Focused Instruction Program

Frequently asked questions
Select a question to jump to its answer.

• What is P3™ — Personal Prescriptive Path® and how does it work?
  
• Is the Focused Instruction line supported by scientifically based research?
  
• Can Focused Instruction help us meet our AYP goals?
  
• Can I support all learners such as ELL students with the Focused Instruction products?
  
• Can the Focused Instruction products be used to help me differentiate instruction in my class?
  
• How do I incorporate the Focused Instruction products into my year-round curriculum?
  
• How do I use the Focused Instruction products in my lessons?
  
• How does Focused Instruction support my students to successfully master key skills?
  
• What kinds of assessment are available with Focused Instruction?
  

What is P3™ — Personal Prescriptive Path® and how does it work?

The P3™ is the roadmap to success for every student and every class. It's easy to use — simply assess your students with Focused Instruction print or on-line assessments. Since every test question is linked to the key skills and Focused Instruction Worktext lessons, you can diagnose specific areas of weakness to zero in on precisely which lessons to use with your students.

Is the Focused Instruction line supported by scientifically based research?

Yes. The instructional design of Focused Instruction products is based on the findings of well-regarded sources such as the National Reading Panel, National Research Council, NAEP, and NCTM as well as leading experts and educators. In addition, because we understand there is no room for experimentation with unproven methods or systems, we are working to provide our customers with case studies that show the effectiveness of the Focused Instruction products. The Research Based documents available on our Web site demonstrate the theoretical grounding of the curricula in the theory of reading, mathematics, assessment, science, and instructional design. Click here to review the research based documents.

Can Focused Instruction help us meet our AYP goals?

Yes! Focused Instruction can help educators ensure and demonstrate Adequate Yearly Progress. Administrators can generate a vast array of reports quickly and easily to plan school-wide or district-wide programs that comply with NCLB reporting requirements.

Can I support all learners such as ELL students with the Focused Instruction products?

Yes, the Focused Instruction line helps teachers customize instruction to meet the needs of all students. Alternative teaching strategies are provided for every lesson that address students' unique learning styles such as visual, auditory, or kinesthetic. In addition, suggestions are also provided to support ELL students such as how to use gestures and body language, how to implement manipulatives, and point-of-use communications activities.

Can the Focused Instruction products be used to help me differentiate instruction in my class?

Yes. Focused Instruction lessons are designed to allow each student to learn efficiently as possible. The systematic, explicit instruction provided in the Student Worktext, combined with the teaching features provided in the Teacher Editions, as well as the effective reports created by the Skills e-Path™ Online Assessment tool are designed to help you meet the specific learning needs of all your students.

How do I incorporate the Focused Instruction products into my year-round curriculum?

It's easy! You can incorporate the Focused Instruction products into you're your-round curriculum two different ways. You can give your students the pretest, which is available in both print and online at Skills e-Path. From this pretest, a Personal Prescriptive Path®—P3™ report demonstrating your students' performance can either be manually created or created via the Skills e-Path. These P3 reports give students and teachers immediate feedback including each incorrect answer, the skills tests, and the corresponding Focused Instruction lesson for additional instruction or support.

Or you can use the Focused Instruction products' Table of Contents and Correlation Chart to see which skills are addressed in specific lessons. Compare this with your state and local curricula and your lesson plans to pick and choose the right Focused Instruction lessons, depending on which skills and standards you are teaching during each marking period or where your students need additional instruction.

How do I use the Focused Instruction products in my lessons?

You can use the Focused Instruction products flexibly, based on your assessment of your students' needs. Each of the lessons can be taught in a variety of ways, such as in three and five class periods. Each program offers a Pacing Chart in its Teacher Edition.

How does Focused Instruction support my students to successfully master key skills?

Built-in scaffolding is central to the instructional approach of the Focused Instruction products. Each lesson's instructional opening leavings nothing to chance. It defines the strategy or skill, gives an example of its use, and explains how it is relevant. Coaching notes support students as they work through the lesson. These notes help students build understanding.

What kinds of assessment are available with Focused Instruction?

The Focused Instruction products provide a multitude of opportunities for you to make ongoing assessments of your students' progress. You can measure their progress both formally and informally, for example you can use the Pretest and Posttest (formal), point-of-use multiple choice and short answer questions in every lesson (informal), and the open ended activities such as extended response questions as well as oral activities (informal) to name just a few.