Keep Students Motivated

Keeping a digital native—a student who has grown up with digital technology—motivated in the classroom can be challenging. But don't make the mistake of thinking a digital native is lazy; in fact they may just be bored. The key to motivating learners who have grown up with interactive and on-demand technology is keeping them engaged.

Teachers today are faced with the challenge of using a variety of motivators to engage students in learning. Digital natives want to be plugged-in to learning. Teachers should not assume that kids entering the classroom are totally motivated to sit and learn in the traditional way.

An ideal solution is to tailor lessons for each individual student. This may sound like a daunting task, but it's not impossible to personalize learning for every student in your class. And it's not impossible to implement multiple techniques that will engage each student.

PLATO Learning has a simple and unique solution for teachers that will help them engage and monitor student progress. With PLATO® Test Packs with Prescriptions, teachers can monitor student progress against grade-level standards and prescribe very targeted, individual instruction to online content. Teachers have the means to circumvent student failure and help them stay on track throughout the school year. PLATO® Test Packs with Prescriptions allows teachers to be watchful for students who are falling behind their peers and help them quickly regain self-confidence by giving that student extra instruction on their unique gaps in skills or understanding.

Step 1: Teachers assess students' skill levels
Assessment begins with a teacher selecting an on-grade level reading or mathematics benchmark test. Both the test design, as well as the standards that will be tested, can be reviewed by a teacher prior to assigning. Once assigned, the test appears as an assignment on a student's home page in the PLATO Learning Environment™ (PLE™). Each online test is comprised of a series of multiple choice questions. When a student has completed the test they submit it for grading. Students immediately receive their score, which is also recorded for the teacher.

Step 2: Unique lessons are assigned for each student based on their test results
Based on a student's test results, PLATO Test Packs with Prescriptions automatically creates an individualized prescription to PLATO® instructional content targeting a student's unique skill gaps. Teachers also have the option to review a student's prescription and modify it by selecting particular lessons they want to assign.

Step 3: Students take the prescribed instruction
The prescription aligns each student's personalized learning path with appropriate PLATO instructional content, explicitly targeting the learning needs of that individual learner. The award-winning curriculum is rigorous and engaging, as well as age appropriate. And the benchmark tests and instructional content are aligned to state standards.

Connecting different disciplines help motivate students
By implementing PLATO® Test Packs with Prescriptions on PLE, teachers can supplement traditional classroom instruction with technology-based instruction that will inspire and motivate digital natives. Students can learn anytime, anywhere, at their own pace. And the PLATO Test Pack Prescriptions solution best complements a teacher's ability to provide consistent encouragement and support-to showcase individual student achievement.

For additional information about PLATO® Test Packs with Prescriptions on PLE and other technology-based instructional solutions from PLATO Learning, please visit www.plato.com, or call 800.44.PLATO to speak with a representative.