Readable Blog

Indianapolis (Oct. 9, 2024)—Readable English has partnered with 27 schools across Indiana to pilot a program aimed at improving Lexile® measures. Within a few months, students participating in the program increased their reading performance by nearly 10x from their baseline ILEARN scores.

In a recent article from Education Week, educators express growing concerns about older students still struggling with basic reading skills. These challenges can create bottlenecks in their overall academic progress and future opportunities. The reality is stark: older students, when behind in reading, often require intense interventions, which can drain valuable time from teachers and students alike. However, solutions like Readable English are helping to shift this narrative, offering more than just a quick fix — ultimately they are gifting time, agency, and hope to both students and educators.

Reading intervention for older students has long been one of the most challenging aspects of education. As highlighted in a recent article by The New York Times (www.nytimes.com/2024/08/29/nyregion/older-students-reading-instruction), older students often struggle with reading because traditional approaches to literacy instruction are primarily designed for younger children. This disconnect creates a significant barrier to effective intervention for students who fall behind in their reading skills during middle or high school.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left a lasting impact on student learning, with middle school students particularly bearing the brunt of these disruptions. New research from the NWEA highlights the stark reality: eighth graders are projected to need an additional nine months of schooling to reach pre-pandemic performance levels, while third graders require just over two months. This widening gap in student achievement underscores the urgent need for innovative solutions to help our students catch up. One such promising solution is Readable English.

Introduction: Understanding the Challenge

In education, ensuring that every child can read proficiently is a cornerstone of academic success. However, many students face significant challenges due to language barriers, learning disabilities  like dyslexia, or other obstacles. The experiences shared by New Albany Schools in Mississippi from working with third-grade students highlights the transformative impact of Readable English, a tool that can significantly aid those struggling to read. The following insights are gleaned from the work of Gywn Russell (Former Principal and now Director of Curriculum), and Beth Matlock (Principal and Dyslexia Specialist) at New Albany Schools.

In the journey of education, the ability to read is often heralded as the gateway to knowledge, empowerment, and success. Yet, for many children, this seemingly straightforward task can present formidable challenges. As educators and parents, understanding the intricate connection between cognitive load theory and a child's ability to read is crucial in ensuring that every child, regardless of their background or cognitive capacity, has the opportunity to unlock the world through literacy.

SF Bay Area, CA/ Bloomington, IN (April 17, 2024) - Readable English, a literacy access and intervention software company that invented  an English language pronunciation guide that uses visual cues, called glyphs, to make the language phonetic without changing the spelling, today announced the appointment of edtech veteran Tim Waldron as its new Chief Executive Officer. Waldron succeeds Ann Fitts, the company's esteemed founder, who has stepped down from her CEO role after five years. Fitts will stay engaged in the company as a board member.

There's more to reading than just phonics and how to partner with Readable English to bring effective reading intervention to students.

The secret sauce for early readers has three main ingredients (hint, hint) and it really works. Readable English and MetaMetrics teamed up in an effort to solve the literacy crisis and early evidence proves the system is working.

Watch the webinar recording to learn:

• Why there’s more to reading than just phonics.

• How the Lexile scale can now measure skills beyond reading comprehension and how this can be applied to developing readers.

• The real-world impact these Lexile measures in Readable English have had with English learners, helping an Indiana school double their state ILEARN test scores.

• How edtech companies or districts can partner with Readable English to bring this reading intervention program to their schools or customers.