Reading+Primary+School+Children+Reading+Eggs

This resource has been designed by the Australian Broadcasting Commission Television Network or commonly known as the ABC. It is an interactive, online program which assists students in the infant’s years of primary school to read. The aim of the resource is similar to that of a board game, by which students work to advance across a ’reading map’ which takes them on a journey through learning to read. The resource is targeted at children aged between 3 years up to 7 years with specific programs aimed for children at ages 3-4, 5 and 6-7 years old. Reading Eggs focuses on core reading curriculum for infants based on phonics, sight words using skills and strategies for continual reading success (ABC Reading Eggs, 2010). It is an Interactive program, for example, each child designs their own ‘Avatar’ which they log into each time they use Reading Eggs. Games and songs are throughout the program which visually stimulates children, creates repetition of sight words and in many cases, the children don’t realise they are actually learning. Furthermore, students receive rewards as they move along levels, such as every lesson ends with a new book to read and a new critter to add to the child’s collection (ABC Reading Eggs, 2010). Check out the link especially if you are planning on teaching Primary School. I have personally been involved with this program in a year 1 classroom and testify, along with many lower primary teachers to its benefits!
 * What is Reading Eggs?**
 * Link (URL)-**
 * http://readingeggs.com.au/home**

Reading Eggs website is filled with Special Education teachers, parents and support workers praise for its successes in enabling students who have a mild intellectual disability, speech impediment or those with diagnosed ADHD, ADD or Autism to learn to read at a much greater rate than expected. This outcome is due to the way the program has been designed. Learning outcomes are markedly noted due to levels children move up to. Combine this with actual books and the engagement level in real books would surely increase as confidence builds. The repetitive nature of phonics, words and sentences in games allows students to absorb the high frequency words and importantly, in sentences without students realising it. This increases the students understanding and comprehension when reading other texts and thus improving their reading. Overall having worked with reading eggs it is a wonderful resource for students and teachers. It provides evidence based learning to fulfil curriculum outcomes as well as engaging students at the same time. More importantly though, it allows for all students to work at their own pace and thus ‘grows with them’ unlike normal classrooms, which for most students who have specific individual needs, does not provide this rich learning experience. //ABC Reading Eggs// (2010). Retrieved July 18, 2011, from http://readingeggs.com.au/home
 * How does Reading Eggs help Students with Special Needs?**
 * The use of full **Australian commentary** has been noted to enable some children who have autism to speak in a less robotic tone and nature. The commentary moreover, could assists students with speech impediments to develop better pronunciation skills.
 * The use of **visual cues and characters** throughout the journey students take can assist students with mild intellectual disabilities to engage in learning to read with the assistance of visually incorporating letters, phonics and words into sentences that relate to the images.
 * Many teachers, such as Laurie reports “//A **lack of boredom**.////As I teach students with Intellectual disability and Learning Difficulties it is difficult to find software that is motivating for all 8 students. It has been fantastic to be able to have all 8 students working individually on Reading Eggs at the same time requiring minimal assistance”// (Laurie, 2010. “Special Needs Testimonials”, para. 1)//.// This shows that all students can inclusively use Reading Eggs. For example, a whole class set of laptops could be used and all students could work independently on Reading Eggs at anyone time.
 * The use of personal **Avatars** allows each student to express themselves creatively and creates a sense of individuality. Avatars display inclusion as well, as students who may be physically challenged in a normal classroom, for example who are in a wheel chair have a character that stands just like all the others.
 * **One on one lessons** are created much like an **ILP**. Students can children read and progress at their own pace all while being in the one classroom. Reading Eggs does not begin at a year level but as a personal assessment of 40 questions. This specifically tailors the needs of the student to the level they commence the program at.
 * The program works outstandingly in literacy classes for **station teaching co-teaching** with handwriting, comprehension etc.
 * Outcomes from Reading Eggs. **
 * Reference-**
 * Emily Chilvers**
 * U3053396**