This is a guest post written by a representative from Front Row. Some of the features shared in the post are part of the paid version.
When I first chatted with Jennifer last year, I felt immediately inspired by the incredible resources she’s brought to teachers all over the country. I know Jennifer to be a passionate, innovative teacher who has helped her students reach outstanding levels of success. That’s why I was excited to share with Jennifer — and with all of you — an amazing, freemium classroom tool that can help teachers everywhere: Front Row. I am a former classroom teacher who now works at Front Row, and I believe so strongly in this tool and the opportunities it brings to teachers and students alike. Let me tell you why:
1. Front Row helps teachers reach all learners.
Students start Front Row by taking a fun and quick diagnostic test. In this way, the program can quickly assess where students stand and what their strengths and weaknesses are. As students continue to practice on Front Row, the program will personalize the practice to each student’s level. The program is also adaptive, so if students master a standard and start excelling, it will allow them to practice with higher-level concepts. If students are really struggling through a concept, the program will adapt and lead them to easier problems so as to scaffold them up to mastery.
2. Front Row provides personalized practice in math AND reading!
Front Row is one of the few programs that offers high-quality practice in both math and reading! For the reading portion, teachers can choose from hundreds of articles to assign to their students. Each of the articles is written at 5 different grade levels. The program will automatically recommend which reading level should be administered to each student based on their performance on other articles. The best about this is that students, regardless of their reading level, can access the same information. This helps to avoid alienating students, especially those that are struggling and need all the confidence they can get!
3. Front Row reports will help you target your instruction
Another exceptional aspect about Front Row is the reports it offers. You have access to report cards, growth reports, and analysis reports, which allow you to assess mastery per standard on an individual student basis or a class-level basis.
4. Front Row makes life easier for teachers!
By administering diagnostic tests for you, individualizing practice for your students, and assessing your students for you, Front Row frees up your time so you can focus on other things in your classroom. What teacher doesn’t need more time?!
5. Your students will love it!
The best thing about Front Row is how much students love it. As students practice, they receive coins for their correct answers. When students are done practicing, they have the ability to purchase clothes and other avatars from our ‘Piggy Store’. Front Row also has maps for each Common Core domain and a star system that ensures students go back and review already-mastered standards. All of these features create an engaging, motivating practice experience for students.
Talia Arbit is currently the Community and Growth Manager at Front Row Education. She previously taught high school science in San Jose, California and also served as the science department chair at her school. Following her time in the classroom, Talia transitioned into the EdTech sector, where she works with teachers to implement more technology into their classrooms.
Have you used this program in your classroom? I would love to know your thoughts on it. Let me know in the comments!
What grade levels does Front Row cover? Our school uses a great online program. The problem is that the reading diagnostic only goes down the 3.0 and I teach second grade. It has an awesome basic reading skills component but doesn’t give me any data on student growth.
My students used Front Row and they liked it. Front Row is extremely helpful, especially to close gaps. The reports offered are very limited because most of the aspects mentioned are available in the paid edition. I wish I could assign work or view results after a week has passed. Overall, Front Row helps my students grow, even if it limits my access to data. I recommend parents to have their children practice math at Front Row.
Unless it has changed, Frontrowed covers K through 8th in math. Students begin working and it will automatically place them at the grade level they need to practice. However, you can also assign lessons or tell students in which domain to work. Frontrowed is differentiation at its best. Oh, and you can assign homework based on each individual student’s needs. Can you tell I love Frontrow? My school has not purchased the school edition, yet. I am hoping they do, but there is a report that you can print to keep up with each student’s progress.
In ELA after an initial pre-test, when you assign an article, it will assign it at each students own lexile level. There are also some free lessons. Some of them combine several subjects.
Frontrow is user friendly and my students love it!
Having read the replies so far I am interested but still cannot see what grade or lexile levels the ELA part of this goes up to. Pleade help.
Bev, I googled and found this. It may help you a little:
https://frontrowed.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/210993328-How-does-Grade-Level-correspond-to-other-measurements-of-reading-level-
Thanks!
I am a student that uses front row and I love it!
The links to Front Row are not working. Is it still available?
Yes It is called freckle now
Thanks!