How Can I Support Struggling Readers Using CAPIT?

When students make mistakes, let’s not enable them by giving them the answers. You can empower your students with two tools: our Visual Mnemonics, and our Sound Chart.

If students see a letter and forget the sound that the letter spells—Ask them: “What does it look like?” They will try to remember our Visual Mnemonic (see Fig. 1).

If students forget a Spelling—Direct them to the Sound Chart. It contains all the Sounds and Spelling Patterns the students have learned so far (see Fig. 2).

Our Visual Mnemonics & Sound Chart give students the ability to self-correct and the confidence to become Independent Readers.

Does CAPIT Have a Strategy for Working With Struggling Readers?

Absolutely!

When a student cannot hold on to specific sounds or cannot blend sounds to create words, we recommend our DBRR strategy. Do this four to five times a week, and see your student grow by leaps and bounds.

Watch the webinar, and please read the instructions. To purchase our Evaluation Cards, CLICK HERE.

Are Tiles Missing in a CAPIT Lesson?

Sometimes we ran out of space and had to put "letter tiles" on another screen. Students can navigate to these tiles by clicking on the "arrows."

Why Do the Tiles Not Go Down Automatically?

We intentionally programmed the tiles in the Spelling Tests to mimic physical tiles that don't move independently.

Why?

Students initially think they need to lower (all) the tiles between each word. But after a few weeks, when students can finally hold and manipulate sounds in their mind, students have a lightbulb moment—they realize they don't need to lower all the tiles, and instead, they can leave them up and create a new word with old tiles. Students then begin moving tiles horizontally (left-to-right and right-to-left) and not only vertically (up-and-down). This realization is a critical stage in becoming a reader and speller. It is also exhilarating to witness.

What Do the Stars Represent?

Students begin a spelling test with three stars. These stars indicate students' scores as they work through the assessment. Each time a student does not answer the question correctly, they lose a star. If in the end, the student has one star, they achieved 80% (because they got 8 out of 10 questions, that’s a B in our book); 2 stars indicate 90% (because they got 9 out of 10 questions, that’s an A); three stars earn 100%.

(The Level 1 Unit Assessment has only one star because the student needs to earn 100% to proceed.)

Do Students Need Three Stars to Progress in CAPIT?

Students do not need three stars to progress. Students can progress in CAPIT with two or even a single star. Students don't need to go back and earn three stars on every lesson, but they are certainly welcome to do so.

Why is the CAPIT Highlighter Interface Not Working? My student is putting in the correct answer but the app is saying it's wrong!

Our Spelling Cards contains a Highlighter Interface. It asks students to segment a word into separate sounds (i.e. phonemes) using colors. The key here is that students must separate the word into separate SOUNDS, not LETTERS. So, although the word "cat" has 3 sounds and 3 letters, words like "off" and "egg" which have 3 letters get only 2 colors because they have only 2 sounds, and words such as "mess" and "duck" which have 4 letters get only 3 colors because they have only 3 sounds.

Our Highlighter Interface prepares beginner students for dealing with the more complicated digraphs and diphthongs (e.g. sh, ch, oo, oi).

Unclear Sounds and Words

Some of the voice recordings in CAPIT sound unclear, and students struggle to identify the sound or word they hear. Why?

This is a challenge because phonemes are subtle and sound similar to other phonemes (e.g., /m/ /n/ /ng/). Additionally, some words are hard to identify when heard in isolation (e.g., /thin/ sounds like /fin/).

We keep notes of every trouble-making word and regularly re-record them or replace them with a word that is easier to identify.

Another solution we found was to add an image to the word whenever possible. Unfortunately, we can't depict some words with an image (e.g., but, it). Our long-term goal is to add an image whenever possible.

Here are two simple suggestions that can help in the meantime:

1. Please remember to check which lesson and skill the confusion is occurring. The 'unknown' word will likely follow the spelling pattern taught in that lesson. For example, if that lesson introduces the /th/ sound, the word is most likely /thin/ and not /fin/.

2. Please make sure your students have access to over-the-ear headphones when using CAPIT. Good headphones can help block out noise and help students identify sounds and words.

Lastly: we ask teachers to contact us when they stumble upon an unclear sound, word or phrase, so we can continue to improve our program. We appreciate your help!

Choosing Passwords on Shared Devices

• Students choose a Password upon entering their Student Profiles by picking two icons. The order of the icons is part of the Password. Students need to confirm their Password by clicking the Check. If they don’t like the Password and want to pick another, they click the X and choose another Password.

