Whooos Reading on Learn2Earn.org

This is the second in a series of blog posts about how and why digital tools can support learning in a small school environment.

This post features www.learn2earn.org


By chance I came upon it in a Twitter chat. When I read a testimonial which said "Our students have improved more quickly using Whoos Reading than Accelerated Reader" my interest was piqued. I have a core of high performing students (up to 2 years ahead of expected level) and was seeking a way to keep them engaged and keep them reading.

Check out the timeline of implementation:

Mid-May 2015 -

Signed up 8 students in Grade 2 and taught them how to complete a reading log, answer responses to their texts and explore how to create their avatar. Engagement was almost instant, but we negotiated to trial it until the end of the term in June.

 Key observations 1

• As students read their books and logged the minutes they earned coins to spend on their owl avatar.
• Students were given their login and password to take home and use in class.
• Each day the Grade 2 student group scrambled to Read to Self (Daily Five)
• Some boys who had stopped reading at home, read for 2 hours the first weekend, logging each minute and earning more coins. (information from parent comment) 
• I was able to see what they had read and assess their reading comprehension based on their answers to reading response.
• Students were able to "like" and comment on their classmates books.

End of May 2015

Eight Grade 1 students demanded to use Learn2Earn and Prep students also wanted to log in.

Key observations 2

• Those who could log in independently did so
• Those who were learning how to were more motivated to log in.
• Grade 2 students mentored Grade 1 and Prep students to complete reading logs.

June 2015

Students in the upper primary classroom (Grades 3 to 6) asked for log ins to be created.
Their biggest question was "Does it let us talk to each other and share our reading?"

Key observations 3

 Upper primary students spend 5 minutes daily completing reading logs.
The potential for using Learn2Earn to support the teaching of reading comprehension is enormous.

July 2015

School purchased a premium subscription, which allows access to content like Lexiles and detailed reading data.

August 2015 and beyond

Teachers invited to Learn2Earn so they are able to provide students with feedback.

I plan to explain the reading data available on Learn2Earn.

Reflection and review scheduled at end of 2015.

If you knew of a way to motivate your readers and excite them about reading would you try it?