Addressing Learning Gaps Tailored to Your Students and Budget

ConstructEd is a service offered to create, customize, and adopt K-12 print or digital needs easily and affordably. During the last few years, we have worked alongside districts to create a textbook that is truly theirs. You can create a tailored-made approach to learning that integrates pre- and post-grade skills that address gaps.

What do I include if I were to make a program for my students? Although the list could be ongoing, the following are a few suggestions to keep in mind:

• Know that it is not necessary to address every pre-grade gap. For some grade-level skills, a cursory knowledge of relevant pre-grade gaps may be all that’s needed, while others require a more comprehensive understanding.
• Integrating essential pre-grade skills with on and post-grade skills is a more effective way to enable students to achieve proficiency. This provides districts with the opportunity to prioritize meeting with students where they are.
• Schools can tailor their curriculum instruction in ways that haven’t been made available before. While technology plays a supporting role, teachers are at the center of learning. High-quality tailored programs integrate teacher-led instruction with other instructional approaches, including peer-to-peer and individualized learning, so different students can learn different skills at the same time.
• This will take time. Realistically teachers will be able to cover grade-level curriculum and address learning gaps only with an increase of instructional time or a multi-year approach. A multi-year approach affords students with significant learning loss a far better chance of reaching proficiency as long as (1) they focus only on essential skills they haven’t yet mastered and have the requisite foundational knowledge to learn; and (2) there are measurable checkpoints for understanding along the way to preserve high expectations and accountability.
• Support is crucial for both educators and students from administrators and parents.

There is no “one solution” or best way to address the current learning gaps, but educators know that the time for intervention is now. For more information about ConstructEd visit our website or begin a discussion with our team to create your solution.

This is part two of a three-part blog series addressing learning gaps and providing resources curated by Kendall Hunt to assist educators and parents.