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Using digital readers to engage and build confidence in reading

Resource Type: 
etf
PID: 
etf:3447
Description: 

Investigating how Microsoft Immersive Reader (IR) could be used to build reading confidence and help learners access more difficult texts.

Taxonomy: 
Practitioner Research and Evidence Hub: 
Yes
Principal focus of the project: 

This project wanted to investigate how Microsoft Immersive Reader (IR) could be used to build reading confidence and help learners access more difficult texts. It began by exploring possibilities for classroom use and then moved on to explore its use with the help of Additional Learning Support (ALS) staff.

What is this about and what were the main findings: 

The research was mixed method, a learner and teacher focused plan that investigated how training, awareness and use of IR in the classrooms could impact on the learning experience both in the English classroom and, as the research progressed, across the wider college as learners transferred their usage of IR to vocational lessons. The intention was to evaluate how easily IR could be introduced in classrooms, how user friendly and portable it was and if it encouraged learners to read with more confidence. Feedback from learners on first being introduced to the tool was mixed. Tutors were surprised to find out that learners who struggled more with reading found the tool distracting and “too simple” while stronger readers recognised that reading and listening aided their understanding .

Number of learner participants: 
50-100
Number of staff participants: 
6-10
Number of organisation participants: 
1
Name(s) of authors: 

Blackburn College

Name of associate programmes: 

OTLA 8

PREP Starred: