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I’ve been using ReadWorks for years as a go-to resource in my classroom. When our school adopted Amplify CKLA two years ago, I was excited, but also immediately noticed a gap. While CKLA offers strong content, there just wasn’t enough time built in for kids to read independently, to practice fluency, or to really engage with the texts in a meaningful way. There were only a few passages per unit, and I knew my students needed more. That’s when ReadWorks became more essential than ever. I found out through the Amplify materials that ReadWorks has aligned articles for many of the CKLA modules, and I’ve used it every day since. I print out the articles and my students actually prefer reading that way. It makes learning feel accessible and hands-on. One of the biggest highlights was our unit on the Renaissance. My students were captivated by the articles on knights and castles. The passage on the life of a serf sparked such rich discussion, and the way the text was organized made it easier for my students to grasp complex ideas. They even enjoyed the open-ended questions, a huge win in fourth grade.  Using ReadWorks daily also helped us meet one of our key academic goals this year: fluency. I used printed articles for partner reading every single day. We read aloud together, then students read to each other. As a result, our DIBELS fluency scores jumped from 68% to 89%. All but two students ended the year in the green or blue zone. That kind of growth wouldn’t have happened without ReadWorks supplementing CKLA. The pairing has been especially helpful for science and social studies, too. We switched to Amplify Science, and while it’s informative, it’s also focused on teacher talk. My students needed more reading and connection. ReadWorks filled that gap. We used aligned science articles to build vocabulary, comprehension, and content knowledge, and it kept them engaged. Another reason I rely on ReadWorks is the ability to differentiate. I can select articles at different Lexile levels and pair stronger readers with students who need more support while I do 1:1 check-ins. This kind of flexible, responsive teaching just wouldn’t be possible with CKLA alone. I also use ReadWorks in real time during assessments. If a student rushes through a passage, I can quickly reassign it or use another aligned article as a quiz to reinforce the skill. I love that I can see how they’re doing and respond right away. To any teacher using CKLA who hasn’t explored ReadWorks yet, I would say: “Use it. It’s aligned. It’s free. It’s incredible. Why not?” ReadWorks doesn’t just supplement CKLA, it completes it. Together, they provide a well-rounded reading experience that builds fluency, comprehension, and background knowledge.
Last year, 83% of my students hit their reading benchmarks. That wasn’t luck. It was the result of using these two tools together in a purposeful way. CKLA gives me strong content, but ReadWorks is what brings it to life for my students.
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