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Denise Donohue

Phone: 212-213-8177

Amplify Education, Inc.

High-quality K–12 curriculum and assessments

Amplify creates captivating core and supplemental programs in ELA, math, and science to engage all students in rigorous learning. Our formative assessment and intervention products turn data into practical instructional support to help students at every skill level build a strong foundation in early reading and math. Amplify has received all green ratings across K–5 literacy, 6–8 ELA,—all of our core programs—from the rigorous evaluators at EdReports.org. Amplify CKLA Skills ( K–2) is the first foundational reading program to earn all-green ratings from EdReports.

  • PreK
  • Grade 1
  • Grade 2
  • Grade 3
  • Grade 4
  • Grade 5

Amplify CKLA

Curriculum Design

Overall design and approach to our curriculum

Amplify CKLA is grounded in the Science of Reading, combining rich, diverse content knowledge in history, science, literature, and the arts with systematic, research-based foundational skills instruction. The program consists of strong skills that are explicitly taught and an intentional approach to background knowledge. Therefore the program is organized into two strands:

  • The Skills Strand provides comprehensive instruction in foundational reading skills, such as phonological awareness, phonics, and word recognition, language skills, reading comprehension, and writing instruction.
  • The Knowledge Strand teaches background knowledge, comprehension, vocabulary, analysis of complex text, and speaking and listening skills.

K-2: Two-Strand Approach – Students complete a 60-minute lesson that builds foundational reading skills and a 60-minute lesson that builds background (content) knowledge.

3-5: Integrated Approach – Students receive one lesson daily that encompasses reading, writing, grammar, and morphology, through an integrated approach. Grade 3 consists of a 120-minute lesson. Grades 4-5 consist of a 90-minute lesson

Evidence-based practices or research that guided the development of our curriculum

Amplify CKLA is built on the Science of Reading which refers to the pedagogy and practices proven by extensive research to effectively teach children how to read. Two main frameworks play a role in reading fluency:

  1. The Simple View of Reading – a theory that defines how an individual can extract meaning from a text. In order for students to gain meaning from reading, they need to learn the following elements: convert written words into speech (Decode) and understand that speech (Language Comprehension).
  2. Scarborough’s Rope – the idea that in order to be a successful reader, students need to have word recognition to actually read the text and have the background knowledge necessary to make meaning of what they’ve read. The strands of the rope represent the components that fall under word recognition and language comprehension.

Word Recognition: Sounds, Letters, and Words

Language Comprehension: Knowledge, Vocabulary, Sentences, Connections, and Gist

Components included in our curriculum by grade level

The following codes are used to identify the priorities. If a component is not included in a particular grade-level, N/A will be displayed in that cell.

Grade Oral Language Phonemic Awareness Phonics Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension
K C C C T C C
1 C C C T C C
2 C C C T C C
3 C T T T C C
4 C I I T C C
5 C I I T C C
  • C = Core Universal Component
  • T = Targeted Support/Intervention for some students
  • I = Intensive Support/Intervention for few students
  • X = Not addressed

Unaddressed components in our curriculum for any given grade-level and supplements to meet the DDOE definition of K-3 HQIM

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) is a comprehensive English Language Arts curriculum that builds foundational language and literacy skills. Amplify CKLA Grades K-2 develops these skills in a two-part program consisting of a Knowledge Strand and a Skills Strand. Amplify CKLA Grades 3-5 offers an integrated strand of instruction that covers both knowledge and skills content.

Amplify CKLA increases literacy and background knowledge across subject areas with informational and literary texts organized coherently to build students’ reading, writing, listening and speaking skills with:

  • Regular instruction with complex text.
  • Strong exposure to academic vocabulary.
  • Decodable student readers.
  • Read-Aloud text for rich, structured, teacher-led discussions.

Amplify CKLA supports teachers in the systematic teaching of reading and writing, provides essential time for review and practice to build automaticity and fluency, and engages students with literary and informational texts to build their vocabulary, knowledge and love of reading. Teacher Guides and the Program Guide (available on the user website in PDF form) explain how to pace the instruction across the ELA block for each grade.

How our curriculum is aligned to the science of reading

Each grade level contains an explanation of each component. If a component is not included in a particular grade-level, “N/A” will be displayed.

