Teachers Guide

Math Upgrade
English Upgrade
Reading Upgrade
Comprehension Upgrade
Algebra Upgrade
Student Courses
Teacher Whiteboard Courses

Math Upgrade 4 Level Map

Guide Version November 6, 2014

Quick Start Guide

In a hurry? Students waiting? Get started now and read the full guide later!
1. Visit the Learning Upgrade web site:
type in www.learningupgrade.com in a web browser.
2. Create a teacher account with a username and password.
Click on New User at the top of the screen
Type in the student code from your license sheet in the Code field
Fill in the teacher username and password of your choice
When you are finished filling in the form, click the Submit button
3. Enroll Your Students
Click Log In at the top of the screen, type in your username and password,
and press Sign In to see the Teacher Menu.
Press Add New Student to enroll your students.
Type in or copy and paste a list of students on the left side.
Select a Grade level (current grade of the students)
Select courses for the students
Type in your student license code from your license sheet
Press the Enroll button
Click Teacher Menu at the top to return
4. Students sign in each day
Student passwords: give each student his/her username and password:
Click Print Passwords to print a list of passwords in various formats to give to
students.
5. When a student completes the final level:
The student will see a Bronze certificate of completion which can be printed
The student can press Review to repeat low-scoring levels and move up to a
Silver (>90% on every level) or Gold (>95% on every level) certificate.
6. You can track your students at any time:
log in and select Student Monitor for a summary of all students in the class
select the Courses tab and choose Report for a detailed report on a course
use the Reports tab for reports on a whole class or all your students

Table of Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 2
1. Student and Course Selection ..................................................................................... 3
Course Descriptions .................................................................................................... 4
2. Prepare For Intervention ............................................................................................. 5
Computers ................................................................................................................... 5
Scheduling ................................................................................................................... 5
3. Teacher Registration and Student Enrollment ............................................................. 7
Teacher Registration ................................................................................................... 7
Teacher Sign In ........................................................................................................... 7
Creating Classes ......................................................................................................... 8
Adding Students .......................................................................................................... 8
Adding Courses ........................................................................................................... 9
Student Sign-In .......................................................................................................... 11
4. Students Complete the Course, Review to Mastery .................................................. 12
Tracking Student Progress with Reports and Student Monitor .................................. 13
Teacher Reports and Administrator Reports ............................................................. 14
Review of Lessons To Achieve Mastery .................................................................... 14
Administrator Access For School-Wide Management................................................ 15
5. Teacher Whiteboard Courses ................................................................................... 16
Teacher Whiteboard and Student Courses ................................................................ 16
Adding a Teacher Whiteboard Course....................................................................... 16
Using The Teacher Whiteboard Course In Class ...................................................... 17
Getting the Most Out Of the Teacher Whiteboard Courses ....................................... 18
6. Teaching Content ...................................................................................................... 19
7. School Turnaround Plan............................................................................................ 20
Introduction ................................................................................................................ 20
Turnaround Strategy and Schedule ........................................................................... 21
Implementation .......................................................................................................... 22
Teaching Content ...................................................................................................... 23
Expected Results ....................................................................................................... 24
9. Technical Requirements............................................................................................ 25
Technical Support And Customer Service ................................................................. 25

Introduction
The goal of the Learning Upgrade online courses is to bring each below proficient
student in a school up to proficiency in math and reading within one school year. When
each student has a path to proficiency, the school can achieve significant gains.
Through songs, instructional videos, and practice to mastery, the Upgrade courses
motivate students to complete rigorous, standards-based courses.
Sections 1 to 4 of this Teachers Guide help you to select students, create a teacher
account, enroll students, and track student progress through the courses.
Section 5 describes Teacher Whiteboard courses, which enable you to teach a whole
class through interactive lessons with songs, video, and games. These courses make
use of your classroom data projector, Smartboard or Promethean Activboard.
Section 6 lets you know how to find out the exact teaching content for each course.
Section 7 includes our School Turnaround Plan, to bring each below-proficient student
up to proficiency within one school year.
Section 8 lists supplementary information on our web site.
Finally, Section 9 lists the technical requirements of the courses.
We are here to help: visit www.learningupgrade.com for email and telephone contact
information if you have questions about the courses.
Enjoy!

