Adaptive Literacy Programs: The Pros and Cons

"Although the conversations around it and the coverage of it may make it feel like a recent thing, the Science of Reading is not new. It's not a trend. It's not a new fad. It's research that's been five decades in the making." - Dr. Molly Ness, reading researcher, teacher educator, and former teacher

As the Science of Reading is being mandated by many states, teachers are facing a new challenge of shifting their literacy instruction to an approach that is more explicit, systematic, and cumulative. What does this look like in the classroom? Imagine the teacher as a master juggler keeping all pillars of literacy instruction and practice in motion for all their students. Foundational skills, along with language comprehension, are critical components within literacy instruction that are essential for building reading comprehension. 

To help with this daunting feat, teachers are bringing in digital literacy programs built on the Science of Reading. Many of these programs employ adaptive technology in an effort to meet students where they are and take them on their journey to becoming proficient readers step by step. It’s important to keep in mind that the Science of Reading is not a curriculum or program—it’s a body of research. At the end of the day, there is no one-size-fits-all program, regardless of whether it’s adaptive or not.

How We Define “Adaptive”

As students engage with an adaptive digital literacy program, it is programmed to auto-adjust the difficulty level and the type of content based on performance. If the student answers a question correctly, they’ll move on to more challenging work that builds on what they have learned. If they get an answer wrong, the program may reteach concepts through a video or game, giving the student another opportunity to show they have mastered that skill or concept. Adaptive can also mean that the program has features and functionalities to make learning accessible for every learner, including students with disabilities and learning differences.

Pros of Adaptive Literacy Programs

1. Auto-Adjusted to Save Time 
   A literacy program that auto-adapts to individual learning levels and progress can reach and support more students, which has time-saving potential for teachers. The time teachers typically spend tailoring their instruction for reteaching and enrichment can be applied to other areas. With adaptive technology, teachers can rest assured that students are automatically assigned relevant practice opportunities while they work independently.

2. Personalized Learning to Every Student
   Adaptive literacy instruction is not just differentiated—it’s personalized for each student’s unique needs. Once students are rostered and complete placement assessments, they are set on a path for individualized learning and practice. Students will be able to progress at their own pace, moving on to more complex questions if they answer correctly or revisiting questions if they answer incorrectly.

3. Optimized for Student Engagement
   Students are more likely to stay engaged when given practice opportunities that reflect their reading abilities while identifying and addressing gaps in their learning. Given targeted instruction based on their performance, students are less likely to become bored with content that is too easy or overwhelmed by questions beyond their current abilities.

Cons of Adaptive Literacy Programs

1. Technology-Led Over Teacher-Led
   One risk of relying too much on adaptive literacy programs is putting technology at the heart of instruction rather than the teacher. Adaptive programs can provide an overwhelming amount of data for teachers to sort through, which takes away from the time-saving potential, so student progress must be easy to interpret and track. 

   “For teachers to be able to make timely and accurate data-driven decisions, the programs “...must be interpretable by teachers and students. Teachers must have the tools to use the system efficiently and to explain the resulting data effectively and appropriately. Students also should be able to participate in the assessment process, and they should be encouraged to develop essential metacognitive skills that will further the learning process." (from summary, in reference to Principle 4, p. 14 Scalise et al, 2007)

2. Potential for Inaccurate Evaluation
   Without the teacher monitoring the data and checking in regularly with students on their progress, there’s a risk that students will get off track. For example, they can get stuck at a certain level if directions aren’t followed correctly, or a misspelling can keep them from answering a comprehension question correctly. In these cases, the program isn’t accurately identifying the true skills that need to be reviewed and reinforced. Again, teacher engagement is essential to ensure students are progressing and not get tripped up by technical difficulties. 

3. Limiting Human Interaction
   Technology-led adaptive programs can also result in less connection and community building in the classroom. While implementing adaptive technology, it’s important to integrate opportunities for students to work together to apply what they are learning and problem-solve.

   “Data-driven teaching and learning technology could potentially transform education into a technocratic system, wherein learning is limited to those concepts for which we can create analytics and exclude alternative learning engagement activities that may be difficult to computationally track, such as higher order thinking and collaborative learning activities.” (Knight and Buckingham Shum, 2017; Xie et al., 2019)"

What Should I Choose For My Classroom?

When deciding on a literacy program that supports your Science of Reading-aligned instruction and whether it should be adaptive, it’s important first to ask yourself what problems you are trying to solve. Are you challenged with the ability to differentiate instruction and personalize learning within time constraints? An adaptive literacy program will automatically set students on a personalized learning path, but keep in mind that it is a tool that still requires close monitoring by the teacher and adjustments to ensure students are getting the instruction they need. Finding the right non-adaptive literacy program may give you all the resources you need to support your literacy instruction while still keeping the teacher at the heart of instruction.

Enhancing Teacher-Led Instruction With Non-Adaptive Digital Literacy Solutions From Learning A-Z

Teachers face a myriad of challenges in the classroom, such as tailoring instruction to a diverse group of students with varying reading abilities and keeping every student engaged—all within a single school day. Adaptive literacy programs have understandably grown in popularity, as they provide the technology and tools needed to differentiate instruction and engage the individual student. But what if a teacher-led, non-adaptive literacy program could solve the same problems differently? At Learning A-Z^®, we believe in the importance of keeping teachers at the heart of instruction while equipping them with the right tools and resources to meet every student’s needs within their limited time. 

That’s why all our digital literacy solutions are non-adaptive yet still address the same problems teachers turn to adaptive programs to solve. Foundations A-Z^®, for example, includes a variety of assessments and benchmark activities students complete on their own within the Explore Zone to help put them on the right path to reading success based on their current skill level. Raz-Plus^® includes Benchmark Passages and other resources to help teachers assess students’ reading skills and tailor instruction to meet their needs through whole-class, small-group, or one-to-one instruction or independent student practice within the Student Portal. These features enhance teacher-led instruction without replacing the teacher at the heart of instruction. 

Explore Teacher-Centric Solutions With the Learning A-Z Teacher Grant Program

You can experience our teacher-led, non-adaptive literacy programs to help you effectively differentiate instruction and personalize learning within time constraints. Through our Teacher Grant Program, you can get free, year-long access to both our flagship literacy programs, along with professional development and personalized support to help you implement them into your classroom. 

Start by submitting your grant application, and while you wait for the grant results, get a headstart with a free 30-day trial of Raz-Plus and Foundations A-Z. This trial allows you to explore the programs and resources firsthand, and if you’re awarded the grant, your trial will seamlessly convert into a free, year-long subscription.

Participating in the Learning A-Z Teacher Grant Program is not just about receiving free literacy solutions—it's about transforming your teaching practice and enhancing student literacy outcomes. Take advantage of this opportunity to make a lasting impact in your classroom and beyond.

References 

1. Scalise, Kathleen, et al. Adaptive Technology for E-Learning: Principles and Case Studies of an Emerging Field. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 2007, gse.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/gse-archive-4/Wilson10.pdf.
2. Moltudal, Synnøve Heggedal, et al. “Adaptive Learning Technology in Primary Education: Implications for Professional Teacher Knowledge and Classroom Management.” Frontiers in Education, vol. 7, Feb. 2022, https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.830536.

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