Component Description of Curriculum Alignment
Oral Language Amplify CKLA’s instructional materials include opportunities to develop oral language skills. By discussing engaging, content-rich

texts, students develop the ability to present, debate, and build upon each others’ responses. Their excitement in mastering content fosters intense curiosity. Amplify CKLA integrates speaking and listening into lessons by providing numerous opportunities to engage in rich, structured, text-based conversations in a variety of settings and group sizes.
Phonemic Awareness Amplify CKLA provides explicit and comprehensive instruction in foundational skills, including print concepts and phonological awareness.  The Amplify CKLA Skills scope and sequence was carefully designed to ensure that all students receive standards-based foundational instruction in phonological awareness and phonemic awareness.
Phonics Amplify CKLA Skills instruction provides systematic instruction in synthetic phonics built on a detailed scope and sequence to ensure that students are exposed to the 44 sounds of the English language and 240 elements of the written code.  In Kindergarten, children are first taught to relate a single spelling to each of the 44 sounds of English.
Fluency Extended practice is provided in the form of fluency work explicitly built into the Amplify CKLA program. In Grades K-2, repeat readings of decodable texts are supported. Use of Student Readers in Skills and daily Read-Alouds in Knowledge provide daily opportunities to address fluent reading and scaffolding in Amplify CKLA.
Vocabulary Students are exposed to Read-Alouds on a daily basis. These allow students to encounter, use, and practice domain-specific and academic Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary on a topic over several weeks.

New vocabulary is actively previewed and discussed before it is encountered.
Comprehension Building knowledge to build strong comprehension is the core premise of Amplify CKLA. Comprehension skills must be built from text to text, so becoming a critical and strategic reader depends on having a wide breadth of knowledge and related vocabulary. While reading comprehension strategies are often helpful, the less the reader knows about the topic at hand, the less he or she will grasp from the text.  Each lesson includes pauses for comprehension before, during, and after the reading. This instructional approach allows for students to process and make connections with the text. Students are then asked to answer literal, inferential, and evaluative questions, either orally or in written form, to check for understanding. Comprehension strategies are embedded into reading lessons.

Component Description of Curriculum Alignment
Oral Language Amplify CKLA’s instructional materials include opportunities to develop oral language skills. By discussing engaging, content-rich

texts, students develop the ability to present, debate, and build upon each others’ responses. Their excitement in mastering content fosters intense curiosity. Amplify CKLA integrates speaking and listening into lessons by providing numerous opportunities to engage in rich, structured, text-based conversations in a variety of settings and group sizes.
Phonemic Awareness Phonemic awareness is embedded into instruction whenever sound/letter correspondences are taught or reviewed. For example, a  lesson may begin with “Introducing the Sound” which uses oral phonemic awareness activities before “Introducing the Spelling.” Phonemic awareness activities help review long and short vowel sounds in lessons that focus on alternative spellings.
Phonics Amplify CKLA Skills instruction provides systematic instruction in synthetic phonics built on a detailed scope and sequence to ensure that students are exposed to the 44 sounds of the English language and 240 elements of the written code.  The instructional approach taken in Grades 1 and 2 is a blended approach, where children are still given information in single sound-letter patterns, but this information is introduced in ways that also builds their understanding of larger-grained units of words (e.g., syllables, rimes).
Fluency Extended practice is provided in the form of fluency work explicitly built into the Amplify CKLA program. In Grades K-2, repeat readings of decodable texts are supported. Use of Student Readers in Skills and daily Read-Alouds in Knowledge provide daily opportunities to address fluent reading and scaffolding in Amplify CKLA.
Vocabulary Students are exposed to Read-Alouds on a daily basis. These allow students to encounter, use, and practice domain-specific and academic Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary on a topic over several weeks.

New vocabulary is actively previewed and discussed before it is encountered.
Comprehension Building knowledge to build strong comprehension is the core premise of Amplify CKLA. Comprehension skills must be built from text to text, so becoming a critical and strategic reader depends on having a wide breadth of knowledge and related vocabulary. While reading comprehension strategies are often helpful, the less the reader knows about the topic at hand, the less he or she will grasp from the text.  Each lesson includes pauses for comprehension before, during, and after the reading. This instructional approach allows for students to process and make connections with the text. Students are then asked to answer literal, inferential, and evaluative questions, either orally or in written form, to check for understanding. Comprehension strategies are embedded into reading lessons.

