2020

Express Readers Foundational Skills And Reading Program

Publisher
Express Readers
Subject
ELA
Grades
K-2
Report Release
12/03/2020
Review Tool Version
v1.0
Format
Supplemental: Foundational Skills Only

EdReports reviews of foundational skills supplements determine if a program meets, partially meets, or does not meet expectations for alignment to research-based practices and college and career ready standards. This rating encompasses all grades covered in the program.

Alignment (Gateway 1)
Partially Meets Expectations

Materials must meet or partially meet expectations for standards alignment in order to be reviewed for usability. This rating encompasses all grades covered in the program.

Usability (Gateway 2)
Partially Meets Expectations
Key areas of interest

This score is the sum of all points available for all foundational skills components across all grades covered in the program.

The maximum available points depends on the review tool used and the number of grades covered.

Foundational Skills
110/202

This score represents an average across grade levels reviewed for: integrated reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language, and promotion of mastery of grade-level standards by the end of the year.

Building Knowledge
NC = Not Claimed. The publisher does not claim that this component is addressed in the materials.
NC
Our Review Process

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Additional Publication Details

Title ISBN
International Standard Book Number
Edition Publisher Year
Bug Gets Wet 978-1-941532-00-3 Express Readers 2014
Bug Has a Hut 978-1-941532-01-0 Express Readers 2014
Cat Can 978-1-941532-02-7 Express Readers 2014
Cub And The Nap 978-1-941532-03-4 Express Readers 2014
Dog And The Gift 978-1-941532-04-1 Express Readers 2014
Dog Gets a Job 978-1-941532-05-8 Express Readers 2014
Dog Gets a Van 978-1-941532-06-5 Express Readers 2014
Duck And His Mom 978-1-941532-07-2 Express Readers 2014
Duck And The Mess 978-1-941532-08-9 Express Readers 2014
Duck Has a Nest 978-1-941532-09-6 Express Readers 2014
Fish Had a Wish 978-1-941532-10-2 Express Readers 2014
Chimp Camps 978-1-941532-11-9 Express Readers 2014
Chimp Gets a Check-Up 978-1-941532-12-6 Express Readers 2014
Duck Up a Hill 978-1-941532-13-3 Express Readers 2014
Frog Hunts For a Pal 978-1-941532-14-0 Express Readers 2014
Pig Has a Pet 978-1-941532-15-7 Express Readers 2014
Pig Was Hot 978-1-941532-16-4 Express Readers 2014
Frog And His Sled 978-1-941532-17-1 Express Readers 2014
Cub Has a Picnic 978-1-941532-20-1 Express Readers 2015
Duck Sings a Song 978-1-941532-21-8 Express Readers 2015
Snake 1 And Snake 2 978-1-941532-22-5 Express Readers 2015
Dog And His Bone 978-1-941532-23-2 Express Readers 2015
Pig Hikes 978-1-941532-24-9 Express Readers 2015
The Snakes Race 978-1-941532-25-6 Express Readers 2015
Frog Has The Blues 978-1-941532-26-3 Express Readers 2015
Cat Gets a Scare 978-1-941532-27-0 Express Readers 2015
Pig At The Beach 978-1-941532-28-7 Express Readers 2015
Snakes On a Train 978-1-941532-29-4 Express Readers 2015
Dog?s Feast 978-1-941532-30-0 Express Readers 2015
Duck Bakes a Cake 978-1-941532-31-7 Express Readers 2015
Duck Feels Sick 978-1-941532-32-4 Express Readers 2015
Fish Gets Clean 978-1-941532-33-1 Express Readers 2015
Cat On The Road 978-1-941532-34-8 Express Readers 2015
Cub On a Boat 978-1-941532-35-5 Express Readers 2015
Practice Pages, Step 1, ED. 2 978-1-941532-52-2 Express Readers 2018
Tool Kit, Step 1, ED. 2 978-1-941532-53-9 Express Readers 2018
Practice Pages, Step 2 and Step 3, ED. 2 978-1-941532-68-3 Express Readers 2018
Tool Kit, Step 2 and Step 3, ED. 2 978-1-941532-69-0 Express Readers 2018
Practice Pages, Step 4 and 5, ED. 2 978-1-941532-70-6 Express Readers 2018
Tool Kit, Step 4 and 5, ED. 2 978-1-941532-71-3 Express Readers 2018
Express Readers Teacher Planner, Step 1 978-1-941532-86-7 Express Readers 2020
Express Readers Teacher Planner, Steps 2-3 978-1-941532-87-4 Express Readers 2020
Express Readers Teacher Planner, Steps 4-5 978-1-941532-88-1 Express Readers 2020
Student Activities Book 978-1-941532-90-4 Express Readers 2020
Ready To Read Activities Book 978-1-941532-91-1 Express Readers 2020
Ready, Set, Go Teacher?s Guidebook, Steps 1-5 978-1-941532-92-8 Express Readers 2020
Express Spelling, Steps 1-5 978-1-941532-94-2 Express Readers 2020
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Note on review tool version

See the top of the page to confirm the review tool version used for this report:

Report for 1st Grade

Alignment Summary

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for alignment to standards and research-based practices for foundational skills instruction. The materials partially meet the criterion for materials and instruction provide embedded support with general concepts of print. The materials partially meet the criterion for materials emphasize explicit, systematic instruction of researched-based and/or evidence-based phonological awareness.  The materials partially meet the criterion for materials emphasize explicit, systematic instruction of researched-based and/or evidence-based phonics. The materials partially meet the criterion for materials and instruction support students in learning and practicing regularly and irregularly spelled high-frequency words. The materials partially meet the criterion for materials and instruction provide systematic and explicit instruction and practice in fluency.

1st Grade
Alignment (Gateway 1)
Partially Meets Expectations
Gateway 2

Usability

29/52
0
25
46
52
Usability (Gateway 2)
Partially Meets Expectations
Overview of Gateway 1

Alignment to Standards and Research-Based Practices for Foundational Skills Instruction

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria for alignment to standards and research-based practices for foundational skills instruction. The materials partially meet the criterion for materials and instruction provide embedded support with general concepts of print. The materials partially meet the criterion for materials emphasize explicit, systematic instruction of researched-based and/or evidence-based phonological awareness. The materials partially meet the criterion for materials emphasize explicit, systematic instruction of researched-based and/or evidence-based phonics. The materials partially meet the criterion for materials and instruction support students in learning and practicing regularly and irregularly spelled high-frequency words. The materials partially meet the criterion for materials and instruction provide systematic and explicit instruction and practice in fluency.

Criterion 1.1: Print Concepts and Letter Recognition (Alphabet Knowledge)

02/04
Materials and instruction provide embedded support with general concepts of print, and systematic and explicit instruction and practice for letter recognition.

Students frequently practice letter formation through a variety of sensory and multi-modal experiences. Instruction occurs during center activities, which are flexible. Instructional materials partially meet the criteria that materials provide instructional support for general concepts of print and connect learning of print concepts to books and provide cumulative review of print concepts, letter identification, and printing letters.

Indicator 1A
Read
Letter Identification
Indicator 1A.iv
01/02
Materials provide explicit instruction to print and to practice forming the 26 letters (uppercase and lowercase).(K-1)

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials provide explicit instruction to print and to practice the 26 letters (uppercase and lowercase).

Students frequently practice letter formation through a variety of sensory and multi-modal experiences. Students have opportunities to practice forming letters with a variety of materials and through large-muscle and small-muscle activities.

Teachers give consistent, specific directions on where students should begin and end their letter formation. There are directions to support the teacher in how to model and write all of the letters. However, multi-modal instruction and practice occurs primarily in center activities, which are flexible, and lesson plans do not provide the teacher with instruction on how or when to implement center activities. There are activities for students to practice printing uppercase and lowercase letters.

Materials include directions for the teacher concerning how to explain and model how to correctly form each of the 26 letters (uppercase and lowercase). Examples include, but are not limited to the following:

  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 6-10, Whole Class Lesson, the teacher gives specific directions to students on how to write an uppercase and lowercase A.
  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 11-15, the teacher uses a piece of paper to help students learn how to write letters uppercase and lowercase I-O.
  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 16-20, teacher models forming uppercase and lowercase letters P-U.
  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 21 -25, the teacher models how to form uppercase and lowercase letters V-Z.

Materials include some opportunities for students to practice forming all of the 26 letters (uppercase and lowercase). Examples include, but are not limited to the following:

  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1:
    • Days 6 -10, students practice writing letters B, C, D, F, G, and H.
    • Days 16-20, the students practice forming uppercase and lowercase letters P-U.
    • Days 21 -25, students complete the Medium Rainbow letters activity for letters V-Z.
  • In Student Activities Book, Steps 1-5, Handwriting, letters are taught as being “petal”, “root”, or “stem” letters (letters written above, below, or within the lines on a paper). Students are given pages to practice identifying and writing the letters based on where the letter is written (above, below, or within) the lines on a paper.
  • In Student Activities Book, Steps 1-5, Handwriting, Handwriting Practice Sheets are provided for students to practice tracing and writing all 26 uppercase and lowercase letters.

Materials include some opportunities for students to practice forming letters using multi-modal and/or multi-sensory methods. Examples include, but are not limited to the following:

  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 11-15, the teacher calls out a letter of the alphabet and states whether the letter is to be uppercase or lowercase. Students write an invisible, large letter with their finger pointing in the air, forming the letter with correct directionality. This activity is repeated in four other lessons.
  • Other multi-sensory and multi-modal activities are available in centers. However, centers are optional, so students might not have the opportunity to participate in these activities.
Indicator 1B
01/02
Materials provide instructional support for general concepts of print and connect learning of print concepts to books (K-1) and provide cumulative review of print concepts, letter identification, and printing letters. (K-early Grade 1)

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials provide instructional support for general concepts of print and connect learning of print concepts to books (Kindergarten-Grade 1) and provide cumulative review of print concepts, letter identification, and printing letters. (Kindergarten-early Grade 1).

There are many instructions for teachers to use when teaching certain print concepts such as ending sentences, word spacing, and directionality in reading left to right. However, the Kindergarten materials do not contain explicit instructional materials for teaching all print concepts. There are limited experiences for students to learn about print concepts with actual books. Books are provided which would allow a teacher to connect learning of print concepts to books, but there are no specific instructions for doing so. While the materials do provide some opportunity for some review of print concepts, letter identification, and letter formation, the review is not systematic or frequent.

Materials include sufficient and explicit instruction for all students about the organization of print concepts (e.g. recognize features of a sentence). Examples include but are not limited to the following:

Students have opportunities to recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence (e.g., first word, capitalization, ending punctuation). For example;

  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 41-45, the teacher focuses on the distinguishing features of a sentence by directing to mark the first letter of each sentence and the end mark. This procedure is done in every Sentence Solving lesson.
  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 91-95, “Sentence Solving” Mini-Lesson, directions instruct teachers to have students point to the first letter in the sentence. The teacher should note that this letter is always uppercase.
  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 91-95, “Sentence Solving” Mini-Lesson, directions instruct teachers to have students point to the end mark, a period, which signals the end of a sentence. Students color/trace this end mark with the red crayon to mark where they STOP reading.
  • In the Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 91-95, the teacher explains to students that end punctuation marks the end of the sentence. There are three marks that students will practice; question mark, exclamation point, and period. The teacher explains what each mark means.

Materials include limited lessons, tasks, and questions for all students about the organization of print concepts (e.g. recognize features of a sentence). Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 6-10, Center #2: “Book Explorers”, the teacher reminds students that every time there is a space, it means there is a new word starting.
  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 21-25, the students point to the first letter in the sentence. They are reminded that the first letter in the sentence is always uppercase.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 91-95, students complete the End Mark Sheets where they read the sentence and add ending punctuation based on inflection.

Materials include limited physical books (teacher-guided, such as big books) that are suitable for the teaching of print concepts. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 106-110, it references “Express Theater: Frog and Bug Sled.” The teacher provides students with a script, and students are assigned a role. Students are reminded to track along and attend to end marks.

Materials include limited instruction about the organization of print concepts (e.g., recognize features of a sentence) in the context of a book. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 1-5, contains a “Book Explorer” activity, the teacher talks about beginning book trait knowledge. This includes proper book handling, turning pages from front to back, looking at a page from top to bottom, and looking at text from left to right.

Materials consistently include limited opportunities for students to engage in authentic practice using print concepts in the context of student books. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 51-55, students track with their fingers as the teacher reads the book to them.
  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 66-70, students practice reading the black and white version of the book before reading the color book for practice without supports.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 41-45, students read the book, Short Vowel Ee Book. The teacher reads the books while students track with their fingers.

Materials contain periodic cumulative review opportunities during which the teacher reminds students about previously learned grade level print concepts, letter identification, and letter formation. Examples include,but are not limited to the following:

  • No evidence found

Materials include limited opportunities for students’ practice of previously learned print concepts, letter identification, and letter formation. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 41-45, the teacher shows students the Flower Handwriting Displays. After discussing the three types of letter placement on handwriting lines, students write each letter into the correct box: Stem Letters, Petal Letters, and Root Letters.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 51-55, the teacher reads any book, and students are instructed to practice previous book handling skills.

Criterion 1.2: Phonological Awareness

06/12

Materials emphasize explicit, systematic instruction of research-based and/or evidence-based phonological awareness.

Instructional materials partially meet the criteria that materials have daily opportunities for students to engage in phonological awareness activities through Kindergarten and early Grade 1. There are limited opportunities for students to engage in activities and practice phonological awareness. Materials provide limited systematic and explicit instructions for phonological awareness. Instructional materials partially meet the criteria that materials provide practice of each newly taught sound (phoneme) and sound pattern across the Kindergarten-Grade 1 band.

Indicator 1C
02/04

Materials have frequent opportunities for students to engage in phonological awareness activities during Kindergarten and early Grade 1.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials have daily opportunities for students to engage in phonological awareness activities through Kindergarten and early Grade 1.

There are limited activities for students to engage in activities and practice of phonological awareness. While there is practice of skills such as onsets, rimes, and rhyming words, activities often involve sound cards that contain graphemes, focusing on phonics skills rather than phonemic awareness. Materials do not include a variety of activities for phonological awareness in Steps 1-5. In the Gray Space activities, students say rhyming words, they blend words, and they identify sounds in the middle of the word. Students practice these skills every day during some weeks. However, the Gray space activities are suggested to use to fill spare time, therefore, there is no assurance that students will participate in these activities.

Materials include limited activities for phonological awareness. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 106-110, the teacher says a simple word with one long or short vowel. Students clap their hands together and hold their hands together if the vowel is short. Students stretch their arms long if the vowel is long. Students then isolate and repeat just the vowel sound in unison.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 131-135, the teacher says a word with a digraph at the beginning (ch, sh, th). Students put their hand on their head if they know the beginning digraph. The teacher calls on a student to say the answer, and then the students all say the digraph together.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 156-160, the teacher says, “I can think of a word. Can you rhyme with the word you hear?” The teacher says a word and the students say a word that rhymes.

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

  • In Yellow Teacher Planner, “I am Ready” Program, Days 11-15, the teacher or student flips over a picture card, and the teacher prompts the students to produce a rhyming word. The teacher repeats this five to ten times, flipping a card and having students rhyme.
  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 16-20, the teacher holds up a picture card, and students put a beanbag in a bucket labelled with the corresponding vowel sound.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Step 2 and Step 3, Days 101-105, the teacher presents a word, and the students count the number of syllables in the word.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Step 2 and Step 3, Days 146-150, the teacher says a word with a digraph and tells students to change the digraph for a different one to create a new word.
Indicator 1D
02/04

Materials provide explicit instruction in phonological awareness through systematic modeling across the K-1 grade band.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials provide explicit instruction in phonological awareness through systematic modeling across the K-1 grade band.

