Remediation (or reteaching) means “teaching again” content that students previously failed to learn. This approach creates a vicious cycle of repeated review of below-grade-level concepts never giving students sufficient ` opportunity to demonstrate grade-level mastery. As a result, students fall further and further behind their peers.
Acceleration teaches grade-level material, weaving in periodic stopping points to address small missing pieces in fundamental understanding before returning to the original skill. Learning acceleration is an approach that gives students laser-focused instruction on the specific skills and content that they need in order to learn new grade-level material.
Intervention is a formal process for helping students who are struggling using research-based instructional approaches focused on specific skills where progress is regularly tracked. Effective use of instructional time is more crucial than ever. Now is not the time for remediation. Now is the time to deliver instruction of specific grade level standards, regularly pausing to check for understanding and reteaching, while setting aside intervention time for those who might still be struggling. It’s simply good teaching.
Writing by Design provides the essential tools needed for acceleration and intervention. Because each Writing by Design lesson presents information in achievable “chunks”, all students can access and experience success with grade level instruction. Writing by Design video lessons allow students at any level to progress at their own pace with opportunities for students to accelerate their own learning. With online assessments, teachers and students receive immediate feedback about specific skill acquisition allowing teachers to target individual or small group intervention support.