For
best results we recommend that students use the program 20 to
30 minutes a session, two to three times a week, for six to eight
weeks in conjunction with other methods of instruction.
Program usage should be paced to allow students sufficient time
between sessions to absorb the material.
Start
out with Merit's Tryouts to see where students need reading
help most.
Discuss
problem areas with students.
Ask
students what they read most outside of school. How much do they
read outside of school? Do they use books or go online? What do
they like to read?
Supplement
Merit with material from social studies, science, and language
arts classes, so students may practice skills in various subject
areas.
Return
to the software and let students try Merit's Warm-up and/or
Workout sections.
Follow
up each software session by asking students what new vocabulary
words they have learned. What new questions do they have?
Look
at a sample text. Ask students to find the key words that tell
the main idea. Can they list 1 - 2 details? Find a fact and/or
an opinion? Explain text sequence?
Have
students print scores received for completing software Warm-up
and/or Workout sections. Later, discuss these scores with
students. Are they pleased with their progress? What seems easier
to them? What needs more practice?
Relate
skills practiced with the software to material in social studies,
science, and language arts classes, so students can apply new
skills to each subject area.
Ask
students to try making up new titles for material being read in
their social studies, science, and language arts classes.
Ask
students to make up sentences using vocabulary encountered in
social studies, science, and language arts classes. Let them work
in pairs to share sentences.
Have
students imagine they are making up reading/vocabulary questions
for the Merit program being used. Give students a short text.
Have them work in pairs to create and write their own skill-related
questions and answers.
Return
to the software and let students try Merit's Finals, to
help prepare for and de-mystify standardized tests.
Follow
up software units with written post-texts.
Compare
students' software results with gains on standardized test scores.