• Tell your students that they need to remember their Passwords.

• If students forget their Password, you can reset it from your Teacher Dashboard and have them pick a new one.

• You can also print all your students’ passwords from your Teacher Portal.

• The Teacher Profile is not password protected. This is important—be sure your students know not to use YOUR teacher profile. They should always be using their user profile.

CAPIT Pronunciation Guide

THE IMPORTANCE OF CORRECT PRONUNCIATION
Learning to read requires that children discriminate between phonemes (sounds). This is hard to do when they can't correctly identify and pronounce each phoneme. This is why children who don’t pronounce sounds correctly often struggle “hearing” how sounds blend together to form words (NRP 2000, 2-104). /kuh/ + /a/ + /tuh/ does not make the word /cat/. It sounds more like: /kuhatuh/. Children who pronounce sounds correctly avoid this difficulty.

Children should be taught how to pronounce each and every sound carefully and deliberately. Make sure they are not adding a "voice" to an unvoiced consonant when pronouncing the following sounds: /f/ as in flower, /h/ as in horse, /k/ as in karate, /p/ paddle, /s/ saxophone, /t/ as in t-shirt, /x/ as in ax.

Make sure they are not adding an additional vowel or schwa when pronouncing the following sounds: /l/ as in line, /m/ as in mustache, /n/ as in nail, /r/ as in rake, /v/ as in valley, /z/ as in zigzag, /b/ as in boot, /d/ as in duck, /g/ as in ghost, /j/ as in jump.

PRACTICE
We urge both teachers and parents to practice the sounds carefully with a partner, so an objective “ear” can listen and offer constructive criticism when necessary. Our Pronunciation Guide contains sound files of common phonemes as well as short video clips detailing how each sound is formed (courtesy of Rachel’s English).

REGIONAL DIFFERENCES
Teachers and parents come from different parts of the country and therefore pronounce words and phonemes differently. Children sometimes receive mixed messages regarding the pronunciation of sounds. To minimize confusion, we recommend that reading instructors within an institution strive for a uniform pronunciation of phonemes. 

How Long Does it Take Students to Complete a Lesson in CAPIT?

The answer to this question depends on the type of lesson, the level, and the student’s age, and the student’s ability. But there are general guidelines:

Level 1

1. Level 1 Lessons take about 5 minutes;

2. Level 1 Assessments take between 5 to 10 minutes.

   (Fig. 1)

How Should I Teach Sight Words?

We highly recommend using the Sound and Spelling Cards to create a Sound Wall (also known as a Word Wall) to organize and teach the spelling of Sight Words. We suggest teachers add words when they come up. If the word "the" becomes necessary for you to teach, show your students the /th/ card and point out how we spell it: th. Now write the word “the” on a sticky note, underline the “th” spelling, and stick it under the Sound and Spelling Card (as seen in the pictures to the eight).

To learn more about the CAPIT Method's approach to teaching Sight Words, CLICK HERE.

To learn more about the CAPIT Method's approach to building a Sound Wall (Word Wall), CLICK HERE.

My Student is Stuck in the Placement Test

An administrator can remove a student from the CAPIT Placement Test by following these steps.

• Step 1: Log into the admin Dashboard and find the student you wish to remove from the Placement Test;

• Step 2: Please uncheck the box next to the words “Required to take tests.”

• Step 3: Keep clicking the “Next” button until you see the message “Successfully saved the student.”

• Step 4: The student needs to log out of CAPIT and then log back in.

  (Expand the images below by clicking on them with your mouse.)

What is the Relationship Between the Placement Test and the CAPIT Lessons?

The CAPIT Placement Test has eleven sections, and each checks for a specific foundational skill. When students pass a section, they test out the lessons in CAPIT that correspond to the tested skill. To learn which lessons correspond to each test section, download The CAPIT Placement Test Lesson Key from our Teacher Corner under Downloadables.

Can Students Go Back and Redo Old Lessons?

CAPIT allows teachers to Lock/Unlock previously completed lessons.

• CAPIT allows teachers to customize the journey for PK & TK students in CAPIT. When students are ready to move forward in their learning, teachers can use the toggle to lock previously completed lessons, encouraging students to progress to learn new material. (Fig. 1)

• CAPIT locks previously completed lessons by default for students in Kindergarten and above, encouraging them to progress to learn new material. 