Reading Upgrade, Math Upgrade, Algebra Upgrade, and Learning Upgrade

are registered trademarks of Learning Upgrade LLC
Comprehension Upgrade is a trademark of Learning Upgrade LLC
This Teachers Guide and Course Content 2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

1. Student and Course Selection

The first step towards implementing the Learning Upgrade courses with below proficient
students is to match each student with the correct courses. The selection depends on
whether the student needs intensive instruction (below basic students) or intervention
(basic students). The table below guides student and course selection.
Math
ELA
Intensive
Intensive
Far Below Basic / Below Basic
Bottom Quartile
Grades D or F

Math
ELA
Intervention
Intervention
Basic
Second Quartile
Grade C

Intervention Method

Intensive Pullout or In Class

Supervised Daily Sessions

Intervention after school,

extra period, at home

Hours Approximate
Time on Task

25 hours
1 course

15 to 25 hours
1 or 2 courses

25 hours
1 course

15 to 25 hours
1 or 2 courses

Course Assignment
Grade 1
Grade 2

Math Up 1
Math Up 2

Math Up 1
Math Up 2

English Up 1
Reading Up

Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5

Math Up 3
Math Up 4
Math Up 5

Math Up 3
Math Up 4
Math Up 5

Grade 6

Math Up 6

Math Up 6

Reading Up
Reading Up
Reading Up
then Comp Up
Comp Up

Grade 7

Math Up 7

Pre-Algebra

Comp Up

Grade 8

Math Up 8

English Up 1
English Up 2
Reading Up
Reading Up
Reading Up
Reading Up
then Comp Up
Reading Up
then Comp Up
Reading Up
then Comp Up
Reading Up
then Comp Up

Algebra

Comp Up

Intervention Criteria
State or School
Test Scores, Grades

High School:
Algebra 1 Prep:

Exit Exam Prep:

English Learners
Special Needs

Pre-Algebra
Then Algebra
(50 hours)
Pre-Algebra

Select course
at student level

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

Algebra

Comp Up
Reading Up
then Comp Up
Reading Up
then Comp Up

Pre-Algebra

Comp Up

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

Course Descriptions
Reading Upgrade: for struggling readers
50 lessons cover phonics, word decoding, comprehension
Teaching content grades 1 to 4
For struggling readers grades 3 to 12 and adults who are not fluent
A student who stumbles, pauses or skips words needs Reading Upgrade
Designed to help special needs students and English learners
Comprehension Upgrade: understanding textbooks and literature
50 lessons cover strategies, critical thinking, vocabulary, graphic organizers
Teaching content grades 5 to 9
For fluent readers grades 5 to 12 and adults who need help understanding
Note: older struggling readers can start with Reading Upgrade, earn a gold certificate,
and then move on to Comprehension Upgrade
English Upgrade 1, 2: Common Core Standards
60 lessons cover phonics, reading, writing, grammar, listening, vocabulary
designed to cover Common Core Standards for 1 grade level
Math Upgrade 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8: fill in gaps, raise students up to grade level
60 lessons cover arithmetic, fractions, pre-algebra, geometry, statistics
Each course reviews back 2 years to fill gaps and covers grade level content
For students who are struggling with math
Pre-Algebra Upgrade: prepare students for Algebra 1
60 lessons cover algebra basics, graphing, geometry, exponents, statistics
Teaching content grades 6 to 8
For students grades 6 to 12 and adults preparing for Algebra 1
Algebra Upgrade: helping students pass Algebra 1 and Basic Algebra
60 lessons cover linear functions, inequalities, systems, polynomials, quadratics
Teaching content Algebra 1
For students in Algebra 1 or Basic Algebra classes

