To assist millions of students, Paper’s Educational Support System now includes a prize-winning literacy tool.
Readlee is a cutting-edge learning tool that employs artificial intelligence (AI) and speech recognition technology to help students improve their reading abilities. PaperTM, the top Educational Support System (ESS), announced today that it has acquired Readlee. Readlee was developed by master instructors and Harvard academics to give pupils improved literacy resources.
With national reading scores at their lowest levels since the 1990s, a burgeoning literacy crisis is being fueled by learning loss caused by the pandemic. Almost one-third of 4th and 8th graders cannot read at the “basic” achievement level, which is the lowest level on the exam, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Just 34% of American high school students graduate with reading competency, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics. Among recent graduates of colour, proficiency levels fall even further, to 18%. The literary crisis is a structural problem, the numbers are unambiguous, and the existing strategy is failing pupils.
Almost 3 million students countrywide will have access to the recently purchased Readlee, which will now be known as Paper Reading and completely integrated into Paper’s ESS. As students read aloud, the tool listens to them and offers quick feedback, tailored guidance, and quantifiable achievement. The platform makes advantage of the most recent advancements in AI, speech recognition, and learning science, which demonstrate how reading aloud enhances vocabulary, confidence, and memory.
The inclusion of Paper Reading is a part of Paper’s quickly growing ESS, which strives to serve students no matter what path they choose to take after graduation.
“This acquisition reflects our commitment to providing the academic support that empowers students throughout every stage of their learning journey,” said Philip Cutler, co-founder and CEO of Paper. “Improving literacy proficiency is an essential component of our mission, and we believe research-backed technology and repeated practice are the keys to addressing the mounting literacy crisis.”
According to statistics, kids who read for 20 minutes a day are more likely to outperform 90% of their peers on standardised examinations. Despite this, 82% of fourth-graders in America read below grade level, and roughly 68% of those students come from households with little means. Students may practise reading on any topic or piece of writing using Paper Reading, giving them the opportunity to do so while doing other academic tasks.
“Literacy is the foundation of a transformational education,” said Drew Madson, co-founder of Readlee and Paper’s Head of Impact. “A lifetime of opportunity is lost when a person can’t read. Paper shares our commitment to positively impacting the literacy rate and improving the confidence of learners across the nation.”
The purchase of Readlee by Paper will enable the two businesses to pool their knowledge and resources to create even more creative responses to the literacy challenge.
“Integrating Readlee into Paper’s Educational Support System as Paper Reading will allow the tool to reach millions of students,” said Steve Askar, co-founder of Readlee and Paper’s Head of Literacy. ” U.S. students face a literacy crisis partly driven by pandemic-related learning losses. Getting effective reading tools into the hands of students is a critical step to address the issue.”
“We are excited to join our forces and aligned missions to have an even bigger impact on students,” added Cutler. “Our teams are already working together to change the future of education. Our mission is to help create a world where everyone has the ability to read, learn, and become a success.”