Using CD‐ROM ‘electronic talking books’ to help children with mild reading difficulties improve their reading fluencg

Abstract This article explains how ‘electronic talking books’ might be used to help children who have mild reading difficulties improve their oral reading fluency. Observations made during a study of three middle primary students with mild reading difficulties are analysed in order to address some associated practical issues. It has been suggested that CD‐ROM ‘electronic talking books’ may be used to help children improve their oral reading fluency (Ford, Poe & Cox, 1995; Glasgow, 1996–7; Lewis, 2000). However, there has been little discussion about the issues teachers may need to consider in planning, implementing and evaluating interventions using them. The purpose of this article is to describe some facilitating factors and problems that emerged during a study into the use of electronic talking books to improve reading fluency, and to present some possible solutions to the problems. Although the participants of this study were nine‐year‐old boys who experienced mild reading difficulties, many of the issues that arose should be applicable to teaching students with a wider range of reading ability/disability.