The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria of Indicator 1b.

Throughout the Grade 1 materials, there is not a balance of informational and literary texts. Roughly 76% of the texts are literary and 24% are informational. The anchor texts do, however, reflect a variety of literary genres, such as fiction, realistic fiction, fantasy, folktale, and mystery. There is also a variety of informational subgenres throughout the materials, including texts about science and social studies and biography. 

Materials reflect the distribution of text types/genres required by the grade level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Students listen to and read several fantasy texts, including Hooray for Snail! by John Stadler in Shared Reading, Module 1, Unit 1 and Little Bear’s Friend by Else Holmelund Minarik in Shared Reading, Module 3, Unit 1. 

• Students listen to and read several fictional texts, including Pepper’s Journal: A Kitten’s First Year by Stuart J. Murphy in ELA, Module 1, Unit 2 and Possum’s Harvest Moon by Anne Hunter in ELA, Module 1, Unit 3. 

• Students listen to and read several folktales, including Stone Soup by Ann McGovern in ELA, Module 2, Unit 1 and Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens in ELA, Module 4, Unit 1. 

• Students listen to and read several realistic fiction stories, including The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant in ELA, Module 3, Unit 1 and The Paint Brush Kid by Clyde Robert Bulla in Shared Reading, Module 4, Unit 2. 

• Students listen to and read mysteries, including Young Cam Jansen and the Library Mystery by David A. Adlier and Nate the Great Saves the King of Sweden by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat in Shared Reading, Module 4, Unit 1. 

• Students listen to and read biographies, including Eleanor by Barbara Cooney in ELA, Module 2, Unit 1. 

• Students listen to and read informational texts about science, including Why do Leaves Change Color? by Betsy Maestro in ELA, Module 1, Unit 3 and From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons in ELA, Module 4, Unit 1. 

• Students listen to and read informational texts about social studies, including Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and his Orchestra by Andrea Davis in ELA, Module 2, Unit 1 and The Washington Monument by Kristin L. Nelson in ELA, Module 3, Unit 2. 

Materials do not reflect a 50/50 balance of informational and literary texts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• 52 texts or 76% of the texts in Grade 1 fall in the literary category. 16 texts or 24% of the texts in Grade 1 fall in the informational category. 

• Module 1 contains 16 core texts with 19% being informational and 81% being literary.

• Module 2 contains 19 core texts with 21% being informational and 79% being literary.

• Module 3 contains 23 core texts with 26% being informational and 74% being literary

• Module 4 contains 10 core texts with 30% being informational and 70% being literary. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria of Indicator 1c.

The majority of core/anchor texts have the appropriate level of complexity for the grade. Most of the texts have an appropriate Lexile level, though the majority of the texts are considered qualitatively low. Many reader and task measures are moderate or challenging, though some do not relate to the text and are considered accessible. In the ELA Lesson Plans, the teacher models or co-creates the written response in many instances, making the task accessible. The Bookworms K–1 Teacher Manual, Shared Reading Lesson Plans, and ELA Lesson Plans outline the rationale for the educational purpose and placement of the texts included in the program. Although the Shared Reading and ELA Lesson Plans include Lexile levels and genres for each text, materials do not provide qualitative or reader and task complexity information.

Texts have a variety of complexity levels for the grade according to quantitative and qualitative analysis and relationship to their associated student task. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 25, students read and listen to Biscuit Finds a Friend by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, which has an overall level of complexity of moderate. The Lexile is 210L and is considered moderately low. The reader and task is considered moderate because students need to explain using a drawing and a sentence what the character Duck wants and what the character Biscuit wants. 

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 20, students read and listen to The Horse in Harry’s Room by Syd Hoff, which is considered complex. The Lexile is 470L and the qualitative features are low. The reader and task is considered challenging since students write a summary of the story. 

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 25, students read and listen to Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel, which is considered moderately complex. The Lexile is 400L and the qualitative features are considered low; however, the reader and task is considered challenging since students write how Frog is a good friend to Toad, using evidence from the text to support their answer.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 15, students read Nate the Great Saves the King of Sweden by Marjorie Weinman, which is a complex text. The Lexile is 540L but the qualitative measure is low. The reader and task is considered challenging since students write about the main idea that the author wants them to know about the map of Scandinavia.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 37, students listen to How do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro, which has an overall complexity level of moderate. The Lexile is 550L and the qualitative features are considered moderately complex. The reader and task is considered accessible because the teacher models writing about what they see in a picture in the text. 

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 5, students listen to Stone Soup by Gerald McDermott, which is considered to be a complex text. The Lexile is 480AD and the qualitative measure is moderate. The reader and task is considered moderate because students compare this trickster tale to another one they read. 

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 14, students listen to Metal Man by Aaron Reynolds, which is considered moderately complex. The Lexile is 530L, but the qualitative measure is low. The reader and task is considered accessible since the reacher models or co-writes the written response. 

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, in Module 4, Lesson 17, students listen to Newton & Me by Lynne Mayer, which has a Lexile of 540AD, an appropriate Lexile level for a read-aloud text. The qualitative features are moderate, but the reader and task is considered accessible since guidance directs the teacher to model or co-create a sentence about one fact from the story. 

Anchor/Core texts and series of texts connected to them are accompanied by an accurate text complexity analysis and a rationale for educational purpose and placement in the grade level.

• The provided text complexity documentation is limited to Lexile levels. Materials do not provide qualitative or associated task complexity information. The accuracy of the provided quantitative measures was verified using MetaMetrics on The Lexile Framework for Reading site.

• The Bookworms 2–5 Teacher Manual includes a Choosing and Using Books section. Within this section of the manual, the Building A Culturally Responsive Text Collection and a Culturally-Sustaining Curriculum portion gives an overview of the changes the publisher made with regard to the texts included in the program: “We adopted a style guide in the curriculum to capitalize both Black  and White to represent the importance of racial identity and avoid the implication that white was the standard and Black an outlier. We adopted the  term multilingual to replace English language learner to celebrate home language as an asset.” Then, the manual explains grade-specific text selection changes or replacements. Rationales for text selection include choosing texts that fit the grade level themes, are engaging to students, and help build a more culturally responsive text collection. 

• The Module Overview page for the Shared Reading and ELA Lesson Plans explains how the selected unit texts work together. For example, in the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, the Module Overview page contains the following information: “Module 4 includes two units: Solving Mysteries and Coping with Challenges…. The Coping with Challenges unit will help students compare and contrast settings, characters, and events across two stories with the same main character. Students will think about how the characters face and cope with problems similar to those they face in their own lives. They will also take the perspective of characters in the book, making connections to real-life in their written responses.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria of Indicator 1d.

In Shared Reading, the overall text complexity and the associated task measure generally increases throughout the year in order to support students’ literacy growth. In the beginning of the year, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 160L–330L and ranges from 510L–630L by the end of the year. The associated task measure increases in complexity. Students begin the year writing about what they think will happen in the text, and by the end of the year, students compare and contrast two different books. In ELA, most of the texts are qualitatively low and there is no significant increase in overall text complexity across the school year. End-of-reading tasks do progress slightly, from drawing and description to writing only, but these are open to the teacher’s discretion on modeling the response, co-constructing the response with students, or allowing students to do it independently. Scaffolds to support students as they read more complex texts are limited. 

The complexity of some anchor texts students read provides an opportunity for students’ literacy skills to increase across the year, encompassing an entire year’s worth of growth. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 160L–330L and the qualitative complexity rating for all texts is low. The associated task complexity measure ranges from accessible to moderate with most being moderate. The overall text complexity rating for the beginning of the year is accessible to complex, with most texts being complex. For example, students read and listen to Biscuit Goes to School by Alyssa Satin, which has a Lexile of 160L and a qualitative complexity rating of low. The associated task complexity is considered moderate, as students draw a picture and use a provided sentence frame to write two sentences about what Biscuit would have done to keep himself busy at home alone while the children are at school. This task is not text-dependent, as students could complete the task without reading or listening to the text. 

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 330L–470L. The qualitative complexity measure ranges from low to moderate, with most texts rated as low. The associated task complexity rating is moderate for all texts and the overall complexity of the texts in this module range from moderate to complex, with most being moderate. For example, students read and listen to Danny and the Dinosaur go to Camp by Syd Hoff, which has a Lexile of 440 and is considered qualitatively low. The associated task complexity is considered moderate as students draw a picture of something funny Danny did in the text and write about it using a provided sentence frame. 

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 400L–560L. The qualitative complexity rating for all texts is low and the associated task measure ranges from moderate to challenging. The overall text complexity rating for selections in this module range from moderate to complex, with most being moderate. For example, students read and listen to Frog and Toad All Year by Arnold Lobel, which has a Lexile of 480 and is qualitatively low. The associated task complexity measure is challenging, as students compare this text with Frog and Toad are Friends. Students decide which misunderstanding was the funniest and they must give at least one reason why. Materials provide a sentence frame for student use.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from 510L–630L. The qualitative complexity rating for all of the texts is low and the associated task complexity measure ranges from accessible to challenging. Overall, the texts in this module range in complexity from accessible to complex, with most being accessible. For example, students read and listen to The Paint Brush Kid by Clyde Robert Bulla, which has a Lexile of 550L and is qualitatively low. The associated task complexity is considered challenging, as students compare this text to the Chalk Box Kid by Clyde Robert Bulla. Students compare and contrast the two texts using a provided sentence frame.  

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from AD 840-400L and the qualitative complexity rating for texts is either low or moderate. The associated task complexity ranges from accessible to moderate and the overall text complexity ranges from accessible to complex, with most texts being moderate. For example, students listen to How do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro, which has a Lexile of 550L, an appropriate Lexile for a Grade 1 read aloud. The qualitative complexity rating is moderate. The associated task complexity  is accessible, because the teacher models the Response Together writing prompt. The teacher writes a sentence about what they see in the picture.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from AD380–1000L. The qualitative complexity measure ranges from low to moderate and the associated task complexity for all texts is moderate. The overall text complexity rating ranges from moderate to very complex, with most being complex. For example, students listen to Abe Lincoln and Me by Louise Borden, which has a Lexile of AD580, an appropriate Lexile for a Grade 1 read aloud. The qualitative complexity is low and the associated task complexity is moderate. The teacher has the option of modeling or completing the writing assignment with students. The teacher and/or students draw a picture showing what they think Lincoln’s cabin looks like and describe it.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from AD940-500, and the qualitative complexity rating is either low or moderate. The associated task complexity ranges from accessible to moderate and the overall text complexity rating ranges from accessible to complex, with most being moderate. For example, students listen to The Washington Monument by Kristin L.Nelson, which has a Lexile level of 520, an appropriate Lexile for a Grade 1 read aloud. The qualitative complexity is low and the associated task complexity is accessible. The teacher can either model the writing task or do it with students, though the task is not necessarily text-dependent. The task states, “Draw a picture of someone walking up the stairs inside the Washington Monument. Describe what it would be like to walk up those stairs.” Materials provide a sentence frame.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, the quantitative complexity measure ranges from AD650-540L and the qualitative complexity measures are low and moderate. The associated task complexity ratings are either accessible or moderate and the overall text complexity ranges from moderate to complex, with most being moderate. For example, students listen to From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons, which has a Lexile of 560L, an appropriate Lexile for a Grade 1 read aloud. The qualitative complexity is low and the associated task complexity is considered moderate. While the teacher can choose to model or co-construct the writing with students, the task entails looking at a diagram and using a provided sentence frame to write a few sentences explaining how a seed becomes a plant. 

As texts become more complex, some scaffolds and/or materials are provided in the Teacher Edition (i.e., spending more time on texts, more questions, repeated readings). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The amount of time spent on most texts in Shared Reading is five days; however, this amount increases for some texts later in the year. 

