Students Achieve Outstanding Reading Gains Using MVRC – An Interview with Brandie Genske, Program Support Teacher, Bonduel School District

teens in school

“About 20 percent of our student population needs academic intervention,” stated Brandie Genske, a Program Support Teacher for the Bonduel School District in Bonduel, WI. “Using the Response to Intervention Approach (RTI), we have over 100 students in tier 2 and tier 3. Last year, our tier 3 students gained 6 to 40 points of growth based on the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test. Their MAP scores were consistent with MindPlay Virtual Reading Coach (MVRC) use. Fidelity made this improvement possible. Based on this growth, we created a pilot for all sixth-grade students, expanding MVRC to our general education students. Currently, ELL, special education, and general education students are using MVRC 30 to 45 minutes each day, five days a week. Students have been on the program from one to two years.”

Outstanding Student Successes:

Student 1 – A high school student with a cognitive disability began MVRC at the first grade reading level in FLRT and at the first level of phonics. In 1½ school years, she has improved seven reading grade levels. She has read 346 stories and gained 118 words per minute. She currently reads 178 wpm. She loves earning trophies, and her success in reading has boosted her self-esteem.

Student 2 – A high school freshman read at the fourth grade level when she began working on MVRC in eighth grade. In one school year, she gained 281 wpm and seven grade levels. She entered high school reading above grade level, and it was cross referenced on her MAP test. Her grades have improved; teachers notice a difference in her classroom work; and she feels more confident.

Student 3 – A fourth grade boy went from below kindergarten reading level to third grade level in one year. He gained four grade levels and 156 wpm. He also gained 22 points on his MAP test. Before using MVRC, he had difficulty focusing on reading. With MVRC, he learned to like the program and is more involved in reading instruction.

Student 4 – A fifth grade boy started MVRC at the kindergarten reading level and gained five grade levels in one year. He also gained 92 wpm and 25 points on his MAP test. He is doing amazingly well overall. His confidence in reading is affecting all of his grades. He has the potential to be dismissed from special education.

Student 5 – A sixth grade special education student is almost done with the entire program after two years. She started at the first grade reading level and has gained five grade levels and 58 wpm. Overall, she has met 100 percent of her assigned prescriptive plan and read 202 stories. She is working on grade 13 vocabulary and will be done with MVRC when she gains another 50 wpm.