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

2. Prepare For Intervention

Computers
Learning Upgrade courses are web-based courses. Teachers administer the program
and students complete the courses using internet-connected computers and a standard
web browser such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari. There is no
software to install, and no programs that run from your school server. Teachers access
the program by visiting the www.learningupgrade.com web site and logging in with a
unique username and password.
The Learning Upgrade courses can be used from almost any computer that has an
internet connection. Detailed requirements are listed in Section 9 at the end of this
guide. To quickly determine whether a computer at your school is capable of playing
the course, go to the computer and:
1.
2.
3.
4.

run a standard web browser such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari
type in the web address www.learningupgrade.com into the browser
click on PLAY DEMO for one of the courses to run the sample lessons
if the lessons function correctly, the computer is capable of playing the course

The Learning Upgrade courses contain sound in the form of songs and dialog
throughout the program. Therefore, the computers used must have sound capability.
Headphones are required where there are multiple computers in one location or where
the sound would bother other students.

Scheduling
Students complete each Learning Upgrade course by working through lessons in daily
sessions at the computer, with one student per computer. The most effective length for
a session is between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on the school situation. During
each session, a student will sign in and complete from 1 to 5 or more lessons by the
end of the session.
In order to complete all lessons of each course and receive a Gold certificate, students
typically spend 10 to 30 or more hours using the course: see the table below. Middle
and high school students can typically complete both the Reading Upgrade and
Comprehension Upgrade courses within one semester of daily one-period use, and
Math Upgrade or Pre-Algebra Upgrade within one semester of one-period daily use.
Algebra Upgrade may take a full school year to complete when integrated into an
Algebra 1 class.

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

Course

Typical Hours to
Achieve Gold
Certificate

Typical Number
Of One Period
Sessions: Gold

Weeks to
Complete At 3
Weekly One
Period Sessions

Reading Upgrade

10 to 15 hours

18 sessions

4 to 8 weeks

Comprehension
Upgrade

15 to 20 hours

22 sessions

6 to 12 weeks

English Upgrade

15 to 20 hours

22 sessions

6 to 12 weeks

Math Upgrade 1-8

20 to 25 hours

30 sessions

8 to 14 weeks

Pre-Algebra
Upgrade

20 to 25 hours

30 sessions

8 to 14 weeks

Algebra 1 Upgrade

25 to 30 hours

40 sessions

12 to 20+ weeks

Classroom Computers: The computers located in a classroom, including wireless

notebook carts, can be used for completing the course. Headphones are required if
students are closely spaced.
Computer Lab: If you have a computer lab or library media center with computers, then
a group of students can complete the course together in a 30 to 60 minute daily
session. One example is for a whole class, for example an entire ESL or special needs
class, to go together to the lab every day to complete the course. Another example is a
pullout program, where students from a number of classes throughout the school
come together in the lab for an intervention session at a set time every day.
Intervention Programs: For teachers running intervention programs with special
needs, ESL, or remedial students, there are several ways to fit in the Learning
Upgrade courses. A entire class could use the course together if one computer per
student is available. If the class is at least one hour long, two groups of students can
flip-flop between 30-minute teacher-led activities and course time.
After-School Program: Schools can utilize the time in an after-school, before school,
or weekend program for effective intervention using Learning Upgrade courses.
Because the courses are engaging to students, they are motivated to complete the
lessons even after a full day of school. In addition, community-based organizations can
put the courses to work for rapid intervention of students outside of school.
Summer School: Within a 4 to 6 week summer school program, students can complete
a Learning Upgrade course. This can be done with daily one-hour sessions or twiceper-day 30 to 45-minute sessions. The courses give schools a way to measurably
increase performance for at-risk students during the summer.

