Every year in September, we take a few steps back and dedicate a day to honour our teachers. We have celebrated India’s 2nd President, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan‘s birthday, September 5, as Teacher’s Day across the nation since 1962. 

From our very first day at school to the end of our academic life, our teachers inspire us in many ways. A great teacher makes learning fun and stimulating. Engaging lessons are pivotal to a student’s academic success.

Have you ever had a teacher who inspired you to work harder or pursue a particular goal? Were you inspired to become an educator yourself? To all those reading this article, this question must have brought to you memories of at least one teacher. Maybe the very first teacher in your life or the one who made the largest impact.

As part of RightToRead initiative, we interact and work with tens of thousands of teachers. RightToRead, an EdTech initiative, is an effort to demonstrate that technology that supports reading and comprehension in class can play a major role in enhancing the English proficiency of students in government schools. We often come across amazing stories of teachers’ dedication and enthusiasm to help children learn. Stories that speak volumes about the commitment our teachers show in classrooms. 

A Teacher’s Story

Ms Mercy Padmavathi, an English teacher at PUMS, Adasolai, Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu shares her experience of using the ReadToMe® Software in class. 

From the very beginning of her academic career, her goal has been to help students improve their English language skills. She has been teaching English for over 15 years and has used various external resources to enhance English speaking skills of her students. She understands the importance of English reading and comprehension in her students’ lives.  

Ms Padmavathi was introduced to the ReadToMe® software in 2018 when her school among many others in the Nilgiris was brought under the umbrella of the RightToRead initiative. She always believed that student participation and enthusiasm is essential to classroom success. ReadToMe® has helped her make classroom learning “interactive and fun”.

Padmavathi has witnessed the changes in her students’ English speaking abilities. She uses the ReadToMe® software at least two times a week. The students love the tools that are an integral part of the software. Practising pronunciations has become an easy and fun task for them. The “motivation and excitement among the students” make her proud. The software helps students “understand their text- word by word.”

ReadToMe® And English Learning

ReadToMe®  is a multi-sensory AI-powered English reading comprehension software. The software enables the reading of curriculum prescribed textbooks. ReadToMe® can be easily integrated into the school timetable, obviating the need for any extra classes. Teachers continue to play a pivotal role in class and confirm their effectiveness is enhanced. Teachers have been using the software regularly and have even noted increased engagement and excitement among students.

The software has assisted in improving the English reading and comprehension ability of students. Research confirms that the multi-sensory process of learning enhances retention. Students improve their ability to read and comprehend a language since “repeated multi-sensory exposure to words enables word recognition and facilitates the development of pronunciation / oral skills.” ReadToMe® has been designed to leverage these fundamental language learning tenets. Teachers across India recommend ReadToMe® software for English teaching and learning. Soon, nearly 1 lakh government school teachers in India will use ReadToMe® in their English class period.

Relevance In The Present Times

The onset of the pandemic in early 2020 challenged the foundations of traditional school learning. With school learning disrupted, educators, parents and policymakers were plagued with the question of “now what?”  

It was time to take ReadToMe® beyond the classroom! Make it available for use at home or anywhere else. 

ReadToMe Student Edition is the extension into the self-learning domain (from homes or elsewhere). The app is available for download on the Google Play Store for Android devices. 

ReadToMe Virtual Classroom has transformed ReadToMe® into an online learning platform where students and teachers can connect to learn English virtually classes. 

Through these new applications, ReadToMe® is empowering students and teachers to continue learning and teaching even amidst the pandemic. These applications will nurture the classroom-home learning structure. Teachers, when provided the right tools and platform can truly make a difference.

Watch out this space for more exciting stories from our teachers and students.

To know more about the RightToRead initiative and the ReadToMe Student Edition, please connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

Click here for our innovative spoken English program – EnglishBolo™, a joint initiative of EnglishHelper and Schoolnet. To know more about EnglishBolo™ connect with us on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.