Getting Started with Zinc FAQ
Quick answers about using Zinc in your classroo!
✅ Q: Do I have to assign work for my students?
A: Nope! Zinc Journeys automatically assigns a quick Reader Survey and Level Placement, followed by automatically delivered, engaging, leveled content. You don’t need to assign work manually—just monitor progress and make time in class.
⁉️ Q: What happens if students log in and I haven’t assigned anything?
A: They’ll always have meaningful, leveled work ready to go! Zinc Journeys automatically serves skill instruction, articles, vocabulary, quizzes, and Close Reading Experiences based on each student’s reading level.
⏰ Q: How much time should students spend on Zinc?
A: We recommend 20 minutes per session, 3 times per week. Consistent practice drives steady reading growth.
📈 Q: How does Zinc adjust to student growth?
A: After Ignition, students take a Post-Ignition Level Placement. Zinc automatically updates their levels and keeps serving content at the right challenge level as they grow. Looking for more opportunities to monitor growth? You can assign an A La Carte Level Placement every 45 days.
🧑🏾🏫 Q: What should I do as the teacher?
A: Just 3 easy things:
1️⃣ Make time for Zinc (20 min/day, 3x/week)
2️⃣ Check Reports regularly
3️⃣ (Optional) Customize content with A La Carte assignments
📊 Q: Where do I find student progress?
A: Check your Zinc Reports tab, available for each class on your Zinc homepage! You’ll see student growth, skill mastery, vocabulary progress, and activity completion—all updated in real time.
📚 Q: What if I want to add my own content?
A: Use Zinc’s A La Carte feature to assign specific Articles, Vocabulary sets, and Close Reading Experiences that fit your curriculum — you can assign the same activity to everyone in your class, or group students by level and assign different activities centered around a common theme.
✴️ Q: Can I use Zinc for intervention or enrichment?
A: Yes! Because Zinc Journeys automatically adjusts levels for each student, it works beautifully for both intervention support and challenge-level enrichment — all in the same classroom.
🔀 Q: What if students work at different paces?
A: No problem! Zinc’s auto-leveled design lets every student works at their own pace, always getting the right level of challenge without you needing to track or assign individual work.