• If students need to go back and review a previously completed lesson/skill, teachers can enter their secret teacher code and give the student access to any previously completed lesson. (Fig. 2)

• If teachers want to provide individual students access to ALL previously completed lessons for review, they can do so using a toggle that "unlocks" previously completed lessons. (Fig. 1)

How Do I Calculate Usage Time on CAPIT?

QUESTION: Is it actual time/minutes spent? Does coloring the letter count as Usage? How about playing the Matching Games or the ABC Song?

ANSWER: The most critical analytic collected by the CAPIT Dashboard is the students’ Days of Progress. We define Days of Progress as a day that a student completes a CAPIT Lesson. Playing the Matching Game or the ABC Song will not count as a Day of Progress.

Here are some practical examples:

• If a student completed even one lesson, their progress counts as 1 Day of Progress.

• If students learned on CAPIT for ten days, but on three days, they played games or colored and did not complete any lessons, the CAPIT Dashboard will credit them with only 7 Days of Progress.

• If a student completed two lessons in 1 day, the Dashboard would still count it as 1 Day of Progress.

How Do I Use the Data in my CAPIT Dashboard
to Help Drive Instruction? CLICK HERE to find out.

Looking to motivate your students to complete new CAPIT lessons every day? Keep Reading below…

Motivating Your Students

We created a chart to help motivate your students by rewarding them for completing CAPIT Lessons.

You should regularly look at your Teacher Dashboard to see how many Days of Progress your students used CAPIT to complete new lessons. Look for Days of Progress to see how many days each student used CAPIT—that’s how many Stars each student deserves on their CAPIT Reader Chart.

REMEMBER: Only completing a CAPIT Lesson will register as a Day of Progress.

Our CAPIT Reader Chart helps you to reward students for their effort, not just their success, because it doesn’t matter how many lessons students complete each day—even one lesson will count as a Day of Progress.

CLICK HERE to download our CAPIT Reader Chart.

Does CAPIT Have Student Reports?

We sure do. Click on the arrow next to the student’s name.

CAPIT Student Reports are gorgeous and packed with information.

Resetting Student Progress

Teacher Question: I would like to test my students to get a baseline score. Could you please reset them so they could retest?

While we understand why teachers may want a baseline of their students, with CAPIT, this is unnecessary. Remember that CAPIT is one long formative assessment. We recommend that all students continue to work where they left off the previous year (or over the summer). With CAPIT, students need to demonstrate their knowledge by completing lessons. Each lesson is a kind of test.

If teachers believe that some students are not challenged enough by CAPIT, they can relaunch the Placement Test and have the student attempt to skip to a more challenging section (CLICK HERE for instructions to launch the Placement Test).

If teachers believe that students may have had help from a parent or older sibling and truly can't do the work on their own, please reach out to success@capitlearning.com, and we will be happy to help reset the student. We will need permission from an administrator.

Please remember: a reset will erase the student’s progress and usage.

Am I Using the Latest Version of CAPIT Reading on my iPad?

Latest Version: Version 3.7.4

We regularly improve and fix our CAPIT app. To check if you are using the latest version, navigate to the Home Page—you will find the version number on the bottom left corner. To update your iPad, go to the app store and search for CAPIT Reading. Compare your version with the version in the app store. If there is a discrepancy, please update the app. You can also set up your iPads for Automatic Downloads. Click Here for instructions. Updating CAPIT on a Browser is easy. Just refresh your browser until your CAPIT Reading version matches the version number in the iTunes store. If after a few "refreshes" the app fails to update, delete your cookies, and try again.

Chrome Settings for CAPIT Reading

DO NOT DELETE YOUR COOKIES
Because our Chrome version uses Cookies to keep your students logged in, please be sure to never delete your cookies or browsing history, as this will erase your login information. If you delete your cookies and browsing history, you will need to re-enter your Username and Password and reassign your students to their device. If you need to delete your cookies and browsing history, or you did so by accident, please know that your students' progress will not be deleted. All student progress is stored on our secure servers. But you will be required to re-enter your Username and Password and reassign your students to their device

CHECK YOUR SETTINGS
Our Chrome version uses Cookies to keep your students logged in. If your Chrome Browser is failing to keep your Teacher Account (and students) logged into CAPIT, it is possible that your Chrome Settings need to be changed to the following three settings:

1. To allow sites to save and read cookie data.

2. To not delete local data when you quit your browser.

3. To not block third-party cookies, as this will prevent third-party websites (like CAPIT) from saving and reading cookie data.

