One of the most important distinguishing characteristics of Achieve3000®'s literacy solutions is that they provide daily, engaging, non-fiction articles.
The Common Core State Standards, as well as the National Assessment Educational Progress, recognize the importance of and need for exposure to the concepts and vocabulary of complex informational text. Numerous studies support this and demonstrate that learners benefit from extensive exposure to and interaction with non-fiction text, specifically:
- Many students prefer non-fiction text to fiction. Using non-fiction as a source for reading, writing and discussion can improve attitudes towards reading and can assist in overall literacy development (Caswell and Duke, 1998)
- Regardless of learners' genre preferences, their literacy is likely to improve when they are interested in a text's topic and when texts address real-world problems and questions (Guthrie, Van Meter, McCann Wigfield, Bennett, Poundstone,et.al., 1996)
- According to the Common Core State Standards, to be adequately prepared for college and career, students need to be able to decipher non-fiction vocabulary and concepts, identify important ideas and authors' points of view, analyze the arguments presented and determine whether or not they are valid
- To develop these critical skills, students need to read real non-fiction by genuine authors who have real views and arguments. In addition, students need opportunities to discuss the authors' viewpoints as well as students' own opinions
Achieve3000 provides students with daily opportunities to read, write and discuss authentic non-fiction text that is modified for readability by Achieve3000's expert editorial team and differentiated based on students' Lexile levels.