Brooklyn, NY (October 17, 2019) Amplify, a publisher of next-generation curriculum and assessment programs, today announced significant updates to its K-8 core ELA curriculum programs based on input from educators and schools.
Using a fundamentally different approach to PreK–5 language arts curriculum, Amplify CKLA combines rich, diverse content knowledge in history, science, literature, and the arts with systematic, research-based foundational skills instruction. The program’s more intentional approach to background knowledge allows students to build a robust base for accessing and unpacking complex texts, so real comprehension can occur.
Among the new and updated features to Amplify CKLA are:
- Animated videos for grades K–2 called Knowledge Builders that provide students with a wealth of background information on each knowledge domain. Knowledge Builders introduce students to exciting characters, places, and concepts, introducing them to the diverse worlds of the content.
- A sound library of videos and songs for every phoneme in the English language, supporting the program’s phonics approach. The Sound Library combines modeling, repetition, guided practice, and engaging animation for teachers to incorporate into activities.
- Additional support for vocabulary development, including supplemental vocabulary lessons for teachers to use, and a highly engaging Vocab App, our first digital app for Amplify CKLA students (for grades 3–5).
Designed specifically to meet the unique needs of middle school students and teachers, Amplify ELA is a standards-aligned, blended language arts curriculum that places text at the center of every lesson. The recently published second edition features rich, updated content and captivating illustrations that reflect the diversity of the students that use the program every day.
Alexandra Clarke, senior vice president of product and general manager for ELA curriculum at Amplify, says the lesson content and rich illustrations provide next-level engagement for students, and Amplify’s new Embedded Assessment Measure (EAM) is a game-changer for teachers. “The first of its kind, our EAM system monitors progress and provides teachers with weighted scoring based on daily assignments, supporting data-driven, uninterrupted instruction for students,” Clarke said. “It’s a win-win situation. We are helping both middle school educators and students—by enabling more teaching and less testing.” With EAM, assessment moments are woven into the instructional sequence and embedded in student activities and assignments. Students don’t even feel they are being assessed, but teachers get powerful data on their progress to support stronger whole-class instruction and effective personalized support.
Additional new and updated features of Amplify ELA include:
- New units of study in each grade level, covering literary and informational texts.
- Significant increases in resources for English Language Learners, including embedded differentiation and other specific tools that support ELL student achievement.
- Classwork, a completely redesigned dashboard of all student work, intuitively designed to allow teachers to spend less time looking for student work and more time reviewing it.
- Accessibility updates that support the needs of all students, including improved screen readability with expanded text-to-speech capabilities, increased keyboard navigational support, and read-aloud technology for assessments.
About Amplify
A pioneer in K–12 education since 2000, Amplify is leading the way in next-generation curriculum and assessment. Our captivating core and supplemental programs in ELA, math, and science engage all students in rigorous learning and inspire them to think deeply, creatively, and for themselves. Our formative assessment products turn data into practical instructional support to help students at every skill level build a strong foundation in early reading and math. Our programs provide teachers with powerful tools that help them understand and respond to the needs of all their students. Today, Amplify serves five million students in all 50 states. For more information, visit Amplify.com.