Materials provide limited systematic and explicit instructions for phonological awareness. Materials include some instructions in blending sounds into words, syllabication, and spoken words; however, no explicit instructions are provided for rhyming, phoneme isolation, phoneme addition, or phoneme substitution. While materials include some activities for these skills, many activities are included in Gray Space Activities or given as options for the teacher to choose. Because these activities are optional, the activities may not be presented to all students. Some activities are identified as Listen and Blend where students are asked to Plisten and blend words from individual phonemes; however, the examples provided do not align with instruction and the option to blend onset/rime is also present in the materials. Sound activities also include a grapheme when students complete activities. Materials do not systematically advance students through the development of phonological awareness skills and do not include advanced phonemic awareness activities such as sound substitution and deletion.

Materials provide the teacher with limited 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 Blue Teacher Planner, Step 2 and Step 3, Days 106-110, Gray Space Activities, the teacher says a word with either a long or short vowel. The students clap their hands together if they hear a short vowel or stretch their arms wide if they hear a long vowel.
  • Orally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant blends.
    • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96-100, Gray Space Activities, the teacher says the word clock, students change the cl blend, for bl, and then identify what word they hear.
    • In Blue Teacher Planner, Step 2 and Step 3, Days 126-130, Gray Space Activities, the teacher indicates to students that a word will be spoken, that the student needs to blend the sounds together, and that the word will start with a digraph. The teacher says “/ch/-pause-/i/-pause-/p/” and calls on one student or all students to say the word orally.
  • Isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single-syllable words.
    • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 51-55, Gray Space Activities, the teacher says a Consonant/Vowel/Consonant (CVC) word and instructs the students to change the middle vowel to create a new word. The instructions give detailed information on what the teacher should say, such as, “The word is pat. Change the /a/ sound to /o./ What word do you hear?” There is a note provided that suggests that the teacher can do this activity with beginning or ending sounds as well. The materials provide one example for beginning, medial, and final sounds for the teacher to use.
    • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 76-80, Gray Space Activities, the teacher says a word with a long or short vowel, and students repeat the medial vowel sound. One long vowel and one short vowel word is provided for the teacher.
  • Segment spoken single-syllable words into their complete sequence of individual sounds (phonemes).
    • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 36-40, Mini-lesson, the teacher uses CVC clip art and models how to segment a word. The teacher models with pictures of a cat, a bug, and a mop, and says “/b/-pause-/u/-pause-/g/.” The students identify the picture. However, teacher directions also provide options for segmenting by onset/rime instead of individual sounds. Additionally, the practice provided for students includes breaking words such as, clock, plug, list, into three sounds, as opposed to individual sounds, and then into onset/rime.

Materials provide the teacher with limited 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 Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 36-40, Whole Class Lesson, the teacher asks students to listen carefully as the teacher verbally stretches out words that have the medial short vowel sound: (e.g. bat, nap, run, get).
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 116-120, Gray Space Activities, students work on Switch a Blend. Materials provide examples such as: clock/block, truck/cluck, frog/clog for beginning blend change. For final blend change materials provide examples including: vest/vent, best/bent, past/pant.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 131-135, Gray Space Activities, the teacher is given 16 different short i words to use as examples of words that rhyme. Words include: blip, dip, drip, flip, grip, hip, lip, nip, quip, rip, sip, strip, trip, whip, zip, ship.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 156-160, Gray Space Activities, students work on Switch a Digraph. Materials provide examples such as: rink/rich, bash/bang/bank, such/sung/sunk.
Indicator 1E
02/04
Materials provide practice of each newly taught sound (phoneme) and sound pattern across the K-1 band.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials provide practice of each newly taught sound (phoneme) and sound pattern across the K-1 band.

Materials include limited multi modal/multi sensory activities for student practice of phonological awareness. Routines for multi modal/multi sensory activities are not consistent over the course of the year. Students have some opportunities to use body actions and their senses to practice identifying skills such as long vowels, short vowels, and digraphs; however, some of these activities include letter cards or written words that include print. Many of the opportunities to practice multimodal and multisensory activities are found in the Gray Space Activities, which are optional and therefore may not be presented to all students. Materials include limited opportunities for students to isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds in spoken single-syllable words. No evidence was found for student opportunities to segment spoken single-syllable words into their complete sequence of individual sounds. Limited examples are provided for the teacher, and materials often prompt the teacher to find additional examples to use in lessons.

Materials provide some opportunities for students to practice each new sound and sound pattern called for in grade level standards. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • Students have opportunities to distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words.
    • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96-100, the teacher shows students two motions: holding hands out wide to the side to depict long vowels and hands clapped and held together to show short vowels. The teacher shows Couple Card pictures and students say the word and use the motions to show the vowel sound they hear in the word. Students complete Student Activity Book (pages 493 & 495) where they say the word for each picture and color the bug in the long or short vowel column to choose the correct answer.
    • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 111-115, the teacher asks students to name the five vowels. The teacher says a word, and students clap their hands together if it is a short vowel and stretch their arms wide if it is a long vowel.
  • Students have opportunities to orally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant blends.
    • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 101-105, students practice blending sounds to make words. Students have one time to practice this skill in the Gray Space Activity. Sample words provided include: clock/block, truck/cluck, frog/clog, best/bent, past/pant, duck/dump.
    • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Gray Space Activity: “Listen and Blend”, Days 111-115, the teacher tells students, “I’m going to say a word in sounds. You need to blend the sounds together to make a word. The word will start with a blend.” One word, flat, is provided as an example.
    • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Gray Space Activity: “Listen and Blend”, Days 126-130, the teacher tells students, “I’m going to say a word in sounds. You need to blend the sounds together to make a word. The word will start with a digraph.” One word, chip, is provided as an example.
  • Students have limited opportunities to isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single-syllable words.
    • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 106-110, page 66, Gray Space Activity, the teacher says a word with either a long or short vowel, and the students clap their hands together if they hear a short vowel or stretch their arms wide if they hear a long vowel. Students isolate and repeat just the vowel sound in unison.
    • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 126-130, page 164, students practice isolating initial, medial, and final sounds. Materials include one example, using /ch/ /i/ /p/.
  • Students have no opportunities to segment spoken single-syllable words into their complete sequence of individual sounds (phonemes).
    • No evidence found.

Materials include limited multi modal/multi sensory activities for student practice of phonological awareness. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 136-140, students practice acting out a word with a digraph that the teacher whispers into their ears.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 161-165, page 328, students put their hands on their heads if they know the beginning digraph of the given word.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 111-115, the teacher asks students to name the five vowels. The teacher says a word, and students clap their hands together if it is a short vowel and stretch their arms wide if it is a long vowel.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96-100, the teacher shows students two motions: holding hands out wide to the side to depict long vowels and hands clapped and held together to show short vowels.

Criterion 1.3: Phonics

12/20

Materials emphasize explicit, systematic instruction of research-based and/or evidence-based phonics.

Materials introduce phonics patterns systematically by providing an instructional routine that is consistently repeated with new sounds. The materials sometimes lack explicit explanations for students to fully understand concepts. Materials provide frequent practice opportunities for students to decode newly-taught sound and spelling patterns through building words and reading them, reading a list of words with newly-taught sounds prior to writing the words, and tapping on letters that correspond with introduced sounds. The Grade 1 materials provide students with frequent opportunities to decode words in a sentence. However, not all lessons provide clear, explicit instruction or directions on applying phonetically regular words in a sentence. Materials include limited modeling in encoding, building, and manipulating words and modeling of each skill is not included in the daily lessons. Materials provide limited opportunities for application and encoding of phonics in activities and tasks.

Indicator 1F
02/04
Materials emphasize explicit phonics instruction through systematic and repeated modeling.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials emphasize explicit phonics instruction through systematic and repeated modeling.

Materials introduce phonics patterns systematically by providing an instructional routine that is consistently repeated with new sounds. The materials sometimes lack explicit explanations for students to fully understand concepts. Additionally, there are limited examples for the teacher to model before beginning guided or independent practice. There is an absence of explicit instruction on common inflectional endings. While there are reading passages that include plural words, there is not corresponding instruction specifically related to the plural endings. Lessons provide teachers with limited systematic and repeated instruction for students to hear, say, encode, and read each newly taught grade level phonics pattern because there is not always explicit practice with hearing, saying, writing and reading the phonics skills for each week.

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

  • Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs.
    • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 126-130, the teacher displays Couple Card pictures that begin with the digraphs /ch/, /sh/, and /th/, along with the letters ch, sh, and th. Students verbally state the name of the picture and name the digraph.
    • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 156-160, the teacher points to the digraphs /ng/ and /nk/, and students color pictures on a practice page that contains ng and nk as an ending sound.
  • Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.
    • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 66-70, students are given a list of CVC words to read, pretend to type, and write. The following words are included: cup, hug, mud, nut, tug, run, fun, tub, hum, and cut.
    • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 156-160, the teacher tells students what letters to put on their word mats. The teacher leads the students through sounding out each letter sound and decoding the word together by saying sounds slowly at first and getting faster each time.
  • Know final -e and common vowel team conventions for representing long vowel sounds.
    • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 181-185, the teacher writes the five vowels and explains that long vowels say their name. The teacher has students say the long /u/ sound several times.
    • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 186-190, the teacher introduces the Sneaky “e” that turns the vowel in a word into a long vowel sound. The teacher places the letter e onto the end of short vowel words to change them into long vowel words. Then students practice reading both the short vowel word and the long vowel word. Examples to choose from include rob to robe, rid to ride, and cap to cape.
    • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 226-230, the teacher introduces the vowel team ee. It indicates in the lesson that the order vowel teams are taught are ee, ea, ai, oa, and ui. The teacher writes ee in a visible location, and students build words with the vowel team. Examples to choose from include tree, bee, three, and need.
  • Use knowledge that every syllable must have a vowel sound to determine the number of syllables in a printed word.
    • In Blue Teacher Planner Steps 2 and 3, Days 166-170, the teacher explains to students that each time their chin drops down when they say a word, it is a syllable. The teacher explains that words can be long or short and that words have more than one syllable. The teacher says a word with a hand beneath their chin and models wiggling their body for the different syllables.
    • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 166-170, the teacher explain that multi-syllabic words are words with more than one syllable, that “multi-” stands for multiple, that each syllable in multi-syllabic words has a vowel (long or short) like the word basket.
    • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 216-220, the teacher explains that: “each syllable in multi-syllabic words has a vowel (long or short). The teacher shows and reads basket. The teacher asks students if they have heard of -et. The teacher explains that -et has a vowel, but it is not an actual word.
  • Decode two-syllable words following basic patterns by breaking the words into syllables.
    • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 171-175, Whole-Class Lesson, students are given a multi-syllabic spelling list from Express Spelling, page 185. The teacher guides the students to decode the sixteen words. The words include: rabbit, seven, insect, and wagon. Students decode the words, count the syllables, and then practice writing each word.
    • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 216-220, the teacher writes the word napkin in a visible place. The teacher circles nap and then kin, explaining that multi-syllabic words can be read in parts, and each part has a vowel. The teacher explains that chunking words into smaller parts can help the task of decoding easier and more manageable.
    • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, the teacher explains that chunking words into smaller parts help to make the task of decoding easier and more manageable. Students choose a word from the pile and circle all syllables in the word, separated by spaces and decode each part separately. Students combine the two decoded parts orally to make one word.
  • Read words with inflectional endings.
    • No evidence found

Lessons provide teachers with limited 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 Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 106-110, students decode a word that is beneath a picture and circle the word with a crayon. As an extension, students can label the picture by writing the word next to the object in the picture.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 111-115, the teacher points to the blends of /pl/, /sl/, /st/, and /sp/ and has students repeat the sound of the blend. Students are provided a practice page where they color the pictures that begin with the identified blends. In the same five day instructional sequence, another mini-lesson occurs where students build words with the blends and read the words after they build them.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 136-140, the teacher introduces an instructional sequence taking the students from sorting picture cards by digraph sounds /ch/, /sh/, and /th/, to identifying the digraphs in orally stated words to writing the words in a spelling list. Words include: this, sloth, thick, and that.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 206-210, Missing Word, Practice Page (page 27), students circle the word they read and write that word beneath the picture it corresponds to.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 211-215, the teacher writes the words upset, backside, and escape. The teacher reminds students that each syllable in a word is a unit that contains a vowel. The teacher models by circling the vowels in the word upset. The teacher covers set with their hand and asks students to decode up. The teacher covers up with their hand and asks students to decode set.
Indicator 1G
04/04

Materials include frequent practice opportunities for students to decode words that consist of common and newly-taught sound and spelling patterns and provide opportunities for students to review previously taught phonics skills.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria that materials include frequent practice opportunities for students to decode words that consist of common and newly-taught sound and spelling patterns and provide opportunities for students to review previously taught phonics skills.

Materials provide frequent practice opportunities for students to decode newly-taught sound and spelling patterns through building words and reading them, reading a list of words with newly-taught sounds prior to writing the words, and tapping on letters that correspond with introduced sounds. Phonics books are used every week starting with Step 2 and continuing in Steps 3 and 4, which allows for many opportunities to decode words. There are other activities including Wonder Words, Missing Words and Silly Sentences that provide opportunities for students to decode words.

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

  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 36-40, Whole Class Lesson, students have Wonder Words mats and build words with letter cards. The teacher asks students to point to each sound and blend the word.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 211-215, the students practice decoding the words on Express Spelling List #6. Examples of the words on the list include cute, cube, plume.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 216-220, each student has a chunk of a word. Students choose a word from the pile, circle both syllables in the word, and decode each part separately. Students combine the two decoded parts orally to make one word. Students glue the word on the appropriate space and then draw the picture to illustrate that word.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 236-240, the students pick from the Steps 4 and 5 Couple Cards. The student picks up the word card and tells their peers what the sound of the medial long vowel sound is as an opening hint. The student acts out the word and the other students guess what the word is.

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:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 116-120, students are given a list of ten words to decode, pretend to type, and then practice spelling. Words include men, web, yes, net, pen, red, leg.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 151-155, students encode the word by saying words, listening for phonemes, and using their knowledge of letter-to-sound correspondence and digraphs to write the correct letters for the sound.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 231-235, students read or decode a word beneath the picture and circle that word with a crayon.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 236-240, students read each word in the first row on the Step 5 practice page. Students say the word out loud and listen to the ending rime in the word. Students isolate and say each. Students find the picture in the row that ends with /ch/ and circles the rhyming word in the row.


Materials contain opportunities for students to review previously learned grade level phonics. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 6-10, students are given the letters F, G, and H, along with pictures that begin with the sounds of /f/, /g/, and /h/, and are asked to sort the pictures to the correct letter name.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 106-110, Phonics Book: Frog and His Sled, students decode words in the story, which contain many CVC words with previously learned sounds.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 126-130, students are introduced to activities that contain the digraphs /ch/ and /sh/. In Days 131-155, students continue to have practice with those digraphs while adding on other digraphs.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 191-195, the students practice writing Sneaky “e” words for a second time.

