SETC Student Interview Comments
Student #1 - 6th grade girl:
Q: Do you think you do better work (with Read&Write GOLD) than you used to do?
A: Oh yeah! I had like probably a D in almost all of my classes until I learned Read&Write GOLD. And then like it went up from a D to an A . . . like that! (snap of fingers) . . . and I was like so happy and excited. And I got like to go out to eat and it was so fun. Like I enjoyed feeling good about myself having that A. That helped me like a lot!
I wouldn’t be in 6th grade, because I was failing 5th grade, but then my teacher Ms. Kinnard let me go up . . . let me go . . . and I learned so much. I already thank her a hundred times at least. I thank them a lots of times. It made me so happy when that . . . when I saw my Dad’s face, and my grade and the teacher’s face go up and everything. It . . . it just . . . it works; it really does. When I saw my Dad’s face I felt so good. I felt like . . . I’m smart now! It makes people feel good and it makes parents feel great about their kids and they can tell their friends and family. And now I have a computer . . . I got it for my birthday . . . and now I’m ‘gonna start using that so I can do homework at home.
Student #2 - 6th grade boy:
Last year I was in elementary school, and ‘um, I ‘um would . . . teacher wouldn’t let me type like stories up on the computer, and the story would be like only one sentence. And then ‘um, and then my teacher last year said I only improved 1 percent, but this year my grandma said I improved over a hunerd.
Q: What’s different about the computer you’re using this year compared to the one you used last year?
A: U’m, ‘cause last year we didn’t have this, ‘um, pro, ‘um, gram, and last year’s program, ‘um, didn’t help you like, ‘um, read it out to you or . . . we would have to like, ‘um, make it up.
Q: What do your parents say now, compared to your work before?
A: They told me good job . . . and I’ve been gettin’ good grades.
Student #3 - 6th grade girl, autistic student:
Q: I understand you like using this computer?
A: Yes.
Q: And, what makes this computer special?
A: Using it and typing on it too. And to help me out with my homework stuff . . . (hand motion) like that.
Q: What is it that you especially like about this computer?
A: Well, it’s easy to . . . do words . . . you know . . . haven’t did before . . . and used before.
Q: Is there a special program on the computer that helps you with this?
A: eBay! (big smile)
Q: eBayyyyy . . . . are you teasin’ me?
A: Noooo . . . (still smiling). Actually, Read&Write GOLD (RWG) will help me out too.
Q: Read&Write GOLD helps you out, huh? Is this a writing assignment? (on the laptop computer at the table)
A: (Shakes head indicating yes.)
Q: Okay, and ‘um, would you mind showing me how RWG might help you with this assignment?
A: Yes! RWG helps me spell words that I haven’t used before. And I like typing too sometimes . . . and it’s easier to type than write.
(Student demonstrates use of program by typing a sentence: I like horses and I want to ride and to care horses. And I like a female horses. RWG reads sentence back to her out loud.)
Q: Ohhhh . . . were there a couple things you want to fix there? I want to ride and care horses . . . is that what you wanted to say?
A: Care for . . .
Q: So, can you fix it?
A: Yeah . . . ” (enters the word “for” between care and horses with correct spacing)
Q: Is there something else you want to fix?... (student’s eyes search text for awhile). A female horses? . . . is that it?
A: Yeah . . . I know . . . ” (deletes the “s” in horses).
Q: Now, let’s listen to it again and see if it sounds okay, if it’s what you want it to say.
A: (Activates program to read text out loud; she nods in approval.)
It’s so much easier when you type on the computer . . . and, ‘cause, . . . if you go onto RWG it’ll be easier for you to type on it and then write it out.
Student #4 - 6th grade girl:
RWG helps us with, ‘um . . . writing and . . . it’s wonderful. It will talk to us when we need help with words. We have the wizard thingy. There’s something we have . . . you can just type the first two letters and you’ll just come up with a bunch of words . . . and then you can actually just click the one that you want. It’s really cool.
Q: So, that helps you write faster . . . doesn’t it?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you think you do better work?
A:Yeah . . . because my handwriting right now is a little sloppy. The computer actually gets it really neat.
Q: So, your work looks better?
A: Yeah.
Q: You created a web. So you can organize stuff?
A: It’s really good at organizing your work. And the spell check is really good too . . . for me . . . ‘cause I misspell a lot of words (smiling).
Student #5 - 7th grade boy:
Q: The scanner is something that you used?
A: Yep. I used it when I was in the 6th grade in Miss Jensen’s tutorial. It was really helpful, because sometimes when you have these really big, thick chapter books, you can take it and set it down (hands moving as if scanning a book), and you can scan it. It would scan a page, and when your’e done, it would scan, and scan another page; and then you can click “read” and it would read the book to you.
Q: What were some of the books that maybe you were reading before you started scanning the books?
A: I would read, you know . . . like . . . small books, like the animal books. That’s before my reading level went up. So, yeah . . . it’s helped me improve.
Q: So now compare what you’re doing now to what you did before.
A: It’s a big improvement! Instead of reading small books, I’m starting to tackle on bigger chapter books.
Student #7 - 6th grade boy, ELL student:
Q: Do you think you’re a better reader than you used to be?
A: I think I’m a better reader . . . yeah. It helps me more when it’s reading to me. I know the words now, understanding is more. When I just read in the paper, I can’t understand the words.
Q: Are you a Spanish speaker?... Has there been anything RWG has helped you with in learning English?
A: Because, when I don’t know something in English, and when I can’t say it right . . . I could just go on the computer and pronounce it . . . because they say the literal letters and things . . . and . . . I’m nervous . . . (big smile and squirm).
Student #7 - 6th grade girl, ELL student:
Q: Do you know anyone who speaks Spanish that RWG would help them to learn English?
A: My poppy, Don; my Thea Mary; my grandma (unable to transcribe name); and those really speak Spanish.
Q: How could the computer help them?
A: I think it could help ‘em speak English better, because the computer says it so good (smile), and . . . I don’t know . . . it helps me speak Spanish . . . uh . . . English. I don’t know how, but it does it.
Q: Do you think that you perform in school at a higher level, using the computer, than you did before?
A: Uh-humm! (nodding in agreement). I was in third grade level and now I’m in 4th.
Q: And how long have you been using the program?
A: For like . . . couple months. I’m reading . . . like 4th grade level, and I’m reading really big books, ‘cause I want to make my AR (Accelerated Reader) goal.