Puddle Jumping: TOS Review

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Reading is the root on which a great deal of learning is based, so I was thrilled to get a chance to review MaxGuru from the MaxScholar Reading Intervention Programs of MaxScholar which was developed to help students with learning disabilities, trouble reading, learning to read, dyslexia, ADHD, processing issues, or other struggles in reading.

The program is multi-sensory and based on something called the Orton-Gillingham approach, the Lindamood-Bell process and other research methods. The program is available on any PC or tablet and is adaptable to ability and age levels. Of course, the elephant logo would have been all my elephant-loving daughter needed to pique her interest.

What is the MaxScholar?

MaxScholar is an online program that uses a variety of strategies to help reinforce the skill of reading. It starts with a Pre-Assessment, Guided Lessons, Visualizing and Verbalizing (V/V), Comprehension, Vocabulary, Highlighting, Writing, Comprehension, Games, and Reports.

Each section is labeled with its own icon and begins with the prefix, "Max":

MAXWORDS

MAXVOCAB This section teaches Vocabulary words

MAXPHONICS Consonants - Short Vowels - Blends - Diagraphs. Extensive drills and practice reinforce lessons. First, the student learns to write each letter, and move on through phonetic sounds and sight words.

MAXREADING

How Did We Use It?

I sat down with my daughter, and we started with the Pre-Assessment. From there, she proceeded to work on the guided lessons and concentrated mostly on reading and vocabulary. When a new reading section began, she first saw highlighted vocabulary words which she was asked to click on. Once she was familiar with the vocabulary words, she was asked to read a section of text and then to highlight, on the screen, the important parts and then asked to check her highlighting. After that, outlines and a writing exercise are covered, followed by questions and games.

I also received reports of her progress.

Also available on MaxScholar are:

MAXBIOS This section has lists of famous people from history along with short biographies to read and highlight onscreen.

MAXMUSIC - Games to play with playing guitar and other musical themed information.

MAXPLACES Appears to be a geography lesson section, but wasn't part of the review.

What Did We Think?

I was not completely familiar with the research methods behind this learning site, but it's intriguing. It's definitely packed with information that ranges from very simplistic letter forming using your finger on the screen to extremely complex ideas such as Latin and Greek word roots. The highlighting was the most challenging for us, but I'm sure after a bit more practice we will have it down. I liked how it is multi-sensory. The student can turn on the audio for instructions or to hear a passage read, or turn the audio off and read it aloud herself or to her or himself. I really like the games that reinforce what was just learned, and I like how it begins the student at their individual level based upon a pre-assessment test.

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