Results Matter, Because Reading Matters

Tracking Reading Progress In More Ways Than One

We care about progress and demonstrating results, because if instruction isn't working, different action should be taken. For children over six we track improvements with Aimsweb, our external assessment service. Aimsweb helps our teachers in the clinic get a better picture of your child's oral reading fluency over time.

A child simply reads a new passage aloud, and the reading teacher notes how many words are read accurately within a minute. Assessments are made after every 1.5 hours of clinical instruction. Ravinia Reading Center uses assessment responsibly, and properly. We always make our assessments using materials that have not been previously practiced by the child. This is the only way to gauge meaningful progress in oral reading fluency.

Teaching to the Test, A Conflict of Interest

When selecting a reading program, beware of glowing assessments about your child that have been done using materials on which they have practiced. Watch out for standardized tests that are not designed to be given with any frequency, as they indicate progress inaccurately. Pre- and post-tests designed by the authors of a packaged program or by the clinic that your child attends may also be suspect because they can inadvertently lead to teaching to the test. Ravinia uses an external assessment service to avoid this conflict of interest.

Parental Reports, The Results that Really Matter

Parents are in the best position to gauge real-world progress and relay good news. These are the milestones that mean the most to us. Maybe your child enjoys reading when he didn't before. Or when a struggling reader can tackle homework independently for the first time, it can be a big relief for the entire family. That's progress we like.

It's easy to forget how important reading is to enjoy the simplest hobbies. One mom recently arrived back home after attending a late night meeting to find her 12-year old son smiling ear to ear. "Mom! I can read the stats on the back of my baseball cards!" Now he's the first to grab the sports page in the morning.

Another Ravinia high-school student aspired to join the drama club, only she was uncomfortable reading a script. She is now one of the more-talented actresses in the school. It's taken for granted how reading enables so many kinds of talents and opportunities. A mom once thanked us for restoring her evening free time because her kids, who had always loved being read to aloud, are now so wrapped-up in books they read themselves to sleep. It's as fantastic for them, as it is their mom.

We get calls like this all the time, and it's music to our ears.

Build Reading Skills Today, For Life
Call Ravinia 847.433.5878