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

3. Teacher Registration and Student Enrollment

Teacher Registration
To register as a new user:
1. Go to the www.learningupgrade.com web site using a standard web browser on an
internet-connected computer.
2. Press the New User button next to the Login button at the top of the page.
3. Type in one of the student or teacher whiteboard codes you received in the student
code field
4. Enter the teacher username and password that you would like, along with the other
information requested (write down the username/password in case you forget it!).
Note that the password you choose is for you the teacher, not for the students.
5. press on the Submit button
6. press on the Log In button to sign in, as you would each day

Teacher Sign In
You can now log in to your account to create classes, enroll students, add Teacher
courses for whole-class lectures, or monitor student progress.
To Log In, or sign in:
a)
b)
c)
d)

go to the www.learningupgrade.com web site using a standard web browser

press the Log In button to go to the Log In screen
type your username and password and press Sign In
if you want to add classes or students to the course list or make changes to a
students record, choose the Teacher Menu choice

Sign In for Upgrade Courses

Username:
Password:
Enable Quick Start For Students
Sign In

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

Creating Classes
You can organize your students into classes such as Period 1, Period 2, Period 3.
This way, you can view and print out separate progress reports for each class. You
may also want to add the semester or year to class names so you can separate later
classes. For example, the class name Period 1 Fall 2013 will leave room for next
semesters class Period 1 Spring 2014.
The first time you log in, a class is created for you with your name and the year. You
can click on the Classes tab to change the class name. You can also create new
classes using the Classes tab.

Adding Students
There are two primary methods for enrolling students.
1) School-wide: The school can enroll all students centrally, with a school staff
member enrolling students, or the school can email a spreadsheet of student info
to Learning Upgrade for enrolling. Teachers then use Add/Remove Enrolled
Students to add new students
2) Teacher: each teacher uses Add New Student or Add Multiple New Students
to enroll their own students
School-Wide Enrollment
The principal or lead teacher can create a master account, and master classes for each
grade such as 6th grade, then enroll all students in that grade using Add Multiple New
Students (see below).
Schools that purchase a school-wide license can also send a spreadsheet to Learning
Upgrade by email, [email protected]. Learning Upgrade will enroll students.
Include the following columns of student information:
Lastname, Firstname, StudentID, GradeLevel, (Username, Password)
Username/password are optional, otherwise Learning Upgrade will generate these
Once all students are enrolled, each teacher can create an account, create classes, and
use Add/Remove Enrolled Students to add his/her students from the school list.

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

Student Enrollment by Each Teacher

To add a new student to your class if already enrolled by the school:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)

Select the class from the class list and press View.
Use Add/Remove Enrolled Students
Select the grade level to reduce the number of students in the list
Press ADD to add a student to your class: the name will appear on the left
You can search for a student by name or student ID at the top
Return to the teacher menu to confirm all your students are in your class

Note: multiple teachers can add the same student to their class, and each monitor the
students progress in all the students courses.
To add a new student to the class if not already enrolled:
If you your students have not been enrolled school-wide:
Select the class from the class list and press View.
Press Add New Students.
Select the courses you want to use with these students
Type in the student license code from your license sheet
Select the grade level
Select the name format, such as last,first, or last,first,ID
Type in the student names or copy and paste student names from a Word
document, spreadsheet, or other list (one student per line). If you are including
student ID numbers, select the correct name format at the top
h) Press the Enroll button. The students are added to the student list.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)

Note: if a student has already been enrolled in the school, you will be a warning about
duplicate students. You can choose to add the existing enrolled student to your class to
prevent a duplicate enrollment.
If you press the EDIT button next to a student name, you can change a students name,
grade, username, and password.

Adding Courses
You can add courses for a student in several ways:
1) With Add New Students, when you first enroll the student
2) Using the Add Course button next to each student in the Teacher Menu
a. select a course
b. type in a student code
c. press Add Course

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

3) Whole class using Add Courses from the Teacher Menu

a. type in a student code
b. select a course to add
c. check mark each student for which to add the course, or Select All
d. press Add Courses to Marked
As soon as you add a course, when the student signs in the new course will appear
along with any other courses in their Student Menu.
Removing Courses
To remove a course for a student, go to the Classes tab and select Remove next to the
course.

