IXL

Tips, Tricks, and Tidbits

Table of Contents

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1. Getting set up
2. Learning Tab
3. Diagnostic Tab
4. Analytics Tab
5. Resources

Getting set up

1. Creating a roster
2. Creating classes
3. Changing passwords
4. Printing parent letters and printing password cards
5. Profile and Settings

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Back to Table of Contents

Roster

1. Click on the drop down arrow on right side.
2. Select Roster
3. Start typing in last name or first name of student in correct box. It should auto populate. If student is not there, contact tech person.

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Back to Getting set up

Setting up Classes

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1. On the roster page, the class option is on the left of the student name.

• Click the drop down menu to create or select a class.

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• See next slide for pros and cons of using classes.

Back to Getting set up

Pros and Cons of Setting up Classes -

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Pros

1. You can get data or scores from students in a specific class instead of every student on your roster.
2. When using “real time” you can view students in a specific class instead of every student on your roster that’s currently practicing ixl.
3. Good for older grades.

Cons

1. Currently a student can only be in one class on your roster. For example, if you teach a reading class and social studies class and students are in both, they can only be enrolled in one class at a time.
2. Skip this for younger grades.

Back to Getting set up

Passwords

1. While on the roster page, you can change passwords on the right side.

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Back to Getting set up

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Printing Parent Letters and Password List

On the Roster page, there are links to editable letters and student username and password cards.

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Back to Getting set up

Profile and Settings

Make sure you have selected the classes you teach or you will not have access to data from that subject.

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Under setting, you can hide/show the grade level of skills - useful if a student is working far below their level.

The timer shows the student how long they’ve been working on a skill.

Back to Getting set up

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Learning Tab

Your basics of IXL.

* Find links to GO MATH

* Find links to NWEA Math

* Find links to MN Standards

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back to Table of Contents

Learning Tab

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1. Recommendations
2. Skill Plans - links to Go Math curriculum and NWEA math results
3. Math
4. Language Arts
5. Science
6. Social Studies
7. Spanish - NYM does not have paid access
8. MN Standards
9. Awards back to Table of Contents

Skill Plans: 1 of 2

One of the Hakuna Matatas of IXL...for math at least.

View Report = score grid of roster and each corresponding GO Math skill

Print skill plan = a printable to put in your teacher manual of every linked ixl skill to a GO MAth lesson.

Skill Plans: 2 of 2 back to learning tab

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Star = click the gray star to recommend it to students on your roster, star will turn yellow when recommended

green bars = students have been practicing this skills and there’s data available

Skill Plans: NWEA link for math 1 of 2

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Click on Test Preparation, find your grade level (see next slide)

IXL stated they are working on links between NWEA language arts and IXL skills.

Skills Plans: NWEA 2 of 2

Find individual students RIT scores in specific categories, find the skill they need to work on next. Use the star to assign to individual students.

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back to Learning Tab

Math, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies 1of 2

Pretty self explanatory. Skills are arranged by topic. IXL continuously adds to each category.

Read to Me: Available in Math and Language Art up to 5th grade by clicking blue icon.

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The yellow dot indicates this is questions 1 of 2 dealing with this passage.

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Math, Language Art, Science and Social Studies 2 of 2

Tips and Tricks

• Display on smart board and answer as a class under teacher account.
• Once a Smart Score hits 90 - the questions become harder and the smart score drops considerably if answered wrong.
• Assign a skill to a Smart Score of 90 or 100.
• Assign only 10 questions on a skill to see how students do overall.
• Use search tool to find same skill but at an easier or harder level

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back to Learning Tab

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MN Standards back to Learning Tab

Awards

Printable awards for anything and everything IXL for class or individual students.

Congrats, ________ ________, you successfully completed 1 skill in 3rd grade math.

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Congrats, your class has answered 100,000 questions on IXL.

Diagnostic Tab

An IXL Assessment in

Math or Language Arts

* Great for early finishers for something to help challenge them.

* Great for strugglers, if you’re at a loss of where they are.

* Great for parents who want to help their children at home.

