I Would Love to Hear My Child Read Fluently!
In my line of work, I hear this all the time! Parents want to hear their child reading accurately and easily, while comprehending what they are reading.
In this post, I would love to share with you one proven method to boost your child’s reading fluency! How do I know that it works? That’s easy. My niece used the program I am about to introduce you to, and what a huge difference it made in her ability to read more efficiently, while understanding what she was reading! Our family is ecstatic about the results! She actually wants to read now!
Before she began this program, it was like pulling teeth to try to get her to even look at the cover of a book, much less read any of the words contained within the pages.
What Exactly is Fluency?
In one of my pages, I explained that fluency is the ability to read with greater speed, while comprehending what is being read. Comprehension is the key to reading for both children and adults, and fluency is where it starts.
I have worked with so many children of all ages over the years who are so focused on trying to sound out the words, that they completely lose the meaning of what they are reading. Their reading is slow and choppy, thus causing them to get frustrated and want to give up. I believe that each child has their own individual strengths and weaknesses, and it is up to the teachers, as well as the parents, to ensure that those weaknesses are met head on. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of our children!
Affiliate Disclosure
I would like to be open and transparent with you, as parents and caregivers. When you buy something from the websites listed on my site, I may receive an affiliate commission. I never recommend poor quality products, or create false reviews to make sales. The opinions I express are not representative of the companies that create these products. It is my intention to explain products in such a way that you can make informed decisions on which ones best suit your needs.
I Would Like You to Meet…The Reading Buddy Software Program!
This program was developed in order to help struggling readers develop the necessary skills they need in order to become successful readers. We all know that reading encompasses pretty much every aspect of life. Regardless of whatever career or job your child will have someday, he/she will need to know how to read well, and understand what they are reading! This much is a given!
The Reading Buddy Software Program focuses on building reading fluency, thus giving the child more of an opportunity to understand what he/she is reading. It is an online reading program that works with speech recognition to detect incorrectly pronounced words as your child reads. Next, it gives the child the chance to correctly say the mispronounced words, and read the story again, while saying the words properly. This program has actually led to a 50% increase in reading levels!
My niece made a major leap from low reading grades to all A’s and B’s in the 1st several months after starting the Reading Buddy Software program! Now, she is right where she should be! Can you tell that I am a proud aunt?!!
All children need to feel successful in order to have a more positive outlook on life, and I feel that they are entitled to it! It gives them a greater self esteem, and makes them want to achieve more!
How This Program Can Help Your Child Succeed With Little Effort on Your Part…
Coming from a former teacher’s viewpoint, it would be “the ideal” to be able to sit down and listen to each of your children read at least 5-6 times a week, while working on correcting the mispronounced words! This would make for a more perfect world! However, life is not that easy.
The creators of the Reading Buddy Software Program must have been extremely in-tune with the “busyness” of life that we find ourselves in! I think they realized that teachers don’t have the time to give one-on-one attention to each and every child in their class every single day.
Parents are also extremely busy as they try to provide for their families while they “chauffeur” their kids from one place to another! With the number of single parents on the rise, I believe that this reading program is a true blessing for both the child, as well as the parents and caregivers!
How The Reading Buddy Software Program Works
It’s really very simple. The Reading Buddy Software Program is a guided/repeated reading program, created to help build fluency and comprehension as your child advances through the various levels. It is designed for children to work on their own for about 30 minutes a day as the program monitors their reading. There are basically 7 steps to this program.
1.) The child reads a passage aloud. If he/she mispronounces a word, the computer highlights the words that were read incorrectly. Next, the computer says the incorrect words aloud to the child. Then, it gives the child the chance to correctly say the words. If they miss a word again, they then keep trying, until they pronounce the word correctly. It also gives the child the option of clicking on a particular word, and it will replay what the word is, as well as give the definition, if they want it.
2.) Reading Buddy Software reads the story to the child as he/she follows along. It will underline the words as it reads to the child so that the child can keep up.
3.) The program then shows the child a list of the words that were mispronounced. They are then given the opportunity to read the words. If he/she misses a word, they have to repeat the word/s until they get them all correct.
4.) This step is basically the same as step 1. The child will then read the story again, and follow all the steps from the first step listed above.
5.) The Reading Buddy program again reads the story to the child, just as in step 2.
6.) The child reads the story one last time.
