Learning to read is a foundational skill that builds confidence and sets students up for success in school. Research shows that today’s students are struggling with reading more than ever. Children who are struggling to learn to read may be overlooked or expected to catch up, but it important to act quickly to help these young learners gain the skills they need to learn to read. Some of the best solutions are online reading programs for struggling readers, and in this article, we’re going to focus on them.
While there are many online reading programs out there, not all have a proven track record. Read on to find out about the top 5 online reading programs for struggling readers with proven success.
Most popular online reading programs for struggling readers
Program #1 Reading Eggs
Reading Eggs focuses around the five essential keys to reading success: phonics and phonemic awareness, sight words, vocabulary, comprehension, and reading for meaning.
- Ages 2-13 (up to a 2nd grade reading level), Reading Eggspress continues through grade 6.
- Includes printable worsheets, interactive lessons, assessment, and progress tracking.
- Subscription pricing $9.99/mo if billed monthly or $5.83/mo if billed yearly with access for up to 4 children.
Program #2 Starfall
Starfall’s online reading program teaches phonemic awareness, systematic sequential phonics, and common sight words with audiovisual interactivity. Aligned with Common Core State Standards and emphasizes exploration, play, and the development of intrinsic motivation.
- Pre-K through grade 3
- Widely used for special education, home schooling, ELD/ELL/ESL
- Yearly pricing: $35 (home membership), $70 (teacher membership), $195 (classroom membership)
Program #3 HOMER Reading
HOMER follows a very systematic approach which is based on four main principles: introduce, practice, apply, and transfer. Students follow a structured step-by-step learning path to encourage advancement of reading skills.
- Ages 2-8 (Pre-K through grade 2)
- Includes offline activities, resources, and play tips from learning experts
- Billed yearly $59.99/yr or $9.99/mo – for up to 4 child profiles
Program #4 ABCMouse
ABCMouse teaches phonics, letter recognition, rhyming words, word families, sentence structure, and parts of speech in a fun step by step program that can help any reader. Easy progression allows learners to engage independently.
- Ages 2-8
- 850+ lessons and more than 450 books and beginning readers
- $12.99/mo
Program #5 ABCya
ABCya was developed to with a plan to ‘gamify educational lessons’ to make learning to read fun and interactive while meeting Common Core Standards. This online program allows you to search easily by level and activity type to find the optimal reading activities.
- Pre-K – grade 6
- Provides 300 fun and educational games and printables
- Free subscriber option for limited content with ads, Premium $9.99/mo, and Premium Classroom $24.99/mo
Things to consider
Students who are struggling to read will benefit from additional instruction that can enhance what they are learning in school. The strongest interventions include a mix of online instruction and hands-on learning techniques. Activities such as printable word sort activity cards are useful for engaging students one on one or in the classroom.
Final words
There are many fantastic online reading programs for struggling readers which can help advance their learning. With so many options to choose from, it can be overwhelming to figure out what works. Having a personalized plan and support system is one of the first steps. Like and follow Classroom Camp on Facebook for more information on ways to support struggling readers.
