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When Speech Input Is Not an Afterthought: A Reading Tutor That Listens

At a glance

  • Promising Evidence
  • Program: Amira Learning
  • Subjects: Assessment, Early Learning
  • Report Type: Efficacy Study, Study Conducted by Third Party
  • Grade Level: Elementary
  • Region: Northeast
  • District Urbanicity: Urban
  • Study Conducted by: Mostow, J & Aist, G.
  • Publication Date: 1997

Abstract

Project LISTEN’s Reading Tutor listens to children read aloud and helps them become better readers. The first extended in-school use of the Reading Tutor suggests that speech input can be natural, compelling, and effective. Researchers conducted a small-group pilot study, where each student used the Reading Tutor for approximately 30–60 sessions, averaging 14 minutes each. This modest amount of interaction seems inadequate to account by itself for the children's dramatic gains in reading. The researchers postulated that the Reading Tutor acted as a catalyst that helped the students gain more from their classroom instruction.

Citation

Mostow, G. & Aist, G. (1997). When speech input is not an afterthought: A reading tutor that listens. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA. http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~listen/pdfs/Mostow_Aist_pui97_final.pdf