The One iPad Class ~ Reading Record Apps

Hi Everyone!

Today I'm going to focus on apps that I use during reading groups, or to help assess reading.

I've already talked about how I use Confer.

But I have some handy dandy other apps that I've found helpful.

{FREE-10 Students/ $9.99-Unlimited Students} Levelbook is an app that allows you to record and store running records or benchmarks.

I currently use the free app (for my students that I keep for guided reading groups).

You can set which reading system you use, DRA, Lexile, Fountas & Pinnell, etc. What I especially like is that you can add books to your 'library'.

For example, my district uses Literacy By Design (which is a whole 'nother post), which as ABC levels like Fountas & Pinnell. (But they will tell you very clearly that it is not Fountas & Pinnell, and we can't use Fountas & Pinnell benchmarks (i.e, at the end of 4th they should be...) even though one of the ladies was on the design committee.)

I was able to input my benchmark books by adding the title, level and number of words they read and off we went!

I love that it allows you to record a student, and mark their errors (which helps calculate WCPM), and set a comprehension score.

It saves it, so you can always go back and listen to your student.

And, if your student isn't meeting the benchmark, or didn't quite pass, they let you know that by turning them yellow (or red...)

This student had great comprehension but A LOT of errors while reading-below the accuracy rate

This just lets me know who to keep an eye on.

{FREE-w/ads/$3.99-w/o}  Running Record Calculator is another app I've found comes in handy.

I use the free version, which recently underwent some updates. Before the update, I had to input the time, words read and errors/self-corrects and it calculated the WCPM.

Now, you can record the student while they are reading and flag the errors (just like in Levelbook, but the calculator doesn't save the recording).

I mainly use it as just a calculator-that's all I need it for.

If you do record it (and remember-it doesn't save the recording!), you can email it to whomever you want-a printout-not the recording.

  {FREE} Record of Reading is an app that allows you to take a running record on your iPad.

You can write right on the app, record the student, and it calculates for you. You can also upload a picture to record on.

It does have a wrist screen shield, so you are not marking willy-nilly.

This can also be saved (DropBox) or emailed.

I'll be honest...I did delete this app. That's not to say it's not a great app, but it is not for me. I don't do constant running records, and when I benchmark, there are other things I need to do with the students. Plus, I don't always benchmark just my students, and while I'm okay with tech, my teaching partners are a little more...wary.  Right now, I prefer paper/pen when benchmarking, and supplementing with the two apps above.

But this is free, so go ahead and give it a try!

Smiles and Sunshine,
Kaitlyn