READ THEORY
WHAT IS IT?
ReadTheory is an online reading comprehension program that assesses the reading ability of your students without you having to spend time on that.
It provides students with different texts adapted to their reading needs. As they read and answer quiz questions ReadTheory's algorithm calculates their performance and establishes the right level for each person. On top of that, it is an online platform, so everyone can access it whenever and wherever they are.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
TEACHERS:
Teachers create a free account and then a new class, which can contain a maximum of 35 accounts. A class code is automatically generated and should be given to students so that the teacher can check their progress on the Progress Reports page. That's it.
STUDENTS:
Students create their free account, add the provided class code and begin their independent reading pretest. IMPORTANT: This is an initial reading assessment, which takes up to 20 minutes. The account won't be activated unless the pretest is completed. Students answer questions related to several passages (there are 7 per each text). This way, they provide the data necessary to establish their initial reading level. Once having completed the pretest, they work through passages and quizzes tailored to their level and reading comprehension abilities.
TIP: I recommend my students not to use special characters when signing up.
IS IT USEFUL?
PROS:
It is free.
It requires no prep time.
The texts and tests adapt to each person's particular level and pace of learning.
You can track students' progress.
It helps students get test-ready.
It can be done at home or in class.
Students gain Knowledge Points and earn Badges.
Teachers are sent a weekly report on the progress of their students.
CONS:
The texts and tests are generated automatically. It means that students' interests are not taken into consideration.
The test-like format is not the most engaging.
Ads display alongside reading passages.
BOTTOM LINE:
If you are looking for a tool, which requires no preparation time on your part, checks students' progress and helps them work on their reading comprehension, there is no better platform. While it's true that no choice of texts and test-like format make it difficult to stay engaged, students are exposed to many informational and narrative passages, which are similar to those on standardized tests, such as Cambridge or Oxford.
Check out their website and see yourself, whether it works for you or not.
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