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, students read the text three times, with less support each time. They begin by echo reading, then choral reading, and finally, partner reading.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, the Response Together prompt can either be modeled by the teacher, co-constructed with students, or completed by students independently. Although the Bookworms K–1 Teacher Manual states that teachers can use the “extensive modeling language we have provided in writing instruction as a model for modeling,” materials do not provide modeled language for teachers to use.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria of Indicator 1e.

Students engage in a range and volume of texts in the Shared Reading and ELA Blocks through teacher read aloud and choral reading. Students read roughly 70 texts in all and there is a range of text types and genres, though the texts themselves are mostly trade books. Students have the opportunity to read and collaborate on both literary and informational books. Students spend 45 minutes in each block interacting with either a shared text or a read aloud text, plus 15 minute of reading with an independent reading book. During Shared Reading, students engage in Dialogic Reading, which includes choral reading or partner reading. During ELA, students engage in an interactive read aloud. For independent reading, the program provides a curated list of suggested titles for the 15 minutes of free reading during Differentiated Instruction Block; however, materials do not include guidance for implementing independent reading in the classroom or a structure for accountability beyond a Read and Rate chart for students to complete after they have finished reading a book.

Instructional materials clearly identify opportunities and supports for students to engage in reading a variety of texts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Across the 10 Shared Reading units, students listen to and read 30 full-length texts from a variety of text types and genres. The texts are read aloud by the teacher, chorally read by the class, and reread in pairs. For example: 

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, students listen to and read Biscuit by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, which is a realistic fiction text.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, students listen to and read the literary text, The Horse in Harry’s Room by Syd Hoff. 

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, students listen to and read Long, Tall Lincoln by Jennifer Dussling, which is a biography.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 26, students engage in a choral reading and a partner reading of the text The Chalk Box Kid by Clyde Robert Bulla, which is a picture book. 

• Across the 10 ELA units, students listen to 38 full-length texts from a variety of text types and genres. For example: 

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, the teacher and students engage in an interactive read aloud of the text The Art Lesson by Tomie dePaola, which is a picture book.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, students listen to When I Grow Up by Al Yankovic, which is a literary text. 

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, students listen to the informational text Is a Bald Eagle really Bad? by Martha E.H. Rustad.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, students listen to From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons, which is ani nformational text. 

Instructional materials clearly identify opportunities and supports for students to engage in a volume of reading. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, contains one unit and a total of 45 lessons. Throughout this module, students listen to and read a total of seven texts. Students spend Lessons 1-5 on the text Danny and the Dinosaur go to Camp by Syd Hoff. Students engage in choral reading and partner reading. In Lessons 6-15, students listen to and read Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff. Some lessons include students choral reading the text, partner reading the text, and some lessons students do both. Students read and listen to The Horse in Harry’s Room by Syd Hoff in Lessons 16-20. In Lesson 18, students begin with choral reading and then reread with a partner. Students listen to and read  Oliver by Syd Hoff in Lessons 21-30. Students begin each lesson with a choral read and then reread with a partner. Students spend Lessons 31-35 on Danny and the Dinosaur and the Sand Castle Contest by Syd Hoff and spend each day echo reading and rereading with a partner. In Lessons 36-40, students listen to Danny and the Dinosaur Ride a Bike by Syd Hoff and spend time echo reading and partner reading each lesson. Students listen to and read Morris the Moose by Bernard Wiseman in Lessons 41-45. Students echo read and then reread with a partner each day. 

• The Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, contains two units and a total of 45 lessons. Students listen to and read a total of 5 texts. Students begin the module by spending five days on Young Cam Jansen and the Library Mystery by David A. Adler. Each day, students echo read and then reread with a partner. In Lessons 6-15, students listen to Nate the Great Saves the King of Sweden by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. Students choral read and then reread with a partner each day. Students choral read and partner read Nate the Great and the Fishy Prize by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat in Lessons 16-25. In Lessons 26-35, students listen to The Chalk Box Kid by Clyde Robert Bulla and each lesson engage in choral reading and partner reading, where partners take turns reading one page each. In Lessons 3 -45, students listen to The Paint Brush Kid by Clyde Robert Bulla  and spend time engaged in choral reading and partner reading. 

• The ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, contains three units and a total of 45 lessons. Students listen to a total of seven texts. Students listen to Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst in Lesson 26 and 27. In Lesson 28 - 30, students listen to Pepper's Journey: A Kitten’s First Year by Stuart J. Murphy. Students then spend two days listening to The Art Lesson by Tomie dePaola. In Lesson 36 and 37, students listen to How do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro and stop every page or two to discuss the text. Then, students spend one day listening to Possum’s Harvest Moon by Anne Hunter , two days listening to Why do Leaves Change Color? by Betsy Maestro, and one day listening to In November by Cynthai Rylant in preparation for their fall research report. 

• The ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, contains four units and a total of 45 lessons. Throughout the Module 3, students listen to 14 different texts. In Unit 1, students listen to The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant for two days, Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco for two days, Owl Moon by Jane Yolen for one day, A Chair for my Mother by Vera B. Williams for two days, Metal Man by Aaron Reynolds for two days, and My Brother Charlie by Holly Robinson Peete and Ryan Elizabeth Peete  for one day. In Unit 2, students listen to Presidents’ Day by Anne Rockwell for two days, The Washington Monument by Kristin L. Nelson for two days, and Is a Bald Eagle Really Bald? by Martha E.H. Rustad for one day. Each day students listen to one or two pages and discuss the text. In Unit 3, students listen to Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey for two days and Wings by Christopher yers for two days. In Unit 4, students listen to The Rainbow Tulip by Pat Mora for three days, Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon!  by Patty Lovell for one day, and The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do by Ashley Spires for one day. 

There is insufficient teacher guidance to foster independence for all readers.(e.g., independent reading procedures, proposed schedule, tracking system for independent reading). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The program materials include an extensive curated list of recommended titles for classroom libraries. The purpose of this list is for students to free read during a 15 minute rotation during the Differentiated Instruction Block. The amount of time does not increase over the course of the year as students build reading stamina. 

• There are no protocols or explicit instructions for how to implement independent reading, including procedures and tracking. The materials include a Book Recommendation form that is an optional way to share whether or not students think others should read the book. The sentence stem for completing the form is the same K–2. Students also have the option of completing a Read and Rate chart after they finish a book, though the materials indicate that this is “for teachers who want to meet with students to set independent reading goals,” so all students may not have the opportunity to benefit from this accountability structure.

• Students do not have an opportunity to  independently read any book during the English Language Arts block or the Shared Reading Block. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria of Indicator 1g.

Although students have opportunities for text-based discussions every day during the Shared Reading Lesson Plans and during the Interactive Read-Alouds in the ELA Lesson Plans, materials include limited speaking and listening protocols. In Shared Reading, materials include text-based discussion questions but do not include speaking and listening protocols for engaging in discussions. In ELA, students have many opportunities for turn and talks; however, materials do not provide a protocol for this type of discussion. Although turn and talks occur during Shared Reading and ELA, materials rarely provide teacher guidance. Materials provide minimal facilitation and monitoring support for teachers. Additionally, the Teacher Manual provides guidance around “Building and Using Norms for Participation in Discussion; however, instructional lessons and student speaking and listening opportunities do not reference the accountable talk measures outlined in the document.

Materials include limited protocols to support students’ developing speaking and listening skills across the whole year’s scope of instructional materials. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The Bookworms K-1 Teacher Manual includes a section called “Building and Using Norms for Participation in Discussion” that is based on the norms for Accountable Talk. This section provides teachers with prompts and sentence stems to use in various group discussion structures, but these guidelines are not referenced within the instructional lessons to support students’ speaking and listening skill development.

• During the ELA instruction, the teacher stops frequently during the Interactive Read Aloud to ask text-based questions. Students respond to the questions individually or with a partner but do not use a specific speaking and listening protocol when doing so. For example, after listening to The Popcorn Book by Tomie dePaola, students respond to the following discussion prompt: “Have you ever heard of popcorn soup? Talk to your partner about what popcorn soup might taste like...”; however, the discussion activity does not include a protocol. 

• After the Interactive Read Aloud, materials include a final question to bring closure to the day. This question “can be answered by an individual, but it can also be answered individually between partners.” Although the teacher determines the manner in which students respond, materials do not provide a protocol for this opportunity nor is direct teacher guidance provided.

• Each Shared Reading lesson begins with students sharing the previous day’s written response about the text with a partner. The instructions each day state, “Have students discuss written responses from the previous lesson with a partner.” 

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 30, during the read aloud of Pepper’s Journal: A Kitten’s First Year by Stuart J. Murphy, students turn and talk to their partner to discuss if they think Pepper helped to wrap the presents and why; however, materials do not provide a protocol for turn and talk. 

Speaking and listening instruction includes minimal facilitation, monitoring, and instructional support for teachers. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The Bookworms K–1 Teacher Manual states that the teacher should assess Speaking and Listening once per month during ELA using observation and rubrics. 

• The Bookworms K–1 Teacher Manual explains that the Interactive Read Aloud includes questions during and after the text that students can answer individually or in partners, but always orally. Materials do not provide additional facilitation guidance or support. 

• There are minimal facilitation supports for speaking and listening in  ELA. For example, in Module 1, students listen to the texts Hooray for Snail! by John Stadler and Soccer Game by Grace Maccarone. Students turn and talk to their partner to discuss one thing that happened in each text. First they discuss Hooray for Snail! And the teacher then records ideas on alist and then students discuss with a partner and then share out and the teacher records ideas on a chart. 

• Materials provide some support for speaking and listening in Shared Reading but mainly in Module 1. For example, in Module 1, after listening to and reading Soccer Game by Grace Maccarone, students engage in a completion activity where the teacher orally provides the beginning of the sentence and the students complete the sentence. The directions suggest that students should try to say the entire sentence and that the teacher should try to elicit more than one response. 

• Most other facilitation, modeling, and instruction for speaking and listening in ELA and Shared Reading focus more on reading such as choral reading or partner reading found throughout Shared Reading or focus more on writing in ELA, such as in Module 2 when students turn and talk to a partner to try to remember all of the things that need to be in a description.  

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria of Indicator 1h.

Materials include opportunities for students to listen to and speak about what they are reading, listening to, and sometimes researching, though the opportunities are not varied and not all standards are covered. Most speaking and listening opportunities are turn and talk with a partner or the teacher asking a question after reading with students answering orally, though no specifics are provided on how students should respond. Materials do not include different conversational strategies, nor are students explicitly taught speaking and listening skills. 

Students have multiple opportunities over the school year to demonstrate what they are reading through varied speaking and listening opportunities. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Although materials provide opportunities for students to engage in discussions, materials do not provide students with opportunities to follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, at the start of each day, students share their writing from the previous day with a partner. Sometimes the writing is about the text and sometimes it is a personal connection. 

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 10, while partner reading Soccer Game! by Grace Maccarone, students discuss questions such as, “How can we tell that the game is exciting?” and “Why do you think that there is one dog on each team?” 

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 36, while reading the book The Chalk Box Kid by Clyde Robert Bulla, students turn and talk to a partner about the different ways people treat the character Gregory.

• Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 10, after reading Soccer Game! by Grace Maccarone students draw a picture of their favorite event in the story. 

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 7, after listening to Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant, the teacher has the students draw a picture of the cooler when the relatives started out.

Speaking and listening work requires students to utilize, apply, and incorporate evidence from texts and/or sources. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Build on others' talk in conversations by responding to the comments of others through multiple exchanges. 

  • No evidence found  

• Materials provide minimal opportunities for students to ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and texts under discussion. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • No evidence found in the Shared Reading Lesson Plans 

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 20, after listening to Duke Ellington The Piano Prince and His Orchestra by Andrea Davis, students update the timeline as a class. Then the teacher asks, “What else would you like to know?” 

• Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 2, after listening to Danny and the Dinosaur go to Camp by Syd Hoff, students answer several questions such as, “How did the camp director treat Danny and the dinosaur?” and “What was the misunderstanding in the section?” 

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 17, while listening to Newton & Me by Lynne Mayer, students answer several questions to gather information such as “Why are heavy things harder to move than lighter things? Talk to your partner.” and “Why is the wagon harder to move with the rocks inside?”

• Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to gather additional information or clarify something that is not understood. 

  • No evidence found

• Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 3, after reading and listening to Danny and the Dinosaur go to Camp by Syd Hoff, students respond to several questions that encourage them to describe people and places in the text. For example, the teacher asks students, “Who are the main characters in this book?” and “Where does this book take place?” 

  • No evidence found in the ELA Lesson Plans

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for 1l.

Materials include explicit instruction of many grammar and language conventions standards, and students have opportunities for authentic application of these standards. Throughout the materials, instruction in grammar and conventions of language along with opportunities for application, which are integrated into the writing process. Shared Reading plans also provide an opportunity for instruction and application. Materials do not include explicit instruction in the use of capital letters in names and dates, the use of prepositions, or verb tenses. Additionally, there is a lack of opportunities for students to practice these skills.

Materials include explicit instruction of most grammar and conventions standards for the grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Print all upper- and lowercase letters.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 1, the teacher models letter formation by narrating as they skywrite the letters Bb and Mm. The students skywrite a minimum of five times as the teacher models.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 6, the students write a sentence. The teacher is prompted to provide support for students struggling with handwriting.

  • In the Handwriting Workbook, starting with Week 5, the handwriting practice corresponds with the word study patterns for that week. Students use the models to practice letter formation, and then write each word three times. They end by circling the word that looks best.

• Use common, proper, and possessive nouns.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 41, the teacher presents the sentence “The bed is white and silent.” The teacher tells students that bed is a noun, a name for a person, place, or thing. Students brainstorm other nouns that could be used in place of bed in the sentence.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 15, the teacher points out the word Lincoln’s and the apostrophe in the word. The teacher explains that the apostrophe tells us that something belongs to someone. The students write a sentence using a possessive noun, “_____’s shirt was _____.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 26, the teacher shares the sentence “My walls will be filled with awards.” The teacher tells students that the sentence has detail, telling readers how the walls will be filled. Students brainstorm other words (nouns) that could be used to complete the sentence.

  • There is no evidence that proper nouns are addressed in the curriculum.

• Use singular and plural nouns with matching verbs in basic sentences (e.g., He hops; We hop).

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 3, the teacher models writing sentences with subjects and predicates. Students generate sentences. The teacher asks students to share their sentences, noticing differences in verb tenses.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 15 the teacher prompts the students to change the subject in the sentence “I borrow some chalk.” The teacher explains that sometimes when you change the subject, you have to change the verb. For example, when you change the verb from I to My mother, you must change the verb to borrows”

• Use personal, possessive, and indefinite pronouns (e.g., I, me, my; they, them, their, anyone, everything).

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 8, the teacher tells students that they will be working on writing more than one sentence that tells about a picture or idea. When reviewing the parts of a sentence, the teacher tells students that a subject can be one or more people, places or things (noun), or it can be a word that stands for them (pronoun). The teacher models the sentence “We slip on the grass.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 11, the teacher asks if students could replace Eleanor with a different word. The students work to generate a list of pronouns that could be used instead.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 40 ,the teacher models combining two sentences resulting in repeating the subject. The teacher asks what word could replace the repetitive noun the fisherman. Students work with the teacher to decide if he, them, we, or they work best.

• Use verbs to convey a sense of past, present, and future (e.g., Yesterday I walked home; Today I walk home; Tomorrow I will walk home).

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 1, the teacher explains that perched means that a bird came down from the air and rested on something. The teacher is to state, “I saw birds perched on a wire outside of my house this morning. There was a blue jay perched on a tree branch. In our story, Raven perched high up in a pine tree to watch the Sky Chief’s house. Perched means that a bird has come down from the air and is resting on something.” The students complete the sentence, “At home, I saw a cardinal perched on ______________.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 38, the teacher presents the sentence “Yesterday, Walter was eager to watch TV.” The teacher tells students they know that this is the past because of the word was. The teacher then shares two other sentence starters to see what needs to be changed: “ Today, Walter _____ eager to watch TV. Tomorrow, Walter _____ eager to watch TV.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 7, the teacher shares the sentence, “We watched the relatives disappear down the road.” The teacher tells students the word watched has an -ed at the end, which tells us it is something that happened in the past. The teacher leads a discussion on how the word watch can be changed to show something happening now and in the future. Students practice with the sentence “The relatives stayed for weeks and weeks.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 17, the teacher shares the sentence, “The wind was blowing quite hard that day.” The teacher asks students to change the time from that day to tomorrow and discusses how the predicate would change. The teacher then asks what would happen if they changed the time to right now.

• Use frequently occurring adjectives.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 6, the teacher models how to create sentences with subjects and predicates. The teacher displays a picture for the students and asks the students to state what they see in the picture using the following questions:

    • “Who or what is in the picture?”

    • “What is the subject doing?”

    • “How can we describe the _____?”

    • “What does ______ look like?”

    • “What is something about ______?”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 17, the teacher tells students that they will learn how to add details to sentences. The teacher models a sentence, pointing out the subject and the predicate before telling students they can add information to make the sentence a better sentence. The teacher thinks aloud about what else could be added to describe the dog or the subject of the sentence and adds additional details to the sentence. This process is repeated with additional sentences. Students practice expanding sentences by adding adjectives to sentences given by the teacher.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plan, Module 4, Lesson 36, the teacher asks the students to look at the sentence, “Walking home, I say, ‘Mamá, I need a tulip costume.’” The teacher states, “This is a sentence from our book. Let’s look at the word tulip. A tulip is a cup-shaped flower. Tulip is an adjective in this sentence because it describes what the costume looks like. Let’s rewrite this sentence to think of some other adjectives to replace tulip. ‘Walking home, I say, ‘Mamá, I need a ________ costume.’”

• Use frequently occurring conjunctions (e.g., and, but, or, so, because).

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 19, the teacher models expanding sentences by adding details to the predicate. The sample sentence used is: “The dog barked.” The teacher models adding additional information by adding why the dog barked using the conjunction because. The new sentence is “My dog barked because he was hungry.”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 12, the teacher presents students with two sentences and talks about how the sentences can be combined. The teacher points out that they do not need to repeat some of the words/names in both sentences and asks students if they should use and or or to combine the sentences. Students practice combining sentences with teacher support.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 34, the teacher instructs students to combine sentences. The teacher uses the sentences, “I called to Ikarus. He sailed closer to me.” The teacher states, “_Combine _means to put together. If I want to combine these sentences, I have to put them together. We use a comma and special words called conjunctions to put sentences together (and, but, or, so, and because). Let’s try each one and see what sounds best.” Students choose the conjunction that best completes the sentence, “I called to Ikarus, __________ he sailed closer to me.”

• Use determiners (e.g., articles, demonstratives).

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 1, the teacher points out the noun in the sentence “He flew and flew and came closer to the light” is light. The teacher draws attention to the word the before light. The teacher tells the students that this is called an article that helps determine which light the author is referring to. The students develop a list of nouns that could replace light. The students practice choosing which article, such as a, the, or some, will work best.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 5, the teacher and students brainstorm a list of things that you might ask someone to give you. This list will then be used to generate questions. The teacher tells students that, depending on what they want to write, they might have to use a, the, or some to clarify the question. The teacher models with the question, “Will you give me ______?”

• Use frequently occurring prepositions (e.g., during, beyond, toward).

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 26, the teacher presents the sentence “I waited until noon.” The teacher asks students to help expand the sentence by adding a place to the sentence. The teacher tells students if they start the phrase with at or in, you can tell where the sentence is taking place. Students brainstorm a list of places where they could wait.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 16, the teacher introduces the sentence “Newton dropped his ball.” The teacher asks the students to expand on the phrase by adding where he dropped his ball. The teacher provides sentence frames for the students, including “Newton dropped his ball toward __” and “Newton dropped his ball during ____.” The students work to complete the sentence frames.

• Produce and expand complete simple and compound declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in response to prompts.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 24, the teacher tells students that opinion sentences have three parts: the topic, how the writer feels about the topic, and why the writer feels that way. Students build on sentences by adding additional details to explain their reasoning in response to given topics. The teacher asks students to think about three questions when writing their opinion sentences:

    • “Who or what is it?”

    • “How do you feel about it?”

    • “Why do you feel that way?”

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 3, the teacher provides the sentence, “Then King Lion called the monkey.” The teacher asks the students to add a detail that tells why the King Lion called the monkey. The teacher directs the students to come up with three more reasons why the King Lion might call the monkey. The students work with the teacher to expand the sentence.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 6, the teacher shares the sentence, “Don’t touch the pasta pot!” The teacher asks students what they notice about the punctuation and introduces the exclamation point as something “writers use when they want us to know that something they are saying is really important.” The teacher adds that sometimes these types of sentences don’t have subjects because the subject is all of us. The teacher shares the examples “Stay off the lawn!” or “Keep quiet!” The teacher asks students to make more warnings: “Don’t touch the ____~”

  • There is no evidence of instruction on interrogative or imperative sentences in the curriculum.

• Capitalize dates and names of people.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 34, the teacher instructs the students to use the editing checklist to revise and edit their writing. The students check their writing to see if they have capitalized names and dates; however, materials do not include explicit instruction in this skill.

• Use end punctuation for sentences.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 1, the teacher models generating sentences with subjects and predicates. The teacher reminds students that the sentence should end with a period.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 11, the teacher presents sentences that may contain mistakes and asks for students’ help to check the sentences to make sure they make sense. The teacher adds two items to the sentence checklist: start the sentence with a capital letter and end with a punctuation mark. Examples of punctuation marks include a period, question mark, or exclamation point.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 19, the teacher and students work together to compose the sentence “The ragtime music set Duke’s fingers to wiggling.” The teacher asks what would change if we put an exclamation point at the end instead of a period. The students read the sentence both ways.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plan, Appendix, page 568, students are directed to use the Sentence checklist throughout the book: “My sentence has a subject. My sentence has a predicate. My sentence makes sense. My sentence starts with a capital letter. My sentence ends with punctuation.”

• Use commas in dates and to separate single words in a series.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 19, the teacher models combining sentences and using commas to separate the two words that talk about the Cotton Club instead of using the conjunction and.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 13, the teacher models combining sentences and using commas to separate ideas.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 34, the teacher instructs the students to use the editing checklist to revise and edit their writing. The students check their writing to see if they used commas in a series and dates.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 12, the teacher provides the students with three sentences, “We tried out high chairs,” “We tried out low chairs,” and “We tried out soft chairs.” The teacher shows the students how to combine the sentences using commas and the word and before the last sentence.

• Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 29, the teacher dictates sentences, and students write in their workbook.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 42, the teacher introduces the three vowel patterns /op/ , /ot/, and /og/. The teacher gives an example for each pattern and creates columns for each pattern. The students decide which column each word displayed by the teacher belongs in.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 44, the teacher tells the students that today they are going to study high-frequency words. The teacher holds up word cards, and the students orally spell the words. The teacher provides a sentence containing high-frequency words. The students write the sentence.

• Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic awareness and spelling conventions.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 1, the teacher models writing a sentence and thinks aloud how to stretch words out to spell them. The students write their own sentences stretching out words.