Component Description of Curriculum Alignment
Oral Language Amplify CKLA’s instructional materials include opportunities to develop oral language skills. By discussing engaging, content-rich

texts, students develop the ability to present, debate, and build upon each others’ responses. Their excitement in mastering content fosters intense curiosity. Amplify CKLA integrates speaking and listening into lessons by providing numerous opportunities to engage in rich, structured, text-based conversations in a variety of settings and group sizes.
Phonemic Awareness Phonemic awareness is embedded into instruction whenever sound/letter correspondences are taught or reviewed. For example, a  lesson may begin with “Introducing the Sound” which uses oral phonemic awareness activities before “Introducing the Spelling.” Phonemic awareness activities help review long and short vowel sounds in lessons that focus on alternative spellings.
Phonics Amplify CKLA Skills instruction provides systematic instruction in synthetic phonics built on a detailed scope and sequence to ensure that students are exposed to the 44 sounds of the English language and 240 elements of the written code.  The instructional approach taken in Grades 1 and 2 is a blended approach, where children are still given information in single sound-letter patterns, but this information is introduced in ways that also builds their understanding of larger-grained units of words (e.g., syllables, rimes).
Fluency Extended practice is provided in the form of fluency work explicitly built into the Amplify CKLA program. In Grades K-2, repeat readings of decodable texts are supported. Use of Student Readers in Skills and daily Read-Alouds in Knowledge provide daily opportunities to address fluent reading and scaffolding in Amplify CKLA.
Vocabulary Students are exposed to Read-Alouds on a daily basis. These allow students to encounter, use, and practice domain-specific and academic Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary on a topic over several weeks.

New vocabulary is actively previewed and discussed before it is encountered.
Comprehension Building knowledge to build strong comprehension is the core premise of Amplify CKLA. Comprehension skills must be built from text to text, so becoming a critical and strategic reader depends on having a wide breadth of knowledge and related vocabulary. While reading comprehension strategies are often helpful, the less the reader knows about the topic at hand, the less he or she will grasp from the text.  Each lesson includes pauses for comprehension before, during, and after the reading. This instructional approach allows for students to process and make connections with the text. Students are then asked to answer literal, inferential, and evaluative questions, either orally or in written form, to check for understanding. Comprehension strategies are embedded into reading lessons.

Component Description of Curriculum Alignment
Oral Language Amplify CKLA’s instructional materials include opportunities to develop oral language skills. By discussing engaging, content-rich

texts, students develop the ability to present, debate, and build upon each others’ responses. Their excitement in mastering content fosters intense curiosity. Amplify CKLA integrates speaking and listening into lessons by providing numerous opportunities to engage in rich, structured, text-based conversations in a variety of settings and group sizes.
Phonemic Awareness By Grade 3, students have had explicit instruction on basic and advanced coding skills. Students will continue to apply these skills daily, in decoding words and reading with accuracy and fluency. Amplify CKLA provides additional teacher resources for students who may need additional support on foundational reading skills, with resources such as the Assessment and Remediation Guide (Grade 3), Intervention Tool Kit, Fluency Packets, and Decoding and Encoding Remediation Guide (Grades 4 and 5).
Phonics By Grade 3, students have had explicit instruction on basic and advanced coding skills. Students will continue to apply these skills daily, in decoding words and reading with accuracy and fluency. In Grade 3, basic and advanced phonics code knowledge is reviewed and more complex foundational skills knowledge becomes the instructional focus, including: spelling patterns and morphology.
Fluency The Fluency Supplement materials in Grade 3 consists of selections from a variety of genres, including poetry, folklore, and fables. These selections provide additional opportunities for students to practice reading with fluency and expression.
Vocabulary Students in Grade 3 continue to learn new vocabulary in Word Work lessons, as well as new vocabulary in context used in the Student Readers. Robust discussion following reading encourages students to understand and use new vocabulary in context. This continued exposure within the texts, coupled with specific language lessons that include spelling, morphology, and grammar, provide students with a strong foundation of word knowledge.
Comprehension Building knowledge to build strong comprehension is the core premise of Amplify CKLA. Comprehension skills must be built from text to text, so becoming a critical and strategic reader depends on having a wide breadth of knowledge and related vocabulary. While reading comprehension strategies are often helpful, the less the reader knows about the topic at hand, the less he or she will grasp from the text.  Each lesson includes pauses for comprehension before, during, and after the reading. This instructional approach allows for students to process and make connections with the text. Students are then asked to answer literal, inferential, and evaluative questions, either orally or in written form, to check for understanding. Comprehension strategies are embedded into reading lessons.

