How to customize the reading levels.

Follow these instructions to customize the reading levels... (An In-App Purchase is required to use this feature)

1. Press the Adjust Benchmark Button.

2. The default benchmark is set to Teachers College Independent Reading Levels. You can view the Teachers College benchmarks here. 

3a. To change the benchmark to Fountas & Pinnell reading levels press the F&P Instructional Level Expectation slider to the on position. 

3b. Press the save button to save the change. 

* You can view the Fountas & Pinnell benchmarks here. Please note that the Fountas & Pinnell benchmarks only record reading levels four times a year while Teachers College record reading levels five times a year. In order to incorporate both benchmarks within our framework, we made the November and January reading levels the same on the Fountas & Pinnell benchmarks.

4a. To customize the reading level benchmarks completely, first press the Customize slider to the on position. 

4b. Next, select the grade you wish to customize.

5a. Press on the benchmark you want to customize. 

5b. Select the reading level. 

5c. Press save to save your customizations. 

Please note: Blue (Exceeds Standards) should always remain at level Z.

How to Create and Email Individual Student Reports

Follow these instructions to Email Individual Student Reports... (An In-App Purchase is required to use this feature)

1. Select the student you want to create an individual report for.

2. Press the Print button on the top right.

3a. The individual report will appear with all the students data.

3b. Press the Action button for options on exporting the report.

4a. You can print, text or email the report.

4b. If you have other apps installed such as Dropbox, you may be able to export the report into those apps as well.

4c. Press the Mail button to email the report.

5a. Fill in the appropriate fields.

5b. Press the Send button to email the report.

6. Press the Done button to return to the student view.

How to Create and Email a Class Report

Follow these directions to create a class report and email it... (An In-App Purchase is required to use this feature)

1. In class view press the Reports button.

2. The class report will appear.  You can switch to the different month views by pressing the appropriate button.

3. To view which students are in a given quartile press on a bar in the bar graph.

4a. A new window with a list of students in the particular quartile will appear.

4b. You can press the Close button to exit.

5. Press the Compose button to Email the report.

6a. An Email sheet with the report as an attachment will appear from the top. 

6b. The report will be emailed as a PDF attachment file.

7a. Fill out the appropriate fields of the Email.

7b. Press the send button to Email the report.

8. Additionally, you can press the Print button for more options to export your report.

9. The report will be displayed on your iPad.

10. You can switch pages by either scrolling up and down or selecting the page you want to view.

11. Press the Action button for more export options. 

12a. Select an option for exporting the report. For example, you can print email or text message the report.

12b. If you have other apps like Dropbox or Evernote installed on your iPad you can even save the report there.

13. Press the Done button to exit the report and return to the class view.

How to Restore Your Data

Folllow these directions to restore your data... (An In-App Purchase is required to use this feature)

Please note: Restoring data from a backup will delete everything and replace the deleted information with the downloaded backup. Please proceed with caution...

1a. Please Note: You must have first backed up your data in order to restore your data.

1b. Press the Settings button.

2a. Please make sure Dropbox is on.

2b. Press the Restore data button.

3. Select the backup you wish to restore by pressing on it.

4a. Confirm the data you want to restore by pressing the Yes, Restore button.

4b. Please note: Restoring from a backup will delete everything and replace the deleted information with the downloaded backup. Proceed with caution. If you do not wish to do this press the Cancel button.

5. The restored data is ready to use once the backup is downloaded.

How to Backup your Data

Follow these steps to backup your data... (An In-App Purchase is required to use this feature)

Please note: Reading Conferences does not backup your data automatically. You must backup your data yourself. We recommend you backup your data often...

1a. You must have a free Dropbox account to back up your data.

1b. If you do not have an account go to www.dropbox.com and create one.

1c. Download the Dropbox app from the App Store on your iPad.

1d. Press the Settings button.

2. Slide the Dropbox slider to the on position.

3a. You will be transferred to the Dropbox app.

3b. Enter your Passcode if you have created one (For your own security we suggest you do).

