San Diego June 27, 2012 – According to a 2011 report from the National Center of Education Statistics, only about one third of the nation’s fourth graders and one third of its eighth graders are proficient in reading comprehension. To better address the challenge of helping students reach grade-level proficiency, Mimio, a global leader in interactive teaching technologies, introduces MimioReading™, a research-based supplemental reading comprehension program for grades 3-8. The software suite’s advanced design uses both individualized adaptive reading instruction and whole-group reading lessons for interactive whiteboards to improve reading test scores.

The MimioReading programs teach strategies for mastering the four primary components of comprehension – finding facts, making inferences, identifying themes and the “main idea,” and learning vocabulary in context – via age-appropriate content and challenging, meaningful activities that improve retention and promote collaboration. “Those four strategies are the keys to success across multiple curricular areas, including science, social studies, language arts, and mathematics,” says Manny Perez, general manager, Mimio. “Also, our software fills the reading comprehension gap in most basal reading programs, which is the key to improving language arts scores on standardized tests.”

MimioReading consists of the following programs:

•     MimioSprout™ Early Reading provides basic reading skills intervention for students in grade three and above.

•     MimioReading Individualized Instruction adapts to each student’s specific learning pace, improving reading comprehension in grades three through five and providing effective intervention for grades five through eight.

•     MimioReading Group Instruction offers interactive group activities that can be adapted or edited to meet the needs of multiple students or the entire class in grades three through eight.

 . •  MimioStudio™ classroom software automatically integrates the entire MimioClassroom™ family of products

•     Teacher Guides and supplemental print materials offer ways for more practice and extended learning opportunities.

“The software programs are based on thoroughly researched and proven instructional methods,” says Perez. “They were tested by students and teachers in multiple schools in Tennessee’s Metro Nashville Public Schools district, and what’s important to note is these schools did indeed achieve higher student performance on high-stakes reading assessments.”

The MimioReading programs were designed to seamlessly integrate into today’s wired classroom, taking full advantage of the breadth of technology offerings from computers and tablets to intelligent whiteboards.  When the programs are integrated with the MimioClassroom suite of interactive technologies, teachers have a fully digital classroom to facilitate the task of learning to read in a powerful way. MimioClassroom products include the MimioTeach™ interactive whiteboard, which converts any dry erase board into a fully-interactive whiteboard; MimioVote™ assessment; MimioView™ document camera; MimioPad™ wireless pen tablet; and MimioCapture™ ink recorder.

“We believe the ability to integrate with MimioClassroom, combined with the interactive group lessons and the individualized, adaptive lessons, enables educators to differentiate instruction in numerous ways,” said Mike Marble, principal, Cole Canyon Elementary School. “In today’s classroom, it’s imperative that we have a greater capacity for differentiated instruction. That’s why with MimioReading we not only have an excellent intervention for English language learners, but it improves upon our Response to Intervention efforts, too.”

All teachers will receive a complimentary training webinar, which will showcase the programs’ engaging and easy-to-use features, plus ideas will be shared from master teachers on how to enhance the integration of MimioReading programs into daily instruction. Educators also have access to teacher guides and supplemental print materials for additional practice opportunities.

About Mimio

Mimio is a global leader in interactive teaching technologies that offer a better way to learn and an empowering way to teach.  As part of Newell Rubbermaid’s global portfolio of leading brands, Mimio designs innovative, affordable educational technologies and solutions to increase effectiveness and engagement in K-12 classrooms.

For more information, visit mimio.com. Follow Mimio on Twitter @MimioTechnology and “Like” us on our Facebook page: DYMO.Mimio.

#  #  #