As another tool to help students achieve, The Varnett Public School uses an adaptive math and literacy program from Pearson called SuccessMaker.
The interactive program, introduced this school year, continuously adjusts the pace and path of instruction based on each learner’s performance. "It assesses the skills of what students know and what they don't know," said Ms. Latricia Jones, an instructional facilitator at The Varnett School East. "It sets them on their own path."
Varnett uses SuccessMaker at each of its campuses except for the very young students at the Early Childhood Center. In the second semester, all students in the special education program will use it.
As Pearson describes it, the program is "highly interactive, addressing multiple learning modalities and making students active participants in their learning. The game-like formats of many activities are challenging and motivating so learners stay engaged."
Through adaptive motion, the program personalizes learning paths for mastery of essential reading and math concepts and delivers outcome-based data to inform educational decision-making, Pearson says.
"It tests them on the skills they should know based on what their placement level is, then as they master the skills their placement level advances," Ms. Jones said.