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Edmonds School District

Script-Guidance for Administering at Home

i-Ready Video Script
(Script is specific to the English version of the video linked below)


Guidance for Families Administering the i-Ready Diagnostic from Home
Links to this video:  English  Spanish


Hello, my name is Mark, and I'm one of the many i-Ready people trying to help families navigate these challenging times of at-home learning.

Let me first say this.  I'm a parent.  I have two kids at home right now.  It's not easy, so I can relate to what you're going through, but here we are.

Your school is requesting that your student take the i-Ready Diagnostic at home, and I say your student because you likely feel like a teacher now.  I know what you're thinking:  What now?  What is the i-Ready Diagnostic?

This video will explain what the i-Ready Diagnostic is, how you can give your student the best test-taking experience, how to motivate your student, how to monitor your student, and how to confirm that the test is complete.  Five things to talk about, and I'll do this as quickly as possible.

The i-Ready Diagnostic is not like your traditional test.  It starts with each student getting reading or math questions based on their grade level.  Students can answer correctly or incorrectly.  Imagine that.
The i-Ready engine reads their answers and can learn a lot from that.  i-Ready tells teachers exactly what your students need next.  it's about serving your child the exact instruction that will help them grow to the next level in reading and math.

The fact is, students will get about half the questions correct and half incorrect, and that's okay.  Sometimes the questions will be easy.  Sometimes they will be hard.  Your child might get frustrated because he or she won't know the answers.  It may be hard to resist the urge to help them, but it is really important that they find the answer on their own.  If you do help your child, it may cause them to receive personalized lessons that are above their grade level, and too challenging, and it may give misleading information to your child's teacher.   Remind them: just like your teacher can't give you the answer at school, I can't help you find the answer either.  Encourage them to try it on their own, select the answer they think may work best, and move on.

The purpose of this test is not to give your student a grade.  Please make sure your student knows this.  There will be no grades given.  All they need to do is try their best, stay steady and focused and finish the assessment.

Now that you understand the purpose of the assessment, here's how to prepare for it.

Choose the right time and place.  As for time, the i-Ready Diagnostic takes between 45 and 60 minutes to complete.  We strongly suggest you split up this time into shorter sessions.  15 to 20 minute sessions are best.  The test remembers where you left off, so there's no reason to finish all of it in one sitting.

Naturally, students should take the Diagnostic in a quiet and private place away from noises or distractions.  Once you've chosen when and where your child will take the assessment, you'll want to make sure everything is working correctly.  Confirm that you have the correct login information from  your child's teacher.  Then, check the device that you're using is working properly.  We recommend you run a systems check and test earphones before your child starts to take the test.

Finally, gather paper and pencils for your student, so they can work out math problems and take notes while they're taking the test.  Even though the test is on a computer, your student can still use scratch paper to work out problems.

Okay, the last thing your student wants to do right now is take a test.  That's why it's so important to motivate her or him to do their best.  Explain why they're taking the Diagnostic:  So their teachers know what skills need to be focused on.  Explain why it's important to do their best:  Because if they don't, the online lessons will be too easy and boring.
Explain how the Diagnostic works: Questions are hard, then easier, then harder, then easier.  And explain that it's okay to not know all of the answers:  Just choose the best answer and move on when the question seems too difficult.

For younger students, you might want to take a bit more time familiarizing them to the computer or the iPad they'll be using.  Practice with them and make sure they feel comfortable navigating the page with the mouse or their finger.  Lots of great support can be found at i-Readycentral.com/KCorner.

To monitor your student, remind them to work out their math questions on paper.  If you notice them getting tired or speeding through the questions, offer encouragement or suggest they take a short break, and most importantly, and I mean this is really, really important:  Do not help your child on the test.  No hints, no head nods, no prompting.  This test isn't about figuring out what you know, it's about what they know.

Remember, the main goal of the assessment is getting online lessons that are just right for your student.  It's not about giving a grade.  There are ways you can support your child without giving away the answer.  For example, start by telling them, "Just like if I were a teacher at school, I can't help you find the answer."  "It's okay if you're stuck!"  "Remember, this test will give you some tough questions.  Try your best!"

For additional ways to support your child when they get stuck on the Diagnostic, use page two of the Family Checklist.  Finally, your student will receive a congratulatory message once the test is completed, and lessons will appear on their screen.  If there's any question as to whether the student has fully completed the assessment, confirm with the student's teacher.

Make sure your student logs off his or her account once he or she is done.

Okay, you're an expert on i-Ready now.  Thanks for the tremendous job you are doing juggling everything, and thank you for being a part of the i-Ready family.