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

  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 6-10, students review the letter names and sounds by singing the Alphabet Song and give two examples of words that begin with each letter as they progress through the Alphabet Song.
  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 26-30, students review the beginning sounds /b/, /c/, /d/, /f/, and /g/ by writing the beginning sound next to each picture on a worksheet page.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 146-150, students practice sorting words with /ch/, /sh/, and /th/ digraphs into beginning or ending sound.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 176-180, the teacher writes up the five vowels in a visible place. The teacher lays out five Wonder Word Cards (vowels) or index cards. The teacher says a vowel, and the students point to the word with the vowel they hear. The teacher repeats this activity with multiple short-vowel words.
Indicator 1H
02/04
Materials provide frequent opportunities for students to practice decoding phonetically regular words in a sentence.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials promote frequent opportunities for students to practice decoding phonetically regular words in a sentence.

The Grade 1 materials provide students with frequent opportunities to decode words in a sentence. There is some explicit instruction of students decoding in sentences. However, not all lessons provide clear, explicit instruction or directions on applying phonetically regular words in a sentence. The explicit, systematic practice for decoding words is limited to general instruction of helping students including the instructions of “say sounds according to letter-to-sound correlations.” Some opportunities for decoding words occur during centers, so the teacher needs to purposefully select those centers in order for students to practice decoding. The weekly phonics text allows students to practice decoding words in a sentence, but reading this text does not occur daily, so this activity does not provide substantial practice opportunities to decode words in sentences.

Materials provide explicit, systematic practice for decoding phonetically regular words in a sentence. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 106-110, Mini-Lesson, the teacher provides Silly Sentence words and models how to choose a Bug card (a noun) and a Frog card (a verb), how to decode each word, write a sentence, and draw a corresponding picture. Students draw their own cards, create a sentence, read the sentence they created, and draw a picture to match.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 126-130, the teacher facilitates the reading of the book, Chimp Gets a Check-up. The teacher tells students to look carefully at the phonics and sounds in the words on the first reading of words and to slow down. Directions prompt students to provide examples of this information to students before they read independently.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 126-130, the teacher draws a picture of a fish and writes the sentence, “The fish is in a dish.” Once the teacher has decoded and read the sentence with students, the teacher helps students to notice that the picture is missing the fish in a dish.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 131-135, the teacher creates a sentence out of the words frog and bug. The teacher models decoding each word one at a time and recognizing the word the at the beginning of the sentence.

Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to decode words in a sentence. Evidence includes but is not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 126-130, students read the sentence on their practice page and add to the picture to make the sentence true.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 141-145, students read the book, Chimp Camps, which has sentences and words with digraphs /ch/, /sh/, and /tch/ that students must decode.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 156-160, during the Cloze activity, “Duck Sings a Song,” students read sentences that have missing words. Then students pick which word makes sense in the sentence and reread the sentences to self-check the meaning.
Indicator 1I
02/04
Materials include frequent practice opportunities for students to build/manipulate/spell and encode grade-level phonics, including common and newly-taught sound and sound patterns.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials include daily practice opportunities for students to build/manipulate/spell and encode grade-level phonics, including common and newly-taught sound and sound patterns.

Materials include limited modeling in encoding, building, and manipulating words and modeling of each skill is not included in the daily lessons. Some opportunities occur only in centers, which are flexible. The materials include explicit instructions on how to find the letter, say the letter sounds, model how to blend the words, and have students track their blending. Some lessons include student practice opportunities with no or limited teacher modeling.

The materials contain some teacher-level instruction/modeling for building/manipulating/ spelling and encoding words using common and newly-taught sound and spelling patterns of phonics. Evidence includes but is not limited to the following:

  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 31-35, the teacher guides students in building the words in a Center: Wonder Words. To make the word bin on a Wonder Mat, the teacher models putting the letter b in the first spot, the letter i in the second spot, and the n in the third spot.
  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 41-45, the teacher guides students in building the words in a Center: Wonder Words. The teacher says, “We are going to build the word ‘wet.’ What sound do you hear at the beginning of the word w-w-w-et. Which letter makes the /w/ sound? Point to that letter.” The teacher guides students to build the word wet.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 206-210, during Center #7: Silly Sentences, students place words with a Bug (nouns) on the back into one container and a Frog (verbs) on the back in the other container. The teacher models picking one word from each bucket and decoding each word. Then the teacher models having the students write the sentence they make from the word.

Lessons provide students with limited opportunities to build/manipulate/spell and encode words in isolation based in common and newly-taught phonics patterns. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 101-105, Mini-Lesson, students practice building the words, band, vest, and best by using letter cards and a mat. The students first build the words, then sound them out. In this lesson, students practice substituting the first sound and changing the beginning sound in vest to make the word best.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 186-190, the teacher picks a Couple Card with /a_e/. The teacher writes one of the words in a visible place and puts a rectangle around the ending rime. The teacher writes cake and explains that they can make a rhyming list by taking the ending and adding a different onset/beginning sound. Students create a list of rhyming words. Students use the rhyming picture paper and write the two beginning words on the line and then put a rectangle around the ending rime of each word.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 211-215, students practice writing u_e words for a second time on practice pages. Students choose four words from the list and write sentences using the words.
Indicator 1J
02/04
Materials provide application and encoding of phonics in activities and tasks. (mid K-Grade 2)

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials promote application and encoding of phonics in activities and tasks. (mid Kindergarten-Grade 2)

Materials provide limited opportunities for application and encoding of phonics in activities and tasks. There is limited evidence of explicit, systematic instruction and modeling that demonstrates the use of phonics to encode sounds to letters and words in writing tasks. During lessons containing teacher modeling, the instructions give broad statements for the teacher, including statements such as, “Teachers demonstrate writing the sentences.” Teacher resources do not provide further explicit instructions on how to demonstrate encoding words when writing.

Materials include limited explicit, systematic teacher-level instruction of teacher modeling that demonstrates the use of phonics to encode sounds to letters and words in writing tasks. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 121-125, Center #7: Silly Sentences, the teacher draws words from two piles of cards to create a sentence. The teacher demonstrates writing the sentences, modeling the uppercase letter at the beginning of the sentence, correct word spacing, and ending punctuation.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 131-135, Center #7: Silly Sentences, students create Silly Sentences. The teacher uses a sample paper and teacher materials to demonstrate how to complete the activity. Teacher instructions state that the teacher should model how to decode each word one word at a time and recognize the word the.

Lessons provide students with limited activities and tasks to promote application of phonics as they encode words in sentences or in phrases based on common and newly taught phonics patterns. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96-100, students are provided a spelling list that they received during a whole-class lesson in the five-day instructional sequence. During the whole class lesson, students practice writing the words for a second time. They choose four words and write four sentences, each sentence containing one word.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 106-110, during the “Express Sentences,” students write phonetic words in sentences. The words have /fl/ and /fr/ sounds.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 111-115, students pick a word from the Bug and Frog bucket. After they create a sentence, they write the sentence in their book.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 131-135, students reread one of the phonics books they have read from Step 3. Then they write a “Thought Report” about their opinion of the book.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Step 4 and Step 5, Days 186-187, during Center #7 Word Hunt a_e, students look through a book for words with a_e. Students write one word in each box of their paper and draw a picture of the word.

Criterion 1.4: Word Recognition and Word Analysis

04/08
Materials and instruction support students in learning and practicing regularly and irregularly spelled high-frequency words.

Materials partially meet the criteria that materials include systematic instruction of high-frequency words and practice opportunities of high-frequency words to develop automaticity. There are multiple opportunities for students to read high-frequency words through the use of decodable books and sentence solving activities; however, materials lack opportunities for students to write high-frequency words in sentences. Materials partially meet the criteria that materials explicitly teach word analysis strategies (e.g.,phoneme/grapheme recognition, syllabication, morpheme analysis) based on the requirements of the standards and provide frequent practice opportunities for students to apply word analysis strategies.

Indicator 1K
01/02
Materials include systematic instruction of high-frequency words and opportunities to practice reading of high-frequency words to develop automaticity.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials include systematic instruction of high-frequency words and practice opportunities of high-frequency words to develop automaticity.

The materials include instruction for 48 Sticky Words from Step 1 through Step 5 over 175 instructional days.(Sticky Words are sight words or words that can not be decoded at a student's current reading level) Although whole group instruction matches Center activities in regard to the Sticky Words in the lesson, words are introduced by a simple, repetitive procedure where a teacher places one Sticky Word on the board and then instructs students to listen for that particular word in a book from the classroom library. The book chosen is likely to have the Sticky Word, but there is no specified number of times the students will hear it. Additionally, the materials do not ensure that the students will see any of the words as the teacher reads to consolidate the visual image of the word with the way that the word is pronounced. Students are provided opportunities in Centers to practice writing Sticky Words, but spelling of these words is not explicitly taught as students trace and copy the Sticky Words. Strategies for slapping or tapping a Sticky Word provides opportunities for a student to identify a word heard aloud, but not the opportunity to read the word independently. Furthermore, the number of Sticky Words may not be enough for students in Grade 1 depending upon where the student began instruction in the Express Readers program.

Materials include some systematic and explicit instruction of irregularly spelled words. Evidence includes but is not limited to the following:

  • Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
    • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 101-105, the teacher provides students with Step 2 Sticky Word flashcards and places them on the floor. The teacher reads each word one time as students jump on or next to the word being read aloud.
    • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, the teacher tells the students to put honey on the Sticky Words because they are Sticky. The teacher explains that a Sticky Word is a word that students can get stuck on.

Materials include some opportunities for the teacher to model the spelling and reading of irregularly spelled words in isolation. Evidence includes but is not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96-100, the teacher displays all the Sticky Words display cards for Step 2. The teacher places the word see in the middle of the board and chooses a story from the class library to read. Students place their hands on their heads if they see or hear the word see.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 131-135, the teacher picks a Sticky Word hunt paper prior to completing Center #2. The teacher writes the words on the bottom of the page.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 136-140, the teacher lines up the words one at a time. The teacher says a word, and the students hop to that word.

Students practice identifying and reading irregularly spelled words in isolation. Evidence includes but is not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 131-155, students are given a worksheet titled, Sticky Word Hunt. Students are instructed to find three words on the page. The blank boxes at the end of the worksheet is for the teacher to write the three words students must find. The words to find are determined by the teacher. There are a total of 61 words on the worksheet, and some are Sticky Words while others are not.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 151-155, one student calls out a word, and students find it on their bingo card. Students read back each of the words if they get a Bingo.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 161-165, students have a fly swatter or another tool. When the teacher says the Sticky Word, the students slap the card.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 196-200, students are given the Sticky Word hunt paper. The students use three different colors to identify the Sticky Words". They scan and track each line to find the Sticky Words .

Materials include a limited quantity of new grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words for students to make reading progress. Evidence includes but is not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, students are introduced to the following Sticky Words: to, come, does, have, like, of, put, see, all, are, good, she, where. In the Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, students are introduced to the following Sticky Words: again, do, her, my, say, says, some, there, they, want, when and you, could, no, now, our, said, we, what, why.
  • In Teacher Guidebook, "I am Ready" Program, provides a table listing all Sticky Words introduced in the phonics books. Steps 2-5, identified as corresponding to first grade, contain seven words (come, does, have, like, of, put, see) in Step 2, five words (all, are, good, she, where) in Step 3, twelve words (again, do, her, my say, says, some, there, they, want, when, you) in Step 4, eight words (could, no, now, our, said, we, what, why) in Step 5.
  • In Student Activities Book, Steps 1-5, pages 29-36, materials provide flashcards for all Sticky Words in Steps 2-5.
Indicator 1L
01/02
Materials provide frequent practice opportunities to read and write high-frequency words in context (sentences).

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials provide frequent practice opportunities to read and write high-frequency words in context (sentences).

There are multiple opportunities for students to read high-frequency words through the use of decodable books and sentence solving activities; however, materials lack opportunities for students to write high-frequency words in sentences. Students are provided opportunities to write sentences as they complete sentence starters; however, the completed sentences may or may not contain high-frequency words.

Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to read grade level irregularly spelled words in a sentence. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 101-105, students read the decodable book, Duck has a Nest. The Sticky Words in the book are for, he, the, and too. Students are told to “find the Sticky Words and color the words with a yellow crayon. Students read the book with a partner and then reread sentences if they need to slow down to decode or identify words.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 126-130, the students go through the book, Chimp Gets a Check-Up. They locate each Sticky Word and highlight it. Once they have located the Sticky Words, they read the book.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 146-150, students first read every Sticky Word at the top of the page in the practice page activity. Students read each sentence, pausing where the word is missing. Students decide which Sticky Word is missing and write it in that space. Students go back and read the sentence again to see if that word makes sense.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 166-170, students scan and find a specific Sticky Word. The students count how many times they found the Sticky Words and write it on the bottom of the book.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 186-190, the students read the decodable book Snake 1 and Snake 2. The listed Sticky Words include they, do, are, like have, the, to, and be. Students are told to find the Sticky Words and color the words with a yellow crayon. Students read the book with a partner and then reread sentences if they need to slow down to decode or identify words.

Lessons provide students with limited opportunities to write grade level irregularly spelled words in tasks such as sentences) in order to promote automaticity in writing grade level irregularly spelled words. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, the students trace the Sticky Words where and are. They practice writing them on the line.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 186-190, Center 1, the students are given Spelling List #1, which contains 16 words. Two of the 16 words are Sticky Words. Students are instructed to choose four words from the spelling list and write sentences using those words.
  • In Student Activities Book, Steps 1-5, Sticky Words Tab, there are worksheets for practice writing Sticky Words include tracing the word, practice writing pages,and Sticky Words books. These activities are used in centers.
  • In Express Spelling, Steps 1-5, students are given a packet of spelling activities which includes a page for students to write a sentence for four of the spelling words and a page for writing all of the words two times each. Students get to pick which four spelling words they write in sentences.

Materials provide limited instruction in how to use student friendly reference materials and resources and reading irregularly spelled words (e.g., word cards, word lists, word ladders, student dictionaries). Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 51-55, the directions state, “Teachers give each student a copy of the Sticky Words Flash Cards to cut and keep in the desk/at their table for activities or to take home for practice.”
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 126-130, during the activity, the teacher displays the Sticky Word Display Cards.
Indicator 1M
02/04
Materials explicitly teach word analysis strategies (e.g., phoneme/grapheme recognition, syllabication, morpheme analysis) based on the requirements of the standards and provide students with frequent practice opportunities to apply word analysis strategies.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials explicitly teach word analysis strategies (e.g.,phoneme/grapheme recognition, syllabication, morpheme analysis) based on the requirements of the standards and provide frequent practice opportunities for students to apply word analysis strategies.

Materials provide explicit instruction in syllabication through defining the term and modeling segmenting spoken words into syllables. Students are taught to identify blends by coloring them in a decodable book in order to draw attention to the blend while reading. Additionally, students are provided opportunities to blend onset/rimes to read new words, and the teacher explicitly explains that the new word is made by changing the onset, or beginning sound. There is a lack of explicit instruction in decoding unfamiliar words. There is limited explicit instruction of phoneme and grapheme recognition and morpheme analysis. Additionally, there is limited evidence that indicates multiple and varied opportunities being provided over the course of the year for students to learn, practice, and apply word analysis strategies.

