Blog

While there’s a huge body of research—referred to as “the science of reading”—that can guide educators on how to teach literacy effectively and improve outcomes, many educators aren’t aware of it, nor can they easily access it. In this article, I’ll share with you five steps you can take to improve literacy outcomes for your students, guided by the science of reading.

Some reading intervention programs limit exposure to complex text for young readers, and may be restricting students' access to sophisticated vocabulary, grammar, and sentence construction, a problem schools try to mitigate through direct instruction of vocabulary lists and grammar rules. We end up teaching things disconnected from any context, which leads students—and the adults they grow into—to ask questions like, “Why does grammar matter?”

Welcome to the beginning of what may be the most important school year of our lives. For if last year was the most challenging, then the way we actually bounce back and comport ourselves will decide if last year was a learning experience making us better, or a multi-year burden ultimately impacting a generation of learners.

Regularly checking for understanding is an important way to keep your students invested in their academic progress. But assessing students online can be challenging, regardless of grade level. Following are some proven assessment techniques you can use to help your students become active learners and increase their chances for higher learning gains.

On average, students who used Achieve3000 Literacy improved by 67 scale score points on the STAAR reading assessment from spring 2017 to spring 2018. Notably, students who completed 80 or more lessons* and who maintained an average first-try score of 75 percent or above on the embedded assessment, demonstrated the largest increase of 90 scale score points.

As the educational sector moves into a new era of learning and collaboration, educators are facing new challenges every day. With this shift emerging, collaborative learning tools and innovative solutions are being developed and deployed. Last year, a study by UNICEF stated that more than 1 billion children* were at risk of falling behind due to campus closures.

The process of identifying and owning mistakes helps students recognize that they’re competent problem solvers. This is called productive struggle, and it’s the foundation of Achieve3000 Math, our digital math solution for K-12 students. Because the platform breaks missed problems down into component parts, students can quickly identify any misconceptions and get back to correct solutions.

My son’s school counselor emailed me a few weeks ago. I knew he’d had a challenging year with COVID-19, and he’d also announced his retirement just before the last few days of school, so it wasn’t a surprise when I received his bizarre email.

Should you continue to use the products you implemented before the rush to distance learning? Should you expand the use of new tools that educators found to meet immediate learning needs? Are there new tools to consider that address your communities’ new and evolving needs as you move to hybrid and in-person learning?