Using Microsoft Teams Reading Progress to Develop Vocabulary

Set-ups/Technology required

Teachers and students can access Microsoft Teams Reading Progress with a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop, as long as they have a stable internet connection.

Teams Setup: Creating a Class (Images 1 and 2)

1. Log in to Microsoft Teams using your account.
2. Click ‘Join or create team’ in the top-right corner (See Image 1).
3. Select ‘Create team’ from the dropdown menu.
4. Select ‘From template’ on the left panel and then select ‘Class’ (See Image 2).

Procedure

Task Setup: Creating a Reading Progress Assignment (Images 3 to 8)

Step 1: Create an Assignment

1. Within your class team, select the ‘Assignments’ tab in the left-hand navigation
2. Click the purple ‘Create’ button, then select ‘Learning Accelerators’ and ‘Reading Progress’ (See Image 3).

Step 2: Add a Reading Text

1. To upload your own text, click ‘Import Word or PDF’ and then ‘Upload from this device’ to select a file (a text containing the target vocabulary) (See Image 4). Please ensure that the text does not exceed 20,000 characters.
2. Alternatively, if appropriate for your lesson objectives, use the built-in AI generate a reading passage, click ‘Generate Reading Passage’.

Step 3: Configure Assignment Settings

1. Adjust the settings to your preference (See Image 5). You may:

• • Enable ‘Reading Coach’ to allow the AI pronunciation trainer to provide feedback;
  • Disable ‘Require video’ if you would like to reduce student anxiety by allowing audio-only recordings.

2. To add a comprehension check, click ‘Add comprehension’ and then ‘Generate Questions’. Select your desired number of questions for the AI to create (See Image 6). You can also create your own questions if you would like to focus on a specific aspect of vocabulary knowledge, such as its contextual meaning. 

3. Click the ‘Next’ button in the top right corner to proceed (See Image 7).

Step 4: Finalise and Assign

1. On the final screen, edit the assignment details (e.g. title, instructions, points, due date) (See Image 8).
2. Click the ‘Assign’ button in the bottom right corner to post the task to your students.

Completing the Task – Students’ View (Images 9 to 15)

Step 1: Complete the ‘Read Aloud’ Task

1. Click ‘View Assignment’ to access the task (See Image 9).
   2. Select the assignment and test your microphone and camera (See Image 10). Click ‘Start’ to begin reading and ‘I’m done’ when you finish. The reading will be recorded automatically.
   3. Click ‘Use this recording’ to upload, or ‘Try again’ to replace this recording with a new one.

After completing the recording task, students proceed to the comprehension and pronunciation practice activities.

Step 2: Complete the Reading Comprehension Task

1. Answer the questions and submit your work when finished (See Image 11).
2. Your score will appear. Check the answers by clicking ‘View results’ (See Image 12).

Step 3: Practise Pronunciation with the Reading Coach

1. Click the ‘Reading Coach’ button (See Image 12).
2. Select the words to practise (See Image 13).
3. Press the microphone icon at the bottom to read each word aloud. You can also access the correct pronunciation and a relevant image (See Image 14).
4. You will receive positive feedback if the word is read correctly.
5. If the word is not read correctly, you will be encouraged to keep trying (See Image 15).
6. Finally, submit your work.

Giving Feedback to Students (Images 16 and 17)

1. Select the assignment and choose an individual student to review their performance by playing the audio or video clip displayed on the left (See Image 16).
2. An AI-generated report will appear. The report includes AI-generated feedback on pronunciation accuracy, omissions, repetitions, and reading fluency.
3. Click ‘Return full report to students’ if you want students to read the report (Image 17).
4. Select the type of report you want to share with students.
5. Click ‘Save’.
6. Teachers can also provide feedback in the box on the right. When finished, click ‘Return’ to send the work back to the student.

Caveats and Alternatives

Teachers can incorporate this tool into their weekly classroom practice.

1. At the start of the week, assign a text featuring the target vocabulary, accompanied by a comprehension task and a read-aloud exercise. Through this assignment, students are introduced to the new words and can practise reading the text aloud independently.
2. To reinforce learning, a second text using the same set of vocabulary set is provided at the end of the week. This serves as a review, allowing students to test their understanding of the words in a fresh context and reassess their pronunciation.

This approach is especially beneficial for lower-level students who may lack the confidence to read in front of peers, as it provides a private environment for individual practice. The repeated practice with the instant feedback from the Reading Coach effectively improves their pronunciation, which in turn can improve their confidence and fluency in both reading and speaking.

If lesson time is limited, teachers can adapt the tool for formative assessment. Every 3–4 weeks, create a new text that incorporates vocabulary from recent units to assess students’ retention and pronunciation more holistically.