Materials contain limited explicit instruction of word analysis strategies (e.g. phoneme/grapheme recognition, syllabication, morpheme analysis). Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 191-195, the teacher explains that words can be long or short. The teacher further explains that a syllable is one unit of sound and has a vowel. The teacher explains that every time your chin drops, you are saying a vowel.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 211-215, the teacher says a letter name and asks the students to put their finger on the letter. The teacher says another letter, blend, or digraph and asks students to put their finger on the card that makes that sound. The teacher repeats the letter, blend, or digraph while having the students repeat it.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 226-230, the teacher explains, “When two vowels team up, they should say the first one"s name.” The teacher displays the vowel team and asks students to repeat the sound. The teacher builds words using the spelling pattern, and students decode these words as a group. The teacher states a word with the vowel team, and students find the correct letter cards to build the word.

Materials contain limited explicit instruction of word solving strategies to decode unfamiliar words. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 116-120, students practice the book Duck and the Mess, and students color the blends throughout the book. The teacher helps students make corrections by prompting the students to identify whether the words are decodable or not and by looking back at the letters and slowly saying each sound in order.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 186-190, the teacher chooses a card with a /a_e/ pattern and writes the word in a visible place. The teacher explains that students can make a rhyming list by taking this ending and adding a different onset or beginning sound. Students write a word list with the same rime.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 216-220, the teacher helps students to chunk words that have multiple syllables when they are reading the book, Cat Gets a Scare.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 236-240, the teacher helps the students to locate the “Slow Down Sounds” /ea/ and /ee/ in the book and draw a box around the two-syllable words.

Limited varied opportunities are provided over the course of the year for students to learn, practice, and apply word analysis strategies. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 186-190, students build new words. They start with the word flake. The teacher explains that there is one sound difference between make and flake. Students are asked what sound they hear that is different. The students put the sounds together and build the word on their mats.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner Steps 4 and 5, Days 211-215, the teacher helps students find the two-syllable words mentioned in the Slow Down Sounds, and students draw a box around the words.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Step 2 and Step 3, Days 246-250, students read the decodable book, Fish Gets Clean, and color the vowel teams throughout the book. The teacher helps students chunk two-syllable words.

Criterion 1.5: Decoding Accuracy, Decoding Automaticity and Fluency

08/16

Materials provide systematic and explicit instruction and practice in fluency by focusing on accuracy and automaticity in decoding in K and 1, and rate, expression, and accuracy in mid-to-late 1st and 2nd grade. Materials for 2nd grade fluency practice should vary (decodables and grade-level texts).

Materials partially meet the criteria that materials provide opportunities for students to engage in decoding practice focused on accuracy and automaticity in Kindergarten and Grade 1. Materials partially meet the criteria that instructional opportunities are built into the materials for systematic, evidence-based, explicit instruction in fluency. Materials partially meet the criteria that varied and frequent opportunities are built into the materials for students to engage in supported practice to gain oral reading fluency. Materials include strategies for how the teacher can help students self-correct errors.

Indicator 1N
02/04
Materials provide opportunities for students to engage in decoding practice focused on accuracy and automaticity in K and Grade 1.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials provide opportunities for students to engage in decoding practice focused on accuracy and automaticity in Kindergarten and Grade 1.

Materials provide opportunities for students to practice decoding after the teacher has modeled decoding by pointing to sounds and blending the sounds together to read a CVC word. The teacher provides students with reminders regarding the components of accuracy. Instruction lacks systematic and explicit routines focusing on accuracy and automaticity.

Materials provide some systematic and explicit instruction and practice in fluency by focusing on accuracy and automaticity in decoding. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96-100, students read the book Duck and His Mom. Students engage in simultaneous reading with the teacher. Instructions state, ”Teachers help students to self-correct when making mistakes.”
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 111-115, when students read the book Frog Hunts For a Pal, there is a fluency practice protocol that goes along with the book. The teacher focuses on reading for punctuation, taking breaths while reading, and reading with a pace that is not too slow or too fast.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 121-125, the lesson objectives state that students should practice decoding phonetically regular words in a sentence and practice self-correcting mistakes made in decoding. Students are given the book, Frog And The Plant. Students read the book first independently either silently or out loud and then with a partner. The teacher instructs students to decode each word, to look back at words that might not make sense in the sentence, and to decode again.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 126-130, the teacher explains that it is acceptable to read slowly and carefully. The teacher explains that reading slowly is a wonderful way to discover the words and avoid making mistakes, but we often need to reread text in order to understand and to make the story come alive.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 141-145, the teacher materials state that Step 3 books are to be read with more expression, while still emphasizing competency in accuracy, pace, and rhythm.

Materials provide some opportunities for students in Kindergarten and Grade 1 to engage in decoding practice focused on accuracy and automaticity. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 146-150, students read the text Pig Has a Bath. The teacher instructs students to decode each word and look back at words that might not make sense in the sentences to decode again. Students then read the short story independently or with a partner.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 151-155, the students get their favorite book from the Express Readers phonics books and get a copy of the coloring book. The teacher partners students with another student to read the book. The teacher reminds students to read for punctuation, read with expression and read slowly and carefully.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 161-165, students practice rereading the Express Theater with their partner or a small group. The teacher models fluency and expression. Students complete this by choosing their favorite of the three scripts and work with the students.
Indicator 1O
02/04
Instructional opportunities are built into the materials for systematic, evidence-based, explicit instruction in fluency. (Grades 1-2)

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that instructional opportunities are built into the materials for systematic, evidence-based, explicit instruction in fluency (Grades 1-2).

Materials provide opportunities for explicit, systematic instruction in fluency elements. There is explicit fluency instruction where students listen to text being read aloud by a model reader. There are fluency protocols in place to guide fluency instruction. However, students primarily read phonics decodables and do not have explicit interaction with a variety of texts. Students are paired with classmates for readings or rereadings of decodable phonics books, but it is not specified as to whether the partner is a fluent reader who can model accurate reading. The instructions for teachers include modeling examples and non-examples for fluent reading. There is a lack of evidence regarding explicit instructions in fluency beyond the initial modeling by the teacher.

Materials include frequent opportunities for explicit, systematic instruction in fluency elements using grade-level text. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 106-110, students read the phonics decodable text, Frog and His Sled. The teacher explains that it is acceptable to read slowly and carefully. The teacher tells students that it is acceptable to reread in order to consolidate understanding. Students are instructed to use intonation, to read for punctuation, and to read with a rhythm and consistent pace.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 121-125, the teacher materials state that reading a text multiple times increases accuracy and automaticity. The teacher tells students to look for the punctuation marks and to take a breath or pause between sentences while reading Duck Up a Hill.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 196-200, in the Express Theater section, Duck and The Cub Bake a Cake, the teacher models the effect of fluency, reading smoothly, with proper rate and breath-taking when reading. The teacher reminds students of the purpose of end marks.

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 Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 131-135, the teacher models reading the book, Dog and the Gift. There are general fluency protocols that the teacher follows while the teacher models reading the text.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 141-145, the teacher models reading the book with students. The teacher materials state that the specific focus for Step 3 books is for students to read with more expression and with accuracy, pace, and rhythm.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 111-115, students read the book Frog Hunts For a Pal. Students first read the book as a whole group and then practice with a partner, switching off reading sentences in the book out loud.

Materials include some resources for explicit instruction in fluency. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 106-110, students read the play: Frog and Bug Sled. Teacher instructions include a focus on fluency.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 121-125, students read the phonics story, Duck Up a Hill. The lesson contains a fluency practice protocol that the teacher explains to students. This protocol includes that readers take a breath when there is punctuation and that they read the text slowly at first to avoid making mistakes, then reread the text to build understanding. There is also a specific focus statement in the planner that says, “The focus for Step 2 books is to read with more accuracy and practice the book in order to read with proper pace and rhythm.”
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 151-155, the students read their favorite Express Readers phonics book. The teacher makes sure that every student has a different book. The teacher walks the room and listens for students reading with automaticity and fluency. The teacher reminds students to read with punctuation, expression, and appropriate rate
Indicator 1P
02/04

Varied and frequent opportunities are built into the materials for students to engage in supported practice to gain oral reading fluency beginning in mid-Grade 1 and through Grade 2 (once accuracy is secure).

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that varied and frequent opportunities are built into the materials for students to engage in supported practice to gain oral reading fluency beginning in mid-Grade 1 and through Grade 2 (once accuracy is secure).

Students have an opportunity to reread a decodable book introduced during the whole-class lesson, after it has been read once with the teacher and used in a center activity. One center consistently focuses on rereading texts after whole-class lessons; however, Centers are supplemental and not required to be completed, so there is not a guarantee that each student will have the opportunity to participate in the center. Feedback and guidance from the teacher is limited to general reminders about slowing down, thinking if the word makes sense, or trying to read again. There is a lack of evidence regarding specific feedback suggestions. There are frequent opportunities for students to read short stories and phonics books to practice fluency. There is opportunity for self-correction procedure that is used to help students build automaticity and fluency.

Opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to gain oral reading fluency. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Days 96-105 includes a phonics book, and Days 106-121 includes a short story and a phonics book that students read. Days 126-135 has a phonics book, and Days 136-145 have a short story and a phonics book. Days 146-150 have a short story, and Days 151-155 includes a phonics book share. Days 156-160 and 166-170 have a phonics book that students read during the lesson.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 126-130, students read Chimp Gets a Check-Up simultaneously with the teacher and then reread the book with a partner.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 131-135, students read Dog And The Gift simultaneously with the teacher and then reread the book with a partner.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 136-140, students read Fish Had a Wish during the whole-group lesson.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 141-145, students read the story Chimp Champs during the whole group lesson.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 201-205, students read Pig Hikes simultaneously with the teacher and then reread the book with a partner.

Materials contain some opportunities for students to participate in repeated readings of a grade-level text to practice oral reading fluency. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 116-120, students reread Duck and the Mess, which was introduced in a whole-class lesson during the five-day instructional sequence. Students reread with the teacher, a stuffed animal, or a classmate, and then the teacher facilitates an additional reread.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 126-130, students read Chimp Gets a Check-Up reader’s theater script multiple times, as a group, or independently, asking the teacher for clarification if there are words or sounds that are difficult to identify.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 131-135, students reread Dog And The Gift, which was introduced in a whole-class lesson during the five-day instructional sequence. Students reread with the teacher, a stuffed animal, or a classmate, and then the teacher facilitates an additional reread.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 216-220, students reread Cat Gets a Scare, which was introduced in a whole-class lesson during the five-day instructional sequence. Students reread with the teacher, a stuffed animal, or a classmate, and then the teacher facilitates an additional reread.

Materials include guidance and feedback suggestions to the teacher for supporting students’ gains in oral reading fluency. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96-100, there is a self-correct procedure where the teacher helps students to self-correct when making mistakes. The students identify whether the word is decodable or not, look back at the letters, slowly say each sound in order, and think about whether the word makes sense in the sentence.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96-100, the teacher explains to students to read punctuation. The teacher gives an example by ignoring punctuation for two or three sentences, blurring the sentences, and not pausing or taking breaths.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 126-130, while reading the book Chimp Gets a Check-Up, the teacher helps with self-correcting by reminding students to think about the sentence as a whole and whether the words make sense in context, to look carefully at the phonics and sounds in the words on the first reading of words, to slow down when reading, and to identify whether the word is a Sticky Word or decodable.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 131-135, while reading the Express Theater book Dog and the Gift, if students make an error in a sentence, they are encouraged to try the entire sentence again in order to allow others to understand the content by hearing the sentence as a whole.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 206-210, while reading the book The Snakes Race, the teacher helps students to self-correct when making mistakes by identifying whether the word is decodable, looking back at the letters and saying each sound in order, and thinking about whether the word they read makes sense.
Indicator 1Q
02/04
Materials provide teacher guidance to support students as they confirm or self-correct errors (Grades 1-2) and emphasize reading for purpose and understanding.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials provide teacher guidance to support students as they confirm or self-correct errors and emphasize reading for purpose and understanding.

Materials include strategies for how the teacher can help students self-correct errors. Although the teacher is prompted to give reminders about using looking carefully at the sounds in words, there is a lack of specific instructions on how to confirm students' use of the strategies and how to make students aware if they chose the correct strategy based on the error they made. The materials contain learning objectives and teacher discussion questions for students to understand the decodable texts; however, the materials do not give an opportunity for the teacher to state the purpose for reading or provide a think-aloud during reading to guide students’ understanding.

Materials provide explicit lessons for the teacher in confirming and self-correcting errors in fluency. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 61-65, for the text, Bug has a Hut, the teacher is to help students self-correct when making mistakes by identifying whether the word is decodable or not, looking back a the letters and slowly saying each sound in order, and thinking about whether the word they read makes sense in the context of the sentence and the picture on the page in order to self-check accuracy.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 111-115, for the text, Frog Hunts for a Pal, the teacher is to help students self-correct when making mistakes by identifying whether the word is decodable or not, looking back a the letters and slowly saying each sound in order, and thinking about whether the word they read makes sense in the context of the sentence and the picture on the page in order to self-check accuracy.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 206-210, for the text, The Snakes Race, the teacher is to help students self-correct when making mistakes by identifying whether the word is decodable or not, looking back a the letters and slowly saying each sound in order, and thinking about whether the word they read makes sense in the context of the sentence and the picture on the page in order to self-check accuracy.

Materials do not provide opportunities for students to practice using confirmation or self-correction of errors.

Multiple opportunities are provided over the course of the year for students to read on-level texts (Grades 1-2) for purpose and understanding. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 101-105, the teacher provides students with the text, Duck Has a Nest. The teacher is provided with example questions to ask students such as, “What does ‘risk’ mean?” and “Why would it be a ‘risk’ to have a nest on top of a bus?”
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Step 3, Days 116-120, the teacher asks students to predict what the book Duck and the Mess is about by looking at the picture on the cover. Suggested questions are also provided for the teacher to ask after reading the story.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 236-240, the teacher provides students with the text, Dog’s Feast. The teacher is provided with example questions to ask students, such as, “What happens because of Dog’s fall?” and “How is the problem solved at the end of the story?”

Materials contain limited explicit directions and/or think-alouds for the teacher to model how to engage with a text to emphasize reading for purpose and understanding. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 101-105, the teacher provides students with the book Duck Has a Nest. The objectives include, “to engage students in oral language and discussion of text being read.” The teacher is provided with example questions to ask students, such as, “What does ‘risk’ mean?” and “Why would it be a ‘risk’ to have a nest on top of a bus?”
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 236-240, the teacher provides students with the text, Dog’s Feast. The objectives include, “to engage students in oral language and discussion of text being read.” The teacher is provided with example questions to ask students, such as, “What happens because of Dog’s fall?” and “How is the problem solved at the end of the story?”
Overview of Gateway 2

Implementation, Support Materials & Assessment

The materials provide comprehensive instructions for teachers to use when implementing routines, centers, activities, and practice pages to support student learning. There are adult-level explanations of some foundational skill concepts and a few examples of the concepts. The scope and sequence includes mini-lessons, whole-class lessons, and center activities with suggested instructional time frames. Many of the lessons that include grade-level standards are included in center lessons and will not necessarily be completed by all students. It is not clear if students will complete enough lessons to master standards for the grade level, especially if a student starts with materials below grade level. The materials do not include a scope & sequence for phonemic awareness. Materials include a limited cohesive, intentional sequence of phonics instruction and practice to build toward application of skills with no clear, research-based explanation for the order of the phonics sequence. Materials contain decodable texts that align with the scope and sequence of phonics instruction; however, the high-frequency words are not mentioned in the scope and sequence, and some of the decodable books have different high-frequency words than the words taught that week. Materials include assessments in phonological awareness, phonics, word recognition and analysis; however, materials do not include clear guidance on instructional next steps. Materials do not include fluency assessments.

