Reading Horizons v5 Reading Library Component

Reading Horizons v5 showcases a new component to build fluency and reading comprehension for students as they develop their decoding skills. The Library component contains more than 225 high interest, low readability, non-fiction passages that have been leveled and lexiled for students. T he library component is enabled after completion of Chapter 1. Passages have been written in fifteen different genres ranging from World Leaders to Sports, and ranging in level from 1 to 12.9. Students enter the Library by clicking the Library Tab. An introductory lesson provides students with an overview of Library features and functions.

Following the introductory lesson students launch an initial Reading Level Assessment. This assessment is designed to determine a composite fluency and reading comprehension score in order to present the student with the appropriate level of passages to choose from. Students are then able to choose passages to read from 15 different genres. Passages are divided into three categories, Gold, Silver, and Bronze.

• Gold passages are up to a full grade level above the student’s current level.
• Silver passages are at the student’s current level
• Bronze passages are all passages below the student’s current level.

Students are allowed to choose passages that interest them most. The administrator can determine how many passages students read in each chapter by setting a point value in the administration system. Students will be required to reach the number of points required to advance to the next chapter. Gold passages are worth three points, silver two, and bronze are one point each.

Students can select any passage by clicking on it. The passage details are then displayed on the right, including the level. Students press the Read button to launch the passage. They are then given a list of challenge words from the passage that they can click to view the definitions and context sentences. Unique passage terms, mostly proper nouns, can also be pronounced for students.

When ready, students click the start button to begin reading the passage which also starts an internal timer. They then click a stop button when they have finished reading, and the timer stops. Reading comprehension questions are then administered.

 Next, Students are shown the results of their reading comprehension questions, and they can clearly see which questions they got correct, and which were missed. They will then be shown a review screen that will display the score they achieved for the passage. Students will then have the option to reread the passage and improve their score, have the passage narrated to them, identify words that use skills they have recently studied, or exit back to the passage selection screen. Students can see their overall reading level on this screen. It will be modified every time they read a new passage. At the end of each chapter, additional passages will be unlocked based on the student’s reading level at the end of each chapter.