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Why can't I use the blackline masters but have students read along as I read the story myself?
Some customers use the blackline masters of the stories without the audio CDs or cassettes, usually in one-on-one or group tutoring situations. Instead of reading along to a recording, the students read along as the teacher reads the story.
Although this alternative approach does benefit students, using the recordings helps you optimize the students’ progress. These are some advantages of using the recordings:
- Since the teachers do not have to spend time reading the story aloud, they are available for one-on-one assistance or other tasks.
- The recordings feature professional recordings of the stories at speeds that are targeted at struggling readers. Teachers may not read the stories at the optimum speed.
- Letting students work independently with the recordings puts them in charge of their learning, which can keep them engaged and motivated.
- Even if a group starts out being homogeneous (that is, at the same instructional level), over time it is only natural that some students will progress faster than others. When this happens, you run the risk of slowing the progress of more advanced students to accommodate less advanced students. When students work independently, they can work at the level and pace appropriate for them. This ensures that they are properly challenged to accelerate their progress.
Students’ motivation increases when they work at their own pace, not the pace of a group.
See also: What is the benefit of having students work in Read Naturally individually?