Criterion 2.1: Guidance for Implementation, Including Scope and Sequence

10/20
Materials are accompanied by a systematic, explicit, and research-based scope and sequence outlining the essential knowledge and skills that are taught in the program and the order in which they are presented. Scope and sequence should include phonological awareness, phonics and word recognition, fluency, and print concepts.

Instructional materials meet the criteria that materials contain a teacher edition with ample and useful annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the student materials. Materials partially meet the criteria that materials contain full, adult-level explanations and examples of the foundational skills concepts included in the program so teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject, as necessary. Materials partially meet the criteria that foundational skills lessons are well-designed and take into account effective lesson structure and pacing. Content can reasonably be completed within a regular school year, and the pacing allows for maximum student understanding. The materials do not include a scope & sequence for phonemic awareness. Materials partially meet the criteria that the Scope and Sequence clearly delineate an intentional sequence in which phonics skills are to be taught, with a clear explanation for the order of the sequence. The I Am Ready and Steps 1-5 include a resource called Parent Posts, sample parent letters which can be customized and sent home to families.

Indicator 2A
04/04
Materials contain a teacher edition with ample and useful annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the student materials. Where applicable, materials include teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria that materials contain a teacher edition with ample and useful annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the student materials. Where applicable, materials include teacher guidance for the use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning.

The materials provide comprehensive instructions for teachers to use when implementing routines, centers, activities, and practice pages to support student learning. The Teacher Planner outlines suggestions and hints for teachers on how to deliver instruction to students. Weekly overviews give sufficient detail on the skills that will be covered each week. Bold headings, tables, and suggested times are included for ease of use. Embedded technology is organized effectively and allows teachers to access assessments, reports, and documents online.

Materials provide a well-defined, teacher resource (teacher edition, manual) for content presentation. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, page 20, Days 96-100, in the Whole Group Lesson, the directions state that the teacher should guide students through a Sticky Word hunt in the book, “Duck and His Mom.” The directions ask the teacher to determine if they want students to find old sticky words.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, page 144, Days 121-125, on the Gray Space Activity, the teacher is prompted to say the words in sounds for students. The teacher should instruct students to blend the sounds together and then put their hand on their head when they know the word. The directions indicate that the teacher should give wait time to the students.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 181-185, Whole Group Lesson, in the “Vowel Hop” activity, the teacher is prompted to write the five vowels in a visible place. The teacher should point to each letter and have students state the long vowel. Nine steps are given for the teacher to follow in this activity.

The teacher resource contains detailed information and instructional routines that help the teacher to effectively implement all foundational skills content (i.e. phonological awareness, phonics, irregularly spelled words, word analysis, fluency). Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In “Ready, Set, Go!” Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1-5, page 56, Days 21-25, “Listen and Blend” activity, the “Listen and Blend” routine instructs the teacher to say the three sounds in a word and then blend the sounds together to create the whole word.
  • In “Ready, Set, Go!” Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1-5, page 57, Days 51-55, “Switch a Sound” activity, teachers say a CVC word and tell students to change the middle vowel sound to create a new word.
  • In “Ready, Set, Go!” Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1 - 5, page 59, Days 126-130, “Listen And Blend” (words with digraphs) activity, the teacher tells the students, “I’m going to say a word in sounds. You need to blend the sounds together to make a word.” The instructions say that the word will start with a digraph.
  • In Teacher Guidebook, Step 6, page 27, Days 146-150, in the “Switch a Digraph” activity, there is an example of what the teacher should do and say to the students. The teacher says the word “chat”, changes the /ch/ to /th/, and then asks the students what word they hear.

Any technology pieces included provide support and guidance for the teacher and do not create an additional layer of complication around the materials. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • The online material includes six clear headers that include assessments, reports, and documents.
  • Each of the headers has subheadings underneath, with documents, student assessments, and blackline masters of the assessments.
  • In the subheading “Student Copy, ‘I Am Ready’ and ‘Steps 1 - 5,’” there are blackline masters of the uppercase and lowercase letter assessment.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1-5, page 193, Assessment Guide, there are directions for teachers for how to access the website, expressreaders.org.
Indicator 2B
02/04
Materials contain full, adult-level explanations and examples of the foundational skills concepts included in the program so teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject, as necessary.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials contain full, adult-level explanations and examples of the foundational skills concepts included in the program so teachers can improve their own knowledge of the subject, as necessary.

The Teacher’s Guidebook summarizes what foundational skills concepts are included in the program. There are adult-level explanations of some foundational skills concepts and a few examples of the concepts themselves. However, explanations and examples of key foundational skill concepts are not included, such as the concept of “beginning sounds”, which is taught in Days 1-30. Some definitions, such as the definitions of CVC words and sight words, are limited in scope and do not provide enough information for teachers to understand the concept. For other concepts, such as digraphs, there are examples of digraphs given for the teacher, but materials do not include a definition or explanation of a digraph. There is a page in the Steps 1-5 Teacher Guide books with some adult explanations of the foundational skills concepts, but the explanations are minimal and are only in relation to how to present the skills to students. The explanations do not provide information to help teachers improve their own base of knowledge on the subject. It is not clear which definitions are foundational reading skills and which are unique to the curriculum.

Some detailed adult-level explanations are provided for each foundational skill taught at the grade level. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In “Ready, Set, Go!” Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1-5, page 25, there is a page that describes what sticky words are in comparison to what high-frequency words are. The program explains that sticky words are words that students get stuck on.
  • In “Ready, Set, Go!” Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1-5, page 250-256, “Definitions by a Teacher”, there is a definition for the word “blending”
    • “the process of taking two or more sounds and putting them together with fluidity to create a spoken word.”
  • In “Ready, Set, Go!” Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1-5, pages 250-256, there is a definition given for “medial vowel sounds”
    • “the sound of /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, or /u/ in the middle of the word; The short or long vowel sound, or even the sound of a combination of two vowels.”

Some detailed examples of the grade level foundational skill concepts are provided for the teacher. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, page 193, Days 131-135, the instructions indicated that the teacher should point to the two digraphs /ch/ and /th/ and then to /sh/ on the other side of the “Crash Letters #4-5” sheet.
  • In the Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1-5, page 25, the directions state that “and” is decodable once students have learned the letters A - N, but that it is not a sight word.
  • In “Ready, Set, Go!” Teacher’s Guidebook, page 251, the example of blending is, “the student needs to take the three individual sounds in ‘sun’ and slide them together to make the word. The student might say ‘/s/ -- /u/ -- /n/’ and then ‘/s/ -- /un/’ and then ‘sun.’”
Indicator 2C
02/04
Foundational skills lessons are well-designed and take into account effective lesson structure and pacing. Content can reasonably be completed within a regular school year, and the pacing allows for maximum student understanding.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that foundational skills lessons are well-designed and take into account effective lesson structure and pacing. Content can reasonably be completed within a regular school year, and the pacing allows for maximum student understanding.

The scope and sequence includes mini-lessons, whole-class lessons, and center activities with suggested instructional time frames. This provides for teacher choice and flexibility within a five-day instructional sequence. Daily lessons are flexible and manageable for a variety of teacher schedules. However, the program lacks effective guidance for teachers in terms of pacing and delivering explicit lessons. Although time guidelines are provided for each activity, there is no indication of how lessons should be paced in order to cover all grade-level standards over the course of the school year. While materials provide lessons in five-day increments, there is no established number of lessons that would be completed in a school year, as students work at their own pace and begin work at their current level. Many of the lessons that include grade-level standards are included in center lessons and will not necessarily be completed by all students. It is not clear if students will complete enough lessons to master standards for the grade level, especially if a student starts with materials below grade level.

The lesson design structure includes both whole group and small group instruction. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Steps 1-5 Scope and Sequence, the centers can be turned into small group activities.
  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, page 107, Days 21-25, in the whole group lesson students are listening and blending CVC words.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 101-105, page 39, the scope and sequence says Whole Class/Small Group Lesson, “Ducks Has a Nest.”

The pacing of each component of daily lesson plans is partially clear and appropriate. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, page 143, Days 31-35, Week Look, the mini lessons are suggested to take 5-15 minutes. The whole class lesson is slated to take 15-25 minutes, and the centers are suggested to last 30-40 minutes.
  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, page 281, Days 61-65, there is a Mini-Lesson on “Word Wiggles”, and the recommended time is 10 minutes.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, page 165, Days 126-130, the planner recommends that the mini-lessons take 5-15 minutes, the whole class lesson 15-25 minutes, and the centers 40-60 minutes.

The suggested amount of time and expectations for maximum student understanding of all foundational skill content (i.e. phonological awareness, phonics, irregularly spelled words, word analysis, fluency) can partially be completed in one school year and should not require modifications. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 51-55, page 239, students work on mini lessons for 10-15 minutes. In this lesson, students are practicing long and short vowels.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Green Planner, Step 1, Scope and Sequence, there are four weeks of beginning sound activities.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Green Planner, Step 1, Scope and Sequence, there are four weeks of medial short vowel sound practice.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Green Planner, Step 1, Scope and Sequence, there are two whole group lessons with Sticky Words, after which students practice these words in centers.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Green Planner, Step 1, Scope and Sequence, there are eight weeks of CVC word work.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Green Planner, Step 1, Scope and Sequence, there are six weeks of practice with blends.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Green Planner, Step 1, Scope and Sequence, there are eight weeks of practice with digraphs.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Green Planner, Step 1, Scope and Sequence, there are two weeks of practice with multisyllabic words and two weeks of practice with long vowels.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Green Planner, Step 1, Scope and Sequence, there are eight weeks of lessons in which students practice Sneaky E.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Green Planner, Step 1, Scope and Sequence, there are six weeks of practice with vowel teams and two weeks of practice with vowel team reviews.

For those materials on the borderline (e.g. approximately 130 days on the low end or 200 days on the high end), evidence does not clearly explain how students would be able to master ALL the grade level standards within one school year. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • The program guide says that students can be done in Steps 1, 2 and 3 for first grade.
  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, there are 55 days of lessons, mapped out over the course of 11 weeks of instruction.
  • In the Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2-3, Days 96-175, there are 17 weeks of instruction planned.
Indicator 2D
Read
Order of Skills
Indicator 2D.i
00/04

Scope and sequence clearly delineate the sequence in which phonological awareness skills are to be taught, with a clear, evidence-based explanation for the expected hierarchy of phonemic awareness competence. (K-1)

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 do not meet the criteria that the scope and sequence clearly delineate the sequence in which phonological awareness skills are to be taught, with a clear, evidence-based explanation for the expected hierarchy of phonemic awareness competence.

The materials do not include a scope & sequence for phonemic awareness. The materials provide a general outline of phonics skills taught, but phonemic awareness is not listed. There is no cohesive sequence to build towards application listed in the materials. Lessons focus on letter order rather than a cohesive sequence building a hierarchy of phonemic awareness. While there are activities planned throughout the course of study that address phonemic awareness skills, there is not a clearly defined sequence of instruction from one skill to another. There are no clear, evidence-based explanations for the phonemic awareness skills that are addressed from week to week; instead, materials repeatedly list activities week after week with no scaffolding from skill to skill where phonemic awareness is developed and built upon as students learn.

Indicator 2D.ii
02/04

Scope and sequence clearly delineate an intentional sequence in which phonics skills are to be taught, with a clear explanation for the order of the sequence.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that the Scope and Sequence clearly delineate an intentional sequence in which phonics skills are to be taught, with a clear explanation for the order of the sequence.

The Teacher’s Guidebook for Ready, Set, GO!” and Big Steps includes a scope and sequence for phonics skills. The materials delineate an intentional sequence of instruction for phonics skills. The program clearly delineates an intentional sequence of instruction for each step. Step 1 has the following sequence: letter name and sound of consonants are reviewed, followed by short vowels, and then CVC words. Step 2 includes instruction for blends (beginning and ending) and short vowels. Step 3 includes instruction for digraphs (ch, st, th, tch), short vowels, -nk, -ng, and two-syllable words with short vowels. Step 4 includes sneaky e, long vowels, and soft c. Step 5 includes vowel teams (ai, ee, ea, oa, ui) and long vowels. However, the materials do not provide a clear, research-based rationale for why the phonics skills were chosen in that order.

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

  • In Ready, Set, GO!, Teacher’s Guidebook, there is a scope and sequence for Green Planner, Sections 1–3. In Section 1–3, this is the scope and sequence:
    • Days 1–5: Consonants b, c, d, f, g, h
    • Days 6–10: Consonants j, k, l, m, n, p
    • Days 11–15: Consonants qu, r, s, t
    • Days 16–20: Consonants v, w, x, y, z
    • Days 21–25: Short a
    • Days 26–30: Short i
    • Days 31–35: Short o
    • Days 36–40: Short u
    • Days 41–45: Short e
    • Days 46–60: Short vowel and consonant review
    • Days 51–85: CVC words
  • In Ready, Set, GO!, Teacher’s Guidebook, there is a scope and sequence for Blue Planner, Sections 1–3. In Sections 1–3, this is the scope and sequence:
    • Days 86–115: Blends
    • Days 116–120: Consonant digraphs (ch)
    • Days 121–125: Consonant digraphs (sh)
    • Days 126–130: Consonant digraphs (th)
    • Days 131–135: Consonant digraphs (tch)
    • Days 136–145: Consonant digraphs
    • Days 146–150: -ng and -nk
    • Days 151–160: two-syllable words and compound words
    • Days 161–165: Review all
  • In Ready, Set, GO!, Teacher’s Guidebook, there is a scope and sequence for Orange Planner, Sections 1–3. In Sections 1–3, this is the scope and sequence:
    • Days 166–175: Long Vowel Sounds vs. Short Vowel Sounds Intro
    • Days 176–215: Sneaky “e”
    • Days 216–255: Vowel Teams
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, there is a list of the skills and centers that are taught during each five-day cycle, including the focus of each class lesson (blends, consonant digraphs, -ng/-nk, two-syllable words, and compound words).

Materials have a clear research-based explanation for the order of the phonics sequence.

  • No evidence found

Phonics instruction is based in high utility patterns and/or common phonics generalizations. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96-100, Whole Class Lesson, Step 2 Book - The student reads Duck and His Mom. The teacher explains that the /ck/ “is different in that it is two different letters that make ONE sound. Both letters C and K can make the same sound (/k/), and when they are together, they just make that sound one time.”
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 131-135, Whole Class Lesson, Activity Crash Letter Introduction, page 195 - The teacher explains digraphs as “a combination of consonant letters” and “that the digraph makes a brand-new sound”. The planner lists /ch/, /sh/, /th/, and /tch/ as digraphs to be introduced.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 186-190, the teacher explains, “Sneaky ‘e’ is VERY sneaky. It sneaks up on a word and whispers, ‘Say your name’ to the vowel, but you never hear its sound. It is silent!”
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 206-210, the teacher explains that c is soft and makes /s/ when followed by e, i, y.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 226-230, the teacher explains vowel teams as, “When 2 vowels go walking, the first 1 does the talking” and “When 2 vowels team up, they shout the first one’s name.”

