Mary,

	The beauty of NovaNet is that it can take students back to basic
addition and to beginning reading if necessary.  I use ESL Reading II, then
Reading A (4-8 grade reading) Modules 1-4, which speeds up slow readers
through "Pacers" that measure speed and comprehension; teaches reading
through a mapping strategy (e.g., where in the sentence do you find "who" it
is talking about); and orients students to the Main Idea. It's especially
effective with "hands-on" kinesthetic learners. I have seldom needed to go
farther back than this.  When possible, we have literacy lessons in the
native language first for non-readers. 

	I just had a man come in who thought he couldn't read in either
Spanish or English.  He had had no formal education.  My Aide tried Spanish
reading with him and said he understood a lot.  Now he is working along in
NovaNet with no problems and keeping up with reading and writing in our Low
Intermediate ESL class. He was amazed that he could also read in English!
(He is a 20-year resident of the US). The content of NovaNet is geared to
adults, but High School students can relate to it also.  For the students
who study daily, I'm amazed at how it accelerates their learning.  That's
why I'm still enthusiastic about the program after 10 years of use.

	By the way, NovaNet was created from research on Learning at the
University of Illinois at Champaign and was based there for 20+ years.  They
only recently moved to Scottsdale, AZ after being purchased by Pearson.
Pearson has invested diligently in upgrading the lessons in NovaNet because
the technology is so effective with students on both ends of the bell curve
(who are our Adult Ed students).  It is also widely used in Continuation
Schools for those who drop out of high school.  Our students sometimes
enroll in our Marce Becerra Academy (Continuation School--Alternative Ed)
for a while to make up lost credits from high school quickly.  When they
have caught up with their graduating class, they often return to the High
School.  They may also make up credits in Adult Education, under strict CA
State guidelines.

	It breaks my heart that people are struggling along with
conventional methods when this different approach works so well for our
adult students.  I feel like it's a student's and a teacher's dream come
true.  Didn't you ever wish you could give every student just what they need
at their own pace?  That's why I'm trying to let other programs know about
this resource.

	Don't let the price phase you.  It's less than the cost of one
full-time teacher to provide an entire online HS Curriculum for our Adult Ed
students.  I have a 17 station open lab.  I served 240 students last year.
20% more students graduate from the high school each year after recovering
credits in Adult Ed.  I generally have about 15-20 graduates per year from
that population, and others are in process.  5% of the population of our
town of 10,000+ have graduated because they attended Adult Ed.  That means
5% fewer people and their children are living in poverty--I know because I
see them in the grocery store and follow up on their lives, and I see them
as managers of the services I use.  It's so cool!

Ruth Stadnik 




Eric Stadnik, Instructor
Business Office Technology
Santa Rosa Junior College
1501 Mendocino Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Office (707) 527-4815 
     Cell (707) 486-4075

"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present
are certain to miss the future."
~ John F. Kennedy

-----Original Message-----
From: learningdisabilities-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:learningdisabilities-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
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Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2007 9:00 AM
To: learningdisabilities at nifl.gov
Subject: LearningDisabilities Digest, Vol 26, Issue 35

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Today's Topics:

   1. [LearningDisabilities 1582] Re: Reading instruction software
      (Susan Jones)
   2. [LearningDisabilities 1583] Re: Reading instruction software
      (msampson at austincc.edu)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 26 Nov 2007 10:29:02 -0600
From: "Susan Jones" <SUJones at parkland.edu>
Subject: [LearningDisabilities 1582] Re: Reading instruction software
To: <learningdisabilities at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <474A9F75.84AA.0029.0 at parkland.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

When I cruised to the website I was struck by the fact that it's for
students in grades 6-12.

We just did a trial of myskillstutor and it was simply too geared to the
younger audience to meet our students' needs... and it had just enough
little glitches in it, too.  WHat's the content in NovaNet like?  Is the
reading at 6-12 grade level (which *would* meet our needs)?

Susan Jones
Academic Development Specialist
Academic Development Center
Parkland College
Champaign, IL  61821
sujones at parkland.edu
Webmastress,
http://www.resourceroom.net
http://bicyclecu.blogspot.com



>>> "Eric" <stadnik at wildblue.net> 11/24/2007 2:24 AM >>>

>From Ruth Stadnik:


 

In answer to Mary's question, I have had very consistent success with my LD
adult ed students and ESL students using an online program called NovaNet
from Pearson Digital Learning.  I've discovered this by accident and
observation over the 10 years I have used the program.

