19-03-2024

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Are Classrooms Ready for i-Ready? Benefits and Drawbacks of the i-Ready Method

3 min read

The i-Ready digital assessment and instruction program is designed to encourage excitement around learning for students. Based on the Common Core State Standards in reading and mathematics for K-12 students, this system focuses on reading and math. Teachers often use i-Ready to gather data and gain valuable insights about their students that inform their small group and whole class instruction. 

The Basics of i-Ready

i-Ready can help teachers customize lesson plans for individual students with individual needs. When a student starts the program, he or she takes a diagnostic placement test that adapts based on the student’s individual needs and opportunities for growth. This data is analyzed and then used to create personalized lesson paths for the individual student.

Teachers Can use the i-Ready data to gain a better understanding of how the students learn and grow in their own unique ways. The data helps guide their lessons and work with for a variety of students with different abilities.

Once the student completes the placement test, he or she chooses a theme for the learning dashboard and a personalized digital coach. Lessons are a step-by-step walkthrough, guided by an animated cast of character-instructors that assist the student in the learning process.

After the placement test, teachers review the assessment data, including personalized i-Ready Math and i-Ready Reading scores, and the program creates a personalized instruction plan for each student. It also offers additional teaching resources which can then be adapted and fine-tuned to suit their instructional style for small groups, or the whole class.

i-Ready also provides teachers with the tools necessary to analyze and compare students’ i-Ready scores against national norms as well as grade level  standards. Instructors gain rapid insights into the learning levels and achievements of students.

The Benefits of Using i-Ready

One of the most significant benefits of i-Ready is that it is an adaptive tool using personal data to customize the learning experience. One primary challenge for teachers is learning how to work with students who may be struggling, especially when those struggles are different for each child in their classroom.

Students who have a hard time focusing may benefit from the i-Ready system. Lessons are set up with interactive animation every couple of minutes, helping children stay entertained and focused on the content.

I-Ready is also a great resource for the material students will encounter within the CCSS tests. When kids are taking standardized tests, they need to know what they will be tested on. If the lessons they learn in class do not satisfy the requirements of the CCSS, students are more likely to do poorly on the test. This can create feelings of low self-esteem, which can create a feedback loop for poor performance in future tests.

Considerations for Using i-Ready

As with any learning system, i-Ready methods and processes aren’t going to be perfect for everyone. While some students find the animations engaging, others may want to simply move along in the lesson but are unable to do so. What encourages focus in one child may discourage focus in another.

Any learning tool will have unique features and drawbacks i-Ready supports teachers and aims to help students prepare for and pass the Common Core State Standards tests through action-oriented data and rigorous instruction that is standards-based.

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