7.) Step 7 is where the child is given the chance to answer the comprehension questions.
This program works around the “theme” of repetition. I think that is what makes it so successful. The child is given the opportunity to read each story several times, as well as learn how to correctly pronounce each word. By the time they get to the comprehension questions, they are “masters” of that particular story!
Goal Setting and Prizes
The cool part of The Reading Buddy Software Program is that kids get to set their own goals before they start.
They can also choose prizes that they want to earn based on the amount of points that the program gives them for each step.
I can still remember the excitement in my niece’s voice every time she called to tell me what “prize” she had just earned! That was an added bonus and incentive to keep her going! The greatest part was that my brother never had to tell her to work on her Reading Buddy Program! She did it on her own, and she loved it! It was like she had her own little “reading buddy” who was listening to her read!
This program is definitely worth checking out, especially if you have struggling readers at home, and not enough time to devote to working with them on a continuous basis.
If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear them. You can either leave a comment below, or send me an email to kidscanlovetoread@gmail.com.. I promise to get back with you as soon as I can:) And, as always…Happy reading to you and your child!
Blessings:)
Suzi
We used Reading Buddies for a year. Saw big improvements in reading fluency, with a couple of grade levels increased. I highly recommend it.
Regards,
William Gregory
Thank you so much for your comment, William! My niece used the Reading Buddy Software program, and we actually saw leaps and bounds in her reading skills! I think the Reading Buddy Software program is definitely the way to go to get a child up and reading more fluently. Thank you, again, for your comment:)
Blessings:)
Suzi
The Reading Buddy sounds like an amazing piece of software to help children learn to love to read. My granddaughter, whom I am raising, is learning to read, but struggles sometimes with pronouncing words properly. It sounds like this program will help her immensely in gaining the proper pronunciation skills. I was wondering if this software comes with different age levels for reading and to what age level it best fits? I also wonder if the software has many different stories that can be read? My granddaughter likes to do repetitive tasks, but eventually she gets bored and wants more! Thank you for sharing your information about this program. It sounds like it would meet my family’s busy schedule!
Hi Karin:) Thank you for your comment and questions about The Reading Buddy Software program! This is a program that is geared for kids who know how to read somewhat well phonetically. Although, when a child mispronounces a word, the program will repeat the word back to the child, and have the child read the word again in a sentence. As long as your granddaughter is reading on a basic level, then she should be good to go! It’s mainly a fluency based program that helps children develop the much needed comprehension skills that they need.
And yes, this program has many, many stories to read! That’s one of the things that kept my niece going:) She loved to work on her Reading Buddy Software program, and even did so without being told! I hope your granddaughter enjoys this program as much as my niece!
Blessings:)
Suzi
Thanks for your reply, Suzi! I look forward to learning more about this program and possibly purchasing it for my granddaughter!
Best wishes,
Karin 🙂
Please let me know is there are any questions you have regarding the Reading Buddy Software program:) Best wishes to you and your granddaughter!
Blessings:)
Suzi
Thank you for sharing with us this great article on how to boost our child’s reading fluency.Nowadays parents are busy working and they do not have time to listen to stories to their children while reading stories at home.
When I was young we used to read story books in front of our mother and when we made mistakes,she was there to correct us.And that method was helping us to read fluently.
I am happy to see that there is a soft which can help kids read fluently.I wish I could see how it works personally.
Hi Julienne:) Thank you so much for stopping by! The Reading Buddy Software program is truly a wonderful program for kids who struggle with reading fluency, or rather, comprehension. It does make the child repeat the words he/she missed, and even assesses comprehension with a set of questions that they have to answer correctly, after reading the story three times. I can’t say enough wonderful things about this program! My niece used it for a year, and went up several levels with her word calling and comprehension! Now, she doesn’t struggle with reading anymore, and her self confidence has greatly improved!
Again, thank you for your insightful comment:)
Blessings;)
Suzi
It surely is depends on the person. Even now as an adult I still have some difficuties reading it out loud. The program looks really good I will consider on buying it for my nephews. When do you think is the appropriate age to use the software? Also what kind of rewards do the child get if exceled the lesson?
Thank you in advanced.