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

10

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

Student Sign-In
Individual Student Usernames / Passwords
Each student is assigned a username and password when they are enrolled. The
Show Passwords button in the Teacher Menu displays this information.
You can select Print Passwords in the Teacher Menu to print out a list of student
usernames and passwords in a variety of formats, such as 10 per page or 1 per page.
This allows for easy distribution of passwords to each student. You can also print a
password list for your records.
The Print Passwords page has a link to a Parent Letter which you can print out to send
home with parents to explain use of the courses (English and Spanish).
Once a student has the username and password, she can sign in at
www.learningupgrade.com at school or at home.

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

11

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

4. Students Complete the Course, Review to Mastery

Each day when a student signs in and starts a course, the course will begin at the
students current level. The student will progress through the course as follows:

Moving Up: If a student earns 100 points answering questions correctly, and has
over 75% correct, the course moves on to the next level (lesson)
Repeating: If a student scores below 75% correct, the lesson is repeated
including the instruction and question portion, until the student earns over 75%
correct
Bronze Certificate: When a student completes all the lessons in a course, she
earns a bronze certificate. She then has to review up to a silver certificate.
Silver Certificate: When a student repeats each level below 90% until every
level is above 90%, she earns a silver certificate
Gold Certificate: When a student repeats each level below 95% until that every
level is above 95%, she earns a gold certificate

In the Teacher Menu, each student who has completed the course will be listed as
Certificate Bronze, Certificate Silver, or Certificate Gold. Teachers can quickly
scan the student list to see each students status.

Review Screen showing levels that are Bronze (below 90%), Silver (90% to 95%), and Gold (above 95%).
Students click on each flashing (low-scoring) level to repeat it until every level has a gold medal.

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

12

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

Tracking Student Progress with Reports and Student Monitor

To track the progress of students, log in and choose the teacher menu. Select a class,
and view the course taken and current level of each student. You can print out this
student list by selecting Print from your web browser.
To view a detailed student report, press the Report button next to each student name.
The detailed report includes the percentage of correct answers on each of the
completed levels, average percentages correct for groups of levels (such as reading
multi-syllable words), and the date and time of completion for each level. This report
can be printed using the standard print function on the web browser.
To track an entire class in real time, select Student Monitor. This graphical report
shows each student and the medal for each lesson completed in each course. Since
there is a green triangle on every level completed today, you can find out if any
students are not completing levels. The certificate buttons on the right enable you to
print certificates for students. The monitor updates every 5 minutes, or you can press
Update to refresh student progress.

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

13

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

Teacher Reports and Administrator Reports

When you sign in, you can select the Reports tab to view reports. These reports
summarize progress among all of your enrolled students:
Teacher Student Report: lists every student and key progress data including level
earned, hours played, and last played date.
Teacher Summary Report: shows how many students have started or earned
certificates in each course
Teacher Level Report: shows how many students are currently on a particular level in
each course. This enables you to track overall students progress through the courses.
Average Score Reports: these reports for each course show the average scores for all
of your students, as well as average time per level and other data. These reports are
valuable to assess the common weaknesses and strengths among all of your enrolled
students.
Administrator Reports are similar to teacher reports but summarize data for all
students and teachers within one school or district. There reports are only enabled for
the administrator or lead teacher in each school or district. Contact Learning Upgrade if
you need access to Administrator Reports.

Review of Lessons To Achieve Mastery

Students can review lessons they have already completed, both during the course and
after completing the course. At any time during the course, a student can press the
Review button in the top section of the screen. The student will be able to choose any
level they have already completed and play it again. After this review level, they will
return to where they left off in the course. They will not lose their place in the course.
After completing the course, students will be able to review any level again by choosing
the Review button on the final certificate screen. By reviewing low-scoring levels,
students can earn Silver and Gold certificates and achieve higher levels of mastery.
Teachers should ensure that each student achieves a gold certificate in the
courses to maximize learning gains.
The bronze, silver, and gold certificates motivate students to do valuable review and
repetition of lessons and make strong gains in reading. Teachers can encourage
students by posting silver and gold certificates on a classroom wall, having certificate
ceremonies, and sending printed certificates home with students.

