Amplify Reading 6-8

Amplify Reading 6-8 is a supplemental ELA program focusing on close reading of arguments, literary analysis, and writing. This program sits alongside a similar one for grades 3-5 and a full ELA curriculum. The learning activities all take place within a sci-fi universe delivered through a graphic novel that students work through independently. There are three books; the first two have eight chapters, and the third has six chapters -- each chapter is meant to take about an hour. The chapters alternate focus between literary and argumentation concepts. The graphic novels feature some animation as well as choose-your-own-adventure-style decisions alongside direct instruction on learning concepts, and interactive assessments ranging from drag-and-drop activities to writing.

The story takes place in a dystopian future in which people no longer read and instead learn from machines. Students join a resistance group called The Last Readers and rebel against the machines. They create a profile with a customized avatar and then work through each chapter to complete their "training." Along the way, students study concepts like figurative language or the structure of an argument (all contextualized within the story). They're then challenged by assessments (from matching to writing assignments). Students can use on-screen annotation and mapping tools to support some tasks. Teachers follow students' progress in the dashboard, comparing students against each other or national averages. There's no integration with Google, Apple, or Microsoft classroom programs, but teachers can export reports to a spreadsheet and then import them. 

Amplify Reading 6-8 focuses on reading and writing arguments and literary texts and is aligned with the Common Core anchor standards for reading. Students explore core concepts and skills associated with textual analysis and create well-structured and reasoned arguments of increasing complexity. One of the most impressive things about the program is how each chapter features unique, story-based spins of these concepts/skills. These activities vary just enough to keep things interesting. While it's designed as a supplemental tool, it can be used as a primary reading program with some modification. Whether it's used as a supplement or a primary program, students are more likely to succeed when instruction scaffolds the primary concepts before they dive into a particular section of Amplify Reading. Teachers will also need to check in with students individually or in small groups; in fact, it'd be nice if Amplify Reading facilitated this process with some offline activities and extensions.

The program is designed for students to work independently, which fits well with station-rotation-model classrooms. While they'll work independently, students would also benefit from collaborative discussions on each chapter. There's some differentiation, including two reading levels and audio. However, a third reading level for advanced students isn't available. While there's some choice and interactivity, it's pretty basic. More meaningful choice would help with engagement and give students a greater feeling of personalization. As it stands, if the themes of the story and its setting connect with students, this could be an impressive tool for bolstering your curriculum. There's clear care being taken to offer a compelling experience that also digs deep into concepts. The trouble teachers will run into is if students find the story corny or contrived, or feel either too challenged or not challenged enough.