Reading is fundamental to learning today. It helps improve language skills, develops the mind, increases knowledge domain, boosts imagination, helps the student to become a critical thinker, and adds to personality development too.
However, according to Kids and Family Reading Report, a national survey by a children’s book publishing house in India shows, only 30% of children said they considered themselves to be “good” readers, and about 32% to be “frequent readers”. In 2016, the same publishing house along with YouGov, a research institute, conducted a survey on the reading habits of children, and the findings revealed the “poor reading habits” of school – going children in India. It said only 32% (every 3 of 10 children in the age group of 6-17) read 24 non-syllabus books annually.
The above findings revealed that reading habit is not very predominant in India. One of the main reasons for this is because, we focus too much on mark, score, grade, and rank to get admission in a reputed higher education institution, then find a valuable job to have a quality lifestyle and too little on other things.
Renaissance Learning – a global leader in assessment, reading, and Maths solutions for Pre-K-12 schools, identified this problem. They introduced a 360° literacy solution suite in India early this year.
With its mission to accelerate learning for all aged readers, the US & UK-based company has enabled educators, schools and learning centres across the world to transform learning experiences inside & outside the classroom through its insightful assessments, resources and practice solutions.
English is a universally accepted communicative language that improves a student’s successful career prospects, and it is a fact that reading books helps improve language skills. Renaissance’s distinguished online reading and engagement resources help with exactly that. Its personalised digital library myON gives students unlimited access to thousands of enhanced digital books with built-in scaffolds to support readers at every level, accelerating literacy skill development. It also provides tools and resources educators need to guide and enrich students’ reading experience. Read more about myON in details in this post.
Renaissance Product Suite that help students and educators strengthen literacy skills
Renaissance offers reliable, accurate, and actionable insights into student achievements and access to high-quality and age appropriate reading materials. It supports independent reading practice and teacher-led differentiated instructions.
Accelerated Reader – Accelerated Reader allows teachers to motivate, monitor, and manage all students’ independent reading practice, and help them develop a true love for reading. The tool allows teachers to match students with right reading materials aligned to their interests and at the appropriate level of challenge, and offers them endless choices on what to read next. It also helps administrators to create a culture of reading in schools and families to access real-time information on their child’s reading progress and sign up to receive emails about quizzes, etc.
Star Assessment – Star Assessment provides teachers all the insights and resources needed to guide literacy growth not just for emergent readers, struggling readers, and English learners but even for high achievers. From skills data for day-to-day instruction to year-over-year growth, the tool helps educators accelerate learning for all. Star Assessment also helps teachers identify a range of reading strategies and skills needed for students to reach grade-level proficiency and achieve mastery.