 

When I have had students who struggled with reading skills, I have found
that with the NovaNet program as a delivery system, it frees me to work
one-on-one with the students who need help.  Often I learned later, when I
reviewed their records, that they were RSP students.  Strangely enough, I
have always required 80% or above on all lessons and post-tests using
NovaNet.  In order to achieve the 80%+ the students must take notes.
Repeated exposure to the information in the lessons comes from this process:

 Reading

 taking notes

 answering questions

 referring to their notes for the answers they don't remember

 reviewing

 taking the post-test

 retrieving the info from their notes to apply what they have learned

 then reviewing what they have missed

 Re-taking (a different) post-test if necessary, or re-studying the lesson

 

This process actually gives them 8 reviews of the material, much more than
they would get by the usual methods.  One of the beauties of the program is
that each time it will give different practice questions in the lessons and
different test questions, so they really need to understand the material in
order to apply their learning to answer the questions at the 80%+ level.

 

I believe that no one can memorize everything there is to know anymore.
Using the process mentioned above, my students learn how to record and
retrieve information effectively and apply the information to solve problems
or respond to questions.  If they don't pass the post-test, NovaNet's
prescriptive curriculum suggests which lessons they need to re-study.  I go
over the tests with the students as often as I can, though they can also
review on their own, highlighting the evidence for the answers in their
notes.  Then together we choose which lessons to re-study, or whether to
just re-take (a different ) post test.

 

The result is earned success at a high "mastery learning" level.  This
success builds confidence.  I teaches effective study skills.  Students
learn how much work it takes to get a "B" or "A" and that it is possible if
they apply themselves.  They also quickly learn to organize their notes for
efficient retrieval.  They find that they can even learn (the other 20%)
from their mistakes.  I can work with them one-on-one if they don't
understand part of a lesson or if they need to have test questions explained
in a different way after trying on their own.

 

The best part is that the NovaNet curriculum is so rich and deep, that I can
use it for Diploma Completion (all HS subjects), GED Preparation, ABE, and
High School Credit recovery simultaneously.  It is completely individualized
for each student.  The "hands-on" nature of the online instruction keeps
students highly engaged for hours.  ADD students can use earphones to listen
to music while they study-2 hours later you'll still see them sitting there
and much (documented) work will have been accomplished.  If your computers
have the capability, other adaptations may be possible (contact Pearson for
more info).

 

Many teachers and schools are shy about using technology to enhance
education, for fear of losing their accustomed role in teaching.  I have
received students who have obviously been greatly helped by the special
education they have achieved.  My experience is that my role as a teacher
changes to one I have always dreamed of-the ability to help every student
with what they need, when they need it, and to let them proceed at their own
pace on the material they need most to learn.  Using technology as the
delivery system frees the teacher to respond to the needs of ALL students
with the material as a focus-and with immediate positive and negative
feedback, no papers to correct, and an excellent reporting system from which
to document progress (pre-test and post-test on each module) and grades.
Multiple teachers can be spread across different programs or groups of
students and different coverage times, rather than different "classes."
(While you're at it, check out Write to Learn-a writing program that also
corrects students' writing and gives thought-provoking reading prompts-also
from Pearson).

 

In Adult Ed we have to think of who are students are-everyone who has fallen
out of school for various reasons.  They have had up to 12 years of
traditional teaching methods.  Isn't it time we tried a different technology
with them?  

 

Ruth Stadnik

Healdsburg Adult Education

Healdsburg, CA

rstadnik at husd.com 

 

 

Eric Stadnik, Instructor

Business Office Technology

Santa Rosa Junior College

1501 Mendocino Avenue

Santa Rosa, CA 95401

Office (707) 527-4815 

     Cell (707) 486-4075

 

"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present
are certain to miss the future."

~ John F. Kennedy

 



------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2007 14:46:12 -0000
From: <msampson at austincc.edu>
Subject: [LearningDisabilities 1583] Re: Reading instruction software
To: "The Learning Disabilities Discussion List"
	<learningdisabilities at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <twig.1196174772.57102 at austincc.edu>

When I looked at the NovNet website it was geared towards 6-12 and useable 
by adult students.  The software would be a good investment for any adult ed

program if they have the computer hardware to support it.  
Mary Sampson
Susan Jones <SUJones at parkland.edu> said:


> When I cruised to the website I was struck by the fact that it's for 

students in grades 6-12.

> 

> We just did a trial of myskillstutor and it was simply too geared to the 

younger audience to meet our students' needs... and it had just enough 
little glitches in it, too.  WHat's the content in NovaNet like?  Is the 
reading at 6-12 grade level (which *would* meet our needs)?

> 

> Susan Jones

> Academic Development Specialist

> Academic Development Center

> Parkland College

> Champaign, IL  61821

> sujones at parkland.edu

> Webmastress,

> http://www.resourceroom.net

> http://bicyclecu.blogspot.com

> 

> 

> >>> "Eric" <stadnik at wildblue.net> 11/24/2007 2:24 AM >>>

> >From Ruth Stadnik:

> 

>  

> 

> In answer to Mary's question, I have had very consistent success with my

LD

> adult ed students and ESL students using an online program called NovaNet

> from Pearson Digital Learning.  I've discovered this by accident and

> observation over the 10 years I have used the program.

