AIMS Teacher Information Page

The Reading Lab within the Learning Center is set up as an extension of the reading classroom for students enrolled in any of the HawCC reading classes. The AIMS Reading Program is required for students enrolled in reading classes below the 100 level and, therefore, the major compotent of the Reading Lab activities Teachers are expected to include AIMS instruction time as part of the schedule of class activities.

In addition, the Reading Lab has both print and computer software that provides instructional activities for many stages of reading ability: basic skills (main idea, supporting details), advanced skills (inferences, argument, bias, etc.), rapid reading, and critical reasoning.

Teachers may use the Reading Lab for AIMS and other reading activities as often as the use is justified and as long as space is available. The computers and workspace are shared with other assistance areas within the Learning Center: writing, math, content area tutoring, and study skills. For every hour spent in the Reading Lab during a given classtime, a student is expected to spend two more additional hours in the Reading on the student's own time. Over the years, the folloiwng practice has evolved for scheduling of Reading Lab instructional time.

Class	Days	*Times per week for Reading Lab* instructional time.**
ESL 009	MTWTh	once a week regularly, twice a week every other week
ENG 020R	MWF	once a week
ENG 021	MWF	once a week
ENG 021	TTh	once a week to once every other week , depending on computer usage
ENG 051	TTh	once a week for first half-semester; twice a week thereafter
ENG 102	MWF	once a week to eight times a semester depening on computer assignments
ENG 102	TTh	once a week to once every other week, depending on computer usage

Since the computer and workspace are shared, it is extremely important that instructors reserve computer and space usage via regular Learning Center procedures well in advance of planned activities. The Reading Lab coordinator will reserve weekly time and space for AIMS instruction only. Beyond AIMS instruction, the instructor will need to sign up for usage of the LC classroom, Mac computers, and IBM computers in the Learning Center reservation book, available near the LC reception desk.

Reading Lab tutors are hired primarily to assist students with progress through AIMS, but teachers can request help from tutors for non-AIMS activities such as one-on-one assistance to students with class assignments and helping students understand use of particular reading computer software. At least one reading tutor is assigned to duty at the Reading Lab counter during hours the Learning Center is open; more than one tutor at a time is available during peak hours. Before the semester, reading class is assigned a designated lab day, e.g., every Wednesday at 10:00 -10:55 a.m., and tutor are scheduled accordingly. Teachers do not have to utilize the lab day every given week if other activities such as tests and library projects are planned, but teacher MUST NOT use another day of the week to make up for the unused lab day. Unilateral decisions to change previously scheduled lab days plays havoc with the Reading Lab tutor schedule and with the shared Learning Center wo;rkspace.