Starfall-Caroline

__Synthesis__

The inquiry topic I have chosen to research is the program Starfall and how it can provide effective support for young readers. This is important because becoming a strong reader is the foundation for success in school. Starfall is an interactive web site that provides support for students learning to read. It is a program that is widely used by teachers and parents because it relates directly to the five components that have been recommended by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. These five components have been shown through research to be critical in the process of learning to read. The five components are: phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. A component not listed, that the Starfall team feels is equally important is motivation. The research provided will be supporting use of those components, since they are being focused on when students use Starfall. As a pre-service teacher specializing in literacy and reading, this topic interested me and it is a resource I would use and recommend to the parents of my students to use with their children at home as well.

This research I have conducted all supports the use of Starfall in elementary classrooms and at home for extra support in learning how to read. Both teachers and parents alike have found this site useful and promote the use of it with young children. This provides a well-rounded group of users in school and out of school, and most of what is said about this site is positive. Of course, this is only a support tool. Children have to be provided with explicit instruction in those five components of reading, but Starfall can be used as a supplemental resource as it does still promote meaningful learning.

Dr. Stephen Schutz, who struggled to read when he was young, founded Starfall in 2002. He wanted to provide children with something fun and engaging, while at the same time taught them how to read. This website has been recognized nationally by different organizations, and is used by many parents and teachers around the country today. Starfall is a quality educational tool that promotes meaningful learning because it is founded on the five components of reading: phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.

The Starfall website has many games and activities for students to do online. There are also resources in the "Starfall Store" that include: games, phonics books, cd-roms, puzzles, and chapter books, to name a few - all that support children in the process of learning how to read. These can all be located at the starfall website: [].

__Many teachers and parents alike have found this website useful. Find out what they have to say on their blogs:__

[|My Daughters Favorite Gift]

[|Amazing World of Starfall]

[|Starfall Elementary Reading]

[|Phonics Has Never Been This Entertaining]

__How to use this in your classroom:__

- Allow students to use starfall during breaks, or as a reward for finishing early - Allow students to come in early or stay after school to use starfall so that students have an equal opportunity - Send the link and description out in newsletters to encourage use at home - Encourage reading and literacy in your class by using Starfall as a support for other assignments and reading in class


 * __Annotated Bibliography__**

Lyon, R.G. (1998). Why Reading Is Not A Natural Process. Educational Leadership, 55(6), 1-7. This article claims that reading is not something that comes easily or naturally, but rather something that children have to work hard to become good at it. There are so many different aspects – awareness of phonemes, relating letters and sounds, fluency, comprehension, just to name a few – that students have to learn and practice. A strong emphasis is placed on comprehension, because students can learn to read, but often times they read but don’t understand what they are reading, which is the ultimate goal. The points raised in this article about the necessity of the five components of reading validate the usefulness of Starfall. Since Starfall does provide support to students in all five areas, it is not only be a useful resource for teachers and parents, but also a high-quality resource as well.

Foorman, B., & Torgesen, J. (2001). Critical Elements of Classroom and Small-Group Instruction Promote Reading Success in All Children. //Learning Disabilities Research & Practice// (Blackwell Publishing Limited), 16(4), 203-212. [|http://search.ebscohost.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu] The author of this article discusses three ways that instruction needs to be different for struggling readers. The five components should all still be focused on, but in a more intensive format, meaning either more time, or smaller groups. Teachers have to be explicit and clear in instruction, to ensure that all students understand the material. Students also need to be supported, encouraged, and motivated throughout the difficult process of learning to read. The points addressed in this article tie directly back to Starfall because they address the five components that Starfall focuses on. The Starfall website also talks about motivation, and how that is important in process of reading.

Manyak, P. (2008). Phonemes in use: Multiple activities for a critical process. //The Reading Teacher, 61(8)//. doi: 10.1598/RT.61.8.8 The author of this article suggests five activities to raise phonemic awareness. He recognized phonemic awareness as an aspect that contributes critically to students’ ability to read. The activities described encourage awareness of phonemes when reading and writing words. The author discusses phonemic awareness in this article, which is one of the five main components that are outlined by the NICHD. These components are also promoted through the Starfall program.

