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One Class At A Time: Ralee Thornton

Posted at 10:40 AM, Apr 02, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-21 11:49:23-04

This week’s One Class At A Time grant recipient is Sunnyside Elementary School literacy teacher Ralee Thornton.

KRTV and First Interstate Bank presented Thornton with a check for $250, which will be used to continue an interactive reading program.

The program, called "System 44", was introduced in the school last year and focuses on students who struggle with reading.

Students using System 44 wear headphone sets with built-in microphones while they read out loud.

The headset records the students’ reading so they’re able to play back what they have read and then evaluate themselves to improve fluency and expression. 

Thornton says those in the program believe it’s improving their reading in a whole new way.

"One of my fifth graders at that point had said, ‘This is really helping me.’ And so even comments like that are just so powerful because you can just see that they’re now excited about reading and they’re wanting to read now so that’s just a phenomenal part of this to see those older students who tend to back off from reading a little bit and now they’re getting excited about it again," said Thornton.

The program currently serves 19 students. With the grant, Thornton says even more will benefit from the program.

For more information about System 44, visithttps://www.hmhco.com/products/system-44/.

For more information on One Class At A Time, visit http://www.krtv.com/story/30243356/one-class-at-a-time-sponsored-by-mtn-news-and-first-interstate-bank.