Personalized Learning

Adapting to hybrid and remote learning is a challenge for many students. Students are struggling for several reasons, including a lack of engagement, of motivation, of executive functioning abilities needed to keep up with and turn in assignments, and of skills needed to ask for help. Teachers must balance grades and flexibility when supporting students under these circumstances.

The average student who starts below grade level has a one in four chance of catching up. That means a tremendous number of students are struggling in every school district nationwide. Despite the best efforts of teachers and administrators, it is challenging to address the wide range of needs required to support each struggling student, such as those with learning gaps, below proficient readers, and English learners.

Today’s students are digitally adept and have never known a world without Google. They grew up with ubiquitous access to information and interactive tools designed to respond to their unique needs and interests. That experience informs the expectations they have of their schools and education.

English language learners are the fastest growing segment of the student population in the United States. However, many schools are unprepared to meet the diverse needs of this growing population. Inadequate funding, insufficient staff, inaccessible instructional materials, and other barriers can and do hamper even the most thoughtful ELL efforts. One of the greatest challenges in supporting English language learners’ long-term success is building content mastery and English language proficiency simultaneously, so they can perform at grade level quickly.

Districts and classroom teachers face the daunting task of meeting the learning needs of every student, accommodating for different proficiency levels and varying stages of academic readiness while ensuring students stay on track. This is a nearly impossible feat, even for the most experienced educators.

Teachers are tasked with the difficult, but important, challenge of meeting the needs of struggling students and guiding them toward increased achievement. However, it’s often impossible to give one-on-one time to every student who needs help. With a strong implementation plan, teachers can utilize digital curriculum to help them target intervention, quickly identify and remediate learning gaps, and support students in their path to college and career success.

At its heart, personalized learning is about student learning, not technology. Impactful personalized learning requires: establishing a common vision; providing educators with professional learning opportunities to successfully implement personalized learning techniques and technologies; a qualified teacher to guide and support students; and access to high-quality digital curriculum that supports student learning.