Changing your Chrome Settings is easy. Simply follow the steps below.

How Do I Log My Child into the CAPIT Program?

• Open your Chrome Browser

• Go to: www.capitlearning.com

• Click SIGN IN

• Enter your Email and Password

• Click: Log In

• Do not click on Teacher Corner

• The Teacher Corner is used to log out of a CAPIT account

• Click on the big blue button to enter CAPIT Reading

• Click on Home

• Do not select the Teacher Profile

• The Teacher Profile is for parents

• Click on the Student Profile

• Choose a Password by clicking on two pictures-icons

• The order of the two pictures is part of the Password

For Teachers and Parents with Multiple Students

• To learn how to logout of one CAPIT account and use the device with a different CAPIT account,
  CLICK HERE: https://capitlearning.com/how-do-i-log-out-a-capit-account-on-my-device

How Do I Access CAPIT on an iPad?

• Download CAPIT Reading from the App Store on your iPad

• Please DO NOT download the CAPIT Books app.

Need Help Setting Up Your Students On CAPIT?

CLICK HERE to set up Your Students on an iPAD.
CLICK HERE to set up Your Students on CHROME.

How Do I Log Out of a CAPIT Account?

I want to logout of a CAPIT account on my device and use my device with a different CAPIT account. How do I do that if I am a teacher or a parent?

Follow these simple steps:

• On your device, click on Logout (Fig. 1)

• Enter your credentials (email and password) and click on the button that says Log Out (Fig. 2)

• Click on the button that says OK (Fig. 3)

• Enter the credentials of the new CAPIT account and click on the button that says Log In (Fig. 4)

• This is what it looks like when you are logged in as a student (Fig. 5)

• This is what it looks like when you are logged in as a teacher (Fig. 6)

How Do Students Log Into CAPIT from Home?

• If you are using an iPad, download the CAPIT Reading program from the app store by CLICKING HERE

• If you are using a Chrome Browser, go to:

  https://read.capitlearning.com/

• Students can log into their account directly using the Username and Password that the school or district assign to them. Schools and districts are encouraged to choose credentials the student already knows. CAPIT will then assign a three-digit Site Code to each school and automatically add the code to the beginning of the student's Username.

• Please note that this does not affect current users who logged in with a Parent Account. They will have the option to stay logged in as they are or use their new credentials to be taken directly to their user.

• The image to the right is a screenshot of what students see when they log in with their personalized credentials.

• Click on the big blue button to enter CAPIT Reading

CAPIT Tech-Check

Thank you for contacting CAPIT. We apologize for any inconvenience and will do our best to solve any technical issues you might be experiencing.

Below are some simple troubleshooting techniques that may resolve your issue or, at the very least, provide us with necessary technical information regarding the CAPIT account.

• Restart the CAPIT program (i.e., close your browser and reopen it; close out the CAPIT app on an iPad and reopen it);

• Double-check the student’s login credentials;

• Log out of CAPIT, and then log back in;

• If you are using a computer or Chromebook, ensure that you are using a Chrome browser;

• Attempt to log in using another device;

• Check the device's internet connection by opening another internet-dependant program (i.e., YouTube);

• Ensure your chrome browser is up to date;

• Delete your browser cookies;

• If you are using the CAPIT iPad App, ensure it’s the latest version (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/capit-reading/id966853325);

• Delete and re-download the CAPIT app;

• Confirm that your device is compatible with CAPIT (CLICK HERE);

• Check if your device’s memory is full of videos and pictures;

If none of these actions solved your problem, please reach out to support@capitlearning.com, and someone will be in touch with you shortly.

Thank you for your help!

Tech Requirements

Important

• A high-speed Internet connection is required for each device running CAPIT Reading.

Supported Web Browsers

• The CAPIT Reading program runs on Google Chrome & Firefox

• Important Chrome Settings for CAPIT Reading

Supported Computers

DEVICES:

• Chromebooks

• All computers running a Chrome or Firefox browser

Minimum Tech Requirements:

• 2GB RAM

• 2.16GHz dual-core processor

• 1024 x 768 screen resolution or higher

Supported Tablets

• The CAPIT Reading program runs on iPad 4 running iOS 11 and higher. CAPIT does not support iPad 2 and 3, or the iPad mini 1.

