Amira Learning - Read With Me
By Amy Henderson on June 07, 2023
Second and third grade students in Duval County Public Schools have some additional help when it comes to reading. Amira is a computer program provided to all second and third grade students that listens to students read, aids when needed, and shares data with teachers.
The online tutor gamifies reading and is another way DCPS is working to increase reading proficiency, a key indicator for student success.
About 65% of students nationwide were not reading by third grade, and the 2022 Florida State Assessment results revealed that 52% of DCPS third graders were not reading on grade level. Research indicates that 74% of children whose reading scores are less than sufficient by third grade are less likely to graduate from high school. As a result, these children could lack the skills for success later in life.
Improving literacy for students is a key priority in the DCPS Strategic Plan, and the focus of the community-wide literacy initiative, READ JAX.
How It Works
Students log in to Amira and are given a choice of which story to read. Amira combines the science of reading and artificial intelligence to listen to the student and help when necessary. There are more than 60 micro-interventions for Amira to choose from, including sharing interesting facts about words students struggle with understanding. Amira can also show a video of someone saying the word a student mispronounces, so they can see how the sounds are shaped.
Amira collects data on the student’s speed, number of words correct, words they struggle with, and how much time they spend reading, among other data points. The students see a dashboard tracking their progress with reading speed and correct words.
For teachers, Amira provides detailed reports on each student and provides additional resources and activities they may want to do with the student outside of Amira.
Resources
Second and third grade students have access to the professional version of Amira through DCPS and it is already loaded on laptops provided to the students. For technical support, see the resources listed on the district's student learning webpage and scroll for Amira.
Parents whose children are not students of DCPS or whose children are not in the second or third grade but are interested in learning more about Amira can find out more information at amiralearning.com.
Research shows reading just 20 minutes a day builds children’s vocabularies, reduces stress, increases empathy, and leads to better outcomes in school and life. With Amira, students not only spend time reading, but they also have a personal tutor helping them get even better at it.
