My daughters have been working on improving their inference and highlighting skills with MaxReading one of the Reading Intervention Programs from MaxScholar.

Introduction:

MaxScholar has a program called Reading Intervention Programs that is designed to help identify and bridge the gaps in reading that children have.

Getting Started:

First each of my daughters were set at their current grade level (first and third).

When they logged in for the first time, they took a diagnostic test for their skills. The program adjusts to the child needs and teaches to their current level.

How We Used It:

We used MaxScholar as a supplement to our reading program three times a week. My daughters were on the program for about 20 minutes each session.

My First Grader:

Once my first grader logged in, she had to read a short reading passage. The words are not too difficult and she could read them without assistance. After reading, she was prompted to first highlight information. I think that your child may need help doing the first few assignments until they get the hang of it.

The highlighting was a new experience for my first grader, but I feel confident that by introducing the skill at a young age it will improve her reading.

There is also a dictionary section that defines all of the words in the reading passages so that children know what the new words would mean.

My Third Grader:

My third grader first had to read a detailed passage which was more than a few paragraphs long. After she finished reading the passage, she was given comprehension questions to answer. The comprehension questions are multiple choice, and I always make sure that she goes back into the story before choosing an answer.

My third grader really enjoyed the feedback she received after each lesson.

Parent Dashboard:

Here is an overview of the Parent Dashboard once you log in:

I like how you can see the main components of reading as well as the areas that need improvement. Since this is a reading intervention program, it works to focus on the areas of weakness.

Our Experience:

My children really enjoy improving their reading online.  Unlike just reading a regular book, your child actually has to prove their understanding of the story through their answers, so it holds children accountable for their reading.

I also like that it covers all of the components of reading, instead of just focusing on reading comprehension. My daughters actually had high comprehension scores, but need more assistance on making inferences and highlighting. Highlighting is a good skill for children to learn because it teaches them to be more aware of what they are reading, and provides them with text evidence they can use when answering questions.