The Microsoft Immersive Reader tool implements proven techniques to improve reading and writing for everyone, regardless of age or ability.
Overview
In partnership with Microsoft, Discovery Education continues to work to integrate Immersive Reader across the platform. This inclusive education tool gives more students personalized access to their curriculum, optimizes teacher time, and improves learning outcomes.
Immersive Reader helps improve reading comprehension by:
- Increasing fluency for English language learners or readers of other languages.
- Building confidence for emerging readers learning to read at higher levels.
- Offering text decoding solutions to students with learning differences, such as dyslexia.
- Providing a translation of words, or an entire text, into over 60 languages (over 40 of them can be read aloud).
Currently, teachers and students can find the Immersive Reader icon in our content creation tool, Studio. Because STEM Connect and some Science Techbook resources are built in Studio slideshows, this Immersive Reader feature can also be found there.
Immersive Reader can also be found in the Math Techbook and Science Techbook Glossary, as well as the Social Studies Techbook Reference.
Accessing Immersive Reader in Studio
When viewing and editing a Studio board or slideshow or a STEM Connect lesson, students and teachers can find the Immersive Reader icon on the right side of the screen. A module opens with the text from the lesson.
For more information about our content creation tool, Studio, explore these articles.
Accessing Immersive Reader in Techbook Glossary & Reference
When the Glossary and Reference is launched from either the toolbar or by selecting a vocabulary word within the core interactive text, students and teachers can find immersive reader in the top right of the window of any term.
For more information about our Techbook toolbars, explore these articles:
Immersive Reader Features
The following are features of the Immersive Reader tool.
Read Aloud & Picture Glossary
The read aloud feature allows you to modify the speed and voice gender. As the text is read aloud, words are highlighted to support learners as they move through the text.
Additionally, select words throughout the text to bring up a menu that allows you to hear the individual word read aloud as well as see a picture representation for the word.
Text Preferences
The text preferences section allows you to change the text size, increase or decrease spacing, change the font, and modify background and text color. Access it from the right-side panel.
Grammar Options
To support reading and writing, additional grammar options are available. Students and teachers can break words into syllables as well as mark parts of speech by both color and labels.
Reading Preferences
To support growing readers, the line focus tool allows you to narrow in to a single line, set of 3 lines, or a set of 5 lines. The line focus moves with the read aloud.
In addition, the text can be translated into different languages (around 60 options!). Students can choose to translate an individual word by clicking on the word or translate the entire document. 40 of these language can also be read aloud with the read aloud feature.