  • In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 7, students write sentences to describe a picture. Students are reminded to use the process of (1) think, (2) say, (3) check and fix, (4) say it again, (5) write it, and (6) check by rereading.

Materials include authentic opportunities for students to demonstrate application of skills in context, including applying grammar and convention skills to writing. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 11, students draw a picture of events from the story Hooray for Snail or Soccer Game. When they are finished drawing, students write a sentence to describe the event.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 15, students write descriptions of a character from one of the Shared Reading books. The teacher guides students through the process of selecting a character and orally describing the character to a partner. The teacher reminds students to use good sentences and check their work carefully.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 27, students write a note to Alexander after reading Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Students are asked to think about something they can write to Alexander that will cheer him up. The teacher reminds students to write sentences with subjects and predicates while adding details to the subject and predicate to make the sentences more interesting and to give readers more information.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria of Indicator 1m.

Lesson plans provide vocabulary exposure and development across the year. The program includes specific protocols for teaching vocabulary. Teachers have guidance on how to perform daily vocabulary routines. In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, students learn and review words before and after reading. The lesson design is structured to introduce vocabulary words before or after the ELA Interactive Read Aloud sessions, depending on the genre. Materials give attention to the selection of Tier 2 words to accompany narrative stories In the ELA Lesson Plans and of Tier 3 words as part of informational texts In the ELA Lesson Plans. Materials provide few instances of vocabulary words repeating across multiple texts. After initial instruction and reading or hearing the vocabulary word in the text, materials rarely expose students to the word again. 

Materials provide teacher guidance outlining a cohesive year-long vocabulary development component. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The Bookworms K–1 Teacher Manual includes a general description of the vocabulary plan for the program. The manual explains that “the vocabulary knowledge built In the ELA Lesson Plans spills into Shared Reading to increase comprehension” and “The informational texts In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans and ELA build vocabulary that spills over into science and social studies instruction.” 

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, as part of the Text Engagement routine, the teacher introduces one new vocabulary word that students will encounter in the reading for that day. After the teacher introduces the word along with its definition, students use the word orally with a partner. 

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, vocabulary instruction for informational texts often occurs using a visual support, such as semantic maps or tree diagrams and instruction always occurs before the reading begins. The vocabulary words are content-area words that help students understand the text, though materials do not explicitly state what the focus words are or what their importance is to the text. For example, in Module 1, Lesson 36, students learn words that are parts of an apple flower such as bud, sepal, and petal. They then see these words again in the book How do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, vocabulary instruction for narrative texts occurs after reading. The teacher introduces two vocabulary words per read-aloud text. Students repeat the word and the teacher defines the word and explains how the word was used in the reading. Then students use a sentence frame to form their own sentences using the word. For example, in Module 1, Lesson 30, after listening to the text Pepper’s Journal: A Kitten’s First Year by Stuart J. Murphy, students learn the words decided and playful. The teacher reads the sentences from the text that contain each of the words. Students use the following sentence stems to form their own sentences using the vocabulary words: “I decided to have _____ for lunch today. I decided that ____ is my favorite sport.” and “We have a chance to be playful when_____. My family acts playful when _____.”

Vocabulary is repeated in contexts (before texts, in texts) and at times, across multiple texts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, each day before reading the text, the teacher introduces one new vocabulary word; however, materials do not include opportunities for students to revisit these words at the end of each read-aloud session or cycle. For example, in Module 1, Lesson 36, the teacher introduces the word sea and explains that they will see the word many times in the book Little Critter Going to the Sea Park by Mercer Meyer, but students never revisit the word after listening to the text.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 19, the teacher introduces the word need. Students revisit the word need, prior to listening to the book Do I Need It? Or Do I Want It? by Jennifer Larson. 

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 20, students listen to Duke Ellington: The Piano Price and his Orchestra by Andrea Davis Pinkney and hear the word struggle used in the text. Then in Module 3, Lesson 26, after reading Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskley, the teacher provides explicit instruction on the word struggle. 

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 9, students learn the word brave prior to listening to the text, ThunderCake by Patricia Poloco. During the reading, the teacher asks, “Do you agree with Grandma that the girl is brave?” Then in the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 42, the teacher reviews the word brave, before students listen to a reading of Paint Brush Kid by Clyde Robert Bulla. 

Attention is paid to vocabulary essential to understanding the text and to high value academic words. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, lessons for narrative texts include instruction in Tier 2 words that appear in the texts. The teacher introduces two words each day and students review all four vocabulary words on the fifth day of the lesson cycle. The Teacher Manual explains that the two vocabulary words are words that are likely to come up in another text and will be part of students’ vocabularies. 

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, lessons for informational texts include instruction in Tier 3 words. According to the publisher, the program utilizes this lesson structure because “students need to have specific content-area terms introduced before they listen or as they encourage them to enhance understanding.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for 1n.i.

The Grade 1 materials provide teachers with systematic and explicit modeling for instruction in syllables, sounds, and spoken words. Explicit instruction is present in blending words, onset and rime, and segmenting words. Students have multiple opportunities to practice these skills throughout the program. Other skills, such as spelling words with long vowels, consonant and vowel digraphs, and multisyllabic words, are referenced, but they are not taught explicitly and systematically. There is a lack of evidence that students receive explicit instruction in using knowledge of vowel sounds to determine the number of syllables in a printed word, in decoding two-syllable words by breaking the words into syllables, and in reading words with inflectional endings.

Materials provide the teacher with systematic, explicit modeling for instruction in syllables, sounds (phonemes), and spoken words. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words:

  • In the Differentiated Instruction Block Manual, Lesson 5, the teacher says, “We are going to start by listening for vowel sounds. We are going to review words that have the short-vowel sounds in hat, pig, and pot. We are going to review words that have the long-vowel sounds in cake, bike, and bone.”

• Orally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant blends:

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 3, the teacher tells students they will say the word slowly, say the word, and move it. The teacher models using the word sun. The teacher holds up a finger for each sound, /s/, /u/, /n/, says the sounds, and moves a marker for each sound using Elkonin Boxes. The students say the word and move it. This process continues for all given words.

• Isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single-syllable words:

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 13, the teacher introduces jab. The teacher holds up a finger for each sound while saying the sounds, /j//a//b/, jab. The teacher repeats the word, moving a marker into the Elkonin Boxes for each sound.

  • In the Differentiated Instruction Block Manual, Lesson 5, the teacher says, “Sometimes two letters work together to represent one sound. A-r represents /ar/; o-r represents /or/; u-r, e-r, and i-r represents /er/. If you think of those letters working together to represent one sound, you can still sound and blend.”

• Segment spoken single-syllable words into their complete sequence of individual sounds (phonemes):

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 33, the teacher states, “Today we will work with sounds. I am going to say a word. Then I am going to say the word slowly. Then I am going to say it and move it. Then you are going to say it and move it. The first word is shin. What word? I am going to say it slowly. Hold up a finger for each phoneme. /sh/ /i/ /n/, shin. Now I am going to say it and move it.” Using the Elkonin box, the teacher moves a marker for each sound. Then he/she says, “/sh/ /i/ /n/, shin. Now you say it and move it.”

Materials provide the teacher with examples for instruction in syllables, sounds (phonemes), and spoken words called for in grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plan, Module 1, Lesson 23, the “Say it and Move It” activity provides directions with examples. It also provides tips for the teacher, such as, “Today we will work with sounds. I am going to say a word. Then I am going to say the word slowly. Then I am going to say it and move it. Then you are going to say it and move it.”

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 23, the teacher has the following example: “The first word is hat. What word? I am going to say it slowly. Hold up a finger for each phoneme. /h/ /a/ /t/, hat. Now I am going to say it and move it: Using the Elkonin box, move a marker for each sound. /h/ /a/ /t/, hat. Now you say it and move it.” The activity provides a Teaching Tip: “Students may use their own manipulative or just count on their fingers. They should do this orally.”

Materials contain explicit instructions for systematic and repeated teacher modeling of most grade-level phonics standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs:

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 15, the teacher tells students they work on reading and spelling three different final sounds: /ch/, /th/, and /sh/. The teacher models each sound with examples. The teacher says words and asks students to identify which sound pattern is addressed. Students read all the words with the /sh/, /ch/, and /th/ pattern.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 16, the teacher states, “The /th/ sound is at the end of the word path and it is spelled t-h. The /sh/ sound is at the end of the word fish and it is spelled s-h.” Students classify words.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 32, the teacher uses Elkonian boxes to help make spelling-sound correspondence for consonant digraphs concrete. The following example is given for the teacher to say: “Use Elkonin boxes to make the directions below concrete. ‘We hear the sound /th/ and we see the letters t and h. The next sound we hear is /ai/ and we see the letters ei. The last sound we hear is /r/ and we see the letter r. Just remember the letters e and i work together to make the sound /ai/ in their. This word is their. What word?”

• Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words:

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 28, the teacher instructs the students to sound and blend words. They are to use their fingers to point out each letter and say each sound. For example: “Now we are going to sound and blend each word. The way that you do that is you look at each letter, make each sound, and then say the sounds fast to make a word. I’ll sound and blend each one, and then you’ll do it. Point to each letter as you say each sound out loud. Listen: /p/ /a/ /t/, pat.” The teacher points to each letter as students say the sounds, then repeats modeling and student practice for all of the week’s words.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 22, the teacher models reading words that end in -ack, -ick, and -ock. The teacher says the word, identifies the pattern, and decodes the word.

• Know final -e and common vowel team conventions for representing long vowel sounds:

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2 Lesson 1, the teacher states, “The first word is see. What word? You use this word when you say, ‘I see a tall tree.’ I’m going to show you how the word works. Watch me say the sounds. Put up a finger for each phoneme. /s/ /ee/ There are two sounds. Watch me write the letters.” The teacher uses a whiteboard to write the letters. The teacher states, “There are three letters. Use Elkonin boxes to make the directions below concrete. The first sound we hear is /s/ and we see the letter s. The next sound we hear is /ee/ and we see the letters e and e working together to make the sound /ee/ in see.”

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 36, the teacher tells students they will read and spell words with the short and long /a/ sounds. The teacher tells students the /a/ sound is in the word clap and is spelled with an a. The teacher tells students the /ay/ sound is in the middle of the word cake and is spelled with -aCe. The teacher presents several picture cards with short and long /a/ sounds and asks students to determine which pattern is used in the word. The teacher shows students the word cards, and they read the words aloud, identifying the sound they hear in the word.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 37, the teacher has students to recognize the final-e convention for representing long vowel sounds. The teacher states, “This week we will work on reading and spelling short a and long a sounds. The /ay/ sound is in the middle of the word cake and it is spelled with -aCe. I want you to listen to each word and think about which sound you hear. The first word is hat. The sound is /a/ and I spell it with an a so I will put hat under clap.” The teacher does not show the card to students. The teacher repeats the procedure with the words from the student word hunt and the remaining words. /ay/ words: hate, made, place, game, flame, fame

• Use knowledge that every syllable must have a vowel sound to determine the number of syllables in a printed word:

  • No evidence was found.

• Decode two-syllable words following basic patterns by breaking the words into syllables:

  • No evidence was found.

• Read words with inflectional endings:

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 8, the teacher shares, “Aim is a verb that means to point something towards something else. In the book it says, ‘We aim.’ The team was pointing the ball towards the goal. I can say, ‘I aim the dart at the dart board at the carnival.’ Since aim is a verb we can add –ed or –ing to the end of the word. If we add –ed, the word is aimed. Aimed means that you already lined up one thing to point at another thing. I aimed the dart at the dart board at the carnival. We can also add –ing to the word. We can make the word aiming. Aiming means we are doing it right now.”