Component Description of Curriculum Alignment
Oral Language Small-group and partner activities and discussions are used in short and longer sessions. Think-Pair-Shares and their variants are used frequently as a collaborative discussion technique to help students stay on topic, build on the remarks of others, and link their comments to evidence in the text. Over time, students learn to engage in discussions over multiple turns and periods. These range from structured occasions, such as Think-Pair-Share and Turn and Talk, to interactive activities where students work together on complex long-term projects, to more informal collaborative work.
Phonemic Awareness In Grades 4–5, students continue to apply basic foundational reading skills daily, decoding words and reading with accuracy. , students have had explicit instruction on basic and advanced coding skills. Amplify CKLA provides additional teacher resources for students who may need additional support on foundational reading skills, with resources such as the Intervention Tool Kit, Fluency Packets, and Decoding and Encoding Remediation Guide.
Phonics In Grades 4–5, students continue to apply basic foundational reading skills daily, decoding words and reading with accuracy. , students have had explicit instruction on basic and advanced coding skills. Amplify CKLA provides additional teacher resources for students who may need additional support on foundational reading skills, with resources such as the Intervention Tool Kit, Fluency Packets, and Decoding and Encoding Remediation Guide.
Fluency Students practice fluency throughout Grades 3–5, both formally and informally through daily lesson activities. Students

routinely read in different configurations, including independently and in small- and whole-group settings. The online Decoding and Encoding Supplement provide targeted remedial instruction for students struggling with foundational skills. The Fluency Supplement provides additional opportunities for students to practice reading with fluency and expression (prosody).
Vocabulary By Grades 4 and 5, students gain most of their vocabulary through reading complex texts. Again, they encounter new academic and domain-specific vocabulary in context through knowledge-rich, engaging texts.

A brief Word Work activity (based on research of Beck, McKeown, and Kucan, 2002) follows most reading lessons. This activity provides in-depth focus on a specific vocabulary word from the text. Students review the word, its meaning, its part of speech, and an additional context for using the word. Finally, students complete a follow-up activity to extend

their understanding of the targeted word.
Comprehension Building knowledge to build strong comprehension is the core premise of Amplify CKLA. Comprehension skills must be built from text to text, so becoming a critical and strategic reader depends on having a wide breadth of knowledge and related vocabulary. While reading comprehension strategies are often helpful, the less the reader knows about the topic at hand, the less he or she will grasp from the text.  Each lesson includes pauses for comprehension before, during, and after the reading. This instructional approach allows for students to process and make connections with the text. Students are then asked to answer literal, inferential, and evaluative questions, either orally or in written form, to check for understanding. Comprehension strategies are embedded into reading lessons.

Component Description of Curriculum Alignment
Oral Language Small-group and partner activities and discussions are used in short and longer sessions. Think-Pair-Shares and their variants are used frequently as a collaborative discussion technique to help students stay on topic, build on the remarks of others, and link their comments to evidence in the text. Over time, students learn to engage in discussions over multiple turns and periods. These range from structured occasions, such as Think-Pair-Share and Turn and Talk, to interactive activities where students work together on complex long-term projects, to more informal collaborative work.
Phonemic Awareness In Grades 4–5, students continue to apply basic foundational reading skills daily, decoding words and reading with accuracy. , students have had explicit instruction on basic and advanced coding skills. Amplify CKLA provides additional teacher resources for students who may need additional support on foundational reading skills, with resources such as the Intervention Tool Kit, Fluency Packets, and Decoding and Encoding Remediation Guide.
Phonics In Grades 4–5, students continue to apply basic foundational reading skills daily, decoding words and reading with accuracy. , students have had explicit instruction on basic and advanced coding skills. Amplify CKLA provides additional teacher resources for students who may need additional support on foundational reading skills, with resources such as the Intervention Tool Kit, Fluency Packets, and Decoding and Encoding Remediation Guide.
Fluency Students practice fluency throughout Grades 3–5, both formally and informally through daily lesson activities. Students routinely read in different configurations, including independently and in small- and whole-group settings. The online Decoding and Encoding Supplement provide targeted remedial instruction for students struggling with foundational skills. The Fluency Supplement provides additional opportunities for students to practice reading with fluency and expression (prosody).
Vocabulary By Grades 4 and 5, students gain most of their vocabulary through reading complex texts. Again, they encounter new academic and domain-specific vocabulary in context through knowledge-rich, engaging texts.