Brassell, D. (2009). Dare to differentiate: Vocabulary strategies for all students. //The// //New//  //England//  //Reading//  //Association//  //Journal//, //44// (2), 1-6. http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/hww/jumpstart.jhtml?recid=0bc05f7a67b1790e70e397f5ebc28d342513041ebcc55997628d338dff933e222d21f752a69a7d89&fmt=P This article addresses vocabulary through the approach of differentiated Instruction, meaning making curriculum equally accessible to all students. The article suggests that teachers need to be passionate and motivate students through engaging activities, in this case relating to the study of vocabulary. Research has shown that vocabulary plays an important role in the development of literacy. This article describes several strategies that have been shown to help improve students vocabulary skills. The author challenges teachers to “use vocabulary-building skills that focus on the individual needs of students” so all children will have an equal chance to succeed. This article had some valid arguments. Vocabulary is an important area in literacy and understanding, since vocabulary is studying what words mean. The NICHD has labeled vocabulary as a necessary component in being successful in reading. Vocabulary must be taught, and this article provides some strategies to teach it well. Vocabulary is a component that is also promoted and supported through activities on Starfall.

National Reading Panel. (2009). Essential Components of Reading Instruction: The National Reading Panel. Retrieved from: [] This website gives a brief description of the main components of reading – phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension – that were given by the National Reading Panel. It also has motivation as an important aspect of reading. The definitions for the components are provided as well as a brief description of what these components look like when used in reading lessons. This website provides good descriptions of the components and presents them in a way that is easy to understand. These main components are outlined by the NRP, as well as motivation, which Starfall recognizes as an important aspect in the success of children reading.

//Dear Educators.// (2007). Retrieved from: []. The starfall website for educators describes how the starfall team incorporates motivation, phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension into their activities. It talks about the environment they are trying to encourage through this web site and the increase of motivation in children to read. This website has activities and games for students who are learning to read. It is focused mostly at early elementary grades. The activities and materials are research-based, so students learning to read can be provided support through fun, quality games and activities.

Nash, S. (2008, December 24). My Daughter’s Favorite “Gift.” Message posted to [] On his blog, Nash describes Starfall as his two-year old daughter’s favorite gift. As a teacher in secondary education, he tries to find ways to engage his young child in reading activities, outside of just reading books – which he and his wife do a lot with her already. The little girl gets excited when she is allowed to go on the Starfall website, and learn and listen to the ABCs. As a parent and educator, Nash feels this is a useful website for beginning readers. This blog specifically talks about Starfall and the benefits he sees from this website and his daughter using it. It is helpful because it gives the perspective of a parent and educator, though not elementary, and his thoughts on this educational website. Nash likes the motivation and excitement he sees from his daughter when she gets to go on Starfall, and thinks it is a good support in the learning process.

Gans, J. (2006, June 17). The Amazing World of Starfall. Message posted to [] This blog provides a parents perspective on the Starfall website. Gans claims that “no website has proven more educational and fun than Starfall”. This website evidently had a steady impact on his children, especially his five-year old, whom this website positively impacted his learning experience and was the biggest factor. The author of this blog talks specifically about the Starfall website, and how it has impacted his five-year olds process of learning to read. It is helpful because it provides another point of view on the website and speaks from personal experience.

Instructify. (2008, August 12). Give Beginning Readers a Head Start with Starfall. Message posted to [] This blog describes the Starfall website and the benefits it provide for students, specifically in Pre-K to Second grades. The blog talks very highly of the website and what it offers. The things mentioned that they especially liked and took note of was how it was an interactive, free website, that ranges from beginning alphabet skills to the more advanced “I’m reading” section. This blog speaks highly of Starfall, and the fun way in which children can learn the fundamentals of reading. Starfall provides the fundamentals in reading because it focuses on the 5 main components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Department of Education. (2008, April 24). The Five Essential Components of Reading. Retrieved from: [] This article describes the five essential components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. These five components have been proven to increase students’ ability to read. Through systematic practice with these components, and support from teachers students have a higher chance to succeed in reading and school. “The Five Essential Components of Reading” is related to the focus of my project because the foundation Starfall builds upon are these same five components described in this article. Each one of these components are critical in the development of reading. This article states the importance of these components, and Starfall builds all of their activities on these components.

Blackburn, J. (11/8/06). Starfall.com. Retrieved from [] This website advertises Starfall and promotes it in the education world. This man has commented that his daughters have both benefited from the use of this program and likes different things about the website. This father especially liked that Starfall is totally free, and the setup of the site is very kid-friendly, yet promotes meaningful learning. This website relates directly to starfall, because it is being promoted on this website and a father expresses the usefulness that he has experienced with his daughters. Personal success stories, such as this, provide support for the use of Starfall, and encourage other parents to use it with their children.

Batchelder, A. (2007, November 25). Phonics Has Never Been This Entertaining. Message posted to [] It sounds like this blog is written by a teacher. Starfall is highly recommended by the author of this blog and provides links for help on letter sounds and decoding. She describes Starfall as a “website that provides interactive phonics-focused content aimed at helping young children learn how to read”. The author of this blog talks about the discovery she has found in Starfall. This blog talks about Starfall and promotes it, especially for young children just learning how to read.