites learners to customize the presentation of material in a way that makes it easier for that individual to access by reducing the amount of visual clutter and allowing for the use of customized fonts, spacing, colors and more! Read&Write for Google Chrome is an extension available in the Chrome browser for anyone in LCPS to use. The Simplify Page tool removes visual clutter from web pages and places the simplified text into a new tab. The amount of text displayed can be adjusted using the + and – icons. Visual contrast can also be customized (black on white, white on black, blue on yellow, and yellow on blue). Different fonts can also be selected.

Listen to text read aloud to increase comprehension and learn new vocabulary

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Text-to-speech allows users to hear text read aloud. This is useful for anyone learning to decode text, improve comprehension of text, and expand vocabulary. Text-to-speech allows for learners to read with their eyes and/or their ears. Read&Write for Google Chrome is an extension for the Chrome browser available for anyone in LCPS to use. The Play and Hover Speech feature allows text to be read aloud with highlighting.

Repeating Specific Words During Shared Reading to Teach Language Using Augmentative/Alternative Communication

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Reading together can be a great opportunity to model language using augmentative/alternative communication. When reading a story together, communication partners (you!) can help a student learn vocabulary by using the AAC yourself to comment on what’s happening in the story, ask an open-ended question about the story or picture in the story, and then respond to the question or whatever the student expresses.

Focusing on specific words provides repetition necessary to learn how they are used.

The following is an example created by Speech-Language Pathologist Jessica Cerovich who models language using an AAC application while reading a book. The words focused on are Like and Don’t Like.

    • Comment on what is happening such as “I like” and “don’t like.”

    • Ask an open ended question like “What do you like?”

    • Respond when the child communicates anything.

Adjust screen brightness or color based on time of day

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The brightness or whiteness of a screen can impact how easy it is to experience content including text. Many devices, including student Chromebooks, have a setting which allows for automatically adjusting colors based on different factors, including time of day.