• Chromebook Tablets

CAPIT Access for Teachers & Students

• Web App for Students & Teachers: https://read.capitlearning.com/startmenu

• iPad App for Students & Teachers: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/capit-reading/id966853325

• Web Portal for Teachers Only: https://portal.capitlearning.com/sessions/new

Please Whitelist the Following URLs:

Domains
www.capitlearning.com
discover.capitlearning.com
portal.capitlearning.com
sounds.capitlearning.com
http://capit-learning.auth.us-west-1.amazoncognito.com/
fonts.googleapis.com
js.stripe.com
https://api.mixpanel.com
https://capit.dubitcloud.com
read.capitlearning.com
https://static1.squarespace.com/
https://ispri.ng
https://pro.ispringcloud.com
https://ispringcloud.com/
ispringmail.com
s4.ispringsolutions.com
mail.ispringsolutions.com
https://vimeo.com/

Email
noreply@quizresults.eu

Is CAPIT Compatible With Old Devices?

If the program crashes, freezes, or just acts glitchy, it’s possible you are using an old device.

CAPIT Reading is compatible with all Chrome-enabled devices and iPads 4 and up. Please remember that older devices have slower processors and less memory, and this can cause the program to freeze up, feel glitchy, and crash.

iPad Users should keep in mind that Apple periodically releases iOS updates that take up the iPad's working memory. These updates leave little memory for apps like CAPIT to run on.

If you are using an older device, unburden it by deleting unused applications. Also, be sure to shut down all other applications before launching CAPIT. CLICK HERE to learn how to shut down apps on the iPad.

CLICK HERE to view our tech requirements.

If you are unsure about your tech, please speak with your tech coordinator.

How Do I Project CAPIT on my Digital Board?

My Student Can't Click on a CAPIT Matching Test With a Mouse (On Chrome)

CAPIT is compatible with all Chromebooks and Computers with a Chrome browser. Please note that with some touchscreen Chromebooks and Computers, the Matching Games and Level 1 Assessments will only function with the touchscreen, and will not work using a mouse.

What Do I Do When CAPIT Loses Internet Connection?

CAPIT Reading functions only when it is connected to the internet. This ensures that student progress is never lost. When the internet goes down (and the app can't send progress to the Teacher Portal), you will see this Failed Pop-Up Screen, and the app will be disabled until the internet connection is re-establish. You do not have to do anything. Just wait patiently for the internet to return. If the app stays offline for longer than 5 minutes, the student will be taken to the Home Screen. Please explain to your students that when they see this pop-up, they don't need to do anything. They should wait patiently for the internet to return. If you are experiencing long internet outages, please speak with your tech-coordinator.

Which Headphones Should I Use with CAPIT?

Learning to read requires that students discriminate between phonemes. This is hard to do in a noisy classroom.

We recommend that students use over-the-ear headphones.

We highly advise against using earbuds. Earbuds don’t block out noise, and they fall out. Invest in good over-the-ear headphones. They are worth it.

Setting Up a Sound Challenge Class

• Go to this website: https://sounds.capitlearning.com/.

• To create a class, choose the bottom left box: "If you are a teacher, click here to join the CAPIT Sound Challenge."

• Create an account using your school email address, or sign up with Facebook, Google, or Apple.

• Again: be sure to create the account using your school email address for chances to win prizes for your students.

• Choose to create a Class account (up to 30 students).

• Create a room name that will show up on the Global Leaderboard.

• You will receive an email with your Room Name and Room Code. Your students will use the code to enter your class.

Logging Your Students Into Your Sound Challenge Class

• Students access the CAPIT Sound Challenge here: https://sounds.capitlearning.com/.

• Students should select the top box: "If you are a student, click here to enter the CAPIT Sound Challenge."

• Your students enter your class by entering the Room Code you received in an email after creating your class.

• The first time the student logs in, they will select three things: an Avatar, a background color for their avatar, and then a name.

• Students can then choose to listen to the CAPIT Alphabet Song or one of our four challenges: Beginner, Advanced, Expert, Genius.

• After completing a challenge, the student can see their class leaderboard and compare their time to their classmates' time. They can also view the global leaderboard to see how their class ranks across the country.

Permanently Delete Your CAPIT Sound Challenge Account

To initiate the permanent deletion of your CAPIT Sound Challenge Account, kindly click the button below to send us an email request. We will process the removal of your account within 2 business days. We appreciate your engagement with us. Thank you.