Patterns and generalizations are carefully selected to provide a meaningful and manageable number of phonics patterns and common generalizations for students to learn deeply. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Scope and Sequence, the scope and sequence indicates that one or two blends will be introduced during a five-day instructional cycle.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Scope and Sequence, the scope and sequence indicates that two vowel teams are introduced in each five-day instructional cycle. The vowel teams are taught in the following order: /ee/, /ea/, /ai/, /oa/, /ui/. There is a review of vowel teams before new vowel teams are introduced.
Indicator 2E
Read
Materials contain strategies for informing all stakeholders, including students, parents, or caregivers about the Foundational Skills program and suggestions for how they can help support student progress and achievement.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria that materials contain strategies for informing all stakeholders, including students, parents, or caregivers about the ELA/literacy program and suggestions for how they can help support student progress and achievement.

Steps 1-5 include a resource called Parent Posts, sample parent letters which can be customized and sent home to families. These newsletters contain descriptions of the letter formation process, vocabulary terms specific to the program, and explanations and examples of routine activities such as “Listen and Blend.” Some of the Parent Posts provide stakeholders with strategies and activities to support student progress. There are limited strategies or activities for practicing foundational skills at home to help students review and reinforce what they have learned in class. Students can bring decodable books home to read with their families. Phonics practice pages are available to be sent to stakeholders to reinforce instruction. Resources are jargon free and user-friendly for stakeholders. Assessment check-ins are explained, but there is no mention of further discussions or specific suggestions to stakeholders based on assessment results.

Materials contain jargon-free resources and processes to inform all stakeholders about foundational skills taught at school. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1-5, page 171, there is an explanation of the assessments that are completed.
  • There are decodable books that students take home after they have read them in class.
  • In “Ready, Set, Go!” Teacher’s Guidebook, pages 169-172, there are parent letters explaining the program’s letter formation instructions, how students will be assessed during the program, and examples of classroom routines for teaching rhyming words, blending words, and substituting sounds.

Materials provide stakeholders with strategies and activities for practicing phonological awareness, phonics and word recognition, fluency, and print concepts that will support students in progress towards and achievement of grade level foundational skills standards. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In the student activities, Steps 4 and 5, there are decodable books that students take home after they have read them in class.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1-5, page 172, there is a Parent Post that explains what the check-ups are for and how they assess students.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1-5, page 163, Parent Post, the letter to parents is about the Take Home books with Sticky Words and Slow Down Sounds.

Criterion 2.2: Decodable Texts

06/08
Program includes work with decodables in K and Grade 1, and as needed in Grade 2, following the grade-level scope and sequence to address both securing phonics.

Grade 1 materials contain decodable texts that align with the scope and sequence of phonics instruction. Materials contain a scope and sequence for instruction using decodable readers; however, the high-frequency words are not mentioned in the scope and sequence, and some of the decodable books have different high-frequency words than the words taught that week.

Indicator 2F
Read
Aligned Decodable Texts
Indicator 2F.i
04/04
Materials include decodable texts with phonics aligned to the program’s scope and sequence and opportunities for students to use decodables for multiple readings.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria that materials include decodable texts with phonics aligned to the program’s scope and sequence.

The Grade 1 materials contain decodable texts that align with the scope and sequence of phonics instruction. Materials outline which phonics skills will be introduced throughout each step of the program. The phonics patterns in the decodable texts are introduced in whole class instruction prior to the introduction of the decodable text.

Materials include decodable texts to address securing phonics. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96–100, students read the story, Duck and His Mom. The book contains the “Slow Down Blends,” /ck/, /sw/, /gl/, and /xt/.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96–100, Whole Class Lesson, students receive the decodable book Duck and HIs Mom, which focuses on short vowels and blends.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 101–105, Whole Class Lesson, students receive the decodable book Duck Has a Nest, which focuses on short vowels and ending blends.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 106–110, Whole Class Lesson, students receive the decodable book Frog and His Sled, which focuses on short vowels and blends.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 131–135, students read the decodable book, Dog and the Gift. The phonics skills are the /ch/, /sh/, and /th/ blends.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 211–215, students read the decodable reader Frog Has the Blues. The phonics skills being taught are long vowels /u_e/ and /ue/.

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

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96–100, Whole Class Lesson, students receive the decodable book Duck and His Mom. The words introduced in the decodable book include phonics blends that the students have previously learned.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 101–105, Whole Class Lesson, students receive the decodable book Duck Has a Nest. The words introduced in the decodable book include ending blends that build on the previous decodable book in Days 96–100.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 106–110, Scope and Sequence, students read the phonics book, Frog and His Sled. During the whole class lesson, students read the book with the teacher and with a peer.

Materials include detailed lesson plans for repeated readings of decodable texts to address securing phonics skills. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96–100, Whole Class Lesson, students receive the decodable book Duck and His Mom. The students first read the text with the class as a whole group. Then the teacher instructions indicate that “students practice with a partner” and “reread sentences if they need to slow down to decode or identify words.”
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96–100, Center 6, students reread the decodable book Duck and His Mom. Students previously read the decodable in a whole class lesson and practiced with a partner during the same whole class lesson. In Center 6, the student rereads the book with a teacher, a stuffed animal, or a classmate.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 126–130, Whole Class Lesson, students read the book, Chimp Gets a Check-Up. Students read the book with the teacher first. Then during the “Specific Focus” activity, students read by switching off with a partner.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 136–140, page 222, during the Whole Class Lesson, students read the book and track the sentences while reading in order to say sounds according to letter-sound correlations. During the “Specific Focus” activity, students practice reading by switching off with a partner.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 151–155, during the “Phonics Book Share,” students pick their favorite book. They read it to one partner, and then they switch partners and read it again.
Indicator 2F.ii
02/04
Materials include decodable texts with high-frequency words aligned to the program’s scope and sequence and opportunities for students to use decodables for multiple readings.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials include decodable texts with high-frequency words aligned to the program’s scope and sequence.

Grade 1materials contain a scope and sequence for instruction using decodable readers; however, the high-frequency words are not mentioned in the scope and sequence, and some of the decodable books have different high-frequency words than the words taught that week. Instruction of "Sticky Words" builds upon previous lessons, and “Sticky Words” are practiced in multiple books over the course in Steps 2-5. Students have opportunities to reread the decodable books, but these opportunities are not guaranteed to occur, as the books are reread primarily in optional centers or at home. There is no evidence that there is explicit instruction of all high-frequency words before students encounter them in text. The Scope and Sequence does not provide a list of "Sticky Words" that will be taught. Materials do not include detailed lesson plans for repeated readings to secure knowledge of high-frequency or irregularly spelled words.

Materials include decodable texts that utilize high-frequency/irregularly spelled words. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96-100, Whole Class Lesson, page 20, students receive the decodable book Duck and His Mom. The decodable book introduces the new “Sticky Word” “see” and contains previously introduced "Sticky Words" “the” and “go.”
  • Blue Teacher Planner, Step 2, Book 1, in the decodable text Duck has a Nest, the book contains previously introduced "Sticky Words", “for”, “the”, “he”, and “too”.
  • Blue Teacher Planner, Step 2, Book 1, in the decodable text, Chimp Gets a Check-up, the book contains previously introduced "Sticky Words", “the”, “go”, “does”, “he”, “sees”, “like”, “have”, “to”, and “be”. The new sticky word is “good.”
  • Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 136-140, pages 222-223, students receive the decodable book Fish Had a Wish. The decodable book introduces a new “Sticky Word”, “she,” and contains previously introduced "Sticky Words" “was”, “to”, “the”, “for”, and “be.”

Decodable texts 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:

  • Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1-5, the Express Readers’ Book Layout provides the Scope and Sequence for "Sticky Words", which are introduced throughout the program. Words introduced in Step 2 include “see”, “puts”, “does”, “have”, “come”, “like”, and “of.” Words introduced in Step 3 include “good”, “she”, “where”, “are”, and “all.” Words introduced in Step 4 include “they”, “do”, “again”, “wants”, “you”, “my”, “when”, “says”, “some”, “there”, and “her.” Words introduced in Step 5 include “why”, “now”, “what”, “we”, “our”, “could”, “no”, and “said.”
  • Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, page 4, Scope and Sequence - On Days 106-110, students read the decodable book, Frog and His Sled. The “Sticky Words” included in the book are “to”, “he”, and “the”.
  • Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, page 5, Scope and Sequence, Days 116-120 - Students read the book, Duck and The Mess. The new "Sticky Words" are “come” and “like”. The old words are “to”, “the”, “have”, and “he”.
  • Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96-100, Whole Class Lesson, page 20, students receive the decodable book Duck and His Mom. The decodable book introduces a new “Sticky Word” “see” and contains previously introduced "Sticky Words" “the” and “go.” The words introduced in the decodable book are aligned with the Scope and Sequence presented in the Ready, Set, Go Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1-5, page 5.

Materials include do not include lesson plans for repeated readings of decodable texts to address securing high-frequency words/irregularly spelled words in context. Lessons are general and do not provide detailed information for repeated readings. For example:

  • Express Readers Tool Kit, Steps 2 and 3, students read the story Frog and the Sled. The story contains the "Sticky Words" “puts”, “the”, “to”, and “he”. Students read along with the teacher in the text. Students are then prompted to read the book a second time with another student.
  • Express Readers Tool Kit, Steps 2 and 3, students read the story Fish Had a Wish. The "Sticky Words" in the decodable are “she”, “was”, “to”, “the”, “for”, “of”, and “be”. Students read along with the teacher in the text. Students are then prompted to read the book a second time with another student.
  • Express Readers Tool Kit, Steps 2 and 3, students read the story Chimp Camps. The "Sticky Words" in the decodable are “where”, “are”, “have”, “for”, “to”, “from”, “he”, “puts”, “does”, “see”, “the”, and “go”. Students read along with the teacher in the text. Students are then prompted to read the book a second time with another student.
  • Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96-100, Whole Class Lesson, page 20, students receive the decodable book Duck and His Mom. The decodable book introduces a new “Sticky Word” “see” and contains previously introduced "Sticky Words" “the” and “go.” The specific focus of the lesson states, “Students reread sentences if they need to slow down to decode or identify words” and “Students practice with a partner” after the class has read the book as a group.
  • Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96-100, Center 6, pages 26-27, students practice rereading decodable book Duck and His Mom. Students reread with either the teacher, a stuffed animal, or a classmate.

Criterion 2.3: Assessment and Differentiation

13/24
Materials provide teachers resources and tools to collect ongoing data about student progress on the Standards. Materials also provide teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of a range of learners so that students demonstrate independence with grade-level standards.

Instructional materials provide multiple opportunities for assessing letter recognition and printing of letters, but there is no evidence of an assessment of print concepts. The Teacher’s Guidebook provides formal assessments and refers to lessons for informal assessments throughout the program. Although assessments are provided, the materials do not provide teachers with next steps for addressing the needs of students who are unable to demonstrate mastery on any given assessment. The Grade 1 materials include publisher-produced alignment documentation of the standards addressed in assessments. The Materials provide a brief discussion of the needs of English language learners in the alignment section of the Teacher Guidebooks; however, materials do not provide suggestions for teaching or reteaching in order for students to work towards meeting or exceeding grade-level standards. Materials provide some modifications and accommodations for mini-lessons, whole-class lessons, centers, and extra activities for students who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level. Materials provide extensions and/or more advanced opportunities for students who read, write, speak, or listen above grade level.

Indicator 2G
Read
Regular and Systematic Opportunities for Assessment
Indicator 2G.i
01/02

Materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that measure student progress through mastery of print concepts (K-1), letter recognition (K only), and printing letters (as indicated by the program scope and sequence) (K-1).

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities(Kindergarten-Grade 1) that measure student progress through mastery of print concepts (Kindergarten-Grade 1), letter recognition (Kindergarten only), and printing letters (as indicated by the program scope and sequence) (Kindergarten-Grade 1).

Express Readers provides multiple opportunities for assessing letter recognition and printing of letters, but there is no evidence of an assessment on print concepts. The materials in the Express Readers, Step 1 Program include a baseline formal assessment at the beginning of the year on letter naming and letter recognition. Depending on how students perform on the baseline, teachers can use this assessment to collect progress data as the year progresses. There is an assessment completed twice throughout the school year to evaluate printing letters. There are eight Check Ups included that evaluate student progress on letter formation of some letters. However, the assessments in Steps 2 and 3 have limited questions on letter recognition and printing letters as compared to the assessments included in Step 1. The Guidebook directions do indicate that, based on assessment results, teachers should reflect on lessons that were effective. However, the directions do not elaborate further on the steps that should be taken next. While the online website has directions for the assessment management system, lack of access to the website prevented observations of what reports or next steps might be available for teachers and students.

Materials provide some assessment opportunities over the course of the year to demonstrate students’ progress toward mastery and independence of print concepts, letter recognition, and letter formation. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 6 - 10, page 33, the teacher has the students complete the Level 1 Uppercase Handwriting Assessment, the Level 1 Lowercase Handwriting Assessment, and the Level 2 Uppercase and Lowercase Handwriting Assessment.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1- 5, Check-Up #2, Days 66 - 70, page 110, the student is asked to circle the letter H.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1- 5, page 50, it contains the teacher recording sheet for handwriting assessment. The recording sheet has each uppercase and lowercase letter for teachers to “circle any of the letters that students formed incorrectly” as well as a space for observational notes.
  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Whole Class-Formal Assessment, Days 1-5, the teacher assesses students individually on letter names and letter sounds. It provides information on when to discontinue the test based on how students score in each section. This assessment round is baseline testing in order to define a beginning point for each student and to monitor progress through the year.
  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Whole Class-Formal Assessment, Days 6-10, the teacher assesses students in small groups of 2-4 students in order to observe each student’s formation of each letter. This assessment includes both uppercase and lowercase letters. Materials include a Handwriting Assessment Notes Sheet for teachers to indicate which letters were formed incorrectly either in shape or directionality. There are three levels, and it is up to teachers to determine which level to use based on informal assessment and daily observations. This assessment is repeated once on Days 46-50.
  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Whole Class Lesson-Check Up #1, this informal assessment includes letter formation using the student’s finger. This is repeated in Check Up #2 through Check Up #8.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1-5, page 108-109, Step 2, Check Up #3, Question #3, the teacher asks students to put their finger on the row of end marks beneath the number three. The teacher says the sentence and instructs the student that, based on how the teacher says the sentence, the student is to circle the end mark that would come at the end of that sentence.

Assessment materials provide teachers and students with some information concerning students’ current skills/level of understanding of print concepts, letter recognition, and letter formation. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Express Readers Online Assessment, Assessment Guide, the online assessment provides several reports including singular student assessment report, class assessment report, student error report, and singular student comparison report. The reports can be printed to share information or notes that you have taken about a student's work on an assessment, and an error report can be printed to show any of the incorrect responses that a student submitted on an assessment.
  • In Express Readers Online Assessment, Home Page, in the third paragraph, it states that the online assessment assists the teacher by placing children within the Express Readers Program, giving record of the current skills of students, and organizing all data automatically
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1-5, pages 39-50, provide an assessment for the progression of handwriting skills in three levels. The first level allows a student to form each uppercase and lowercase letter by tracing inside of a bubble letter, the second level provides a blank box for the student to copy each letter, and the third level provides lined paper for the student to copy each letter.