Lessons provide teachers with systematic and repeated instruction for students to hear, say, encode, and read each newly taught grade-level phonics pattern. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 11, the teacher provides systematic and repeated instruction for students to hear and say sounds as seen in the following example: “Show the Ii header card. ‘This week we will work with words that start like /i/ insects, /i/ insects, /i/ insects.’ Repeat with the remaining weekly letters: Pp, Nn, Ll. Sort the picture cards. ‘This is an /i/ igloo. What word?’ Students will repeat igloo. ‘Does igloo start like insects, park, nose, or light?’ Teaching Tip: If students cannot isolate the initial sound, pull the sound out for them, using this script: ‘Does /i/ igloo sound like /i/ insects, /p/ park, /n/ nose, or /l/ light? /i/ igloo /i/ insects, /i/ igloo.’”

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 14, the students complete dictated sentences using transfer words, the week’s high-frequency words, and eight words from the week’s word list that focus on the word study pattern.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for 1n.ii.

Materials include repeated instruction with frequent opportunities for students to practice phonological awareness skills throughout each lesson. Students use Elkonin Boxes for phonemic awareness activities. Materials provide sample scripts and lessons to help build the phonological awareness skills explicitly and systematically over the course of the year. The materials lack a clear, evidence-based explanation for the sequence used. No evidence was found of isolating the initial, medial, or final sounds in single-syllable words.

Materials have a cohesive sequence of phonemic awareness instruction based on the expected hierarchy to build toward students’ application of the skills. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 74, a weekly plan for word study includes 20 days of letter and phoneme review and segmenting practice twice a week. Phonemic Awareness activities are included in the Word Study portion of the daily lesson. Phonemic awareness activities include printed letters.

Materials do not contain a clear, evidence-based explanation for the expected hierarchy for teaching phonological awareness skills.

Materials include a variety of activities for phonological awareness. For example:

• In K-1 Teacher Manual, Understanding Shared Reading in First Grade, page 74, the authors explain the word study portion of the lessons in Grade 1. During Lessons 1 and 2, the teacher pronounces words (without displaying them), and students show or tell where to sort them. Then students read the word. The teacher teaches two high-frequency words by orally segmenting, matching segments to letters, and explaining the relationship. In Lessons 3 and 4, the teacher pronounces words, segments them orally, and then uses Elkonin boxes to teach blending. The teacher points to words, and the students sound and blend the word phoneme by phoneme. The teacher teaches two high-frequency words by orally segmenting, matching segments to letters, and explaining the relationship.

• In K-1 Teacher Manual, Understanding the Differentiated Instruction Block, page 150, the authors explain how to use the Differentiated Instruction Block manual to support phonemic and phonological awareness. There are four sets of lessons included in the manual: basic alphabet knowledge, using letter sounds, using letter patterns, and dedicated sentences. Basic alphabetic knowledge lessons include singing, saying, and/or pointing to the alphabet, initial sound sorting, letter names and sounds, high-frequency words, and tracking memorized text. The using letter sounds lessons include “Say It and Move It” activities, sounding and blending, and high-frequency words. Lessons on using letter patterns include oral blending and segmenting, teaching letter patterns, decoding practice, spelling, and high-frequency words. Phonemic awareness lessons include printed letters.

There are frequent opportunities for students to practice phonological awareness. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Phonological awareness is included in all lessons in the Grade 1 Shared Reading materials. Most lessons are teacher-directed with guided practice and supported student practice.

• The teacher has examples to aid instruction in grade-level standards instruction in syllables, sounds, and phonemes. For example, in the Shared Reading Lesson Plan, Module 1, Lesson 23, the “Say it and Move It” activity, there are directions with examples. It provides verbiage for the teacher, such as, “Today we will work with sounds. I am going to say a word. Then I am going to say the word slowly. Then I am going to say it and move it. Then you are going to say it and move it.”

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plan, Grade 1, Module 1, Lesson 23, the teacher has the following example: “The first word is hat. What word? I am going to say it slowly.” Hold up a finger for each phoneme. “/h/ /a/ /t/, hat. Now I am going to say it and move it.” Using the Elkonin box, move a marker for each sound. “/h/ /a/ /t/, hat. Now you say it and move it.” It also provides a Teaching Tip: Students may use their own manipulative or just count on their fingers. Students do this orally.

Materials provide opportunities for students to practice each new sound and sound pattern. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson, Module 3, Lesson 36, the teacher instructs students to distinguish long from short vowel sounds of a. An example of this is as follows: “‘This week we will work on reading and spelling short a and long a sounds. The /a/ sound is in the middle of the word clap, and it is spelled with an a. The /ay/ sound is in the middle of the word cake, and it is spelled with an aCe.’ Place each header at the top of the chart to form columns. Do not show the card to students. ‘I want you to listen to each word and think about which vowel sound you hear. The first word is hat. What word? hat/clap, hat/cake, hat/clap!’ Show the word. ‘The sound is /a/ and I spell it with an a, so I will put hat under clap.’ Do not show the card to students. Repeat the procedure with the remaining words. /a/ words: slap, stamp, mad, stand, plant /ay/ words: hate, made, place, game, flame, fame.” There is the following Teaching Tip: “Optional challenge words: strange, replace, behave, shave. If you include these words, use the same procedure to sort them.”

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 2, the teacher tells students they will read and spell words with the long and short i sounds. The teacher tells students that the /i/ sound is in the word fish, and the igh/ sound is in the word bike and is spelled with iCe. The teacher reads words and determines if the word has a long or short i sound. Students determine if the word has a long or short i sound.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 16, the teacher tells students they will read and spell words with the long and short u sounds. The teacher tells students the /i/ sound is in the word plug, and the /ue/ sound is in the word tune and is spelled with a uCe. The teacher presents examples and models determining if the word has a short or long u sound. The teacher gives students words to say. Students determine if the vowel is long or short.

• Orally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant blends.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 4, the teacher tells students they will be working with sounds. The teacher says a word slowly, holding up a finger for each sound in the word. The teacher repeats the word and moves a marker for each sound using Elkonin Boxes. Students blend the sounds to produce the word. Students repeat this process with the given words.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 9, the teacher has students orally produce single-syllable words by blending phonemes in the following “Say It and Move It” examples: “You will need an Elkonin box and some markers/chips. ‘This week we will work on reading and spelling three vowel patterns. Today we will work with sounds. I am going to say a word. Then I am going to say the word slowly. Then I am going to say it and move it. Then you are going to say it and move it. The first word is bed. What word? I am going to say it slowly.’ Hold up a finger for each phoneme. ‘/b/ /e/ /d/, bed. Now I am going to say it and move it.’ Using the Elkonin box, move a marker for each sound. ‘/b/ /e/ /d/, bed. Now you say it and move it.’”

• Isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single-syllable words.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 22, the teacher introduces a “Say It and Move It” activity that focuses on initial, medial, and final sounds using Elkonin boxes for the words and and is.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 24, the teacher says a word by sounding out the phonemes in the word pack and blends the word in the demonstration. Students echo.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 11, the teacher introduces the word them. The teacher models saying all sounds in the word: /th//e//m/. The teacher pushes a marker into the box using Elkonin Boxes for each sound in the word. The teacher pronounces each sound again and blends it to make the word. Students complete with the teacher and complete together with the remaining words.

  • No evidence was found of isolating the initial, medial, or final sounds in single-syllable words.

• Segment spoken single-syllable words into their complete sequence of individual sounds (phonemes).

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 23, the teacher says a word, and students segment the word into phonemes. The words used in the activity are in /i/ /n/ and go /g/ /o/.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 8, the teacher presents the word drab. The teacher holds up a finger for each sound in the word and moves a marker using Elkonin Boxes for each sound in the word. Students model segmenting the word and blending it back together. This process is repeated with the other provided words.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for 1n.iii.

Materials include opportunities for students to practice and apply some grade-level phonics skills. The students have many opportunities to practice reading and writing text, phoneme spellings, digraphs, and one-syllable words. Phonics skills, such as associating the long and short sounds with the common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels, decoding two-syllable words, and decoding words with inflectional endings, are referenced in the materials; however, there are minimal opportunities for students to practice these skills with written words and sentences. There is limited instruction and practice about building, manipulating, spelling, and encoding in lessons. Additionally, students have minimal opportunities to read and write multisyllabic words. Instructional practices and directions for these activities often prompt the teacher to read the word first or use picture cards instead of words, thereby limiting students’ independent practice of these skills. Students may have opportunities to apply grade-level phonics if the teacher uses activities from How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3; however, it is not guaranteed that all students will receive this instruction. Materials delineate a scope and sequence with a cohesive sequence of phonics instruction and practice. The materials cite research studies to support the sequence.

Lessons provide students with opportunities to decode some (phonemes, onset and rime, and/or syllables) phonetically spelled words. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 21, the teacher models the “Say It and Move It” activity using words with consonant digraphs as in _shot _and _chat. _The students practice moving and saying the words after the example. The following consonant digraph words are suggested as challenge words: shift and theft.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 22, the teacher presents and reviews the focus patterns_ -ack, -ick, _and -ock. The class sorts words into appropriate categories together. Students chorally read the words with each pattern together.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 29, the students use Elkonin boxes to say and move the word shake /sh/ /long a/ /k/.

  • In the Shared Reading Lessons, Module 3, Lesson 12, students listen to the words and determine which sounds they hear after the teacher introduces the sounds. /Ch/ is one of the focus sounds, and the following words are used: _chip, chop, _and chat. There are optional challenge words: _chunk, chip, champ, and chest. _Students chorally say the words and point to the sound.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 16, the teacher presents and reviews the focus patterns /ch/, /sh/, and /th/. The class sorts words into appropriate categories together. Students chorally read the words with each pattern together.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 22, the teacher explains that the students will hear /w/ and spell it with a w and h. The teacher provides this example as the teacher instructs the students how to listen to the sounds in the word white. The students repeat the word and chorally listen to the following sentence, “I must use a white pen to make my craft.” The students use the lines to touch and say each word in the sentence and write the dictated sentence. There is no additional work with consonant digraphs in the lesson.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 35, students complete Word Assessment 25, where the teacher dictates 15 words. The assessment includes consonant digraph transfer words than and chop and the high-frequency words there, their, and thing, which feature consonant digraphs.

• Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 26, the teacher presents words with the /s/, /h/, and /sh/ sounds at the beginning of the words. Students listen to words and sort them depending on the sound they hear at the beginning of the word. Word cards are placed under the appropriate heading. Students read the words _sip, sock, hip, hen, ship, shop, shin, shut, _and shuck that feature each sound.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 17, the teacher presents words with the /sh/, /th/, and /ch/ sounds. Students listen to words and sort depending on the sound they hear. Word cards are placed under the appropriate heading. Students read the words with each digraph, including inch, ranch, bath, cloth, cloth, cash, dish, hush, and_ mash._

• Know final -e and common vowel team conventions for representing long vowel sounds.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 36, the teacher presents words with /a/ and /ay/ sounds. Students listen to words and sort depending on the sound they hear. Word cards are placed under the appropriate heading. Students read the words with each pattern, including _slap, stamp, mad, hate, made, _and _place. _

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 37, the teacher introduces the a_e pattern with _hate, made, place, game, flame, _and _fame. _

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 12, students read and spell words with short and long o. The teacher gives the following instruction: “The /oa/ sound is in the middle of the word rope, and it is spelled with an oCe.” The long o words phone, stole, whole, rope, broke and_ home_ are used in the sound sort._ _In the Teaching Tip section, the materials provide optional challenge words such as _alone, notebook, explode, _and boneless.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 41, students read and spell short and long words in a word sort. The teacher says, “The /oa/ sound is in the word_ foal, and it is spelled o-a.” Students listen for vowel sounds as the teacher gives examples such as moan/frog _and _moan/foal. The teacher shows the word card and states, _“The sound is /oa/ and I spell it _o-a, _so I will put _moan _under _foal.” _The process is repeated using a list of words with long vowels, including _foal, moan, boat, roast, float, _and _roam. _There are optional, long-vowel challenge words in the Teaching Tip section, such as _toasted, foaming, _and hotspot.

