While substitute teaching at various elementary schools in the San Marcos District, I came across a computer program which a lot of different schools used, called, Lexia. Lexia proclaims itself as student-driven, or intrinsic, learning (which is supposed to be the best kind). From what I observed, there is some truth in its claim, as students DO seem to be engaged in this program for 20-30 minutes at a time.
Lexia is a computer program designed to improve reading and phonics. According to the US Department of Education’s review of Lexia in June of 2009, the areas in which Lexia is proven to improve are: alphabetics, fluency, comprehension, and general reading achievement. It is a Rosetta Stone Company program which implements many of the same tactics used by Rosetta Stone, such as two-way student interaction. This means students have both headphones, and a microphone in which they speak into, and then are able to hear the correct pronunciations. In addition, a large selling point of Lexia is that there are no formal assessments. It proves to be a true Web 2.0 program in the sense that it analyzes data continuously through the student's’ progress, and thus, adapts to the student’s level without stopping to have the student take a test. This seems to help with the fluidity of learning.
Just like most programs, Lexia is not meant to completely replace classroom learning, but to supplement it. Personally, I believe the main draw of it, along with most other educational programs used individually in the classroom, is that it replicates a teacher’s job so that there is one teacher for every student. It also lessons the teacher’s load by analyzing the data on its own. This gives a more objective view on student progress rather than a subjective teacher’s opinion.
So far, I have not come across any major pitfalls of Lexia. The students seem to enjoy their alone time with the program, and it seems to be used across the US these days, after mostly positive reviews, including directly from the US Department of Education. However, most reviews are based on pilot data. Its actual use in the classroom is still in its early stage so the next 5-10 years will be crucial in determining its actual effectiveness. One other concern I have is that teachers may not know, yet, how to optimize use of the program. It could be just because I’m a sub, but I have ready many sub plans that say, “make sure students get in their Lexia minutes.” With this sort of approach, are there any real goals in sight, or are teachers just using it as a time killer? Although it analyzes data on it’s own, it may prove difficult for teachers to keep track of each of their student’s progress since they could all, theoretically, be at a different level.
Lexia Website: http://lexialearning.com/product/core5
Great stuff! There is a similar product out in the market that I've seen students use. It's called myOn. How do you think that it differs from Lexia? Just wondering if you could do a product comparison. I've seen how this type of product has taken SSR to a whole other level and has improved the reading and pronunciation skills of students of all ages. Good choice.
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ReplyDeleteI immediately was drawn to this program when I clicked on their site because it looks extremely well developed and I think that is really important for students learning in this era. They are all so incredibly technology savvy and I think if the program wasn't created well, they would easily be bored through it. I have seen a lot of phonics programs with headphones incorporated but I do not think I have ever seen where they incorporate a microphone. I think that is extremely important and a strong point for this program because it shows how they understand that the pronunciation is also a major key aspect of the child's development of reading and writing skills. I think an important point is that this program would not be able to be used as homework because a lot of families would not have access to these forms of technology at home. However, it sounds like you have personally experienced how students use this in the classroom and I think that would be a beneficial part of the school day. Changing up the types of teaching allows for all different types of learners to develop and grow. This is also important that the students get to work individually, which can help them progress without concern for others. I would definitely look into incorporating this program into my classroom because it's an innovative way to bring in technology for students. This could definitely help students progress and I can definitely see them enjoying how the program progresses.
This sounds like a great program for both students and teachers! While browsing through the Lexia website, I found it to be similar to the Hooked on Phonics program utilized by my 5th grade teacher. I'm not sure if you've ever heard of Hooked on Phonics but it sought to improve a student's reading skills, expand vocabulary, and improve phonological awareness. What i find great about Lexia is that it offers a personalized learning path for the student and also provides resources for the teacher that connects student data to classroom instruction. I do have one question, is there a fee for the use of this program? The site didn't have that information, so I am assuming that if interested, one would have to contact his/her local representative.
ReplyDeleteMy son actually uses Lexia at his school. He's in 2nd grade at Discovery Elementary in San Marcos. I believe that his teacher is required by the administration to have each student do a certain number of minutes per week (not 100% sure about this). In terms of assessment, I know Lexia changes the number of minutes per week required for each student automatically, based on how the student is doing on their reading skills. A student that is performing below grade level might have to do 40 minutes per week. On the other hand, a student who is exceeding grade level expectations may only need to complete 20 minutes per week. I agree that Lexia is a good tool overall.
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