Materials support teachers with some instructional suggestions for assessment-based steps to help students to progress toward mastery in print concepts, letter recognition, and letter formation. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Green Teacher Planner, Step 1, Days 6 - 10, page 33, the directions state that, depending on how students do on the handwriting assessment, the teacher might put two students in a group who will need more support.
  • In Ready, Set, Go, Steps 1-5 Teacher Guide, page 157, it provides a program correlation to assessments. The guide indicates what lesson a student should begin at according to their assessment results.
Indicator 2G.ii
01/02

Materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that measure student progress of phonological awareness (as indicated by the program scope and sequence). (K-1)

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that genuinely measure student progress of phonological awareness (as indicated by the program scope and sequence).

The Teacher’s Guidebook provides formal assessments and refers to lessons for informal assessments throughout the program. Although assessments are provided, the materials do not provide teachers with next steps for addressing the needs of students who are unable to demonstrate mastery on any given assessment. The instructions indicate that teachers should use the assessments to determine possible areas of review but there is no further explanation or guidance. For example, the Teacher’s Guidebook states, “If a modification is needed, students need to remain in Step 1 for further instruction and practice.” The program includes teacher observation and one formal auditory discirmination and rhyming assessment. The assessment lacks a corresponding explanation of next steps based on assessment results. No materials were found that support teachers with instructional suggestions for assessment-based steps to help students progress toward mastery in phonological awareness. Unlike the Check-ups throughout the program, each of the formal assessments at the end of Steps 1–5 require students to read words and circle the rhyming word and lacks the same auditory rhyming assessment of the check-ups. There are placement considerations provided in interpreting assessments; however, all placement considerations correspond to the phonics-based assessments that include identifying letter names, sounds, and decoding words.

Materials provide some assessment opportunities over the course of the year to demonstrate students’ progress toward mastery and independence in phonological awareness. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In “Ready, Set, Go!” Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1–5, page 105–106, during the Auditory Discrimination and Rhyming Assessment, the teacher orally assesses students on rhyming, beginning sounds, ending sounds, and middle vowel sounds.
  • In “Ready, Set, Go!” Teacher’s Guide, Step 1–5, pages 114–115, the materials provide a formal assessment of oral blending, during which the teacher orally segments a word and the student must blend the sounds and circle a matching picture. The instructions include, “/sh/-pause-/i/-pause-/p/. Once you know the word, circle the picture for that word.” Picture choices include a trunk, ship, a person opening a door, and an arrow pointing to a chin.

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

  • In “Ready, Set, Go!” Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1–5, page 104, teachers may access a general observation assessment checklist used to note the student’s level of proficiency. Teacher guidance points out occurrences such as, “child skips/omits letters when saying sounds or names” and “child skips/omits sounds when blending.” The proficiency levels are “always,” “often,” “sometimes,” “rarely,” or “never.” The Teacher’s Guidebook does not address how the teacher should use the information gathered from the assessments to guide future instruction.
  • In “Ready to Read” Teacher’s Guidebook, “I am Ready” Program, pages 118–119, the materials provide guidance on administering an auditory discrimination and rhyming assessment of four to five questions in each of the four categories of rhyming, beginning sounds, ending sounds, and middle vowel sounds. The teacher documents the correct number in each category and the correct number out of a total of 18 questions on the record sheet provided.

Materials do not support teachers with instructional suggestions for assessment-based steps to help students to progress toward mastery in phonological awareness. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In “Ready, Set, Go!” Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1–5, page 155–157, the materials provide the teacher with information on interpreting assessments for Steps 1–5. The section provides a list of assessments and reminds the teacher to “always place students in a prior Step or program if there is any question of mastery of a concept.”
Indicator 2G.iii
01/02

Materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that measure student progress of phonics in- and out-of-context (as indicated by the program scope and sequence). (K-2)

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that measure student progress of phonics (as indicated by the program Scope and Sequence).

The Grade 1 materials provide the teacher a record collection sheet to document data regarding student progress in phonics. Although Check-Ups are routinely given throughout the program, there is an absence of information to support instructional adjustments other than the number of correct items on each assessment. At this level, students are assessed on letter sounds, blending real and nonsense CVC words, and reading sentences with CVC words to be able to complete tasks, as well as finding pictures of rhyming words on the Formal Assessments. There are short Check-Ups scattered throughout the program; the teacher may administer the Check-Ups as a quick check of students’ proficiency on specific skills. There is one Check-Up in Step 2 and three in Step 3. The last four Check-Ups are in Steps 4 and 5. The teacher is advised to use the Formal Assessments to determine if students are ready to move to the next level. However, the materials do not provide guidelines that tell the teacher what scores mean to determine if the students are ready to move up. In addition, if a student is not ready, there are no guidelines on what the teacher should review to help students get to the next level.

Materials provide some resources and tools to collect ongoing data about students’ progress in phonics. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1–5, teacher resources include recording sheets for assessing letter sounds, CVC words, words with blends, digraphs, Sneaky e, and vowel teams.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1–5, pages 111–127, teacher resources include blackline master copies for student Check-Ups that assess letter sounds, digraphs, and decoding words. Pages 128–130 provide answer keys for the Check-Up assessments.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, pages 204-205, teacher guidance states, “Students must read four or more words correctly to pass” when assessing students’ ability to blend real words and nonsense words. The Simple Sentences section of the assessment also states that “a student must read 11 or more words correctly to move on to the next section.”
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Scope and Sequence, pages 6–8, Check-Ups #4, 5, and 6 are included in these Steps. During these Check-Ups, students point to the digraph when given the sound it makes, circle a word said by the teacher, and circle the vowel heard in a spoken word.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 146–150, students complete the formal assessment. Students read words with digraphs, vowel teams (Step 5), blends, and short vowels.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 151–155, the teacher completes Check-Up #4 with students. The teacher says a word, and students find and circle the word.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Scope and Sequence, pages 5–8, Check-Ups #7–10 are included in these two Steps. During these Check-Ups, students point to the digraph or vowel team when given the sound it makes, circle a word said by the teacher, and circle the vowel heard in a spoken word.

Materials offer limited assessment opportunities to determine students’ progress in phonics that are implemented systematically. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 111–115, students complete pages 33–42, which contain mixed blend words. Students may complete the practice pages independently as an informal assessment, after the teacher gives them instructions.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Step 3, Scope and Sequence, pages 6–8, the Formal Assessment is used to measure progress midway through the lessons. This is a repeat of the Formal Assessment given in Kindergarten and includes letter names and sounds, reading real and nonsense CVC words and sticky words in isolation, and reading sentences with CVC and sticky words. The Formal Assessment, Step 3, Part 1 is administered the following week. The Formal Assessment, Step 3, Part 2 (exit) is given at the end of the lessons in the same week that Check-Up #6 is given. In Part 1, students read sentences to complete directions, write a missing digraph in a word, write a word from a word bank under a picture, find a rhyming word, and choose the sentence that describes a picture. These assessment pieces are repeated in Part 2.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Scope and Sequence, pages 5–8, the Formal Assessment for progress testing and exiting the Step are given during the last week of lessons in both Steps 4 and 5. In Part 1, students read sentences to complete directions, write a missing digraph in a word, write a word from a word bank under a picture, find a rhyming word, and choose the sentence that describes a picture. In the exit test, students read sentences to complete directions, write a missing vowel or vowel team in a word, write a word from a word bank under a picture, find a rhyming word, and choose the sentence that describes a picture.

Limited assessment opportunities are provided regularly for students to demonstrate progress toward mastery and independence with phonics. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Teacher’s Guide, Steps 1–5, pages 67–68, the materials provide the assessment schedule for the program. There is one Check-Up for Step 2 on Days 116–120, three Check-Up assessments for Step 3 between Days 151–175, and two Check-Up assessments for Step 4 between Days 196–215. During the Check-Up assessments, students identify blends from a row of blends, identify digraphs from a row of digraphs, circle a decodable word read aloud by the teacher, and circle a long vowel word read aloud by the teacher.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and Step 3, Days 131–135, Center #3, the planner indicates that the practice pages can be used as an informal assessment “to see if students could apply the phonics and skills learned.”
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Step 3, Scope and Sequence, pages 6–8, Check-Up #4 is given in Week six, followed by Check-Up #5 two weeks later. The Formal Assessment for progress testing is given in Week 5. Part 1 of the Step 3 Formal Assessment is given in Week six, and Part 2 is given in Week ten, along with Check-Up #6.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 4 and 5, Days 196–200, Center #3, the practice pages can be used as an informal assessment when students are allowed to complete a page independently. When completing Practice Page #20, students write the words ride, vine, fire, smile, wire, time, slide, drive, and hike.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Step 4, Scope and Sequence, pages 5–6, the Formal Assessment for progress testing and exiting the Step is given during the last week of lesson. Check-Up #7 is given during the third week of the Step and Check-Up #8 is given during Week six.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Step 5, Scope and Sequence, pages 7–8, the Formal Assessment for progress testing and exiting the Step is given during the last week of lessons in Step 5. Check-Up #9 is given in Week five and Check-Up #10 is given in Week seven.

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

  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1–5, page 157, if students correctly decode 75% of the words in the Step 2 online assessment on words with blends and short vowels, the guidebook suggests that students should start at Day 126, Step 3. If students correctly decode 75% of the words in the Step 3 online assessment on words with digraphs and short vowels, the planner suggests that students should start at Day 176, Step 4.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1–5, pages 99–103, the materials provide record pages for use when assessing letter sounds and students’ ability to decode additional phonics patterns throughout Step 1. Additional phonics patterns include CVC words, nonsense words, words with blends, digraphs, vowel teams, and "Sneaky E" words. The record sheet includes a score out of the total number of items in each category.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Step 3, Whole Class Lesson, Formal Assessment Step 2, page 379, this Step Assessment is given at the end of the Step to create a written record of student understanding and ability with the given material. The Step Assessments should be used along with the Express Readers Assessment to decide if students need more practice before moving on to the next Step in the program. By finding errors, the teacher can assess what types of practice students need as well. The Step 3 Assessment includes Read and Draw, Add to the Picture, Missing Letter, Missing Word, Rhyming Words, and Pick the Sentence.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Step 4, Center #1, Formal Assessment Step 4, Days 221–225, this Step Assessment is given at the end of the Step to create a written record of student understanding and ability with the given material. The Step Assessments should be used along with the Express Readers Assessment to decide if students need more practice before moving on to the next Step in the program. By finding errors, the teacher can assess what types of practice students need as well. The Step 4 Assessment includes Read and Draw, Add to the Picture, Missing Vowel, Missing Word, Rhyming Words, and Pick the Sentence.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Step 5, Center #1, Formal Assessment Step 5, Days 261–265, this Step Assessment is given at the end of the Step to create a written record of student understanding and ability with the given material. The Step Assessments should be used along with the Express Readers Assessment to decide if students need more practice before moving on to the next Step in the program. By finding errors, the teacher can assess what types of practice students need as well. The Step 5 Assessment includes Read and Draw, Add to the Picture, Missing Vowel Teams, Missing Word, Rhyming Words, and Pick the Sentence.

Materials do not measure students’ progress to support teachers with instructional adjustments to help students make progress toward mastery in phonics. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1–5, page 202, the materials provide the teacher with guidance on inputting assessment observation notes into the digital assessment platform. An example is “adds /u/ sound after each letter sound.”
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1–5, page 213, the materials include an example of the digital assessment error report. The report indicates the types of assessment questions the students answered incorrectly. The teacher is able to see the number of errors as well as the phonics skills the student has not yet mastered.
Indicator 2G.iv
01/02

Materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that measure student progress of word recognition and analysis (as indicated by the program scope and sequence). (K-2)

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that measure student progress of word recognition and analysis (as indicated by the program scope and sequence).

Assessments provide some opportunities throughout Steps 1–3 to assess Sticky Words and CVC words. Although assessments are provided throughout the program, explicit information regarding instructional next steps based on assessment results is absent. The materials provide information regarding a starting point for placement into the program and provide general directions that students should be “placed in a prior Step or program” if students are unable to demonstrate mastery. A formal assessment is completed at the end of Step 1 to evaluate students’ knowledge of Sticky Words. A student error report is generated after each administration of the formal assessment, but the report does not explain what is included in this report and how much information it provides concerning students’ current skills and levels of understanding of word recognition and word analysis.

Materials provide limited assessment opportunities over the course of the year to demonstrate students’ progress toward mastery and independence of word recognition (high-frequency words or irregularly spelled words) and analysis. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 151-155, in Step 3, Part 1, the students read the decodable text and Sticky Words. Students draw a picture to represent the details in the sentence.
  • In Online Assessment, the formal assessment is given once at the end of Step 2 to exit, twice in Step 3 for progress testing and at the end for exit, and once at the end of Steps 4 and 5 for progress and exit purposes. Starting with Step 1, the formal assessment includes assessing all of the Sticky Words taught in Steps 1–5, assessing reading real words and nonsense words, and reading words in sentences.

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

  • No evidence found.

Materials support teachers with instructional suggestions for assessment-based steps to help students to progress toward mastery in word recognition and word analysis. Examples include, but are not limited to the following:

  • No evidence found.
Indicator 2G.v
00/02
Materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that measure student progress in fluency (as indicated by the program scope and sequence). (1-2)

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 do not meet the criteria that materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that measure student progress in fluency (as indicated by the program scope and sequence).

Materials do not include assessments that specifically evaluate students' fluency in Grade 1. The information in the teacher resources concerning the current skill being taught is general and does not specify what a teacher should be evaluating in regard to fluency. There are routine check-ups throughout the Express Readers program; however, the ongoing check-ups do not include reading sentences. There are one or two formal exit assessments for each Step, which include reading a sentence that matches a picture. However, these items do not measure fluency in regard to rate, prosody, or errors. Assessment score sheets provide the number of correct questions out of the total number of questions without additional information regarding instructional adjustments.

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

  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1–5, pages 67–68, the materials provide the assessment schedule for the program. Check-Ups and formal assessments are scheduled throughout the program, beginning with Step 2, Check-Up #3. The Check-Ups include individual word reading. There is one exit assessment for Step 2, two exit assessments for Step 3, and one exit assessment for Step 4 and Step 5. The exit assessment includes reading a sentence and drawing a matching picture, choosing from a word bank and matching the words to pictures by writing them under the picture, and choosing a sentence that matches a picture.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1–5, pages 94–98, the materials include five pages with four sentences each under the assessment tab. There is no label for the pages or references regarding whether the sentences are for a specific lesson, Step, or assessment. However, the pages are included with additional labeled assessment material.

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

  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1–5, page 155, the Guidebook states, “In regard to fluency, students might be able to decode every word with accuracy. But if decoding is done so slowly that comprehension is not possible, students require more practice with the prior step.” No additional guidance is provided.
  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1–5, pages 203, 211, and 214, the materials indicate that students are assessed for reading Simple Sentences. Simple Sentences is a section on the assessment. Page 203 indicates that there are 20 items on the Simple Sentences assessment section. There is not an example of a report to examine and it is unknown how the results are reported.

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

  • No evidence found.
Indicator 2H
01/02
Materials include publisher-produced alignment documentation of the standards addressed by specific questions, tasks, and assessment and assessment materials clearly denote which standards are being emphasized.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that assessment materials include publisher-produced alignment documentation of the standards addressed by specific questions, tasks, and assessment and assessment materials clearly denote which standards are being emphasized.

The Grade 1 materials include publisher-produced alignment documentation of the standards addressed in assessments. The documentation lists the standard content from CCSS and the location in Express Readers assessment in which this content can be found. There is no evidence of alignment documentation showing specific standards correlated to specific questions and tasks. Materials contain a general correlation outline that states where the standards can be found in the instructional materials by component types.