Hi Nuttanee:) My niece used The Reading Buddy Software program, and she was allowed to choose her own prizes. As she went through each lesson, the program would give her positive feedback. As for the prizes, she was allowed to choose something simple that she wanted to earn for so many points. This could be as simple as going to McDonalds for a Happy Meal, or having a friend come over to play. When she earned the right amount of points, she earned the prize! I think her biggest prize was a cheap cell phone, which she worked towards for a long time! It was well worth it:)
The age to begin the program is really dependent on if the child can read basic sentences. It’s more of a “fluency” type of program, rather than a phonetic program, although they do teach kids how to sound out some words.
Thank you so much for stopping by! Best wishes to you and your nephews as they travel down the pathway toward higher learning…
Blessings:)
Suzi
This is definitely one of the best programs out there for kids to learn to read and have fun at the same time. My little girl has been using this for almost a month now and whenever she wins a prize, she’s always really happy which makes me so happy. Thank you for your review. I totally recommend this to any Parent to get for their children.
Thank you, Solomon, for your review of The Reading Buddy Software program! I’m so glad your daughter is loving the prizes:) I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how fast her reading lexile levels go up! Best wishes to you and your daughter as she continues on down the pathway of learning…
Blessings:)
Suzi
Great information! A little late for my kids but looking forward to using this information on the grand kids. The 10 best summer activities article was full of great activities for when the kids come to stay for the summer, The cookie decorating contest is a win, win for everybody. Sorry if I missed this but is this a software down load or a cloud based reading program? When I had my kids at home using phonics was a great learning tool but it was still in its infancy, so looking at the new material is very interesting. The tablets are a great tool for learning the kids are learning to use these things at a younger and younger age, Do you recommend a tablet? Thanks for the videos, I am a visual person so watching something get done is a lot better for me that reading it.
Thanks, Dennis
Hi Dennis;) It sounds like you had a look around my site! Thank you so much for your insightful comments. Actually, Reading Buddy Software is basically a software download. My niece used the program for a year, and went up several levels in her reading comprehension, as well as vocabulary level:) Before this, we literally had to fight her to get her to read. Now, she enjoys reading, and is doing well in school!
I hope you do try some of the summer reading activities I wrote about:) And, you’re right…the cookie contest is truly a win/win situation! As far a tablet…yes, I would definitely recommend buying one for your grandkids. There are so many educational apps out there, as well as ebooks that they can check out from your local library!
I wish you and your grandkids all the best as they continue down this pathway of learning:)
Blessings:)
Suzi
The reading buddy software sounds nice. It might be a nice solution for kids who have a problem with fluent reading. However, I think, that the more kid is practicing the better will be. With or without software. I am curious, do you think that this software improves the rate of getting better in reading?
Hi Igor:) I actually do believe that children learn how to read more fluently when it’s something they consider to be fun. We had tried just about everything to help my niece with her reading, but she only really gained interest when my brother started her on The Reading Buddy Software program. It became something she wanted to do, rather than a “chore.” Now, she enjoys reading, which we are thrilled with! In my opinion, I believe that parents need to do whatever they can to help their children learn to read. After all, they are our future:)
Blessings:)
Suzi
The Reading Buddy sounds like a great program. I have struggled for a few years trying to get me son to read more often and it almost turns into a fight to get it done. He is 10 years old. I am having better success currently, and after reading your article, I realize it is probably because he isn’t struggling as much with his reading. When I listen to him read aloud now, I am surprised how much he has improved. I am now thinking the fight was because it was more difficult before.
I like that it works on the child having to say the work correctly. I have also realized that my son struggles in spelling, probably because he doesn’t put enough time in reading, but the words he really struggles with are words that he says incorrectly, so when he is sounding out the word, that is what he hears. This is almost like working with a speech teacher at the same time.
I am wondering what are the ages for this program? How old was your niece when she worked with Reading Buddy. Do they have a range of reading levels that are appropriate for several ages, or is it more for beginners?
Hi Marla:) I can completely identify with you as you had to battle to get your son to read! I’ve done this many times with the students I work with on a daily basis! The Reading Buddy Software program is designed for kids who already know the basics of reading, but just need more fluency and comprehension practice. My niece was in the 4th grade when we started her on the program. Within several months, her reading level went up almost 2 grade levels. Granted, she was behind. But today, she is flourishing! I think it’s definitely worth checking into:) Thank you so much for your very insightful comment and interest in this program!
Blessings:)
Suzi
This reminds me of some of the better foreign language programs out there. The principle of repetition is enormously important in those as well, and I guess that makes sense as young children are also still learning a language even if it’s their own.
