Simbi’s Pedagogy: Read Along · Narrate · Global Impact
Adrienne Gear’s thoughts on guiding learning readers to reading leaders.
Simbi: Read for Good is an online reading platform that supports reading skills while promoting global stewardship.
Using our simple three-step approach READ ALONG · NARRATE · GLOBAL IMPACT, our users progress from “learning readers” to “reading leaders” by developing their reading skills and giving back to the global community. It’s a win-win!
We base our simple, effective approach on three proven methods:
Read Along
Some of you may remember way back in the day those listening centers set up in classrooms. Typically this was a designated spot in the classroom with a tape cassette player attached with multiple oversized headphones, where students would listen to recordings of a book and follow along in hard copies. A little bell would ring and everyone had to turn the page at the same time. Decades later, listening centers are still being used. Tech advances have enabled teachers to update their devices to iPads or laptops, and headsets are definitely smaller and more comfortable, but the process and benefits remain the same.
So how have listening centers remained relevant over all these years? The simple truth is — they work! When children hear literature read aloud, they see how printed words can be closely connected with spoken words. Hearing a book read on tape can help children focus on the sounds of words read without interruption and provides a model of fluent reading.
The benefits of reading while listening:
- Models fluent reading
- Helps students track words as they read
- Helps students decode unfamiliar words
- Teaches critical listening skills
- Introduces new vocabulary
- Provides a read-aloud model
- Introduces new genres that students might not otherwise consider
- Introduces students to books above their reading level
Here at Simbi, we want all readers to feel successful. With a built-in “read along” feature, readers read while listening to stories before they narrate. Evidence shows that this helps to build their confidence, which, in turn, can help to improve their competency when they go to narrate the same story. With all the other benefits, you can see why the read along feature is an important first step in our Simbi pedagogy.
Narrate
Reading aloud is often associated with emergent or developing readers, a remedial technique phased out as soon as people learn to read silently. But a growing body of research suggests that reading out loud may actually have significant cognitive benefits — even for experienced readers.
The spoken word is powerful. It conveys much more than what can be contained on a page. Instead of just hearing what a collection of words sounds like in your head, readers shift into deeper engagement because of the added element of “performance” when those words are spoken aloud. Important fluency skills such as phrasing, expression, and intonation are more utilized when reading aloud. Reading aloud also helps readers focus more on the meaning of the text, and reduces the likelihood of being distracted during reading. Reading aloud is also shown to improve vocabulary retention — if you see the word, say the word, and hear yourself say the word — you are more likely to remember it.
Benefits of reading aloud include:
- Sharpened focus
- Increased vocabulary
- Greater reading comprehension
- Improved word retention
- Increased fluency skills such as phrasing, intonation, and punctuation
Simbi’s pedagogy takes into account the benefits of reading aloud and invites users to narrate stories onto the Simbi platform. Users record their voice narrating a story, often the same story they have read along to previously. The play-back feature allows for students to listen back to their own recordings with the option to re-record any page. This process of reading aloud and listening back has shown to be extremely motivating for our readers. It also alleviates the pressure of reading perfectly ; if they make a mistake on any page, they can simply delete and re-record, further iterating and solidifying reading skills.
Global Impact
No matter what our age, our actions impact the world. Positive actions have a positive impact. An essential goal of teachers in the 21st century is to try to help students understand that, as members of this global community, their actions are not only important but imperative. Now, more than ever, when our global community is so intricately connected, global citizenship is an extremely valuable topic to explore with younger students. Realistically, however, becoming an active global citizen, or “change agent” can be a challenge when you are seven, eleven, thirteen or thirty years old! With Simbi, we make it easy!
Simbi is the only reading platform that combines learning to read with learning to give back to others. In the third phase of our Simbi Pedagogy, readers can choose to submit their narrations into the global library. There, readers across the globe, in refugee settlements and in underserved communities , can develop their literacy skills by reading along to these narrations. This “simbiosis” brings together readers around the world and creates a global literacy connection. Simbi readers receive a weekly impact report, showing them how many people around the world have benefited from their narration, motivating them to want to read even more.
There is no other reading platform quite like Simbi.
Using our unique three step pedagogy, READ ALONG · NARRATE · GLOBAL IMPACT, Simbi helps students transform the act of reading into the act of giving and grow from learning readers into reading leaders. What are you waiting for?
Start your learners on their Read for Good journey at simbi.io
References:
Mooney, M. (2013). Reading to Children: A Positive Step on the Road to Literacy. Teaching K-8, 25, 90–92.
Wright, W. E. (2010). Foundations for teaching English language learners: Research, theory, policy, and practice. Philadelphia: Caslon Pub.
Gear, Adrienne (2018). Powerful Understanding: Helping students explore, question, and transform their thinking about themselves, others, and the world around them. Markham: Pembroke Publishing
Reading Aloud Boosts Memory https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320377
