I-Ready
I-Ready is a research-based assessment and personalized instruction curriculum package that provides students with an opportunity to test their mathematics and English language arts (ELA) skills at their own level. Students take computer-adaptive assessments that show teachers how students perform in relation to grade-level work and what skills they still need to work on. i-Ready includes many interactive learning games that students use to make connections with the material they're learning. Some games are used to directly teach students about math concepts, while others are used for breaks in the session that help alleviate stress or possible frustration. Teachers can see what students have been working on and where they need extra support, and they can use that assessment data and the program's associated lessons and activities to target their instruction to meet the needs of the individual student. The curriculum reflects the mathematics and ELA standards for each state, and the online assessment adapts to the learning style and speed of each individual student.[1][2]
i-Ready Learning Games
Some Learning Games from i-Ready have become popular with students and teachers because of their easy-to-learn controls and simple mechanics. At the discretion of the district, students may play these games during their learning sessions or as a break. Some of the learning/break games from i-Ready include Galaxy Sprint, Hungry Fish/Hungry Guppy, and Cloud Machine.
Efficacy
In a recent efficacy study conducted by Curriculum Associates, more than 450,000 K–5 students in reading and nearly 600,000 students in mathematics, including students from historically marginalized groups, who used i-Ready Personalized Instruction as recommended achieved a higher percentage of typical learning growth targets. The study also revealed significantly higher spring scale scores on both the i-Ready Diagnostics for Reading and for Mathematics in spring 2021 than those achieved by their counterparts who did not use i-Ready.
History
i-Ready was invented in 2010 and launched in 2011, when Curriculum Associates of North Billerica, Massachusetts, moved into online programs. In addition to this adaptive diagnostic and instruction program, Curriculum Associates has served educators around the country from its founding in 1969, with a comprehensive portfolio of print workbooks and instructional materials.
The Controversy and Mistakes of i-Ready
Does i-Ready actually benefit students? The same question has been asked before. Many students have made it clear with online petitions that they don't feel that i-Ready is helping them succeed. Now that it's online, parents have been having trouble with keeping their children on track.[3] Is the website helping or hindering a student's success? The answer remains to be seen.
References
- ↑ Meckler, L. "Public education is facing a crisis of epic proportions". Washington Post. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ↑ Curriculum Associates. "The impact of i-Ready Personalized Instruction during the 2020–2021 school year" (PDF). Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ↑ Harris, Elizibeth. "How Remote Learning is Breaking Parents". The New York Times.