Understanding Lexia’s PowerUp
Purpose
What we have noticed when looking at our data is that students need more targeted instruction to increase their reading levels in addition to the seventh grade ELA curriculum.
What is targeted instruction? Targeted instruction takes into account what students understand and teaches them according to their ability levels, rather than strictly adhering to what they are expected to know based on their grade levels (Educationinnovations.org).
Do all students need Lexia’s PowerUp?
Lexia can give a possible of 120 different placement profiles of a student.
Each student has a unique profile that shows approximately what amount of each strand of Lexia is appropriate to that student.
Lexia is a tool to fill some gaps at every level, even if students read at grade-level.
Why are there three strands?
Word Study: Students learn skills and concepts that advance their accuracy and fluency for reading texts, as well as their ability to decode and understand multisyllabic academic words.
Grammar: Students build skills with grammar concepts, vocabulary, sentence construction, and the structure of various text genres, while further developing comprehension and composition skills.
Comprehension: Students work with literary and informational texts of increasing complexity while learning new vocabulary and skills and strategies that help them analyze texts for deep meaning and understanding.
What are units? Why does PowerUp have a minute goal for each strand?
Units are exercises and tasks in each activity that focus on specific skills. They should just take a few minutes.
Minute goals indicate how much time Lexia assesses you need EACH week for that strand. Want to challenge yourself and become a better reader? Meet those goals! This program is research-based for improving reading scores. What does that mean? If you follow the program intently and meet the usage goals, you WILL improve your reading significantly this year.
Why are there lightning bolts? What are Streaks? Shields?
Lightning Bolt: This is to show a student/teacher/parent that this strand is the most needed and least used. Think of it as a red flag!
Streak: Once students answer 5 consecutive questions correctly, they begin to collect streaks. They will continue to add to their streak record with each correct answer.
Shield: As students work in the program, they gradually fill in the streak shield. After 5 correct answers, the shield is complete and can be used to give them a “pass” on one wrong answer. The shield is deployed (used) automatically when a wrong answer is given. If students get a correct answer after that, they continue their streak.
Why are shields important?
Word Study: Students will branch to instruction once they answer a second item incorrectly in a unit. The instruction will be targeted to the item they struggle on.
Grammar: Students will branch to instruction once they answer a second item incorrectly in a unit. The instruction will be targeted to the item they struggle on.
Comprehension: Students will branch to instruction at key, designated units if their overall accuracy is less than 75%
What does Lexia/PowerUp measure?
LOTS!
How will we be graded?
WEEKLY. Units are measured from Monday-Sunday.
Each student is expected to gain a minimum of 20 units total per week. Students should complete no less than 5 units per strand (Word Study, Grammar, and Comprehension). Some units will take longer than others. If reading is an area you would like to improve, please use this program more!
You may access Lexia at home, during lunch, any time!
In addition to units, you will be graded on your progress towards completion of each strand of standards. This is in alignment with our standards-based grading. Click HERE for more details.
How will PowerUp benefit YOU?
Take advantage of this opportunity to use Lexia’s very powerful program! Our funds do NOT guarantee school-wide access to such a robust, adaptive reading program next school year.