  • In _How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, _Long Vowel Teams, Sample Script for Lesson 5, students decode words with long vowel teams. Words are decoded in isolation and short passages.

• Use knowledge that every syllable must have a vowel sound to determine the number of syllables in a printed word.

  • No evidence was found.

• Decode two-syllable words following basic patterns by breaking the words into syllables.

  • In _How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, _page 236, the text outlines an 18-week lesson plan for decoding multisyllabic words, including Week 2 through Week 6: Prefixes and Suffixes. However, breaking the words into syllables is not instructed.

  • In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 42, the materials provide the teacher with the following two-syllable words as Challenge Words: _toasted, tugboat, hotspot. _Breaking words into syllables is not explicitly taught in this lesson.

  • No evidence of instruction on breaking words into syllables was found.

• Read words with inflectional endings.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 8, the teacher discusses adding -ed and -ing endings to the word_ aim_. The students use _aimed and aiming _in sentences.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 32, the teacher discusses adding the_ -ing _ending to the word _tempt, _and students discuss the meaning.

  • No other evidence was found.

Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to read complete words by saying the entire word as a unit using newly taught phonics skills. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• There are generic lesson plans for long vowel teams in How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3. In this plan, students read words with vowel teams.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 19, after students participate in the “Say It and Move It” activity, students use sound blending to look at each letter and say its sound to read each word correctly.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 1, students read words with the /gr/ and /dr/ sounds after listening and sorting words with the sounds. The teacher states, “Let’s read all of the words with the /gr/ blend. Point to each word as you chorally read the list. Now let’s read all the words with the /dr/ blend. Point to each word as you chorally read the list.”

Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to decode words in a sentence. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 1, students decode words to write a dictated sentence. For example, the students listen to their teacher and echo read the sentence, “My bag is red.” The students count the number of words. They draw a line for each word and then write each word on the lines drawn.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 12, the students read the text chorally with the teacher, followed by a partner-reading of the same story.

• In _How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, _Lesson 5, the students read words and sentences using the vowel-consonant-e pattern.

Lessons provide students with limited opportunities to build/manipulate/spell and encode words using common and newly-taught sound and spelling patterns. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 12:

  • Build: The teacher says the word ask. The teacher puts a finger up for each phoneme and spells the word._ _

  • Manipulate and Spell: The teacher uses the word day in a sentence. The teacher says the word, counts the phonemes, uses Elkonian boxes to segment, and maps the word using a dry erase board.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 6, the teacher introduces -et, -en, and -ed spelling patterns. Students learn the words _wed, fed, Ted, pen, den, hen, met, get, _and _set. _The students classify the words based on the spelling patterns.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 25, the teacher states 15 words for the word study assessment. Students write the words.

• In the Shared Reading Lessons, Module 2, Lesson 33, the teacher uses _shin for building and spelling. _

  • Build: The teacher says the word slowly and holds up a finger for each phoneme.

  • Manipulate and spell: The teacher uses a marker and the Elkonin boxes to move a marker for each sound. Students may use fingers instead of markers. The teacher points to each letter as the students say the sounds.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 16, students reread pages 5-21 of the text and find words with /ch/, /th/, and /sh/. They make a list of the words they have found.

Materials contain methods to promote students’ practice of previously taught grade-level phonics. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The Shared Reading Lesson Plans include methods to promote students’ practice of grade-level phonics skills. Methods include word sorts with picture and word cards, choral reading, and partner reading.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, page 1, the manual states, “In Word Study, students will review and build on early foundational skills learned in kindergarten. For the first four weeks of instruction, students will review beginning sounds. Beginning in the fifth week of instruction, they practice using short vowel spelling.”

Materials delineate a scope and sequence with a cohesive, intentional sequence of phonics instruction and practice to build toward the application of skills. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The K-1 Teacher Manual, pages 188-200, contains the scope and sequence of the word study lessons.

  • Module 1, Unit 2:

    • Lessons 11-15:_ i, p, n, l_

    • Lessons 16-20: h, d, c, o

    • Lessons 21-25: at, an

    • Lessons 26-30: at, ap, ag

    • Lessons 31-35: it, in

  • Module 1, Unit 3:

    • Lessons 36-40:_ it, ig, ip_

    • Lessons 41-45: op, ot, og

  • Module 2, Unit 1:

    • Lessons 1-5: un, ug, ut

    • Lessons 6-10: ed, en, et

    • Lessons 11-15: ap, ip, op

    • Lessons 16-20: an, in, en, un

    • Lessons 21-25: ack, ick, ock

    • Lessons 26-30, s, h, sh

    • Lessons 31-35: sh, ch, th

    • Lessons 36-40:_ s, t, st_

    • Lessons 41-45: st, sp, sl

  • Module 3, Unit 1:

    • Lessons 1-5: g, gr, d, dr

    • Lessons 6-10: d, j, dr

    • Lessons 11-15: ch, tr, j, dr

    • Lessons 16-20: ch, th, sh

    • Lessons 21-25: t, st, ft

    • Lessons 26-30: d, t, nd, nt

  • Module 3, Unit 2

    • Lessons 31-35: a, o, u

    • Lessons 36-40: a, aCe

    • Lessons 41-45: a, aCe

  • Module 4, Unit 1

    • Lessons 1-5: i, iCe

    • Lessons 6-10: a, aCe, i, iCe

    • Lessons 11-15: o, oCe

    • Lessons 16-20:_ u, uCe_

    • Lessons 21-25: o, oCe, u, uCe

  • Module 4, Unit 2:

    • Lessons 26-30: ar, or, ir

    • Lessons 31-35: short a, ai

    • Lessons 36-40: short e, ee

    • Lessons 41-45: short o, oa

• In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 101, the manual reviews how to track progress in single-syllable spelling, including the spelling features in the order they are typically acquired:

  • Initial consonant sounds

  • Final consonant sounds

  • Consonant digraphs

  • Consonant blends

  • Short vowel sounds

  • R-controlled vowels spelled for sound

  • R controlled vowels correct

  • VCe

  • Vowel teams consistent with sound

  • Vowel teams correct

Materials have a clear research-based explanation for the order of the phonics sequence. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In _How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, _Chapter 4, the text includes background knowledge on research involving word study. When talking about the importance of invented spelling, the text cites the work of developmental spelling researchers at the University of Virginia (Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton, and Johnston) and Senechal, Ouellette Pagan, and Lever, and Lee and Scanlon.

• In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, page 219, refers to research studies to validate their approach to the instruction of syllables. The manual states, “A well-validated approach involves acquainting children with syllable types (Bhattacharya, 2006; Bhattacharya & Ehri, 2004; Moats, 2004; Shefelbine, 1990). Knight-McKenna (2008) outlines a specific procedure that involves the six basic syllable types.”

Materials provide some opportunities for students to develop orthographic and phonological processing. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 33, Sound and Blend, the teacher models blending hit. The points to each letter, and students say the sounds for all of the week’s words.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 39, Say It and Move It, the teacher states a word, repeats the word slowly, says it and moves it, and then the class says the word and moves it. Students move markers using the Elkonin box.

In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 43, Say Spell It, the teacher states a word from the pocket chart. When the teacher snaps their fingers, the students say the word, spell the word aloud, and say the word. The example word is tame.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for 1o.

Materials provide some opportunities for the instruction of print concepts in relation to writing sentences. In choral reading, partner reading, and discussion, some activities highlight certain structures and features briefly. Instruction related to text features and structures is limited to the teacher briefly telling students about the text features. Students do not identify text features or structures independently.

Materials include some adequate lessons and tasks/questions about the organization of print concepts (e.g., recognize features of a sentence). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: Recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence (e.g., first word, capitalization, ending punctuation).

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 11, the teacher models writing sentences for students. The teacher asks students to make sure the sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with punctuation.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 1, the teacher directs students to pay attention to the ending marks when writing a dictated sentence.

• In the Shared Reading Lessons, Module 2, Lesson 36, the teacher reads the sentence, “That stick is on top of my blue car.” The students say it with the teacher; they repeat it chorally until they know the sentence. They notice the spaces between each line. They touch the lines and say the sentences.

• In the Shared Reading Lessons, Module 2, Lesson 37, the teacher reads the sentence, “Our ship came to the dock.” The students say it with the teacher; they repeat it chorally until they know the sentence. They notice the spaces between each line. They touch the lines and say the sentences.

• In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 129, the manual states that in first grade, the sentence-level teacher modeling is condensed to the first 25 lessons of Module 1. With think-alouds written into the lesson plans, the teacher models how to construct a sentence with a subject and predicate.

Students have some opportunities to identify text structures (e.g., main idea and details, sequence of events, problem and solution, compare and contrast, cause and effect). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 12, the teacher explains the concept of the main idea. Students do not have the opportunity to identify the main idea of texts.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 10, the teacher prompts a student to retell the sequence of events using beginning, middle, and end.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 29, the teacher tells students that stories have characters who have a problem. The teacher says, “If you think about the character and the problem, it will help you to remember the important events. Think about the problem in your head right now.” The class partner reads a portion of the text. When finished, the teacher asks: What was Oliver’s problem? How was it resolved at the end of the story? When a problem is resolved, that’s called a resolution.”

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 45, the teacher asks students, “What was the problem in this book? How did the friends solve the problem?”

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 44, the teacher asks, “How is the setting the same in the Chalk Box Kid and The Paint Brush Kid? How is it different? How are the characters the same in these two books? How are they different? How are the events the same in these two books? How are they different?” The teacher organizes the students’ results in a table.

Materials include some lessons and activities about text features (e.g., title, byline, headings, table of contents, glossary, pictures, illustrations). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 44, the teacher asks students to look at a page of nonfiction text. The teacher tells students that this page looks different from other pages because authors writing information books will add additional sections or appendices to “add more information about the topic at the end of the book.” The teacher shares that this text adds a timeline of Dr. King’s life and pictures of Dr. King and his family. The teacher tells students, “Looking at the headings, I can get an idea of what each section may be about.”

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 5, the teacher directs students to use the Table of Contents to find a story of interest.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 2, the students reread the text in a choral format. After reading, the teacher tells students that they can “use information from the pictures to see that he is very small.”

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 4, the teacher tells students, “I have to connect ideas from the pictures and the words and what I know about baseball to figure out the meaning.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for 1p.

The Grade 1 materials include opportunities for students to read texts with purpose and understanding. The teacher often reads texts first, with echo or choral reading following. Students are not provided opportunities to read texts independently as part of the materials. The students have opportunities to hear fluent reading modeled for them. Reading with expression is addressed and practiced by students; however, there are no lessons about reading at an appropriate rate. Instruction and exposure to irregularly spelled words is briefly included in the materials. Instruction of high-frequency words is included within differentiated instruction lessons; however, it is not guaranteed that all students will receive this instruction.

Multiple opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to purposefully read on-level text. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 2, students echo read the text, Snail Listens. The students echo read the entire text, where the teacher reads first, and then the students read along with the teacher. The teacher guides the students through a discussion using the following questions to access understanding after reading chorally:

    1. What did Snaill do? Who can tell me one thing? What else?

    2. Where did Snail hit the ball?

    3. Why did Snail take a nap?

    4. Who won the game?

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 1, the teacher sets the purpose by stating, “When we study the work of authors, we can see how authors create characters. Syd Hoff often includes imaginary characters in his books. Imaginary means not real or make-believe. We will see how Syd Hoff creates imaginary characters that make his books more interesting and funny.”