> 

>  

> 

> When I have had students who struggled with reading skills, I have found

> that with the NovaNet program as a delivery system, it frees me to work

> one-on-one with the students who need help.  Often I learned later, when I

> reviewed their records, that they were RSP students.  Strangely enough, I

> have always required 80% or above on all lessons and post-tests using

> NovaNet.  In order to achieve the 80%+ the students must take notes.

> Repeated exposure to the information in the lessons comes from this 

process:

> 

>  Reading

> 

>  taking notes

> 

>  answering questions

> 

>  referring to their notes for the answers they don't remember

> 

>  reviewing

> 

>  taking the post-test

> 

>  retrieving the info from their notes to apply what they have learned

> 

>  then reviewing what they have missed

> 

>  Re-taking (a different) post-test if necessary, or re-studying the lesson

> 

>  

> 

> This process actually gives them 8 reviews of the material, much more than

> they would get by the usual methods.  One of the beauties of the program

is

> that each time it will give different practice questions in the lessons

and

> different test questions, so they really need to understand the material

in

> order to apply their learning to answer the questions at the 80%+ level.

> 

>  

> 

> I believe that no one can memorize everything there is to know anymore.

> Using the process mentioned above, my students learn how to record and

> retrieve information effectively and apply the information to solve 

problems

> or respond to questions.  If they don't pass the post-test, NovaNet's

> prescriptive curriculum suggests which lessons they need to re-study.  I

go

> over the tests with the students as often as I can, though they can also

> review on their own, highlighting the evidence for the answers in their

> notes.  Then together we choose which lessons to re-study, or whether to

> just re-take (a different ) post test.

> 

>  

> 

> The result is earned success at a high "mastery learning" level.  This

> success builds confidence.  I teaches effective study skills.  Students

> learn how much work it takes to get a "B" or "A" and that it is possible

if

> they apply themselves.  They also quickly learn to organize their notes

for

> efficient retrieval.  They find that they can even learn (the other 20%)

> from their mistakes.  I can work with them one-on-one if they don't

> understand part of a lesson or if they need to have test questions 

explained

> in a different way after trying on their own.

> 

>  

> 

> The best part is that the NovaNet curriculum is so rich and deep, that I 

can

> use it for Diploma Completion (all HS subjects), GED Preparation, ABE, and

> High School Credit recovery simultaneously.  It is completely 

individualized

> for each student.  The "hands-on" nature of the online instruction keeps

> students highly engaged for hours.  ADD students can use earphones to 

listen

> to music while they study-2 hours later you'll still see them sitting

there

> and much (documented) work will have been accomplished.  If your computers

> have the capability, other adaptations may be possible (contact Pearson

for

> more info).

> 

>  

> 

> Many teachers and schools are shy about using technology to enhance

> education, for fear of losing their accustomed role in teaching.  I have

> received students who have obviously been greatly helped by the special

> education they have achieved.  My experience is that my role as a teacher

> changes to one I have always dreamed of-the ability to help every student

> with what they need, when they need it, and to let them proceed at their 

own

> pace on the material they need most to learn.  Using technology as the

> delivery system frees the teacher to respond to the needs of ALL students

> with the material as a focus-and with immediate positive and negative

> feedback, no papers to correct, and an excellent reporting system from 

which

> to document progress (pre-test and post-test on each module) and grades.

> Multiple teachers can be spread across different programs or groups of

> students and different coverage times, rather than different "classes."

> (While you're at it, check out Write to Learn-a writing program that also

> corrects students' writing and gives thought-provoking reading

prompts-also

> from Pearson).

> 

>  

> 

> In Adult Ed we have to think of who are students are-everyone who has 

fallen

> out of school for various reasons.  They have had up to 12 years of

> traditional teaching methods.  Isn't it time we tried a different 

technology

> with them?  

> 

>  

> 

> Ruth Stadnik

> 

> Healdsburg Adult Education

> 

> Healdsburg, CA

> 

> rstadnik at husd.com 

> 

>  

> 

>  

> 

> Eric Stadnik, Instructor

> 

> Business Office Technology

> 

> Santa Rosa Junior College

> 

> 1501 Mendocino Avenue

> 

> Santa Rosa, CA 95401

> 

> Office (707) 527-4815 

> 

>      Cell (707) 486-4075

> 

>  

> 

> "Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present

> are certain to miss the future."

> 

> ~ John F. Kennedy

> 

>  

> 

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Learning Disabilities mailing list

> LearningDisabilities at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/learningdisabilities

> Email delivered to msampson at austincc.edu

> 




-- 





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