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

14

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

Administrator Access For School-Wide Management

The principal, lead teacher, or computer technician managing all the courses at a school
can request Administrator Access:

Create a teacher account with a username and password

Send an email to Learning Upgrade with your name, title and username, along
with the principals name and email. Request Administrator Access.

Once you have administrator access, you will have the following additional abilities:

Teacher Menu: access to every teachers classes through a teacher selection at

the top of the page, so that you can:
o
o
o
o
o

create new classes for any teacher

add students including add multiple new students with copy/paste
view reports or use student monitor
edit students to change names or usernames, grade level
print passwords

Administrator Reports: from the Reports tab, you have access to school-wide
reports including the Student Progress Report in the Custom Reports section.
o Summary reports for each teacher showing how many students have
made progress or certificates
o Level reports showing how many students have reached each level
o Average Score reports showing school-wide averages on each level of
each course, to determine weak and strong areas

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

15

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

5. Teacher Whiteboard Courses

Teacher Whiteboard courses enable a teacher to present the lessons from our courses
to a whole class using an interactive whiteboard or data projector. This section explains
how to use courses in your classroom.

Teacher Whiteboard and Student Courses

Each Teacher Whiteboard course is for whole class use by one teacher in a classroom.
On the other hand, student courses are for individual use by each student at student
computers. The differences between the two types of courses are listed below.

Teacher Whiteboard Courses

Student Courses

one course per teacher

whole class learning
interactive whiteboards or projectors
in class
students interact as a group
individual students not tracked

one course per student

individualized tutoring & intervention
student computers, notebooks
in class, lab, after school, home
individual tracking and assessment
detailed web-based student reports

Adding a Teacher Whiteboard Course

To add a Teacher Whiteboard course to your Teacher Menu, you must first obtain a
Teacher Whiteboard course code from your school, shown on the license code sheet.
These course codes are different from the student course codes, and are marked as
Teacher course codes.
To add a Teacher Whiteboard course to your Teacher Menu:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)

Log in and select the class where you want your Teacher courses
Choose the Add Teacher option
Select which course you would like under course
Type in a Teacher course code
Type in a Teacher name
Press the Add Teacher Course button

You will now see your Teacher Whiteboard course at the top of the student list. You
can use Add Course to add more teacher courses. Press the initials of the course like
MU1 under Start Courses to start the course.

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

16

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

Using The Teacher Whiteboard Course In Class

To use the Teacher Whiteboard course with your whole class, sign in to
www.learningupgrade.com from the computer connected to the interactive whiteboard
or data projector. From the Student tab, under Start Courses press the initials of the
course, such as M1 for Math Upgrade 1.
You will notice the word Teacher at the top of the screen. Also, unlike the student
courses, you will be taken directly to a map of the course after the introductory song.
When you click on a level number, you will see a box pop up with several choices:
Play Level: to play an entire level including the introduction, song, game, and ending,
just as a student would in the student course.
INT or SONG: to play just the introduction or just the song, and return back to this menu
GAME: to play the interactive game and return back to this menu
You can also press on the Common Core button at the bottom of the screen to select
lessons by Common Core standards.
Note: at any time within a lesson, you can press the EXIT button at the top to return to
this menu.

