Curriculum Associates Updates i-Ready® with New Lessons and Assessments to Further Support Dual-Language Classrooms and Spanish-Speaking Students

NORTH BILLERICA, Mass., Sept. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- To further support Spanish-speaking students in dual-language or transitional-bilingual programs, Curriculum Associates recently added new lessons and assessments to its award-winning i-Ready program. All of these resources—including authentic Spanish Reading lessons for Grades K–2, new Spanish versions of Mathematics lessons for Grades K–6, and a new Assessment of Spanish Reading for Grades K–6—are all designed for students to see themselves in the learning materials as they work to meet ambitious goals this school year.

"With the growing number of dual-language programs across the country, these latest i-Ready updates will help support educators with their teaching this year and beyond, while giving Spanish-speaking students increased access to high-quality learning resources," said Rob Waldron, CEO of Curriculum Associates. "Providing equitable learning opportunities is a top priority for us and, as such, we are continuously working to improve our programs to meet the needs of all students."

The authentic Spanish Reading lessons for Grades K–2 cover phonics and reading comprehension to help students build their Spanish literacy. There are also now more than 300 Spanish versions of many mathematics Personalized Instruction lessons for Grades K–6, which help ensure educators are able to deliver equitable learning experiences for all students.

"i-Ready me enseña muchas cosas," said Manuel, a fourth grade student in Dallas, TX.  "Me gusta aprender matemáticas con Plory."

The new, online Assessment of Spanish Reading available in i-Ready helps teachers gain an understanding of the on-grade level reading performance of Spanish-speaking students in Grades K–6. Based on students' results from this assessment, teachers are provided with high-quality instructional resources. This new assessment joins the i-Ready Diagnostic for Mathematics in Spanish, which is also available to help teachers understand how to support the needs of their students in mathematics.

"Dual language is a bilingual education model that recognizes the coexistence of both languages," said Elena Izquierdo, professor of Dual Language Education, Biliteracy, and EL Education at the University of Texas, El Paso, and advisor to the i-Ready Spanish program. "Emergent bilinguals develop an integrated system of phonology and orthography that advances a metalinguistic knowledge they can both access and apply across the curriculum. Quality resources that maintain the authenticity of each language are a key to the goal of biliteracy."

Curriculum Associates also recently launched i-Ready Ayuda, which offers Spanish phone and email support, for i-Ready users and families.

More about i-Ready
i-Ready, which was recently named a Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence: Back to School winner in the Primary (K–6) category and a 2021 SIIA CODiE Awards finalist in the Best Formative Assessment Solution category, makes the promise of differentiated instruction a practical reality for teachers and students. It combines powerful assessments and rich insights with effective and engaging instruction in Reading and Mathematics to address students' individual needs.

The Diagnostic provides educators with actionable criterion-referenced and normative data to deliver impactful, equitable learning experiences. Teachers administer the Diagnostic at the beginning of the school year to chart a course for their instruction and to personalize i-Ready instructional paths. A midyear and end-of-year Diagnostic helps students and teachers measure growth and engage students in data chats. Teacher-led and personalized instruction continue throughout the year to help students grow and access their grade-level learning.

Today, i-Ready serves more than 9.5 million students nationwide and is currently being used by 25 percent of all K–8 students across all 50 states.

To learn more about i-Ready and its new updates to support bilingual and dual-language learning, visit i-Ready.com/Spanish.

About Curriculum Associates
Founded in 1969, Curriculum Associates, LLC designs research-based print and online instructional materials, screens and assessments, and data management tools. The company's products and outstanding customer service provide teachers and administrators with the resources necessary for teaching diverse student populations and fostering learning for all students.

Contact: Kati Elliott
KEH Communications
(410) 975-9638
Kati@kehcomm.com   

Charlotte Fixler
Curriculum Associates
(978) 901-6066
CFixler@cainc.com

SOURCE Curriculum Associates, LLC