This Father Built an App to Level the Playing Field for Struggling Readers

Giving Compass’ Take:

· Writing for EdSurge, Wendy McMahon explains how Venkat Ratnam developed WhizRead, an app that helps struggling students learn how to read through pronunciation and much more. 

· How is technology helping student learn? How is the WhizRead app changing the game and leveling the reading playing field? 

· Here’s more on how to help struggling young readers.

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Venkat Ratnam developed WhizRead, a multisensory reading support program, out of pure fatherly love.

In 2013, a realization washed over Ratnam and his wife. While they both had successful careers, they were paying a cost. Ratnam wanted to spend more time with their two children, then ages nine and five years old—particularly with his son, who was struggling with learning difficulties. “How could we let our children grow without much support?” asks Ratnam.

So Ratnam left his 23-year career as a professional services leader for software companies to create a solution that would help his children and others. Since he now had the opportunity to manage his own time, Ratnam had the chance to drive his children to school and after-school activities, working with their school’s PTA, volunteering for the science fair and helping with homework every evening.

One night, during a reading comprehension assignment, Ratnam’s son got stuck on a particular word: “stagecoach.” Ratnam did his best to explain the word and they moved on. Even so, his son continued to stop throughout the text and ask for the meaning of many other words.

Read the full article about helping struggling readers by Wendy McMahon at EdSurge