A brief Word Work activity (based on research of Beck, McKeown, and Kucan, 2002) follows most reading lessons. This activity provides in-depth focus on a specific vocabulary word from the text. Students review the word, its meaning, its part of speech, and an additional context for using the word. Finally, students complete a follow-up activity to extend their understanding of the targeted word.
Comprehension Building knowledge to build strong comprehension is the core premise of Amplify CKLA. Comprehension skills must be built from text to text, so becoming a critical and strategic reader depends on having a wide breadth of knowledge and related vocabulary. While reading comprehension strategies are often helpful, the less the reader knows about the topic at hand, the less he or she will grasp from the text.  Each lesson includes pauses for comprehension before, during, and after the reading. This instructional approach allows for students to process and make connections with the text. Students are then asked to answer literal, inferential, and evaluative questions, either orally or in written form, to check for understanding. Comprehension strategies are embedded into reading lessons.

How our curriculum aligns with the common core state standards and shifts

Since its creation, CKLA has been in a constant process of review and refinement. The foundation’s research and insights—including its unique Knowledge Sequence—were “foundational” to the development of the Common Core State Standards. Because the CCSS were built on an identical research and concept base as CKLA, CKLA has a unique philosophical and practical alignment with the standards.

In other words, reading, writing, and speaking tasks are aligned to the CCSS and rooted in evidence from the text. Amplify CKLA provides daily opportunities with components that include reading, writing, and listening and speaking. In addition, Amplify CKLA is fully aligned with the Common Core State Standards for ELA. We have created an alignment document that outlines where each literacy standard is instructed within the Amplify CKLA program which can be provided upon request.

How our curriculum support students’ achievement of grade-level content

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) is an effective, trusted, and engaging ELA curriculum that supports students’ achievements of grade-level content. CKLA is based on decades of cognitive science and classroom-based research, showing that fluent decoding, a large vocabulary (including academic vocabulary), and broad knowledge are essential to reading comprehension and literacy. CKLA’s underlying philosophy is that effective ELA instruction best meets students’ needs by heeding two essential findings from cognitive science: decoding (and encoding) must become automatic and fluent, and broad background knowledge and vocabulary are essential to comprehension.

Additionally, Amplify CKLA has been recognized by professionals in the many districts and schools that use the programs, and it has been acknowledged in an independent review by EdReports, having earned the highest “all-green” rating. Amplify is proud to create curricula that are rigorous and riveting, empowering teachers to personalize instruction for every student and create a thriving classroom community of engaged learners.

Embedded supports included in the curriculum for students with diverse learning needs

Amplify CKLA provides embedded differentiation to meet the needs of all students. Supports, scaffolds, and activities throughout the lessons are suitable for a wide range of learners with different needs.

  • Support and Challenge suggestions provide assistance or opportunities for more advanced work toward the goal of the lesson. These supports are suitable for all learners, including ELLs.
  • Integrated ELD supports in each lesson segment for ELLs are specific to students’ mastery of the lesson’s objectives.
  • Skills Strand lessons conclude with an Additional Support section of recommendations for 30 minutes of extended instruction and activities directly aligned to the skills taught in the lesson to assist students who need more support.
  • Teachers will find hundreds of easy-to-use resources and activities to support phonics, fluency, comprehension, handwriting and other key skills in the Intervention Toolkit.
  • Amplify CKLA has a variety of technology supports, including digital and audiobook versions of the Student Reader.

