Amplify ELA FAQ

Welcome to our Frequently Asked Questions page, where we’ve compiled a list of Amplify ELA questions that are most commonly asked by you! This page is updated periodically. Please check here for answers to commonly asked questions.

Getting started

Getting started FAQs

Q: What happens if you forget to start the class? Does the program still record the students’ work?
A: The work will still save. The start class button will allow you to know who is in progress, who has handed something in, and what lesson/activity they are on.

Q: How long are lessons supposed to take?
A: The lessons vary but are generally designed to work with 45-70 mins depending on the lesson. Teachers with 45 mins a day might expect to target 3-4 lessons a week to cover. You may also want to become familiar with the Lesson at a Glance Compilation section located on the Unit Overview page.

Q: What are Solos? Should I grade them?
A: Solos are reading assignments that students are meant to do independently. This allows teachers to receive daily comprehension checks on students. Solos often assign a cold read of the text students are going to be studying the next day. By reviewing the Solo report before class, the teacher can determine whether they should plan to spend some extra time reviewing the text to confirm comprehension before beginning deeper analysis. 

Teachers can see individual Solo scores in Classwork and Solo scores across a class and across a unit in Reporting. Teachers don’t need to grade or review Solos. The most important thing is exposing students to the text. 

Q: What are your grammar resources? When are students meant to do grammar?
A: Each grade level includes a Grammar unit. In addition to the lessons within this unit, there are also lessons in the four Mastering Conventions PDFs found in grammar unit materials. Teachers are encouraged to assign grammar activities to all students on Flex Days.

Q: What are Flex Days?
A: Flex Days offer opportunities for teachers to respond to the student performance data they receive in Classwork and Reporting. Flex Day activities include assignments to revise an existing piece of writing, create a new piece of writing, practice close reading and discussion, or work visually with complex texts.

Most teachers choose to assign grammar instruction and practice on Flex Days. Flex Days are also an opportune time to present skill modules, which can be found on the ELA Professional Learning site.

Q: How can I most effectively plan for Flex Days?
A: There are several resources that teachers can use to plan for Flex Days. There is an activity guide in every Flex Day. These documents are found at the bottom of the curriculum page under “materials”.

Q: What is the connection between Flex Days and EAM (Embedded Assessment Measure) ?
A: The EAM (Embedded Assessment Measure) report aggregates student data (both in-class and Solo activities) over the course of a unit, then sorts and reports on student performance in key areas of reading, writing, and language. Teachers use their EAM reports to note where a student could benefit from additional practice and assign Flex Day activities based on those areas. Teachers should refresh the report before planning for each Flex Day, as student data may have changed since the report was last viewed.

Q: What is Classwork?
A: Check out this help article for more information.

Q: How can I provide feedback on students’ written responses?
A: When viewing an individual submission in Classwork, teachers can use the scoring panel to view Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) scores, override AWE scores, enter custom scores, provide comments, and send feedback (custom scores and comments) to individual students. When viewing a writing activity for a whole class, teachers can view AWE scores, enter custom scores for individual students, enter bulk custom scores for multiple students, and send feedback (custom scores and comments) to all students.

Q: What is the teacher experience in the vocab app?
A: Check out this help article for more information.

Q: Where do I find printable answer keys for the Solo activities and other activities in Amplify?
A: These can be found on each unit page under Materials. For other activities, when available, Possible Responses will be found in the Instructional Guide.

Q: What are the different levels of differentiation (i.e. What does each shape mean)?
A: This is our differentiation guide for Amplify ELA. 

Data

Data FAQs

Q: Are the essay subunits auto-scored?
A: No, just the formative writing assignments in Amplify ELA receive Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) scores.

Q: Can teachers override Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) scores?
A: Yes, teachers can click on a score in the rubric in the scoring panel in a writing assignment in Classwork to override the AWE score.

Q: What formative assessments are included in Amplify ELA?
A: There are three main types of formative assessments within the program. Formative writing assignments occur every 2-3 lessons, there are exit tickets at the end of every lesson (except for in essay sub-units), and the Reading Comprehension Solos occur after every lesson. Teachers can provide regular feedback on student writing and use Reporting to track student progress with reading comprehension and writing skills and to plan additional supports as needed. Teachers can monitor exit ticket results in Classwork.

Q: How do I implement end-of-unit summative assessments?
A: Each unit includes a summative essay and a unit reading assessment. These are the summative assessments for writing and reading skills. Teachers can use the rubric to grade the essay and to consider student progress as they move between essays. For the reading assessment, the teacher will receive an auto-score for the selected response section and will need to use the embedded rubric to score the constructed response items. Once the scores are understood, the teachers will use the provided rationale to analyze the data and determine key areas where students made growth or need additional support.

Q: How can I track reading growth?
A: Solos are reading assignments that students are meant to do independently. This allows teachers to receive daily comprehension checks on students. In the Comprehension Report in Reporting, teachers can view students’ Solo scores across a unit to track growth.

Student usage

Student usage FAQs

Q: Can all students read the same novel at once?
A: Yes, they can all read the same novel at the same time.

Finding help

Finding help FAQs

Q: How can parents and caregivers learn more about Amplify ELA?
A: You can find the Amplify ELA Caregiver Hub here: amplify.com/caregiver-hub/amplify-ela/.

Q: Can parents view the program?
A: Efficient and effective communication with families and caregivers is important. Although students can share their work with their parents, including teacher feedback, we do not provide parent/caregiver access to the platform. Instead, we recommend parents learn more on our Caregiver site.

Q: How can I get help?
A: First, visit our help library to search for articles with answers to your program questions. Need an answer fast? Chat with us! Click the orange icon while logged into the curriculum to get immediate help in the middle of the school day.