Welcome to Amplify ELAR 6-8!

It’s the beginning of the year (BOY) and you’re ready to jump into the new school year and get started quickly. Explore the Amplify Texas Quick Start kit for access to helpful tools—including navigational videos, lessons resources, and our Professional Learning Site— which will guide you as you get familiar with the program. First, explore the Amplify Texas Quick Start kit!

Reviewing the program guide

Learn more about the Year at a Glance guides Additional pacing supports by grade level:

• G6: 105-Lesson Pathway (for non-CRIMSI districts)
• G7: 105-Lesson Pathway (for non-CRIMSI districts)
• G8: 104-Lesson Pathway (for non-CRIMSI districts)

Note: The lesson pathway resources should not be used in districts that are part of the CRIMSI program. For pacing guidance and program requirements, please connect with your TNTP partner. If you are unsure who your partner is, please email crimsileader@tntp.org.

Amplify ELAR Texas has a number of resources available in Spanish, including:

• Unit Background and Context documents.
• Caregiver Letters.
• Spanish language articles that are topically or thematically aligned to each core unit.
• Solo Text Previews.
• Multi-Language Glossaries for each unit.

We want to share Amplify ELAR tips for teachers by teachers. Check here frequently to find recent teaching tip submissions.

Pacing

Solo activities

Solo activities do not have to be completed daily. In fact, if time is an issue we recommend not regularly taking class time for Solos. The Reading and Writing Assignments document in the Unit Overview highlights with an asterisk the most important Solos that should not be skipped.

Flex Days

Flex Days are a crucial part of the Amplify curriculum. Use Flex Days to design small group instruction to respond to data and focus on individual student needs. Flex Days are the time to focus on grammar, fluency, revision, reading skills, and more. If necessary, teachers can even at times take two days on Flex Day lessons.

Use a timer

Timers can be useful to ensure you’re moving students through lesson activities at an appropriate pace. Reference and utilize the suggest times shown on each activity within a lesson and try your best to pace students according to these suggested times.

Start Class

We realize that getting your students into a lesson quickly is important. But remember to use the Start Class function (located in the student status icon in the right of your lesson navigation bar) and it will automatically take students to the lesson for the day, alleviating the need for students to navigate through the curriculum to a specific lesson.

Vocabulary

The Vocab App automatically adapts to student needs and provides regular instruction in the key words students should focus from the text they’re currently reading. Teachers can use the “Words to Use” section of the lesson brief to know the most important words in each subunit. We recommend you make a word wall and include these words in every day usage. Teachers can access the full list of Vocab App words from within Reporting section the Vocab App under the “Words” Tab. Quickly find words using the filters by units, lessons, or simply type within the search box.

Instructional strategies

Be prepared to write!

Students have multiple writing opportunities throughout the week. They write for 10–15 minutes at a time, focusing on one claim in response to a prompt, and using evidence from the text in support of their claim. Automated Writing Evaluation, feedback, and Spotlight give teachers the tools they need to support their students’ writing, and revision assignments are built into flex day activities.

Once you have logged in to the program, these resources will help you get started

Professional development 

Our professional learning team has decades of experience working with large districts across the nation. Amplify has experience supporting district launches over multiple years and has partnered with districts of all sizes nationwide. We partner closely with districts and tailor professional learning to their unique needs.

Log in to explore the Amplify ELAR Professional Learning site which consists of resources, tools, and advice to help you make the most of your program and support your students.

Explore the Texas PD catalog to bring Amplify professional development to your school or district.

Your district administrator has been provided with hardware and network requirements to meet the minimum technical requirements for performance and support of your curriculum products. This information is available on Amplify’s customer requirements page. 

Your district administrator has also been provided the URLs on this page to add to the corresponding district- or school-level filters. This step ensures that teachers and students can access Amplify ELAR materials.

Your computer or tablet must also be set to accept “cookies” from Amplify program sites.  

Why are there students missing from my class roster? 
If a student(s) doesn’t appear on your class roster, they were most likely missing from the roster data provided by your district during the enrollment process. Please contact your district administrator to request that the student(s) be added.

Why do I see only a blank page – nothing appears to load – when trying to access an Amplify program page (like learning.amplify.com)?
A blank screen is often a sign that the website is being blocked by a school’s content filter. Please check with your IT group to confirm that the URLs on this page have been allowed for your district network. Alternatively, check to ensure “cookies” are accepted on your device.