Tar Heel Reader Joins Building Wings
as Monarch Reader
A New Chapter in Accessible Books for Beginning Readers
The Tar Heel online library of accessible books for beginning readers is now part of the Building Wings family of literacy instruction solutions.
Building Wings is proud to announce the exciting news that it’s acquiring ownership of the Tar Heel Reader, marking a significant step in our continued commitment to creating accessible and inclusive reading experiences for all. This online book sharing platform and digital library will be rebranded as Monarch Reader and will continue to bring accessible digital books to users.
History of Tar Heel Reader
Tar Heel Reader earned its impressive reputation as a free online platform providing a large collection of accessible, easy-to-read books for individuals with various learning needs. The digital library was founded in 2008 by Dr. Gary Bishop and Dr. Karen Erickson at UNC-Chapel Hill. By transferring ownership to Building Wings, the site has been rebranded as “Monarch Reader” and continues the valuable work of helping emergent readers engage more actively in reading and gain deeper meaning from texts.
The original Tar Heel Reader site was built by UNC-Chapel Hill’s Professor Emeritus Gary Bishop in the Department of Computer Science, whose academic interests focused on the use of technology to enable learners with disabilities, and Professor Karen Erickson, Director of the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies and a professor in the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences. Named “Tar Heel Reader” in a nod to the university’s nickname.
What does this change mean for users of the Tar Heel Reader?
The Tar Heel Reader digital library with tens of thousands of books to support beginning and emergent readers will continue to have the components educators know and love such as alternative access methods and input device compatibility. Users can also change text and background color, which is particularly helpful for learners with CVI (Cortical Vision Impairment.) Adults who created books on Tar Heel can link those to their new Monarch Reader account.
The library’s content is both age-appropriate and age-respectful for young and older readers. Accessibility for all is central to the Building Wings mission of breaking down learning barriers and providing tools that enable everyone to access the knowledge they seek. Monarch Reader will be an additional puzzle piece to enable that.
Key Benefits of the Acquisition
One Site, More Knowledge
One of the immediate benefits is the compatibility of the Tar Heel Reader’s extensive library with literacy instruction solutions Readtopia, ReadtopiaGO, News Currents, and Newstopia. For any topic about which students want to learn more from our own curriculum–be that rugby, super volcanoes on Pluto, or Cleopatra–they can enter the relevant search term into Monarch Reader to access pertinent content. Collections of books on popular topics such as AAC, Core Words and DLM Books can also be accessed.
Shared Reading and Self-directed reading are a part of a comprehensive literacy approach, and Monarch helps support comprehension by building background knowledge and topical connections. This keeps students interested in and a participant of their own learning.
Supporting Research-Based Instructional Routines
High-quality instructional routines are essential to helping teachers accommodate a wide array of learning styles and student needs when teaching literacy. Readtopia and ReadtopiaGO are research-based literacy instruction solutions that promote literacy development. In support of that development and by partnering with Monarch Reader, teachers will be better able to:
- Provide modeling and thinking aloud
- Use a multisensory approach
- Provide scaffolds for differentiated instruction
- Build background knowledge
- Spark student curiosity
- Engage students with shared reading
- Encourage self-directed and independent reading
Building Shared Reading Experiences
Monarch Reader supports shared reading experiences because the digital library is accessible from anywhere that has an internet connection, meaning that emergent readers, special education teachers, occupational therapists, families, and other caregivers can all engage in the reading experience with learners.
What’s next?
Building Wings is looking forward to reaching new heights in the world of accessible digital reading. Get ready for this next chapter in our story–where Monarch Reader provides even more tailored resources and reading materials for readers of diverse abilities and their instructors. Stay informed with information about how to use this platform.
