New Audio Technology Partners to Support Authentic Literacy Development

Research indicates that the sheer quantity of reading has a major influence on reading development. Readers who read more become better readers in a cycle that promotes increased fluency and comprehension, as well as an appreciation for the benefits of reading. A conundrum emerges when working with young learners who are just learning to read. Many of these children are developmentally ready to begin comprehending and discussing good stories, but have low decoding skills to process the written text. A new, low cost technology has been developed to provide students with a reading partner that helps students engage in reading. The partner can read text, provide help with vocabulary, and model good questioning to foster comprehension. This paper presents a theoretical perspective for engaging young students in good reading habits in conjunction with practicing basic decoding skills. A unique and affordable audio compact disc controller provides students with the ability to request predefined verbal help with stories. An example is given to demonstrate how this technology can be used to develop literacy skills in the classroom or at home. The potential for this technology can easily be realized in other domains, such as math and science, where students are ready to advance in other skills, but are still developing their basic decoding skills.