Educators

Love of Reading

Learning Outcomes

Teachers, librarians, and parents use Story Cove supplemental reading resources to help children:

• Strengthen their core reading skills
• Learn to integrate background knowledge
• Increase vocabulary by using high frequency words in context
• Strengthen comprehension by actively exploring the text
• Enhance fluency readiness with exposure to multiple forms of a story
• Reinforce phonics techniques with the use of audio and highlighted text

Additional Benefits

We've also found that these supplemental resources help kids:

• Develop a greater affinity for reading
• Expand their world view
• Reinforce character traits and values
• Appreciate other cultural traditions from around the world
• Internalize decision-making as it is modeled by the characters

While Story Cove can be used to support a wide range of supplemental reading applications, the best reason to choose Story Cove is that kids simply love these stories.

Common Core Standards

All of the stories and lesson plans have been correlated to match specific requirements defined by the Common Core Standards in Kindergarten through 2^nd grade (and in some cases 3^rd grade). The development team worked closely with educators to align the assignments and activities with specific strands.

Applied Research

Researchers have found that children who spend more time reading are more likely to become stronger readers, score higher on standardized tests, and become better all-around students. It also follows that children who enjoy experiencing a story in different ways are more likely to read for pleasure (one of the fundamental predictors of student achievement). 

Folktales are frequently incorporated into standardized tests because of their value in assessing comprehension while also providing exposure to diverse cultures. Children who have experience with folktales often become more confident in working with increasingly complex texts.

We found that combining the picture books with different media formats and active lesson plans makes the stories more engaging. Using these different strategies also allows children to explore these stories at a deeper and more meaningful level. When kids make personal connections with a story, they tend to comprehend and recall more of the content. As a result, they become more confident with their ability to read, enjoy reading more, and spend more time reading. All of these factors contribute to helping kids become more proficient readers.

Field Tests

Our development team wanted to address the challenge of creating a supplemental reading offering that made the learning experience more enjoyable while helping young children improve their critical reading skills (Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension). So we followed an iterative process to validate and improve the effectiveness of the Story Cove supplemental resources. A series of pilot field tests were conducted that covered 9 states, 19 school districts, and 22 pilot schools, with over 400 students participating.

The results of these pilot field tests are highlighted below:

• 92% of teachers said they would recommend the Story Cove product line
• 91% of teachers reported that the students enjoyed the animations
• 89% of teachers reported that the students were able to easily apply the character traits
• 93% of teachers liked the lesson plans a lot and found them very useful

Sample Comments from Teachers

• “I think that these are wonderful materials.”
• “I would not add or change anything.”
• “They (students) were spellbound.”
• “Loved the animation. They wanted to watch it over and over.”
• “Some of my students found it easier to view the story and then read it because they had heard the words.”
• "There were so many things that would suit all children’s needs.”
• “Very detailed - I did not need anything else to use the materials."
• "I especially liked the illustrations and the fact that you can view these on the web.”
• “I love the diversity of cultures.”
• “Older students who are having trouble with reading can use these materials and not feel dumb.”

Summary