We started using IXL as part of our homeschool curriculum when we began officially homeschooling as my daughter entered Kindergarten. We continued to use IXL for math practice throughout grade school and into middle school. We added the grammar practice as soon as IXL offered it. Why have we used IXL for so many years with the emphasis being on practicing math and language arts? There are two simple reasons: mastery of subject material and linkage to state curriculum standards.
While other programs and text are great at explaining the “how to” process and rules, most do not offer adaptive practice of the subject matter like IXL. IXL will ask questions about a particular learning objective until the student answers a high enough percentage of the questions correctly for the program to determine the student has “mastered” the area. For some objectives, the student will relatively speed through and be rewarded a digital sticker style reward. While for other objectives, it may take a student many questions to reach that “mastery” level.
The student does not have to go to another resource or even the parent or teacher to get an explanation about what was missed and how/why it should be answered; the program provides a detailed explanation with just the click of a button. If the error was one the student feels they do not need to have explained, they can choose just to go on with the practice session without additional information. The program adapts to the student’s skill level while also giving the student some control on the amount of information the program provides.
Students are not rewarded for their mastery of an objective, but they and their parents/teacher can see which of the state and/or Common Core objectives they have met. IXL not only keeps current with standards, they also keep expanding their offerings. During the years since we began with IXL, they have also expanded the grade they cover to include math and language arts through high school. I am not sure they even offered math through the 8th grade when we began. More recently, they added science and social studies through 8th grade. This more comprehensive curriculum is not found on most, if any, other curriculum sites.
While IXL is great for homeschooling, it also is a wonderful tool to help a student struggling in a subject area or one that has test anxiety build confidence.
( I am not affiliated with IXL in any way. I have received not consideration for this review. These are just my opinions.)