Materials include denotations of the standards being assessed in the formative assessments. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Teacher Guidebook, Steps 1–5, pages 247–249, the Assessment Alignment: First Grade outlines the standard content from the CCSS for print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics and word recognition, and fluency. Next to each standard, there are notations of where these standards can be found in Express Readers assessments.

Materials include denotations of standards being assessed in the summative assessments. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Teacher Guidebook, Steps 1–5, pages 247–249, the Assessment Alignment: First Grade outlines the standard content from the CCSS for print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics and word recognition, and fluency. Next to each standard, there are notations of where these standards can be found in Express Readers assessments.

Limited alignment documentation is provided for some tasks, questions, and assessment items. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Teacher Guidebook, Steps 1–5, pages 247–249, the Assessment Alignment: First Grade outlines the standard content from the CCSS for print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics and word recognition, and fluency. Next to each standard, there are notations of where these standards can be found in Express Readers assessments.

Alignment documentation contains standards correlated to lessons. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Teacher’s Guidebook, Steps 1–5, page 215, the Alignment Documentation: Standard guide denotes which standard goes with each Express Readers activity.
Indicator 2I
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Differentiation for Instruction: Materials provide teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of a range of learners so the content is accessible to all learners and supports them in meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.

Indicator 2I.i
02/04

Materials regularly provide all students, including those who read, write, speak, or listen in a language other than English with extensive opportunities for reteaching to meet or exceed grade-level standards.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials regularly provide all students, including those who read, write, speak, or listen in a language other than English with extensive opportunities for reteaching meet or exceed grade-level standards.


The Grade 1 materials provide a brief discussion of the needs of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the alignment section of the Teacher Guidebooks; however, materials do not provide suggestions for teaching or reteaching in order for students to work towards meeting or exceeding grade-level standards. Additionally, the information provided for teachers does not vary for each standard. There is a lack of guidance in terms of specific strategies to use with ELL students in the lessons, and there is a lack of specific scaffolding and instructions within the Teacher Guidebooks. After the Reading Standards and the Speaking and Listening Standards, there is a list of examples for “Emerging, Expanding, & Bridging of English Language Development(ELD)in Express Readers in First Grade.” However, there is no explanation of these levels to teachers, and the examples do not explain how to adapt the examples for the various levels. There is a reference to modifications for students who are English Learners(ELs)for Center 2 in some lessons, but not all five-day instructional sequences. Instructions for Center 2 include identical modification instructions from week to week and do not provide extensive opportunities for reteaching.



Materials provide limited support for ELL students. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Teacher Guidebook, Steps 1–5, page 226, materials provide teachers with information on EL proficiency: “If the student has little or not native language literacy,” the students “will need instruction in print concepts.” Students with some proficiency “will need instruction in applying their knowledge,” and students with literacy skills in a language that uses writing other than the Latin alphabet “will need instruction in learning the Latin alphabet.”
  • In Teacher Guidebook, Steps 1–5, page 233, materials include this example for ELD: “[F]acilitate simple questions about what has been read.”



General statements about ELL students or few strategies note at the beginning of a unit or at one place in the teacher edition are then implemented by the materials throughout the curriculum. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Teacher Guidebook, Steps 1–5, Language Standards, pages 215–244, at the beginning of each set of standards (language-conventions of standard English, reading-print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics and word recognition, and fluency), a brief description of what ELL students will need is provided for three separate groups of students: no or little native language proficiency, some foundational literacy in a language not using the Latin alphabet, and some foundational literacy proficiency in a language using the Latin alphabet. In addition, after the Reading Standards, and the Speaking and Listening Standards, there is a section with “examples for use of Emerging, Expanding, & Bridging of ELD in Express Readers in First Grade.”
  • In Teacher Guidebook, Step 1–5, page 228, CCSS: Print Concepts, 1. PIII.1-1, materials include the following guidance regarding a student who has little or no native language literacy: “Students will need instruction in Print Concepts.”
  • In Teacher Guidebook, Step 1–5, page 231, teacher guidance regarding students who have some foundational literacy proficiency in a language not using the Latin alphabet (e.g., Arabic, Chinese, Korean, and Russian) is as follows: “Students will be familiar with print concepts, and will need instruction in learning the Latin alphabet for English, as compared or contrasted with their native language writing system.”
Indicator 2I.ii
02/04

Materials regularly provide all students, including those who read, write, speak, or listen below grade-level with extensive opportunities for reteaching to meet or exceed grade-level standards.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials regularly provide all students, including those who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level with extensive opportunities for reteaching to meet or exceed grade-level standards.


The Grade 1 materials provide some modifications and accommodations for mini-lessons, whole-class lessons, centers, and extra activities for students who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level. No evidence of opportunities for small group reteaching was found. Materials include modifications for students not performing at the level of the lesson; however, the modifications use the same materials with teacher modeling. Materials lack evidence of reteaching or scaffolded instruction other than teacher modeling. Center activities indicate that they can be overlapped between Guidebooks, with the Step 1 Guidebook containing centers at the Kindergarten level. There is a lack of direct alignment or scope and sequence for the centers in order to ensure students would be practicing the same skill.



Materials provide some opportunities for small group reteaching. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Guidebook, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96–100, teacher guidance explains that mini-lessons can be repeated to review a skill, that whole-class lessons “can also be done in smaller groups to accommodate behaviors and capabilities,” and that centers “can be done in small groups.”
  • In Blue Teacher Guidebook, Steps 2 and 3, Days 101–105, modifications include “teachers work with a small group of students” to practice decoding “with help from teachers.”
  • In Blue Teacher Guidebook, Steps 2 and 3, Days 106-110, Center #7, materials include the following note: “Teachers decide on the version used by each student based on ability and need” while determining which “Wonder Word” strip to use at the teacher-led center.
  • In Blue Teacher Guidebook, Steps 2 and 3, Days 136–140, Whole-Group Lesson, students read Fish Had a Wish and the teacher prompts students to identify the “Sticky Words.” Then in Center #2, students go on a “Sticky Word” hunt. The guidebook states that all centers can be done in small groups or independently.
  • In Blue Teacher Guidebook, Steps 2 and 3, Days 146–150, in the whole class lesson, “Wonder Word,” students practice creating words with digraphs /ch/, /th/, and /sh/. Then in Center #7, “Silly Sentences,” students create silly sentences using these digraphs.
  • In Blue Teacher Guidebook, Steps 2 and 3, Days 156–160, students complete practice pages 99–102 in the Steps 2 and 3 book in centers. Then in Center #5, students create sound collages with /ch/, /sh/, and /th/ using pages 318–319.




Materials provide some guidance to teachers for scaffolding and adapting lessons and activities to support students who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level in extensive opportunities to learn foundational skills at the grade-level standards. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Guidebook, Steps 2 and 3, page 3, the center overlapping explanation indicates “center overlapping is where the Green, Blue, and Orange Guidebook can be overlapped during center time,” allowing teachers to use centers from different Steps of the program to “individualize content for different homogeneous groups.”
  • In Blue Teacher Guidebook, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96–100, in the accommodations section, the guidebook states, “Teachers say and elongate five to ten words while doing the motion. Students copy/mimic in order to practice the directions.”
  • In Blue Teacher Guidebook, Steps 2 and 3, Days 111–115, in the modifications section, the materials include a small group accommodation to provide students with more individualized support and immediate help in self-correcting. Students track at the same time the teacher or another student reads. The accommodation is as follows: “Students color the first letter green to signify ‘Go,’ or the start of a sentence. Color the end mark read to signify ‘Stop,’ or the end of the sentence.” Teachers use a sample book in a visible place to model how to track when reading.
  • In Blue Teacher Guidebook, Steps 2 and 3, Days 126–130, in the accommodation section, teacher guidance recommends that students use the Wonder Word letter cards and mat to build each word one time as the teacher facilitates and checks. Students read their built words to the teacher once the words are on their mat.
  • In Blue Teacher Guidebook, Steps 2 and 3, Days 131–135, Whole Class Lesson, materials include modifications such as teachers showing pictures and helping “students sort cards into ‘yes’ or ‘no’ piles to determine if they begin with the /ch/ sound.”
  • In Blue Teacher Guidebook, Steps 2 and 3, Days 141–145, materials include this modification, “[C]omplete the independent practice as a group, modeling reading with expression.”
Indicator 2I.iii
04/04

Materials regularly provide extensions and/or more advanced opportunities for students who read, write, speak, or listen above grade-level.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria that materials regularly provide extensions and/or more advanced opportunities for students who read, write, speak, or listen above grade level.


The program includes extension activities that students further investigate and develop their skills. Practice opportunities for above students include additional instruction at an advanced level. Additionally, due to the design of the program, students can work within another Step that contains advanced skills.


Materials provide opportunities for advanced students to investigate grade-level foundational skills at a greater depth. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

  • In Blue Teacher Guidebook, Steps 2 and 3, page 3, the center overlapping explanation indicates, “Center overlapping is where the Green, Blue, and Orange Guidebook can be overlapped during center time,” allowing teachers to use centers from different Steps of the program to “individualize content for different homogenous groups.”
  • In Blue Teacher Guidebook, Steps 2 and 3, Days 121–125, in the extension activity, the teacher uses the Couple Card words for Step 2. Students read the word and come up with an oral list of rhyming words. Students write the word for Step 2 and write the word in the front of the room. They help put a box around the rhyming chunk of the word.
  • In Blue Teacher Guidebook, Steps 2 and 3, Days 136–140, in the extension part, students label the picture found by writing the word next to the object in the picture. Then students use shapes to complete the activity.
  • In Blue Teacher Guidebook, Steps 2 and 3, Days 151–155, the extension activity is that the teacher says three to four “Sticky Words” in a particular order, and students hop on these words in that order.


Criterion 2.4: Effective Technology Use and Visual Design

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Materials support effective use of technology and visual design to enhance student learning. Digital materials are accessible and available in multiple platforms.

The materials provided with the curriculum are accessible on a Macbook as well as a PC. The materials can be opened in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox. Materials include a digital assessment and a USB drive provided, but this technology does not enhance student learning. Materials partially meet the criteria that materials can be easily customized for local use. The materials have a visual design in print that is not distracting or chaotic and that minimizes the print or visuals used on each page.

Indicator 2J
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Digital materials (either included as a supplement to a textbook or as part of a digital curriculum) are web-based, compatible with multiple Internet browsers (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, etc.), “platform neutral” (i.e., are compatible with multiple operating systems such as Windows and Apple and are not proprietary to any single platform), follow universal programming style, and allow the use of tablets and mobile devices.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria that digital materials (either included as supplementary to a textbook or as part of a digital curriculum) are web-based, compatible with multiple Internet browsers (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, etc.), “platform neutral” (i.e., are compatible with multiple operating systems such as Windows and Apple and are not proprietary to any single platform), follow universal programming style, and allow the use of tablets and mobile devices.


The materials provided with the curriculum are accessible on a Macbook as well as a PC. The materials can be opened in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox. The materials can also be accessed on a phone but might be difficult to see. There are some how-to videos, but reviewers were unable to open the videos. There are also free downloads, but reviewers were unable to open these files.


For example:

  • Online link: Teacher dashboard includes assessment black line masters
  • Online Link: Can be opened in Safari, Firefox and Google Chrome
  • Online Link: Opened Teacher Assessment Guide
  • The digital assessment program was accessed through Safari and Google Chrome on a Macbook as well as Google Chrome on a PC. The teacher platform was accessible through all popular browsers. As there was no student data to access, it is unknown if student data would populate easily.
  • A USB drive was provided for Express Readers Steps 1-5. Materials were accessible on the USB drive on both a Macbook and a PC.


Indicator 2K
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Materials support effective use of technology to enhance student learning.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 do not meet the criteria that materials support effective use of technology to enhance student learning, drawing attention to evidence and texts as appropriate.


Materials include a digital assessment and a USB drive provided, but this technology does not enhance student learning. There is no evidence that digital resources draw attention to evidence and texts. There are no online resources that are used with the program to enhance student learning.


Indicator 2L
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Digital materials include opportunities for teachers to personalize learning for all students, using adaptive or other technological innovations.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 do not meet the criteria that digital materials include opportunities for teachers to personalize learning for all students, using adaptive or other technological innovations.


The online materials contain an assessment portion where the teacher can look up reports on students and keep assessment data. There is no other information provided that would allow the teacher to personalize the learning for the students. The files on the USB drive are in Adobe PDF format. Due to the nature of the PDF documents, the documents are not editable without an additional program. Although the program is designed for teachers to begin instruction at different lessons to personalize learning, the lessons are static and not modifiable through digital means.


Indicator 2M
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Materials can be easily customized for local use.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criteria that materials can be easily customized for local use.


The instructional materials include directions for the teacher to utilize the mini-lessons, whole class lessons, centers, and Gray Space activities as needed to fit within the teacher’s instructional minutes. The program is designed to begin instruction at the level of the students’ needs as measured by an initial assessment. The teacher can determine the appropriate starting lesson as well as look at center activities in other Steps of the program to interchange them based on student need. The materials are able to be customized. The practice pages, centers, and forms that go home to parents can be updated and changed. The teacher materials allow for the teacher to use different questions and classroom management strategies based on the classroom structures that fit their needs. Examples include, but are not limited to the following:


  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Scope and Sequence, the planner states that the center overlapping begins here. The planner states that the Green, Blue and Orange Planner can overlap during center time. While the arrangement is the same, the content is different, allowing the teacher to individualize content for different student groups.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 96–100, teacher guidance states, “Most mini-lessons can be repeated daily or in a Gray Space;” “whole-class lessons can also be done in smaller groups;” and “centers can be done in small groups, in a rotation, or as a larger class activity to fit the time a teacher has available to them.” The instructions for mini-lessons, whole-class lessons, and centers repeat at the start of each five-day instructional sequence.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 101–105, the Express Spelling quiz version 1 and 2 is given and can be used at the end of the week, but the quiz is not required for the program.
  • In Blue Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 136–140, the planner states that the center practice pages can be done in the order they are given, that pages can be spread out across the week, or the pages can be omitted for students who work slower.


Indicator 2N
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The visual design (whether in print or digital) is not distracting or chaotic, but supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject.

The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria that the visual design (whether in print or digital) is not distracting or chaotic, but supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject.


The materials have a visual design in print that is not distracting or chaotic and that minimizes the print or visuals used on each page. The books, practice pages, and assessments have a large font and white space, and they are not covered in a large number of pictures or tiny font. Materials are easy to read from a distance and are clear and concise so that children are able to understand the work that is expected of them. Examples include, but are not limited to the following.


  • In Teacher Guidebook, Steps 1–5, page 7, the materials explain that the font is bigger in the text with a singular word on a full page of text. The guidebook further explains that when the font is too small, it is difficult for the students to see the letters.
  • In Orange Teacher Planner, Steps 2 and 3, Days 106-110, page 77, students complete the practice writing sheet, practice blends. There are two lines per word on the page. There is space between the lines to give students plenty of room to write the words.
  • The Phonics Decodable, Frog Hunts for a Pal, has sentences on it that utilize a larger font. There is a picture that is in color, and then there is white space. The Sticky Words are listed in the front of the book in an evenly-spaced, large font.
  • The “Rhyming Chunk” Books have six spaces for students to write words on lines. There is one picture on each page.
  • The “Sentence Solving” pages have a space for a picture and one single primary lined space for a sentence.
  • The Wonder Word Mats have three spaces for students to build CVC words.