Utilizing ThinkCERCA: A Guide for Instructional Purposes
=====================================================
ThinkCERCA, an educational platform, aims to boost students' critical thinking and reading comprehension skills. The platform offers a comprehensive, adaptive learning environment for reading, analysis, and writing, aligned with standards for various age groups.
The platform provides a wealth of features designed to support teachers and students. For instance, teachers can utilise benchmark assessments to monitor individual and group progress, ensuring a personalised approach to learning. The platform also includes a library of skills for targeted lessons and foundational knowledge.
The School plan offers access to ELA, social studies, science, and math lessons, along with shared language scaffolds, aligned to CCSS and other state standards. Additionally, it provides social studies content, English language arts content, discipline-specific texts, and writing resources.
Moreover, ThinkCERCA offers tools for specific targets, such as a benchmark evaluation service, foundational reading course, professional learning, and supplemental ELA writing curriculum. Resources like the New Teacher Starter Kit and Best Tools for Teachers are also provided to help teachers make the most of the platform.
To maximise the benefits, it's recommended to encourage students to use the built-in dictionary and rubric for further learning. The text resources can be used for class-wide discussions and debates, fostering a collaborative learning environment.
While empirical data comparing diverse age groups comprehensively is limited, studies and reviews suggest that ThinkCERCA can improve reading comprehension, critical thinking skills, and writing skills. However, effectiveness may vary between settings and depends on implementation fidelity, duration, and integration into the curriculum.
It's important to note that ThinkCERCA is not a free service and charges for a School or District package on a bespoke basis, typically costing around $30-40 per student.
To track progress throughout the year, it's advisable to set regular assessment dates. End-of-year reviews, curriculum mapping, and monthly data meetings are additional features included in the District plan.
In conclusion, ThinkCERCA offers a valuable resource for educators seeking to enhance their students' critical thinking and reading comprehension skills. By engaging students in evidence-based writing tasks tailored by grade level, ThinkCERCA supports reading growth and critical thinking, making it a popular choice across diverse age groups, from middle school to high school.
- The comprehensive, adaptive learning environment offered by ThinkCERCA is designed to support students in boosting their learning in subjects like ELA, social studies, science, and math.
- Teachers can leverage benchmark assessments in ThinkCERCA to evaluate individual and group student progress, thus promoting a personalised approach to learning.
- Along with a library of skills for targeted lessons and foundational knowledge, ThinkCERCA provides resources like the New Teacher Starter Kit and Best Tools for Teachers to help teachers maximise the platform's benefits.
- Students are encouraged to use the built-in dictionary and rubric for further learning and can participate in class-wide discussions and debates using the text resources provided by ThinkCERCA.
- ThinkCERCA charges for its School or District package on a bespoke basis, typically costing around $30-40 per student, but offers features such as regular assessment dates, end-of-year reviews, curriculum mapping, and monthly data meetings for tracking progress throughout the year.
- Despite limited comprehensive empirical data comparing diverse age groups, studies and reviews suggest that ThinkCERCA can improve reading comprehension, critical thinking skills, and writing skills among students.