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

17

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

Getting the Most Out Of the Teacher Whiteboard Courses

Teacher Whiteboard courses can be used to engage a classroom in a lesson. The
introduction and song portions of a lesson provide dynamic instruction. The interactive
game gives students a chance to answer questions and get remediation in a whole
class setting.
To maximum student growth, you can use a combination of the Teacher Whiteboard
courses for whole class instruction and the student courses for individual learning. For
example, a math intervention class can have lectures 3 days per week, and students
completing individual courses 2 days per week. The student courses give you detailed
student tracking and assessment.
Here are some ideas for using the Teacher Whiteboard courses:
Whole class problem solving: Lessons like K-W-L Charts from Comprehension
Upgrade and Word Problems from Math Upgrade contain multi-step problems which
the whole class can solve together. Students can raise their hands to answer parts of
each problem, or come up to a whiteboard to answer directly.
Team Competition: Divide the class into two groups, and go directly into the game for
a lesson. Have each team alternate answering the questions, with team members
helping each other and a team captain entering answers.
Math Review / Test Prep: Use Math Upgrade Level 60, the Final Challenge, to
prepare students for a variety of test questions. This game contains questions for all
the levels of Math Upgrade. Because it is a time-limited game, the excitement builds as
students move higher in points. This level makes a great team game: one team plays to
a high score, then the other tries to top it. Note: even though questions look similar, they
change in subtle ways so students cannot memorize answers.
Lecture Introduction Song: Use just the song from a lesson to introduce your lecture.
For example, if you are teaching Mean, Median & Mode, you can start with the song
from the Teacher Whiteboard course and continue with a standard lecture.
Review Weak Areas: If your class is completing individual student courses, you can
use the Teacher Reports menu to view the Summary report for a course. This will show
you the weak areas for your class. Then, you can review those levels with the whole
class using the Teacher Whiteboard course. For example, if Adding Fractions is the
lowest scoring level in the report, you can review this level with the whole class and
explain each step in more detail.

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

18

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

6. Teaching Content
To view a detailed listing of the lessons in each course and a Common Core
alignment to the courses, visit www.learningupgrade.com and select Courses at the
top. Then, click on Core Alignment for each course. For a map of course lessons,
click Play Demo and click on the map.

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

19

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

7. School Turnaround Plan

Learning Upgrade courses have been successfully deployed to increase student
performance and test scores school-wide. This turn-around plan summarizes best
practices from successful schools.

Introduction
The Learning Upgrade Turnaround Plan provides a path to proficiency in reading and
math for every below-proficient student in a school.
The goal of the plan is to achieve significant school-wide gains in reading and math
within one school year.
The plan:
1) Rapidly train teachers to implement the program using the Training Upgrade online
videos, Teachers Guides, and on-site training.
2) Identify below-proficient students and enroll the students in the appropriate
Learning Upgrade reading and math online courses.
3) Organize time to learn every day, 30 to 60 minutes, for each student to complete
course lessons: mandatory support (elective) class, after school session, or time within
a math, language arts, special needs, or English learner class. Use individual student
courses and whole-class teacher courses.
4) Monitor student progress at the class, teacher, and school level using web-based
reports to ensure that every student achieves a GOLD certificate on the assigned
courses (above 95% on every lesson) and moves on to higher courses when ready.
5) At the end of the school year, evaluate the success of the program based on
statewide test score improvement, class grades, benchmark assessments as compared
to progress in the courses, time on task:
Did the plan work?

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

20

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

Turnaround Strategy and Schedule

The map below shows the calendar and steps of the turnaround plan. At the start of the
plan, the key element is identifying students and assigning courses:

If a student is below proficient in reading:

o If reading less than grade 5 level or has decoding issues
Start with Reading Upgrade to a gold certificate
Continue with Comprehension Upgrade
o If reading grade 5 of above and is fluent
Start with Comprehension Upgrade

If a student is below proficient in math:

o For grades 2 to 6, assign Math 2 to 6
o If student is 7th grade +, not yet in Algebra 1, start on Pre-Algebra
o If student is in an Algebra 1 class, start on Algebra Upgrade
(if below basic, failing Algebra, start on Pre-Algebra, move to Algebra)