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back to Table of Contents

Diagnostic

Pros

• identify strengths and weaknesses in math and/or language arts
• identify approximate grade level ability of student in math/language arts
• breaks down math into 6 areas
• breaks down language arts into 4 areas
• recommends next step skills
• creates small groups of students who all need same skills

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Cons

• time consuming
• students need to spend time on diagnostic
• if a student makes a mistake answering diagnostic question, it drops their skill level significantly

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back to Table of Contents

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The image shows four students approximate level in language arts.

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Diagnostic

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The oval represents the grade span. The hundreds place represent the grade level.

A circle indicates a more accurate level and more time spent diagnosing.

Pretty close to how we would level a student with the IRLA.

The image in right column is a diagnostic plan tailored for each student. See next slide for an example.

back to learning tab

Diagnostic Action Plan

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This student has spent some time diagnosing and has a checklist to keep challenging her. The action plan can be printed out or student can click directly on links. back to learning tab

Analytics

IXL gradebook

Incredible amount of choices for how to look at data.

* Score Grid - gradebook

* Real-Time - watch students on your computer as they practice

* Check out all the forms of analytics, then find the one you like best.

back to Table of Contents

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Analytics Tab

1. Dashboard: basics, student activity, resources
2. Diagnostic
3. Trouble Spots
4. Students
5. Skills
6. Scores*
7. Questions
8. Progress
9. Real-Time*

*Good places to start.

Dashboard basics

A quick overview of your roster, questions asked, skills mastered, time spent...

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back to Analytics Tab

Dashboard - Student Learning Activity Graph

A graph of your student usage with number of questions answered.

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back to Analytics Tab

Dashboard - Additional Resources

Find links to additional resources like:

1. Standards Alignments
2. Textbook Alignments
3. Printable Materials

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back to Analytics Tab

Diagnostics...again

Another way to access the Diagnostic data...visit here for a more thorough explanation.

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back to Analytics Tab

Trouble Spots

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• Trouble Spots - looks at overall struggles, groups students that are struggling on a particular skill
• Student Trouble Spots - select individual student to see where their struggles are

back to Analytics Tab

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Students

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Choose between:

• Student Quickview
• Student Details

Again, more ways to look at data. Many options to choose from in the drop down menus at the top.

back to Analytics Tab

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Skills

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Choose between:

• Skills Practiced
• Skills Analysis

Again, more ways to look at data. Many options to choose from in the drop down menus at the top.

back to Analytics Tab

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Scores 1 of 2

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Choose between:

• Score Grid
• Student Score Chart
• Skill Score Chart

Again, more ways to look at data. Many options to choose from in the drop down menus at the top. Additional options can narrow down what you look at.

back to Analytics Tab

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Scores - Score Grid 2 of 2

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Additional Options - narrow down what you look at (i.e. specific skill of the week, completed skills...), print screen, or download to a spreadsheet.

back to Analytics Tab

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Questions...individual student and skill data 1of 2

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The skill drop down menu leads you to view one specific skill. Student drop down menu lets you pick a specific student. See next slide for example.

back to Analytics Tab

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Questions...skill summary 2 of 2 back to Analytics Tab

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You can view every question the student answered, hide the correct answer, see time spent on the skill or only show the missed questions. Good for a review of missed skills.

Progress

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See your class growth (skills mastered and skills proficient) and individual student growth.

back to Analytics Tab

Real-Time Center

Shows your students progress live on your computer or smart board.

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If a student answers x amount wrong, their box turns red and the alert box indicates how many students may need help.

If a student gets distracted on another site, takes too long between questions, or doesn’t log out a pause symbol shows up in the corner.

Track a student if they are practicing the wrong skill. back to Analytics Tab

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Teacher Resources

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Tons of resources

Printables

Videos, links to live sessions

Case studies

back to Analytics Tab

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Thanks!

This project was a part of a 30 hour internship needed to complete my Master’s program in Curriculum and Instruction: Teacher Leadership. My intention was to research three programs that we currently use in NYM, (MCA, NWEA and IXL) and present my findings to fellow teachers. It was an interesting endeavor and I also learned a ton about each of these programs. If you have questions about any of these programs, please don’t hesitate to ask. Thanks!

Lisa