Combatting poor reading literacy with Microsoft Reading Coach

In this podcast episode, we speak with Microsoft’s Anoo Padte – the product leader for Reading Coach – about how artificial intelligence is helping create personalised learning experiences and combat poor reading literacy.

The pandemic left a significant impact on literacy rates across the world:??

• In the US, there was a 30% loss in reading fluency and proficiency??

• In the UK, primary-aged pupils were found to have an average learning loss in reading skills of just under two months.??

Adults with low literacy are more likely to have fewer job opportunities and a lower income. This highlights the critical importance of literacy for academic and career success for our students.??

In response to the literacy crisis, Microsoft introduced Reading Coach, which uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create personalised learning experiences aimed at reversing the decline in reading proficiency.??

The free app uses technology from Immersive Reader to enhance reading fluency and is accessible across various devices, making it a versatile tool for learners aged 7-18 for use across the curriculum.??

Check out our other guides on Reading Coach:?

• New addition to Immersive Reader – Reading Coach?

• New Reading Coach: Pronunciation and reading accuracy feedback in Microsoft?

• Microsoft Learning Accelerators at The Cornerstone Multi-Academy Trust (TCAT)?

In the podcast, Anoo emphasises the app’s innovative approach to learning:?

“Reading Coach is designed to meet learners where they are, providing a highly personalised experience that grows with them,” Anoo explains.??

Students can engage with a diverse library of passages, create their own stories and customise their reading experience. Giving students the power to be in control of their own learning and progress really boosts engagement and motivation.??

Pre-loaded passages in the library can support the youngest readers in primary school and throughout a student’s entire high school education. Learners can also add their own texts to read aloud, as well as significantly more challenging prose or technical documents.?

Support for multiple languages and dialects?

While the app was initially developed in English, Reading Coach now supports multiple languages and dialects. This makes the tool accessible to EAL students, as well as being useful in teaching new languages to students.??

Gamification of reading??

One of the standout features of Reading Coach is its gamification elements, which helps maintain the focus on the joy of reading rather than external incentives. You can unlock characters and story elements, which keeps learners engaged. For example, learners could read for 20 minutes to unlock a new element.??

Improving reading fluency with Reading Coach??

A key component of Reading Coach is its focus on reading fluency as it provides immediate feedback on pronunciation and reading smoothness:?

“Real-time feedback is essential in helping learners develop confidence and proficiency in reading,” Anoo adds.??

The app can support learning across the curriculum and across ages with freely available texts from sources such as Project Gutenberg.?

“Improved reading skills are foundational for success in all subjects, from history to science,” says Anoo.??

Get reading this summer:??

Microsoft has provided some great resources for teachers to help learners stay engaged in reading this summer:?

• A Summer Reading flyer and many other shareable materials: https://aka.ms/readingcoachshareoutmaterials??

• CPD Videos for teachers: https://aka.ms/readingcoachtutorial  https://aka.ms/readingcoachvideo??

• CPD course for teachers on Microsoft Learn:? https://aka.ms/readingcoachcourse ? ?