Nice review, gives a real good feel for the program.
Thank you, Jon, for your insightful comment! I agree that repetition is extremely important in helping kids learn to read more fluently. It just makes sense! The Reading Buddy Software program is one program that I highly recommend! I appreciate you stopping by!
Blessings:)
Suzi
What I noticed is also that kids can learn how to read and talk by watching Tv and the programs they like on it. Any other tools like The Reading Buddy Software can help them to learn how to read properly, and faster. For example, we have three kids and one graduated, the other one is going to graduate in summer this year and the third one started to study at the university. All of them learned how to read properly at their own pace and according to the schooling. However, if some kids have problems with such things any further help is welcome!Thanks for sharing it!Best regards,IgorStay well, market better, convert best!
Thank you for your insightful comment, Igor:) I think that kids in this day and time have a great advantage in learning to read because of all of the different software programs, apps, and other things that are at their disposal! It’s a great time to learn to read:) Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings:)
Suzi
Reading comprehension and learning has definitely gotten a lot more advanced since I started learning how to read back in the early 90’s. All I remember was doing phonics and learning on cards. The fact that the software even pronounced the words you mispronounced is a feature I wish I had back then as I probably could still be vulnerable to mispronouncing words.
I totally agree with you, Jessie! Education has become way more advanced, which is a good thing. Kids have more than just one way to learn to read:) I appreciate you stopping by my site!
Blessings:)
Suzi
It sounds like Reading Buddy is an amazing software for the children to improve their reading proficiency. There are some interesting features which the children will definitely love and at the same time, they can learn from it. This software is very much recommended for the parents who are busy with their profession and can give much time to teach their children. Thank you for the article.
Hi Fahim:). I appreciate you sharing your thoughts about this remarkable program! It is a wonderful reading program, in that it lets children learn at their own pace:) My niece learned to read fluently by using the Reading Buddy Software program, and continues to be a great reader today! Thank you so much for stopping by:)
Blessings:)
Suzi
That’s an awesome post. I’m so glad that I get to read this post, as I was searching for some sort of mind tool to enhance learning ability among people. Also, I believe that if somebody would read fast, they can automatically enhance their power.
Your analysis of this software is thorough and well detailed. I’ll surely this suggest this awesome software to every family, wherever I could possibly reach. My only question is, does it have any particular accent in it’s teaching, UK English or US English?
Thanksa lot for sharing this amazing post. I’ll surely share it on social media.
Hi Ashkay:) Thank you for stopping by! To answer your question, the Reading Buddy Software program is only available in English. However, they do offer the program to just about any country. Kids need to have a basic understanding of phonics, and should be able to read on a 1st grade level. I hope this helps! Thank you, again, for inquiring about The Reading Buddy Software Program!
Blessings:)
Suzi
Hi Suzi, this sounds like a great program to get our children reading. I used to be able to encourage my son to read 4 books a week at home with me, but as you say we now spend our lives running from one event to another. Having this program on my tablet would be a great way to keep him reading on the days I know he will be too tired to read with me at home, he could be doing his reading in the car. Rewards and incentives are great, I see how well they work with my son. I am not sure if I missed it in your review, but what age or level of reading is this program designed to go to?
Thank your for sharing the story of your niece, I bet you were a proud Aunty, Denise.
Hi Denise:) Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts:) Life can get extremely hectic, and it seems like it’s getting more difficult to find the time to fit quality reading time into the schedule every day. I love this program because it allows kids to work on their own time! As far as age is concerned, kids should have a basic understanding of phonics, and be able to read short sentences. This program is designed for kids in grades 1-8. The Reading Buddy Software program really helps kids build up their fluency and comprehension as they read. If you choose to purchase this program, please let me know how it goes! Thank you, again, for stopping by!
Blessings:)
Suzi
Hi, there, Suzi.
I think this is a wonderful piece of software that helps kids with their reading skills.
It’s true what you say about teachers being pushed to the limit and one-on-one pupil attention is not really possible.
I love the fact that the children participate through the computer. Kids have a higher interest level when engaging computer software and I wish reading aid was available when I was a youngster.
How much does this software aid cost, Suzi?
Thanks, Jeff.