Teacher
Training

Enroll
Students

Reading
Upgrade

Comprehension
Upgrade

10 hours

15 hours

Math, Pre-Algebra, or Algebra

Upgrade

State
Testing

Eval
Program

25 hours

Aug

Sep

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

21

May

June+

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

Implementation
1. Rapid Start
Training of teachers before school and during Week 1 through online Training
Upgrade videos, Teachers Guides and in-person training sessions
2. Identify Below Proficient Students
Use statewide test scores, grades, and benchmark assessments to identify each
student below proficient in reading and/or math
Enroll each student into the appropriate Learning Upgrade courses depending on
their needs
3. Organize Time To Learn
Organize school time so that below-proficient students can complete courses as
rapidly as possible
Use dedicated support classes of 30 to 60 minutes every day to give students
time on task each day
Use after school programs, special needs classes, at home time, community
center time to increase time on task for each student
4. Monitor Student Progress To Mastery
Teachers monitor each students progress through courses to a gold certificate
(above 95% on every lesson)
Students move up to higher courses when they achieve gold
Principals and District Staff monitor students and teachers, follow up where
students are not making progress
Special review a week before testing: use whole class Final Challenges and
review before testing to get students prepared
Students are given recognition with printed certificates and ceremonies to reward
achievement
5. Evaluate Success
Compile for each student statewide test scores, benchmark scores, grades,
levels/certificates achieved, and time on task for courses
Get aggregate gains per hour time on task for students
Assess success of courses to improve student achievement

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

22

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

Teaching Content
Online Intervention Courses

Reading Upgrade: basic phonics, decoding, fluency at elementary level

Comprehension Upgrade: understanding textbooks and literature

English Upgrade: grades 1 to 2, all Common Core standards for each grade

Math Upgrade: grades 1 to 8, all Common Core standards for each grade

Pre-Algebra Upgrade: grade 7+ prepare for Algebra 1, exit exam

Algebra Upgrade: for students in Algebra 1 classes

Research based and research confirmed with 1 to 2 years growth

Detailed teaching content, alignments, and research results on web site

Designed To Help Every At Risk Student

Special Needs: Applied extensively to Special Needs students including

students with dyslexia, learning disabilities, ADD, ADHD

English Learners: Teaches English phonics and reading to English learners

through pictures, animated text, songs, and games

Dropout Recovery & Behavioral Issues: Used in alternative schools, youth

corrections, Job Corps, GED programs, adult education

Title I: used nationwide for Title I in school and after school programs, provides
the individualized instruction to turn around at risk students

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

23

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

Expected Results
The Learning Upgrade courses have been deployed with over 500,000 students, with
results measured in school and university studies. The results show that reading and
math gains are possible given adequate student time on task.
This result suggests a linear point gain on statewide tests per hour on Learning
Upgrade courses is possible. As a result, a student further away from proficiency in
reading or math will require more time on task. See the graph below.

Based on these research results and deployment at schools, the key to school-wide
turnaround is having each below-proficient student receive enough time-on-task with
our courses to reach proficiency within the school year.

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

24

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC

9. Technical Requirements
The Learning Upgrade on-line courses work through a standard internet web browser.
There is no software to install. Teachers and students access the program using a user
name and password at the learningupgrade.com web site.
The listing below gives the approximate requirements for the courses for standard
computers. The best way to check compatibility with a specific computer is to play our
demo program by visiting www.learningupgrade.com and selecting a "Demo" of a
course. If the sample lessons play successfully, then the actual course should work
equally well.
Because the course is web-based, it is not limited to desktop computers. The course
can be played from Internet-connected wireless notebooks, web pads, and handhelds.
Contact Learning Upgrade for more information.
Windows Computers
High speed Internet connection (80Mbs+ recommended)
Web Browser
Flash Player version 6 or higher (free at adobe.com if not installed)
Sound capabilities (headphones recommended)
Macintosh Computers
High speed Internet connection (80Mbs+ recommended)
Web Browser
Flash Player version 6 or higher (free at adobe.com if not installed)
Sound capabilities (headphones recommended)
iPads

use the Athena Browser app (free) to open learningupgrade.com and sign in
the Safari browser does not support Adobe Flash Player

Chromebooks
plays within Chrome browser on all Chromebooks

Technical Support And Customer Service

If you require assistance using the course, visit the Learning Upgrade web site at
www.learningupgrade.com. You will find a contact email address and phone number to
reach customer service.

Learning Upgrade Teachers Guide

25

2002 to 2015 Learning Upgrade LLC