Reading With Raz

Raz-Kids is an online reading resource for students that is affiliated with Learning A-Z.com. Students can use Raz-Kids as a way to grow their literacy skills through reading leveled texts. There are 29 different levels students can choose from and over 800 books. While using this reading resource students can read the story themselves, or choose to have it read aloud. If they're reading it themselves they can record themselves reading, which is an awesome feature that aids in fluency growth.

Once students complete their book they take a reading quiz. Each reading quiz has an extended response question that they have to answer. This extended response question is important because often times students don't see significant growth on benchmark testing, not because they can't read more challenging texts but because they struggle when it comes to the writing aspect of the assessment. This practice will allow students a better chance of success when they take their reading assessment.

Raz-Kids is a great way for students to practice reading books that are at their instructional level and develop their writing skills. What makes this program even more unique is that all of the books and quizzes can be translated into Spanish, as a way to support ELL's. At the school I am currently at the ESL department uses Raz-Kids as a part of their teaching practice.

The resources provided for teachers through  Raz-Kids are very beneficial. Teachers have the ability to create custom assignments for students as well as view the progress of the students in their class. Raz-Kids also has a variety of resource videos available for teachers to use. These videos provide instruction on how to use the program in an effective way.

Despite the many benefits of Raz-Kids one downfall is that you have to pay for a subscription. It may be too expensive for one teacher to purchase this reading resource on their own, however it is always an option for a group of teachers or the school to purchase the program. I believe that despite the cost Raz-Kids would be a great tool to help students grow as readers.

References:
[Untitled image of Raz-Kids logo]. Retrieved February 20, 2017, from
https://clipartfox.com/download/a2010703684876378e47832ae0ce1ee77c9705bc.html