International Journal of Language & Linguistics

Using Technology to Help Struggling Readers Improve Their Reading Outcomes: Applications to Support K-12 Teachers and Teaching
Chhanda Islam, PhD

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of an online literacy practicum course delivery on improving the quality of learning and the effectiveness of literacy specialists employed as K-12 classroom teachers. As part of their graduation requirements, literacy specialists had to complete a practicum at a literacy clinic under the supervision of their instructor. With the Flipgrid, GoReact, and YouTube video discussion platforms, literacy specialists were able to make better diagnoses and decisions and, in general, be more effective tutors. During the graduate reading practicum, struggling readers worked one-on-one with the literacy specialists. Children in Grades K–12 who needed assistance with decoding, fluency, and comprehension strategies were invited to participate in the reading clinic. The literacy specialists taught phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, and systematic self-correcting. As part of the instruction, multimedia applications and audio recordings played a prominent role in increasing comprehension. Computer-assisted instruction incorporated sound and visuals in a manner that was suitable for the tutee’s learning style. In addition to capturing children’s attention, technological tools and electronic books helped them gain confidence and knowledge. Using multimedia applications, hypermedia, and hypertext enabled the tutees to make reading more engaging. The use of illustrations, print, and sounds enhanced comprehension and remedied specific literacy acquisition difficulties. Findings revealed that the technologies and other aspects of an online literacy practicum course delivery supported the quality of learning and increased the efficacy of literacy specialists. These findings are consistent with previous research that described the process of moving a literacy clinic online in order to offer the highest level of efficacy (Laster et al., 2022, Bodzin & Park 2016; Caywood & Duckett, 2019; Vokatis, 2018).

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