Curriculum Topics

Alignment of Curriculum to Curricular Aims as Outlined in Delaware Law

The study of Black History serves to educate students about how Black persons were treated throughout history.  Please describe how and to what degree your curriculum attends to the following curricular aims as outlined in Delaware law:

  • Examines the ramifications of prejudice, racism, and intolerance
  • Prepares students to be responsible citizens in a pluralistic democracy
  • Reaffirms the commitment of free peoples to the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Minimum Requirements Included in Grade K-3 Curriculum

C=Core, S=Supplemental, I=Independent

Component Description of Curriculum Alignment
The contributions of Black people to American life, history, literature, economy, politics, and culture. (C) – We cover George Washington Carver’s contribution to botany and Amy Sherald’s contribution to the art world.
Black figures in national history and in Delaware history. (C/S) – We cover Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Amy Sherald, Lynn Burse and Kehinde Wiley.

Component Description of Curriculum Alignment
The contributions of Black people to American life, history, literature, economy, politics, and culture. (S) – Students learn about pioneers and explorers Sophia Danenberg and Matthew Henson.

Component Description of Curriculum Alignment
The central role racism played in the Civil War. (C) – Students will learn about slavery, which eventually led to the Civil War. They will learn about the war and how the end of the war also meant the end of slavery. Students will learn about enslaved Africans, Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad and the Emancipation Proclamation.
The contributions of Black people to American life, history, literature, economy, politics, and culture. (S) –  Students study the Tuskegee Airmen and their contributions to aviation. They also study Jackie Robinson’s contribution to sports.
Black figures in national history and in Delaware history. (C) –   Students study Harriet Tubman, Jackie Robinson, Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks and Mary McLeod Bethune.

Component Description of Curriculum Alignment
The contributions of Black people to American life, history, literature, economy, politics, and culture. (C/S) – Mae Jemison and her contributions in science and the exploration of space. A Jazz Age unit covers Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and Melba Liston.

Component Description of Curriculum Alignment
The contributions of Black people to American life, history, literature, economy, politics, and culture. (C/S) – Students read poems by Langston Hughes, Harryette Mullen, and Nikki Giovanni.
Black figures in national history and in Delaware history. (C) – Condoleezza Rice’s memoir is covered.

Component Description of Curriculum Alignment
The contributions of Black people to American life, history, literature, economy, politics, and culture. (C/S) – Students read poems across the cannon including works by Carrie Allen McCray and Langston Hughes.
The socio-economic struggle Black people endured, and continue to endure, in working to achieve fair treatment in the United States; as well as the agency they employ in this work for equal treatment. (C) – Students read about Rosa Parks and her role in desegregation.

Professional Learning

What competency-based professional learning our organization offers on our curriculum

Amplify offers multiple, differentiated professional development opportunities addressing foundational literacy skills to various key audiences, such as teachers, instructional coaches, and administrators in order to support the evolving needs of educators at all levels using our CKLA curriculum.

For a full list of current session offerings, please see https://amplify.com/pd/core.

Each grade level contains an explanation of each component. If a component is not included in a particular grade-level, “N/A” will be displayed.

Component Description of Curriculum Alignment
Oral Language K-2 initial training for teachers addresses oral language during a Skills Strand component of the session. (ie. Skills lesson overview, Literacy House, etc.)

K-2 Strengthening and Coaching sessions provide a deep dive into oral language development through the  CKLA curriculum.
Phonemic Awareness K-2 initial training for teachers addresses phonemic awareness during a Skills Strand component of the session. (ie. Skills lesson overview, Literacy House, etc.)

K-2 Strengthening and Coaching sessions provide a deep dive into phonemic awareness development through the  CKLA curriculum
Phonics K-2 initial training for teachers addresses phonics during a Skills Strand component of the session. (ie. Skills lesson overview, Literacy House, etc.)

K-2 Strengthening and Coaching sessions provide a deep dive into phonics development through the  CKLA curriculum. 
Fluency K-2 initial training for teachers addresses fluency during a Skills Strand component of the session. (ie. Skills lesson overview, Literacy House, etc.)

K-2 Strengthening and Coaching sessions provide a deep dive into fluency development through the  CKLA curriculum.
Vocabulary K-2 initial training for teachers addresses vocabulary during a Knowledge Strand component of the session. (ie. Knowledge lesson overview, Literacy House, Word Work  etc.)

K-2 Strengthening and Coaching sessions provide a deep dive into vocabulary development through the  CKLA curriculum.
Comprehension K-2 initial training for teachers addresses comprehension during a Knowledge Strand component of the session. (ie. Knowledge lesson overview, Literacy House, etc.)

