Tag Archives: reading

Syllable Markers in Immersive Reader

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Immersive Reader is a literacy support tool from Microsoft. One of its many features is the ability to break words into syllables which can help a user decode, recognize, and pronounce the individual word. This video titled Improving Your Reading With Immersive Reader shows how to activate this feature along with other literacy support options.

Screenshot of words with dots between syllables

Syllable Support in Immersive Reader

Screenshot of Grammar Options in Immersive Reader

Grammar Options in Immersive Reader Including Syllable Support

Symbolized Text Does Not Support Literacy

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Symbols for frequently used words such as like, of, some, and know do not help someone produce a picture in their mind. Look at the examples below. If you covered up the text, could you guess the text below?

symbols for like, of, some, know

When a picture representation of a word is added to a text representation of a word, it tends to add to the complexity of visual information presented in a way that does NOT help an individual learn how to decode, recognize, or comprehend the text. The added image doesn’t actually help students make an association between the printed word and the symbol. A strategy to use instead is to present the text without an added picture. The text itself is the symbol.

Immersive Reader Added to Schoology

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Immersive Reader Button on a Schoology Course Page

Schoology is the primary learning management system used in Loudoun County Public Schools. A recent update added Immersive Reader to all Course pages and Schoology Course Assignments. Look for the Immersive Reader button on the top right corner to activate. The text on the Course page will open in Immersive Reader which provides a variety of functions including all of the following: 

Create Your Own Mandalorian for May the Fourth

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May the Fourth is known as Star Wars day. A fun experience for learners of all ages might be to create their own Mandalorian from the Star Wars universe. Go to https://www.mandocreator.com/ to begin.

Implementation ideas include…

  1. Collaboratively working with peers to design and color the character by giving directions such as, “Put that on”, “Let’s use green”, and “I choose that one.”
  2. Practicing the pragmatic function of commenting on the character such as, “It is big”, “I like it”, and “It has many colors.”
  3. Exporting the picture and adding text to describe the character.
  4. Exporting the picture, importing it into a slide deck using Google Slides or PowerPoint, and adding additional images around it to create a scene.
  5. Telling a story about the character.

The universe is the only limit to how it can be used! Whatever the students’ create will be out of this world! This is the way!

A Mandalorian created using https://www.mandocreator.com/

A Mandalorian created using https://www.mandocreator.com/

Isolating One Row of Text At A Time Using Line Focus or Screen Masking

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Highlighting one row of text at a time can help a reader focus on that text by reducing potentially distracting content. This feature is known as Line Focus in Immersive Reader and Screen Masking in Read&Write for Google Chrome.

Read&Write for Google Chrome Logo and Screen Mask Icon

Screen Mask icon in Read&Write for Google Chrome

Screenshot of Line Focus in Immersive Reader

Line Focus Settings in Immersive Reader

Line Focus in Immersive Reader

Example of Line Focus in Immersive Reader

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

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!