  • In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 38, students chorally read pages 12-19, and the teacher poses a question to facilitate understanding. The teacher states, “I have to stop here because I have a question. The author just told me that the dinosaur put down pillows so Danny would have a soft landing if he fell off his bike. Then the author tells me that ‘it didn’t work the way the dinosaur planned.’ That makes me think that something went wrong, and the pillows did not help Danny. But when I look at the illustration, I can’t see that anything is wrong. I wonder - why didn’t the dinosaur’s plan work? Maybe if I read on, I will find out my answer.” The student’s partner reads pages 12-19 by reading two pages consecutively and answering the following discussion questions:

    1. Why didn’t the dinosaur’s pillow plan work?

    2. How did Danny react after he tumbled off his bike when the dinosaur tried to distract him?

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 37, the teacher sets the reading purpose by stating, “Today we are going to start with echo reading. Let’s think about our expression. We want our reading to sound really smooth and beautiful. And we want to be sure to notice question marks and raise our voices, and when we see exclamation marks we read in an excited way.”

Materials support students’ development of automaticity and accuracy of grade-level decodable words over the course of the year. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 31, the students read The Fat Cat Sat on the Mat by Nurit Karlin. The students echo read and then chorally read the text.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lesson 36, the students work on reading and spelling long a and short a words with a and aCe patterns. The students listen to /a/ words (slap, stamp, mad, stand, plant) and /ay/ words (hate, made, place, game, flame, fame), determine the vowel sound, and sort the word by patterns.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lesson 36, students read and spell long e and short e words. The students listen for the vowel sounds and sort the words based on the vowel pattern. The /e/ words are rent, nest /ee/ words: need, sleep, creek, teen, steel, seem.

Some opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to demonstrate sufficient accuracy and expression in oral reading with on-level text and decodable words; however, there is no evidence of instruction in the core reading materials for appropriate rate. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 28, the teacher asks students what it means to read with expression. The teacher defines expression and why it is important to read with expression. Students are asked to reread the text, thinking about expression. The teacher tells students, “We want our reading to sound really smooth and beautiful. And we want to be sure to notice question marks and raise our voice, and when we see exclamation marks we read in an excited way.”

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 2, Lesson 10, the class chorally reads pages 5-29. Students partner read the text, taking turns every two pages. The teacher tells students to “make sure your eyes are on the words your partner is reading in case your partner needs help” After reading, the teacher asks the students to retell the story.

Materials provide opportunities for students to hear fluent reading of grade-level text by a model reader. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 94, the manual describes how to create “purposeful student pairs” to meet the demands of the oral reading protocols of the program. Peer-Assisted learning Strategies (PALS) pairs include the teacher ranking students by oral reading fluency, dividing the class in half, and assigning students to partners. This provides “pairings all have a relatively more fluent student paired with a relatively less fluent student, but the fluency difference is controlled so the most fluent student is not paired with the least fluent students.”

• In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 94, the manual details the types of reading included in the Shared Reading Lesson plans. “The goal of Shared reading is to ensure that there are two consecutive readings with nearly no time between them, so that students can leverage the first reading to enhance their word recognition and fluency in the second reading. For first graders, we use three routines to accomplish two consecutive readings: echo reading, choral reading, and partner reading.”

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 1, the teacher echo reads Snail Listens, two pages at a time, in echo reading format. The teacher tells the students they will show them how to read the book as the teacher reads and touches the word, and then they read.

• In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 26, the teacher prepares students to read a new text, Biscuit Goes to School. The students and teacher echo read the text two pages at a time. The teacher and students chorally read the book. There are three questions for discussion after reading.

• In the ELA Lesson Plans, there is a daily interactive read aloud. In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 108, the manual states, “The teacher reads aloud at a normal adult pace, with many stops. Stops include those from the lesson plans and others that the teacher adds to model, explain vocabulary, and ask questions.”

Materials do not include systematic and explicit instruction of irregularly spelled words. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Evidence of explicit instruction of irregularly spelled words was not found. Irregularly spelled words were sometimes included in high-frequency word lists, but their inclusion as irregularly spelled words was not intentional.

  • In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 80, the manual states, “We also teach five high frequency words each week in first grade as spelling words. We don’t draw attention to the shapes of these words. Consistent with the science of reading, we teach students to process letter by letter from left to right. We analyze the sound of the word. Then we show the spelling. Then we match explicitly the sound and the spelling, noting any parts of the word that need special attention where the association is not expected or is beyond what students have learned so far. This procedure for teaching high frequency words begins on Lesson 21 and lasts for the entire first grade year. It involves analysis of the relationship between phonemes and graphemes rather than rote memorization.”

Students do not have opportunities to practice and read irregularly spelled words in isolation. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.

  • Evidence of the practice of irregularly spelled words was not found. Irregularly spelled words were sometimes included in high-frequency word lists, but their inclusion as irregularly spelled words was not intentional.

    • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 3, Lessons 26-28, the high-frequency words him, who, how, purple and green are individually introduced using the “sound out” strategy. Then in Lesson 29, the words are reviewed by showing word cards, and the students read and spell them. This activity features the word who, which is an irregularly spelled word.

    • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 4, Lessons 16-18, the high-frequency words been, brother, sister, first, and which are individually introduced using the “sound out” strategy. Then in lesson 19, the words are reviewed by showing word cards, and the students read and spell them. This activity features the words been and which, which are irregularly spelled words.

Materials do not include a sufficient quantity of new grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words for students to make reading progress. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Evidence of instruction of irregularly spelled words was not found. Irregularly spelled words were sometimes included in high-frequency word lists, but their inclusion as irregularly spelled words was not intentional.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, all students receive explicit instruction on 160 high-frequency words. The list does not specify “irregularly spelled words.”

  • In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, students receiving small group instruction for Targeting Word Recognition and Fluency receive instruction on high-frequency words from the Fry 200 word list. This list includes some irregularly spelled words.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for 1q.

The Grade 1 Bookworms materials include some systematic and explicit instruction in word recognition and analysis in connected texts and tasks. However, lessons for instruction are only included in the Differentiated Instruction materials; therefore, it is not certain that all students will receive instruction in these materials or lessons. While connected texts are included in the shared reading and ELA lesson plans, the texts do not directly relate to the word recognition and analysis skills being taught and do not contain words related to that focus. While some materials, questions, and tasks provide instruction in practice of word recognition and analysis skills, there is no evidence of a research-based progression in connected text and tasks.

Materials provide some support to students’ development learn grade-level word recognition and analysis skills (e.g., spelling-sound correspondences of digraphs, decode one-syllable words, syllable and vowel relationship, decode two-syllable words, read words with inflectional endings) in connected text and tasks. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs.

  • No evidence was found.

• Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.

  • The K-1 Teachers Manual, page 76, states that, for the first four weeks of first grade, the teacher provides a sentence and then demonstrates how to isolate sounds in words and write them.

  • In the Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 38, students decode regularly spelled words: sit, wit, pig, dig, wig, sip, lip, tip, rip, dip, and hip. Students use the “Say it and Move It” and “Sound and Blend” strategies to practice the spelling words. Know final –e and common vowel team conventions for representing long vowel sounds.

• No evidence was found. Use knowledge that every syllable must have a vowel sound to determine the number of syllables in a printed word.

• No evidence found Decode two-syllable words following basic patterns by breaking the words into syllables.

• Evidence exists only in Differentiated Instruction lessons. No evidence is found that all students are taught this skill.

  • In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, Fluency and Comprehension with Multisyllabic Decoding Generic Lesson Plan, page 209, the lesson includes a multisyllabic introduction where students mark vowels and divide words, choral response, first reading, second reading, and inferential discussion. Read words with inflectional endings.

• Evidence exists only in Differentiated Instruction lessons. No evidence is found that all students are taught this skill.

  • In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, Fluency and Comprehension with Multisyllabic Decoding Generic Lesson Plan, page 209, the lesson includes a multisyllabic introduction where students mark vowels and divide words, choral response, first reading, second reading, and inferential discussion. Weeks 2 through 6 of the lesson plans focus on prefixes and suffixes. For example, Week 2 focuses on un-, re-, -ful, and -ly.

Materials provide minimal opportunities to read irregularly spelled words in connected text and tasks. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Evidence of instruction in high-frequency words is found only in Differentiated Instruction lessons. It is not certain that all students will receive this instruction. No evidence is found for instruction for all students in these skills.

• Recognize and read grade-level appropriate irregularly spelled words.

  • In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, Basic Alphabet Knowledge Generic Lesson Plan, page 51, the lesson begins with an alphabet review where students sing and point to letters of the alphabet. The second part of the lesson focuses on initial sound sorting. Next, the students practice letter names and sounds and high-frequency words. The lesson ends with students tracking memorized text. Using sentences or a short predictable book, the teacher teaches students the words, and students say the words while pointing to the initial letter in each.

Lessons and activities provide students opportunities to learn grade-level word recognition and analysis skills while encoding (writing) in context and decoding words (reading) in connected text and tasks. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Shared Reading Lesson Plans, Module 1, Lesson 42, students read high-frequency words from word cards. The students write the dictated sentence, “The man had a hot pot.”

• In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 74, states that the teacher teaches two high-frequency words. The teacher dictates a sentence that contains a mix of decodable and high-frequency words, and the students write it.

• In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 75, states the word study process where the teacher pronounces words (without displaying them), and students show or tell where to sort them. Then they read the words. The teacher teaches two high-frequency words by orally segmenting, matching segments to letters, and explaining the relationship.

Materials do not include decodable texts that contain grade-level phonics skills aligned to the program’s scope and sequence. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• No evidence was found of decodable text containing grade-level phonics skills aligned to the program’s Word Study Scope and Sequence for whole-class instruction (word sort and spelling tests exist in shared reading). Evidence exists only in Differentiated Instruction lessons, but there is no certainty that all students will be instructed using these lessons.

  • In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, materials include decodable texts for the following:

    • Blends and Digraphs: 29 passages

    • R Controlled Vowels: 29 passages

    • Vowel Consonant e: 14 passages

    • Long Vowel Teams: 29 passages

  • In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, on page 102, it states, “We do not match our decodable text to our decodable instruction with much precision.”

Materials do not include decodable texts that contain grade-level high-frequency/irregularly spelled words aligned to the program’s scope and sequence. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Evidence of decodable text was found in Differentiated Instruction, but no evidence was found for whole-class instruction. Further, there is no certainty that these texts align to high-frequency/irregularly spelled words or a scope and sequence.

• In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, on page 102, it states, “We do not match our decodable text to our decodable instruction with much precision.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for 1r.

The Grade 1 materials provide opportunities to assess students on some foundational skills. Assessments include the Informal Decoding Inventory, a test on letter names, a test on letter sounds, and a test on Fry Instant Words. However, there are no assessment opportunities focused on concepts about print and phonological awareness. There are multiple assessments over the course of the year in the core materials to address phonics and word recognition, mainly in the Differentiated Reading Instruction materials. The materials have instructional supports and lessons in the Differentiated Reading Instruction materials. There is no certainty that assessments in the Differentiated Reading Instruction materials will be administered to all students. While the materials provide an Assessment Plan for each grade level, teacher guidance for assessment protocols are not clear or specific.

Assessment opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to demonstrate progress toward mastery and independence of foundational skills. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Materials include some assessment opportunities that measure student progress of print concepts.

  • No evidence was found.

• Materials include assessment opportunities that measure student progress of phonological awareness.

  • No evidence was found.

• Materials include assessment opportunities that measure student progress of phonics and decoding.

  • The K-1 Teacher Manual page 31 lists an Informal Decoding Inventory to be individually administered around Module 1, Lesson 12, to assist in the Differentiated Instruction group placement.