K-2 Strengthening and Coaching sessions provide a deep dive into comprehension development through the  CKLA curriculum.

Component Description of Curriculum Alignment
Oral Language 3-5 initial training for teachers addresses oral language during the Integrated  Strand component of the session. (ie. Integrated Strand lesson overview, Literacy House, etc.)

3-5 Strengthening and Coaching sessions provide a deep dive into oral language development through the  CKLA curriculum.
Phonemic Awareness N/A

Explicit instruction in phonemic awareness is in K-2 CKLA.
Phonics 3-5 initial training for teachers addresses phonics during the Integrated  Strand  component of the session. (ie. Integrated Strand lesson overview, Literacy House, etc.)

3-5 Strengthening and Coaching sessions provide a deep dive into phonics development through the  CKLA curriculum.
Fluency 3-5 initial training for teachers addresses fluency during the Integrated  Strand  component of the session. (ie. Integrated Strand lesson overview, Literacy House, etc.)

3-5 Strengthening and Coaching sessions provide a deep dive into fluency development through the  CKLA curriculum.
Vocabulary 3-5 initial training for teachers addresses vocabulary during the Integrated  Strand component of the session. (ie. Integrated Strand lesson overview, Literacy House, Word Work  etc.)

3-5 Strengthening and Coaching sessions provide a deep dive into vocabulary development through the  CKLA curriculum
Comprehension 3-5 initial training for teachers addresses comprehension during the Integrated  Strand component of the session. (ie. Integrated Strand lesson overview, Literacy House, etc.)

3-5 Strengthening and Coaching sessions provide a deep dive into comprehension development through the  CKLA curriculum.

How our professional learning is aligned to Delaware’s definition of high-quality professional learning

Amplify CKLA sessions support administrators and teachers to launch and strengthen their new curriculum and/or assessment program — including learning the core features, materials, and research behind its design — and give teachers the opportunity to practice in a collaborative environment.

How our professional learning is grounded in Learning Forward’s Standards for Professional Learning

Amplify delivers robust professional learning opportunities that build understanding of the curricular and assessment resources, enhance educator practices related to literacy instruction and data-driven instructional planning, and aim for transformational and sustainable classroom implementation that supports strong and knowledgeable learners from all backgrounds.

SB4 requires that the competency-based professional learning provided to educators on reading instruction be provided during the school day. How our professional learning can be facilitated through a coaching model

Amplify Coaching sessions advance administrators’ and teachers’ understanding of their program and support them in taking their instructional practice to the next level. Coaching sessions incorporate each school’s specific needs by offering a menu of relevant topics and/or working with an Amplify coach to customize the time spent together.  These sessions provide administrators and teachers with in-the-moment feedback, grade-level planning support, and observations and debriefs.

How we demonstrate that educators have not only completed the required professional learning called for in the legislation, but that teacher practice has positively changed in order to improve student literacy

School Leaders and coaches will use Amplify CKLA walkthrough and lesson delivery tools to evaluate how teachers are implementing best practices as taught in the Professional Learning. Three key pieces of evidence are explicit and direct teaching of the English code in grades K-2, complex text-based writing tasks in K-5, robust K-5 daily read-alouds infused with background knowledge and vocabulary. Coaching supports are available additionally and to address teacher and leader needs for best practices.

Amplify’s Professional Learning site includes training materials, planning resources, Science of Reading articles, assessment information, classroom videos best, and several other resources to develop program expertise. We are eager to partner with  Delaware districts to provide strong, ongoing professional learning opportunities for leaders and teachers, which will elevate literacy instruction and change learning outcomes for students. Amplify welcomes the opportunity to discuss resources or coaching that align to the needs of Delaware districts.

How our Professional Learning attend to the differences in the Science of Reading for students who are Multilingual Learners, specifically students with varied levels of English Proficiency and students being educated in dual language programs

CKLA Professional Learning emphasizes the sound-first approach that is supportive of ELs. The Skills Strand’s explicit grammar lessons focus on building the foundational language skills needed for second language mastery. Within the K-2 Knowledge Strand and 3-5 Integrated Strand, vocabulary work, multiple meanings exercises, guided listening supports and text exposure further benefit ELs. Teachers’ Guide Access Supports provide specific EL support in core instruction that address three ELD proficiency levels—Entering/Emerging, Transitioning/Expanding, and Bridging.

