Microsoft Reading Coach is a FREE reading fluency application that provides personalized, engaging practice on pronunciation, syllabification, reading speed, and vocabulary recall. It is a great tool for reading practice in other world languages as well. Reading Coach is available both as an App in Microsoft 365 and within the Microsoft Immersive Reader. The online Reading Coach App also provides safeguarded one-of-a-kind AI generated stories that keeps even the most reluctant readers coming back. To utilize the Microsoft Reading Coach, please follow these directions:
Microsoft Reading Coach within the Immersive Reader:
1. Open a Microsoft file.
2. Click the 'View' tab and then click 'Immersive Reader'.
3. Click on the 'Reading Preferences' (book) icon and then toggle the 'Reading Coach' switch on.
*If you need to translate a document into another language, choose the language and only toggle on 'Document' to translate the entire document.
4. The 'Play' button will turn into a microphone. Click the microphone icon.
If you are prompted to approve the use of your microphone, click 'Allow'.
5. Click 'Start reading' and you will have a 3 second count down prior to seeing the reading passage.
6. Read the passage aloud.
7. When you are done reading, click the 'Stop' button.
You will then be provided with the data reading your reading fluency.
8. Click on 'Practice words' to see a list of words your need to work on, based on the data collected from your fluency recording.
Microsoft Reading Coach App within Microsoft 365:
1. Go to https://www.microsoft365.com/apps.
5. Click on 'Create a story' to create a story using AI capabilities. Click on 'Read a passage' to choose from a library of premade stories. Click 'Add a passage' to upload a passage.
If it is the first-time entering Reading Coach, it will look like this:
Once practice has been done on Reading Coach, the main page will look slightly different and will include data from past practice.
6. The passage will open in Immersive Reader and will prompt users to click 'Start Reading'. Click that and a 3-second count down will begin.
7. User will read the entire passage and press stop icon at the bottom of the screen when done reading. If users do not complete the entire passage, they can click back into the story from the main page at a later time to complete the reading or to read it again.
This will bring users to a screen that will provide the data on pronunciation accuracy, reading time, words to practice, and historical data.
If words were pronounced incorrectly, students can click to practice those words. Embedded tools will allow them to hear the words as well as see a picture dictionary.
Users will earn awards and badges for their effort and progress gained.
8. Achievements (badges and awards earned) and historical data can be access from the main app screen.
To watch a tutorial video on how the Reading Coach tool works, please click this link: How to use Reading Coach in Immersive Reader (youtube.com).