

Reading Connections

Reading Connections is for students in 6th-8th grade.  We use the READ 180 program to provide reading support and to improve the foundation skills that are needed as students progress to more complex reading for their grade level curriculum.

What is READ 180?

READ 180 is a multimedia program that is designed to meet the specific needs of students whose reading achievement is below grade level. The program blends instruction from the teacher with innovative computer software that tracks your child’s progress and customizes instruction to meet their needs.

What skills do students develop using READ 180?

READ 180 is designed to help your child develop and improve their skills in the following areas:

• Phonics: The lowest-level students in READ 180 get instruction in how to “decode” text by understanding how letters and spelling patterns stand for sounds in the English language.
• Fluency: Fluency is the ability to read smoothly, accurately, and with confidence and expression. READ 180 students develop fluency through repeated readings of texts on the computer and teacher-guided reading and instruction. Audiobooks and narrated online readings model fluent reading for listeners.
• Reading Comprehension: Students in READ 180 learn, practice, and are tested on a variety of skills and strategies (such as finding main ideas, summarizing the important parts of a text, and understanding causes and effects) that help readers better understand and remember what they read.
• Vocabulary
• Spelling
• Writing
• Global Perspectives: READ 180 readings focus on diverse people and cultures both within and outside of the United States.
• College and Career Readiness Skills

How was READ 180 developed?

Research for READ 180 began in 1985, when Dr. Ted Hasselbring of Vanderbilt University developed breakthrough software that used each student’s performance data to customize a path of reading instruction. Research continued through the 1990s as it was put to the test in Florida’s Orange County public school system.

What are the benefits of READ 180?

READ 180 is proven to work. Students who enter the program below grade level in reading gradually experience success and become better readers. Data from schools across the country show that many READ 180 students frequently improve their reading levels by 2–5 years of growth as measured by Lexile®*.

What is a Lexile measure?

A Lexile measure is a unit of measurement that is used to indicate the difficulty of text, such as a book. The Lexile measure is shown as a number with an “L” after it. Higher Lexile measures represent a higher level of reading ability while lower Lexile measures represent a lower level of reading ability. Lexile text measures are based on word frequency and sentence length. All independent reading books and eReads in READ 180 are assigned a Lexile measure based on their level of difficulty. Software passages are also leveled. Students are assigned to the appropriate level in the software based on their SRI score, which measures their reading level. Lexiles are reported to you each year on the Georgia Milestones score report.

How is a READ 180 student’s reading level determined?

Each student takes a placement test called the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI). The test uses the Lexile Framework® for Reading to measure how well the student understands the reading material on the test.* Based on the test results (the student’s SRI score), the student is placed into the appropriate level on the READ 180 Software and guided to choose books and materials at an appropriate level during independent reading time.

The Middle School Reading Connections Teacher is Maureen Tompkins.

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