Assessments

Our curriculum assesses students’ mastery of grade-level content

Amplify CKLA offers a robust suite of assessments to ensure that teachers have all the information they need to monitor student progress, make appropriate placement and interventions, and adapt instruction to fit student needs. However, we recommend the use of our mCLASS product to screen for students at risk of developing reading difficulties.

The components of our balanced assessment system (universal screeners, diagnostics, and progress monitoring) including frequency of administration during the school year

In addition to assessments included with Amplify CKLA, our mCLASS system offers universal screening (three benchmarks per year), identification of students with reading difficulties, and frequent progress monitoring to keep track of how students are responding to instruction, so educators can adjust to their needs quickly.

House Bill 304 with HA1 identifies “Universal reading screener” as a tool used as part of a multi-tiered system of support to determine if a student is at risk for developing reading difficulties and the need for intervention and to evaluate the effectiveness of core curriculum as an outcome measure

How our curriculum leverages universal reading screening to measure the following.

  1. phonemic awareness,
  2. phonological awareness,
  3. symbol recognition,
  4. alphabet knowledge,
  5. decoding and encoding skills,
  6. fluency,
  7. and comprehension.

We recommend the use of our mCLASS universal reading screener tool to measure early literacy skills.  mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition includes one-minute measures that quickly  identify students who are at risk and specifies areas for remediation and acceleration. mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition has been specifically validated as a universal screener for reading and for dyslexia. mCLASS provides robust reporting and support for instruction and remediation so that all students may become confident readers.

There is not a universal screener included with the purchase of Amplify CKLA. Amplify CKLA does include the assessments below.

Amplify CKLA has a progression of moment-by-moment to benchmark assessments as indicated in the diagram. Checks for Understanding are designed to allow you to adjust instruction within the context of the lesson. Formative Assessments range from in-the-moment adaption to opportunities for individual, small group, and whole class reteach and review. Checks for Understanding and Formative Assessments also provide information to decide whether additional supports and practice (found at the end of the lesson and in the additional guides) are appropriate. Student performance data from mid-unit, end-of-unit, and benchmark assessments should be used to help differentiate during core instruction or during small group time and Pausing Point days.

How our curriculum will identify students who have a potential reading deficiency, including identifying students with characteristics of dyslexia.

mCLASS’s full suite of assessments gives educators a complete picture of each student’s literacy skills. mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition is backed by more than 20 years of research and development and is designed to identify and progress monitor students at risk for future reading difficulties. DIBELS 8th Edition includes measures that are aligned to common dyslexia screening areas, such as rapid automatized naming and word reading ability.

Timely data collection and reporting of universal screening is a required curriculum component from House Bill 304 with HA1

  1. Identifies the number and percentage of students
  2. Disaggregates scores by grade
  3. Disaggregates scores by individual school

mCLASS provides easy-to-read reports and instructional tools that automatically analyze individual student  data to provide high-resolution diagnostic information about students’ strengths and weaknesses to target  instruction for small groups and the individual student.  Additionally, principals, coaches, district leaders, and staff can use the Reporting and Analysis Suite provides a series of templated reports, parameters, and filters to run  summary reports at the class, school, district, and State level.

Professional learning provided to educators on how to use the assessments included in our curriculum

Launch Professional Development for grades K-5 include how educators use CKLA assessments in the classroom. Strengthening and Coaching  Professional Development sessions K-5 provide educators with a deep dive into assessments and analyzing assessment data  through the  CKLA curriculum. Please see section 4 in this document and for details on the professional development and learning opportunities Amplify offers. For a full list of current session offerings and descriptions, please see https://amplify.com/pd/core.

Additional professional learning and assessment information

Question Response
Professional learning aligned to the science of reading? Yes
Job-embedded professional learning? Yes
Universal screeners? A universal screener does not come with purchase of curricula. However, Amplify recommends the use of their mCLASS universal reading screener tool (DIBELS 8th Edition) to measure early literacy skills to be purchased separately.

They have benchmark assessments included in the curricula.
Universal screeners identify students with reading deficiency, including identifying students with characteristics of dyslexia? Yes, however, purchased separately.  DIBELS 8th Edition includes measures that are aligned to common dyslexia screening areas, such as rapid automatized naming and word reading ability.