FREQUENT QUESTIONS
What is differentiated instruction?
Differentiated instruction offers a variety of options in teaching to cover different reading levels, interests and learning profiles of each student. In a differentiated classroom, the teacher must create a friendly and pleasant environment for students, as well as:
- Provide a variety of ways for students to explore and acquire content
- Provide a variety of activities or processes that make sense for students to understand their own information and ideas
- Provide a variety of options where students can demonstrate or show what they have learned
Source: Differentiating Instruction for Advanced Learners In the Mixed-Ability Middle School Classroom, by Carol Ann Tomlinson, ERIC EC Digest # E536, October 1995
Why differentiated instruction is so important nowadays?
This approach aims to respond to the concept of diversity in students. Diversity not only in learning styles, but also in cultural and emotional aspects; as well as the maturity and interest vary from one student to another and in the same student over time and depending on the contents to learn. It is therefore clear that a teacher who wants to deal with diversity must face significant challenges. You must change your paradigm regarding education.
It is about working with students not so they compete with each other, but to compete with themselves to improve their personal performance.
In differentiated classrooms it is essential to “accept and plan taking into consideration the aspects that students have in common, but most of all, the essential differences that make them unique." If your students differ in reading levels, interests and learning profiles - if we try to tie each student to their own level for continued growth – the model ONE SIZE FITS ALL would be meaningless.
Differentiated instruction gives us better and more effective solutions to achieve academically in an environment of diversity.
Source: Differentiating Instruction for Advanced Learners In the Mixed-Ability Middle School Classroom, by Carol Ann Tomlinson, ERIC EC Digest # E536, October 1995
How Achieve3000TM provides differentiated instruction?
Achieve3000 provides differentiated instruction in the classroom and provides educational opportunities using technology through a variety of learning options designated to achieve different reading levels, interests and learning profiles through a web solution.
- Achieve3000 solutions differ in language and special editions for each student depending on their skills. Our assessment tool determines the level of reading comprehension Lexile points.
- The classroom receives the same subjects and activities, but the content that each student receives daily via email varies depending on their level of reading comprehension Lexile.
- Students continually have access to the online platform and activities, including multiple-choice questions, surveys, and free answers where they can demonstrate the learning acquired.
- The activities are managed automatically and can be completed in groups or individually with or without the intervention of a teacher.
- Achieve3000 supports different learning styles and needs. Our solutions have the audio function as additional support for students who have low levels in reading. Our versions are available in English, Spanish and Hawaiian.
- Students are given the opportunity to explore concepts they are studying through additional links within their subjects having differentiated content through this access.
- Students can use Achieve3000 solutions in class, after school, at home, as long as they have a computer connected to the Internet. This is how we give the sense of ownership and responsibility for their learning.
How I can know Achieve3000 solutions?
Request a demo online through the contact form on our website
- Calling our telephone number to ask for more information.
- Attending some of our breakfasts that are made throughout the country.
What is Achieve3000®?
Achieve3000® is the leader in providing differentiated instruction. Our philosophy is simple: One of the most effective ways to allow students to achieve and improve their level of learning ways is through teaching one by one, received at the proper level of each. This principle is well known and has been accepted, validated and tested.
What are KidBiz3000®, TeenBiz3000® and Empower3000®?
KidBiz3000® (for grades 2-5), TeenBiz3000® (for grades 6-8), and Empower3000® (for grades 9-12), use software Web-based engines to determine the reading level of each student, this way each student receives the appropriate content to suit their individual needs. All students read the same content, but the readings and activities are leveled for each student. The initial assessment and ongoing evaluations allow the teacher to deliver content to the appropriate levels during the school year. Versions are available in English and Spanish. When direct and intensive instruction are combined, KidBiz, TeenBiz and Empower the performance in reading, fluency, vocabulary and writing increases.
How do KidBiz3000, TeenBiz3000 and Empower3000 work?
KidBiz3000, TeenBiz3000, and Empower3000 use a simple routine of 5 steps. Literacy improves comprehension, vocabulary, fluency in reading and writing skills. During this sequence, students receive reading materials and real follow up activities, which are precisely aligned to their learning skills. Each of these 5 steps is based on the best practices from decades of research on reading.
What is the Lexile Framework?
The Lexile Framework serves as a powerful and meaningful base for the solutions of Achieve3000®. It makes it possible to adjust the development processes of reading comprehension with the individual learning levels, in order to accelerate the development of this competence in students. If a student is facing a text too complicated he/she does not learn, the same goes if it is too simple.
Why are so important the Lexile points?
Since 2010 the US government decreed the establishment of a national program to promote reading comprehension called "Common Core" to attack the backlog that in this matter made evident the American educational system compared to other countries. The development of a standardized framework similar to ETS-TOEFL, GL-Assessment was entrusted to MetaMetrics. The result was the creation of the Lexile system, which is mandatory in the entire United States, and its results are required to determine the ability of a student to enter high school or college. The Framework for reading ability correlates Lexile reader with a text difficulty, allowing individualized assessment and instruction. This is a scientific approach to measuring reading comprehension and text with measures of capacity on a scale of 25L for beginning readers (25 Lexiles) and to 1700L for advanced text readers. The Lexile Framework has become the measure most used for reading comprehension in all States of the American Union; currently educators, libraries and publishers use it.Is there a placement test for my students to determine their level?
Yes, a placement test called Level Set exists, which is applied to the students starting the program. The aim is for the program to determine the level of reading comprehension in students. The test is a semi-adaptive real-time tool that changes the content of the questions according to how the student is answering. After the examination, each student will receive a Lexile score and the program will place the student in a level according the range of scores that has been obtained; this makes it very easy for teachers to know what is the level of each of their students. Students receive no grade and will not know what their reading comprehension level is. The level set tool can measure from -600L (Lexile points) to 2000L (Lexile points).
How much time does it take to determine the level of a student?
The level of each student is determined over a period of time between 15 and 45 minutes maximum through the application of the electronic test embedded in the (LevelSet) application. After this, each student will automatically receive all readings and activities in their proper reading level.
Who can access the program?
The number of students determined in the institution, teachers, administrators and parents can access the program. Each will have a different view or version, according to the role they play.
Do students can customize their own account?
Each student can personalize their account, they may add an avatar, choose an image that they identify with; this image will be on their profile and will show through their homepage in the area of the motivational board.
Can teachers use different articles with their students?
Additional to the readings that students receive from Monday to Saturday, teachers can easily search the database (search engine) where more than 95,000 readings are available at all levels and this way they can assign an article in advance and automatically each student will receive it on their individual level of reading comprehension.
Can I have reports on the progress of my students?
Teachers receive two reports automatically each week, which can track and monitor the use of the program, its activities and the work of their students. Also as an option, the teachers who so wish, can easily generate custom reports to know in detail about the work, grading papers, and expand on improving student performance.
Why is it so important to understand what you read?
In recent years a great emphasis has been placed worldwide on students understanding what they read and that they apply this knowledge, because these are essential skills that students require to be successful in their careers and college. It is for this reason that standardized tests as the international PISA exam contemplates these aspects. This test is applied to young people in the countries belonging to the OECD (Organization for Cooperation and Development), considering reading skills as one of the key axes evaluated.