Thank you for stopping by, Jeff, and sharing your thoughts about the Reading Buddy Software program:). It is definitely a great way to help kids learn to read more fluently:). As far as the price, you can pay monthly, which is $79. However, I believe that there other packages, that may be less expensive. There is no contract to sign, which I love! Parents are free to join, leave, and come back as they wish:). Thank you, again, for stopping by!
Blessings:)
Suzi
I had heard of phonetics software before, but I haven’t heard of the Reading Buddy program. I enjoyed reading all of the different things that this program does and how it increases the accuracy of the reader which in turn makes reading easier as they get into more difficult reading material.
I like the repetitive nature of the program. I attended a private school where we had a reading program once or twice a week. They put a story on a legal sized piece of paper. You were given this machine, that looked like a red sewer tube with knobs on each side, the speed and comprehension began after they set the speed level via the knob on the side.
I was reading fairly slow when I began on this method, it was OLD SCHOOL. The speed was set wrong at the get-go on my first attempt. It flew through as though you’d put it in a copy machine and it spits it back out just seconds later. Needless to say, we were only given one chance of reading through the story and then answering comprehension questions after.
I think I read maybe the first sentence as I was putting it in the machine and knew only one of the characters names and guessed at the comprehension questions.
I think that the Reading Buddy method is great in comparison to what was available while I was in school.
Hi Kalaya:) I love this story of how you were taught to read fluently! It’s amazing how schools used to teach back then. We’ve definitely come a long way:) I greatly appreciate you taking the time to stop by, and share your experiences and memories!
Blessings:)
Suzi
Thank you so much for the recommendation. I want to take it for my nephew, but he is not that good with reading yet. He started learning only a few weeks ago. Is this software for kids that know how to read already or for very beginners, too?
I want him to learn as fast as possible so I can start getting books for him. I’ve loved reading since I was 4 – maybe even earlier; I just don’t remember it 😛 – and I want him to feel this love, too!
Hi Jenny:) The Reading Buddy software is actually for kids who have a basic understanding of phonics, and is geared more for kids who need help with reading fluency. You might check out ABCmouse.com, or Reading Eggs. I wrote another post, “Best Online Phonics Reading Programs for Kids,” in which I lay out the fundamentals of these two programs. They are great for beginning readers! I wish for your nephew all the best, as he begins his online reading journey:)
Blessings:)
Suzi
Hello Suzi, this might just be exactly what we have been looking for for the improvement from my niece. I am happy to see that the programme really works for kids. I have not seen a software that works like this but I feel this is something we will be able to use. Thanks a lot for the broad explanation on how it works and helps the child. I will like to give this a try. Thanks.
Hi Henderson:) Thank you so much for stopping by, and leaving a comment! I believe wholeheartedly in Reading Buddy Software, because of the huge difference it made in my niece’s reading comprehension level. I wish all the best for your niece:) Please let me know if you have any questions.
Blessings:)
Suzi
Hi, this sounds like a great way to learn how to read. It sounds like a brilliant software. Being able to read is so important for kids to get through school. Every day requires so much of it.
i like that it makes it engaging and interesting for the kids to keep their attention.
30 minutes per day Is ideal for everyone.
Great job here.
The Reading Buddy Software program is really a wonderful program, especially for busy parents and caregivers who don’t have a lot of time to read with their child/children:). Thanks so much for the nice input, Jake! I appreciate the feedback:)
Blessings:)
Suzi
Who would have thought there is also a software who helps turn children into readers. I love it!
Personally, I love to read since I can remember, and sometimes I wonder if my future children will have the same fondness for books. Thanks to The Reading Buddy Software Program I can be at ease, because now I know I can get an extra ‘’help’’ in case that I’ll need it.
I hope a lot of parents will stumble upon your post!
Thanks for stopping by, Kaju:) I’m sure that your kids will be great readers, if you were a voracious reader when you were young! Always remember to read to them every day. Kids need to see that books are important to you:) I greatly appreciate your comment, and wish you and your “future” children much success..
Blessings:)
Suzi
Reading fluency boost as well, my sister needs this too because I am very sure that it will increasingly help her with school. Not like she has some serious difficulty reading but it will make it even better i guess I should want to get this software yo have given here in addition to the one on phonetics. I am going to share this with the teachers’ forum in her school.
Thank you, John, for sharing this with me! I hope your sister has some wonderful results with her reading levels! Best wishes to her, as she continues on her journey through literacy…
Blessings:)
Suzi