4. Dropbox will ask you to allow the Reading Conferences App to create a folder in the Apps folder of your Dropbox called Reading Conferences App where it will backup your data. Press the Allow button to give permission for this. You can press the Cancel button to refuse permission.

5a. Once you allow access to Dropbox you will be returned to the Reading Conferences App.

5b. Press the Backup now button to back up your data.

5c. Please note: We recommend you backup your data often...

6a. Uploading to your Dropbox account will begin.

6b. Your upload may take time depending on your internet connection and the amount of data you have.

6c. Please note: Reading Conferences does not back up your data automatically. You must backup your data manually. We recommend you backup your data often...

6d. You have successfully backed up your data...

How to Sort Students

Follow these steps to sort your students...

1. Presson the Sort Students button. By default the students are arranged by first name.

Select how you want to sort your students, you can sort by students first name, last name, last conference date and currency reading level.

The arrows at the end of each sort option reflects the choice of sorting from first to last or last to first. 

In this particular case, the sort choice was by last conference date. This allows the teacher to quickly notice who needs to be conferenced. If sorted by reading level, the teacher can quickly create reading groups based on reading levels.

You have successfully sorted your students

The Anatomy of a Student Card

This is the basic anatomy of a Student card...

How to Add a Reading Conference

Follow these directions to add a reading conference...

1. Press on the card of the student you want to have a conference with.

2. Press the Add button to create a new reading conference.

3. Touch the Select Date box to set the date of the conference.

4a. The default date is set to today but you can change the date if you had a conference in the past. 

4b. Press the Done button when the date is set.

5a. Press the Book text box and type in the book and if you wish, the author.

5b. Press the Select Level box to add the reading level of the book.

6a. Press on the Current Goal, Notes, and Next Steps text boxes to type pertinent information.

6b. Press the Goal Achieved checkbox if the student has achieved the current goal.

6c. Note: The clock button on the top right of the three text boxes allow you to access comments that you typed previously. So for example, if you find that you have multiple students with the same Next Steps, you can easily add that comment by pressing the clock button and selecting the comment.

7. Press the Student button to save your reading conference notes and return to student view.

8a. The date of your conference will now show up under Past Conferences. If you want to review or edit the conference press on the date to open it.

Note: You will have to scroll through the dates once you have many conferences.

8b. Press the Class button to return to class view.

9. You have successfully added a reading conference...

Please notice the changes to your student card. 

The top of the card will include the date of the last conference you had with your student. 

The color on the top of the card means the following:

Green: You have conferenced with the student in the last 10 days.

Yellow: Your last conference with the student was between 11 days to 24 days ago.

Red: You have not conferenced with the student for over 25 days.

The bottom of the card will now include the next step goal of the student. 

These and other visual clues on the student card allow you to quickly know what the student should be working on and when you should conference with them next.

How to Add Reading Levels to Your Student

Follow these steps to add reading levels to you student.

Press the Select Level button for the appropriate month to add the reading level for the student. There is no need to add the reading levels if you don't know them. You can leave them blank. 

Press the appropriate reading level for your student.

Press the Class button on the top left to return to the class view and save your student data.

You have successfully added your students reading level. Please note that the reading level that is displayed on the student card is the current reading level. So if you view your class during the month of March, you will see the March reading levels. If you haven't inputed the March level, it will be blank.

How to Create a New Student

Follow these steps to create a new student...

Tap on your class to open it.

Tap on the Add Student button to create a new student.

Tap on text boxes and buttons to fill out information about the student. 

Press the photo frame to add a picture of the student. You can either use the camera of chose a photo from the photo album. Note: the original iPad does not have a camera.

You can move and scale the photo using your fingers to get the photo just right. When you are happy with it press the Use button to save it.

Press the class button to save your student and return to the class view.

You have successfully created your first student in your class.

How to Create a New Class

Follow these steps to create a new class... 

1. Press on the Add a Class button on the top left.

2. Type in the name of your class and the grade. Note: If you have a bridge class you can type in multiple grades.

3. Touch the Save button to save your class.

4. Your Class has been created.