  • In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 100, it is stated that teachers will formally evaluate four word study assessments. On page 101, a rubric is provided to guide teachers to analyze students’ mastery of specific phonics skills.

  • In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 121, materials state that the read-aloud days are not used for formal assessments but provide opportunities to informally assess language knowledge.

  • In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, page 22, the different assessments included in the materials are addressed. In K-3, the assessments include Informal Decoding Inventory: Short Vowels through Vowel Teams, and Informal Decoding Inventory: Multisyllabic Words.

  • In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, page 38, the text includes an Informal Decoding Inventory. The inventory “includes six subtests that progress in difficulty. The first five address single-syllable decoding; the last addresses multisyllabic decoding.” Subtests include short vowels, consonant blends and digraphs, r-controlled vowel patterns, vowel-consonant-e, vowel teams, and multisyllabic words.

  • In the Shared Reading Lessons, Module 2, Lesson 20, the teacher gives students a word study assessment from words and patterns they have been practicing. The teacher calls out 15 words for the Word Study Assessment. The words should include transfer words, such as van, bin, hen, and sun, all of the week’s high-frequency words, which are boy, now, out, girl, and or, and six (6) words of their choice from the week’s word list, which includes -an, -in, -en, and -in patterns. Some of the words are fan, pan, tan, win, pin, tin, ten, pen, den, pun, fun, and run.

• Materials include assessment opportunities that measure student progress of word recognition and analysis.

  • In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 100, the text states, “Shared reading is a powerhouse of skill development, but we do not spend much time on assessment. In a given month, teachers will only collect and formally evaluate four word study assessments and as many as four written responses from all of the great work that occurs in Shared reading. Spending more time on assessment takes too much time away from instruction, practice, and teacher preparation.”

  • In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, page 33, the text includes the Test of Fry Instant Words. The assessment assesses “a student’s ability to recognize 300 frequently occurring words, as selected by Edward B. Fry. The words are grouped into three sets of 100 by relative difficulty, and each group of 100 words is, in turn, grouped into sets of 25.” Scoring and interpretation notes that there is “no cumulative score. Each word is actually a separate skill, which means that there is a direct link between testing and teaching. Any word that is not pronounceable automatically simply requires more practice!”

  • In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, page 22 lists the following tests for grade 1 students to be given depending on their reading ability: * K–1 Test of Fry Instant Words - to determine which high-frequency words can be pronounced quickly when they are viewed in isolation. * K–3 Informal Decoding Inventory: Short Vowels through Vowel Teams - to determine the highest decoding skill set the student has attained in pronouncing one-syllable words of progressively more difficult patterns.

• Materials include some assessment opportunities that measure student progress of fluency.

  • The K-1 Teacher Manual, page 30, states, “Teachers will need a valid external screening measure of oral reading fluency in grades 1-5.”

  • In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 100, the test states, “We expect the Shared Reading segment of Bookworms to build word knowledge and oral reading fluency. Oral reading fluency is relatively easy to measure and it is reliably related to comprehension. Beginning in January of grade 1, it requires that students read aloud, and that their accuracy and rate are compared to well established benchmarks and norms. Choosing an external measure of oral reading fluency, three times per year, is one of the initial tasks we assigned to the leadership team. Knowing whether students are automatic when they read is essential information to understanding them as readers. To answer that question, schools must choose and use correctly a valid and reliable measure of oral reading fluency.”

    • In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, pages 22 and 26, the different assessments included in the materials are addressed. In K-3, teachers administer the Test of Oral Reading Fluency. On page 26, the materials address assessing fluency. “The purpose of assessing fluency is to identify or rule it out as a “cause for concern and as a target of instruction.” There are consensus benchmarks in the text in Chapter 6.

    • In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, page 27, the text addresses assessing word recognition, letter names, and letter sounds. The materials state, “You’ll also notice that we have included no measure of oral reading fluency. Examples such as those from DIBELS Next and Aimsweb are readily available and easy to administer. We think it is best to allow schools to make the decision about what measure they will use. We caution you, though, not to use derived measures of oral reading fluency estimated through computer-based assessments of component skills. In our model, you must actually listen to a student read and calculate WCPM before making group decisions. If oral reading fluency is weak, you must administer the IDI rather than analyze the mistakes the student made while reading in context.”

    • In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, the Test of Oral Reading Fluency is to determine speed and accuracy of reading aloud grade-level text.

Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information of students’ current skills/level of understanding. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, page 21, the materials include the assessment cycle for small group instruction. Screening assessments are completed for initial group placement. Diagnostic assessments for specific planning are completed as well as unit assessments to gauge learning and reevaluate group placement.

• In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, page 199, the materials include fluency benchmarks across grade levels.

• In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, page 200, the materials include the NAEP fluency rubric.

Materials support teachers with instructional adjustments to help students make progress toward mastery in foundational skills. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, page 23, the materials illustrate strategies for forming groups in Kindergarten and half of Grade 1 based on assessments. If the student passed the vowel teams subtest of the Informal Decoding Inventory (IDI), the student should work on handwriting and spelling. If the student passed any lower subtest of the IDI, the student should be placed in the group for the lowest subtest they failed. If the student passed the test of letter sounds, the student should be placed in the using letter patterns group. If the student scored greater than 20 on the test of letter sounds, the student should be placed in the using letter sounds group.

• In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, page 24, the materials illustrate strategies for forming groups in the second half of grade 1 and beyond. If the student is at a benchmark in fluency, place the student in a vocabulary and comprehension group. If the student is not at benchmark in fluency and passed the multisyllabic subtest of the IDI, the student should be placed in a fluency and comprehension group without multisyllabic decoding.

• In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, page 28, the materials state that after forming groups based on assessment data, the teacher should begin a three- to six-week instructional plan. Informal assessments are completed during the last 15 minutes of the instruction. The last day of the cycle is for formal assessment in the areas being supported. If the student passes the assessment, the teacher advances the student to the next skill. If the student does not pass the assessment, the cycle repeats. If the student fails a second time, it is suggested that the cycle is repeated again with a different teacher. If the student continues to struggle, it may be an appropriate time for an intervention.

• In the K-1 Teacher Manual, the teacher gives word study assessments every five days. Students’ word study progress is assessed once each month. For students struggling on word study assessments, the teacher uses qualitative rubrics to track progress.

• In the K-1 Teacher Manual, Oral Reading Fluency screenings begin around Module 1, Lesson 10, to establish risk status.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for 1s.

The materials provide some suggestions for differentiating instructional materials, questions, and tasks when teaching foundational skills. In the K-1 Teacher Manual, there are several broad suggestions regarding how to scaffold the materials to meet the needs of students who struggle, high-achieving students who are high-achievers, and English learners. While the K-1 Teacher Manual provides overall suggestions, teacher instructions are not specific or explicit in providing differentiated supports. The materials, questions, and tasks in the ELA or Shared Reading Lesson Plans do not support differentiation during core instruction or provide specific supports for students who read, write or speak a language other than English or otherwise struggle. The Differentiated Instruction Block provides targeted instruction for small groups, including students who struggle. The suggestions for students who are high-achieving center around making written exercises more challenging. 

Materials provide some strategies and supports for students who read, write, and/or speak in a language other than English to meet or exceed grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 72, the text states, “Some students will struggle because they are multilingual. Shared reading is a time multilingual students will benefit because of the intense language exposure and opportunity. These students will benefit from the structures we have built into dialogic reading: word walk vocabulary instruction and scaffolded retellings with sentence frames. We built Shared Reading for language development, so multilingual learners will be well served.”

• In the K-1 Teachers Manual, page 104, the text states that it is really different to engage the whole class in a group reading of the same trade book, rather than reserving books for guided reading matched to global instructional levels. Rather than changing the text level for students with weaker word knowledge, they use repeated reading and oral discussion to make text accessible.

• In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 105, multilingual learners have their foundational skills needs addressed during word study and the Differentiation Block. Shared Reading is a time of day with intense language exposure and opportunity. Multilingual learners may be able to track and read silently while the teacher reads chorally, and they will benefit from being partnered with a peer who will do the reading for them (while they track again) until they can begin to read chorally. Since Bookworms is not designed with a standards-mastery timeline, these students can be fully included in Shared Reading and increase their participation in practicing all standards as their language skills improve.

• In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 126, the text states, “If you are serving a large number of newcomer multilingual learners, some may require a basic oral language intervention, one that cannot be provided by the classroom teacher. It may be wiser to schedule that intervention during ELA time rather than during Shared Reading. Shared Reading texts are slightly less complex and read more than one. Substituting a portion of grade-level instruction with intervention will always have implications, though. This substitution can only be possible if there are additional teachers to provide the oral language intervention.”

• In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, Chapter 4: Targeting Phonological Awareness and Word Recognition, pages 45-48, the text describes methods for grouping children and strategies for teaching phonics, decoding, and spelling skills in small, targeted groups. There are lesson plans and assessments. This instruction exists for all struggling students, but it is not specific to students learning English.

Materials provide some strategies and supports for students in special populations to work with grade-level foundational skills and to meet or exceed grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 71, the text addresses how to support students who struggle. The text states, “Teachers have to first get all the Shared Reading teaching procedures down pat, then let students get accustomed to a new way of spending time and energy, and then see who is struggling. When the students are identified, it is worth the time it takes to consider the source of the struggle before planning a support system.” The text lists the following as reasons why students may struggle:

  • All students will struggle if they don’t feel respected and supported by their teacher.

  • Some students will struggle because they lack reading stamina.

  • Some students will struggle because they enter the grade level with foundational skills deficits.

  • Some students will struggle because they have disabilities related to language and literacy.

  • Some students will struggle because they are adding English to their knowledge of a home language.

• In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 72, the text states, “What our strategies for supporting students have in common is that they ask teachers to consider how a student who needs additional support can still participate as fully as possible. We don’t substitute a different, easier text or task. We don’t change pacing. We create a community where all students can thrive.”

• In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 105, the text states, “Some students will struggle because they enter the grade level with foundational skills deficits. We anticipate that there will be some students in a first-grade class with very weak alphabet knowledge. You will know who these students are, and you will address their needs directly during word study and during the DI Block. It will not help to try to modify the goals or structures of Shared Reading for them. They will still benefit from Shared Reading, though, because they will be building concepts of print, background knowledge, specific vocabulary knowledge, grammatical knowledge, and story structure knowledge. Decide what is the most challenging task they can do during repeated reading (e.g., track the text with a finger as the teacher reads, or whisper read at a pace slightly behind the teacher, as an echo). Then decide how to release slightly more responsibility to them during partner rereading.” The text further states that “if students are weak, use the same goal-setting strategies that you use for other students building stamina, always identifying a participation strategy that is appropriate during the initial reading segment and during the rereading. Students may have to listen during the echo or choral reading and then listen again and fingerpoint during rereading. Some students may have to take breaks during shared and partner reading; work with them to make those breaks routine and unobtrusive to the rest of the students.”

• In How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction: Resources for Grades K-3, Chapter 4: Targeting Phonological Awareness and Word Recognition, pages 45-48, the text describes methods for grouping children and strategies for teaching phonics, decoding, and spelling skills in small, targeted groups. There are lesson plans and assessments. This instruction exists for all struggling students, but it is not specific to students learning English.

Materials provide some extensions and/or advanced opportunities to engage with foundational skills at greater depth for students who read, write, speak, and/or listen above grade level. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In the K-1 Teacher Manual, page 72, the text addresses how to support students with high achievement. The text states, “In Dialogic Reading, teachers can ask especially sophisticated questions of them, provide language scaffolding to enhance the grammatical contexts in which they embed vocabulary words, and allow them to demonstrate retellings. They can assign text connections to these students as written work even early in the year when other students are doing these tasks orally.”

• No other evidence was found.