A case study of Noble Academy in Greensboro, North Carolina
Teaching students with ADHD, dyslexia and other learning differences requires a highly individualized approach. High school math teacher Barbara Knight found that implementing IXL Math and the Real-Time Diagnostic in her classroom was key in differentiating instruction for students with special needs.
Creating a Classroom Where All Students Succeed
Barbara teaches Algebra I, Pre-algebra, and an intermediate course for 9th graders who are not yet ready for Algebra I. When she began teaching at Noble, she used paper worksheets. But Barbara quickly saw that this approach was not comprehensive enough to cover all of her students’ needs—and it was a strain on her time.
“I was stressed out,” she says. “I didn’t know how to differentiate for so many levels in one classroom. In my Foundations of Algebra class, I had some students coming in with math skills at a 2nd- or 3rd-grade level, and others who were working on grade level or even accelerated. I needed a way to quickly determine where they were and what skills they were missing.”
Differentiating Instruction with the Real-Time Diagnostic
The Real-Time Diagnostic provides the information that drives instruction in Barbara’s classes. The diagnostic assesses students across every concept in the K-12 curriculum, paints an accurate portrait of each learner’s abilities, and then guides them to skills that help them grow.
In Barbara’s classroom, students dedicate one day per week to updating their diagnostic and working on their individual skill recommendations. On other days, Barbara assigns skill practice in IXL aligned to the standards they are covering in class. She monitors students’ scores in IXL to adjust the pace of instruction and plan individual or small-group remediation.
Motivating Students with the Real-Time Diagnostic
Barbara says that the diagnostic encourages her students to take more ownership of their learning and keeps them motivated to improve their skills. Best of all, Barbara’s students have demonstrated increased confidence in their ability to master higher-level math. “Seeing this kind of success is monumental for my students,” she says. “It’s opening new doors for them—in some cases putting them on a track towards four-year college that they weren’t on before.”
Continuing Learning At Home with IXL Math
In the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced Noble Academy to shift from a traditional school model to distance learning. IXL made the transition much easier for Barbara and her students.
Barbara conducted live, 15-minute classes for her students using virtual meeting software that allowed her to share her screen. She introduced the daily topic and pulled up five or six example problems on IXL that the class reviewed together. Then students practiced the skill independently for 30 minutes. At the end of their practice time, they logged back into the virtual meeting to review what they’d learned and to ask questions. Students attended each class two or three times per week while learning remotely.
Barbara says, “With IXL, the learning experience continued to be positive, even while they were working from home. My students continued to make progress, and some even jumped several levels!”
A copy of the full case study is available for download here.
To try out IXL in your classroom, visit www.ixl.com/membership/teachers/trial for a free 30-day trial!
FAQs
Differentiated instruction
IXL's adaptive skills help teachers differentiate instruction and build students' confidence through questions that automatically adjust to each learner, increasing or decreasing in difficulty depending on the student's needs.
Is IXL good for ADHD? ›
Teaching students with ADHD, dyslexia and other learning differences requires a highly individualized approach. High school math teacher Barbara Knight found that implementing IXL Math and the Real-Time Diagnostic in her classroom was key in differentiating instruction for students with special needs.
Is IXL drill and practice? ›
The targeted activities in IXL -- pretty much drill-and-practice in format and approach -- can provide extensive opportunities for independent practice.
How does IXL help students? ›
Built-in instructional supports enable students to learn even challenging topics independently. IXL's comprehensive coverage of pre-K through 12th grade English language arts gives educators a systematic way to troubleshoot each student's unique reading and writing roadblocks, and put them on the path to success.
What are the disadvantages of IXL? ›
One major drawback of IXL is its emphasis on repetitive practice rather than fostering deep understanding. The program often focuses on isolated skills without providing real-world context or opportunities for critical thinking.
Does IXL teach or just practice? ›
IXL gives you everything you need to maximize learning
IXL makes it easy to teach any lesson, personalize instruction, and accelerate learning.
Is Khan Academy or IXL better? ›
IXL has a strong focus on math and language arts, while Khan Academy offers a wider range of subjects. Consider your learning style: If your child is a visual learner, then you may prefer Khan Academy's videos and articles. If your child is an auditory learner, then you may prefer IXL's games and quizzes.
Why do schools still use IXL? ›
IXL gives you everything you need to maximize learning
IXL provides thousands of curriculum and instructional resources, actionable analytics, a state‑of‑the‑art assessment suite, and much more. Each component works together seamlessly to help your teachers and students succeed.
Can IXL be used as an intervention? ›
Proven to drive positive learning outcomes for all students, IXL is an effective partner for your tiered intervention programs. IXL's Real-Time Diagnostic analyzes students' grade level proficiency overall and in key math and ELA strands, so that you can quickly determine which students require intensive intervention.
Is IXL math effective? ›
Analysis of the data showed that the use of IXL had positive and statistically significant effects on school performance in math, reading, and writing, indicating there is a high probability that similar schools using IXL would achieve similar results.
ESSA Tier 1 evidence
Independent research from Johns Hopkins University has verified that IXL meets the ESSA Tier 1 standards for evidence-based efficacy.
What is better than IXL? ›
Khan Academy is a free online learning platform that offers a wide range of courses, including math, language arts, science, social studies, and more. Khan Academy's curriculum is aligned with the Common Core State Standards and is very comprehensive.
What instruction does IXL provide? ›
IXL Lessons are a convenient way to learn the building blocks of a new topic. Like mini study guides, Lessons make it easy to dive into a concept and grasp critical material. Each Lesson introduces the math concept, provides a review of key vocabulary, and walks through sample problems.
Is IXL an adaptive learning platform? ›
IXL gives you everything you need to maximize learning
Covering all 4 core subjects, our curriculum consists of 17,000 distinct skills that are aligned to all 50 state standards, popular textbooks, and standardized tests. Each IXL skill is deeply adaptive, automatically differentiating instruction for each student.
Is IXL considered an intervention? ›
IXL for Response to Intervention
Proven to drive positive learning outcomes for all students, IXL is an effective partner for your tiered intervention programs.
