2nd Grade - Gateway 2

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for 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 front material of the Teacher’s Edition Level B contains an overview and scope and sequence of the program, an implementation guide, guidance on assessment, intervention, and pacing. The Teacher’s Edition Level B contains six units, and each unit provides a Unit Planner with an overview of each lesson. The instructional routines are incorporated into each lesson. The instructional routines address phonemic awareness, high-frequency words, connected text for decoding practice, word analysis skills and spelling-sound/blending exercises. With each of these routines, teachers are explicitly instructed on how to present the skill. The routines are used consistently throughout the program. Online resources are matched to print resources.

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

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, the front matter contains a scope and sequence for all concepts taught, and what level the skills are taught. The page is split into the categories of Main Skill and Word Study across all 30 lessons.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, an overview of each unit and how each lesson within a unit is structured for the ease of presentation is provided.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, a consistent color-coded tab system identifies both lesson and day number on each page. These colors match the color-coded tabs in the Student Edition.

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

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, lessons are divided into six units: Review Short Vowels and Consonant Blends; Transition to Longer Words, Review Final e and Consonant Digraphs; Transition to Longer Words, Review Long Vowels; Transition to Longer Words, Review r-Controlled Vowels; Transition to Longer Words, Review Complex Vowels and Diphthongs; Transition to Longer Words, and Syllable Types Review. Each unit begins with a unit planner that outlines the instructional routines for skills in the following areas: high-frequency words, connected text, word building, and word study.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, there is a high-frequency routine with Read-Spell-Write that teachers do with students. First, the students read the word in context, then students chorally spell the word aloud and repeat it. Students write the word two times in the Student Edition.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, the Sound-Spelling routine has the Learn-Blend routine. Students read the word and write the word. Students practice blending next.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, the Speed Drill routine is used to build fluency. The Speed Drill has words with one syllable and multisyllabic words based on the lesson’s target skill. Students read the Speed Drill independently followed by rereading with a partner. The rereading with a partner is timed.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, each lesson is divided into five days of instruction. High-frequency word instruction using the “Read-Spell-Write” routine is included in all five days of all 30 lessons.

Any technology pieces included provide support and guidance for the teacher and do not create an additional layer of complication around the materials. The online Teacher's Edition Level A mirrors the printed Teacher's Edition. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In online Teacher's Edition Level B, Lesson 3, Day 3, there is a visual of the word sort students are going to complete alongside the lesson plan that is the same format as the printed Teacher's Edition.

• Teacher's Edition Level B is provided as a stand-alone e-book that can be used to teach the lesson using a tablet or iPad. This is designed to take the place of the printed Teacher’s Edition.

• In online Teacher's Edition Level B, the Blue SadlierConnect.com symbol identifies opportunities for online instructional resources and interactive student activities.

• In online Teacher’s Edition Level B, users are provided with access to one page at a time, and the lesson plans do not allow you to move forward or backwards. Online materials do not contain a search option.

• Materials include videos to help students/parents use the Interactive Instructional Resources.

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for 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.

From Phonics to Reading provides brief descriptions of the foundational skills that are incorporated into the daily program instruction. There are adult level explanations for foundational skills, high-frequency words, and blending. There are examples of foundational skills embedded within the lesson plans and in the Wiley Blevins Professional Development videos. The front material of the Teacher's Edition Level 2 features an overview of the Seven Characteristics of Strong Phonics Instruction and of the Daily Instructional Routines. In "Phonics Instructional Guide: Multiple Tiers for Success," there are explanations about explicit, systematic instruction, the Simple View of Reading, and Scarborough’s Reading Rope. These front matter and additional resources provide some adult-level explanations of the foundational skills concepts.

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

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 1, Closed Syllables, the materials state syllables that end in a consonant are closed syllables. It states that the vowels are closed by the consonants. The vowel sound is usually short.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, “Seven Characteristics of Strong Phonics Instruction” states, “High-frequency words are the most common words in English. Some are irregular; that is, they do not follow common English sound-spellings. Others are regular and needed by students during reading before they have the phonics skills to sound them out.”

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, “Seven Characteristics of Strong Phonics Instruction” states, “Controlled, decodable text at the beginning level of reading instruction helps students develop a sense of comfort in and control over their reading growth and should be a key learning tool in early phonics instruction.”

• In “Phonics Instructional Guide: Multiple Tiers for Success,” explicit is defined as “ sound-spelling correspondences are initially taught directly to students, rather than using a discovery, or implicit, method.” Systematic is defined as, “...the instruction builds from easy to more complex skills with built-in review and repetition to ensure mastery.”

Examples of the grade level foundational skill concepts that are provided for the teacher include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 5, Lesson 24, Day 1, shows a list of short /oo/ and long /oo/ words, using the vowel sounds /oo/, /ou/, /u/, /ou/, /ough/, /u_e/, /eu/, /ue/, and /ui/.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, in the overview of how to implement the program, it introduces Sound-Spelling routines and states that for multisyllabic words, model how to break apart the word by syllable, then sound it out using knowledge of syllable types or common spelling patterns.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Lesson 10, Day 5, in the area of high-frequency Words, teachers are instructed, “Write the high-frequency words if, school, or, any, and small on chart paper. Have children chorally read each word. Build each word with letter cards, mix the cards, and have children rebuild the word. As an alternative, write each word leaving one or more letters out. Have children complete the word. Then have children read the sentences they wrote on Day 4 with partners.”

• In Phonics Instructional Guide: Multiple Tiers for Success, an example of explicit is “...for example, that the /s/ sound can be spelled with the letter s.”

• In Wiley Blevins Videos: High-Impact Routine: Blending, it provides examples of compound words such as cupcake, backbone, bedtime.

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for 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 From Phonics to Reading Level B materials include 150 days of lessons to be taught over the course of the year. These lessons are arranged around 30 topics and organized into six units. The materials can adequately be taught during the course of the school year, leaving additional days for repeated lessons or missed instructional days. There is an alternative pacing guide provided that includes 20 minutes daily in the Phonics from Reading Level B. This plan includes the most critical activities, increased targeted skills and these activities should be taught during the phonics block. The alternative pacing guide states that it will be important to include the other activities in independent reading, centers, partner work and homework. Lesson formats present objectives to be taught in the day’s lesson and are consistently structured for both teachers and students. Pacing guides are provided for routines used in each lesson, as well as day-to-day lesson requirements. There is research-based information supplied to users that supports the literacy instruction that was conducted by Wiley Blevins and other research that supports the scope and sequence of the lessons. There are whole-group and small-group activities, and a planning sheet is provided to assist teachers in planning activities for teacher-table interventions.

Lesson plans utilize effective, research-based lesson plan design for early literacy instruction. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, there is a letter to teachers stating that this program is based on Wiley Blevins research on phonics programs. Additionally, there is a page that discusses the seven characteristics of strong phonics instruction. The seven areas are: readiness skills, scope and sequence, blending, dictation, word awareness, high-frequency words, and reading connected text.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B begins each lesson by stating the objectives to be addressed in instruction.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, a consistent structure provides a daily sequencing of skills within the lessons. There is an estimation of how much time should be spent on that portion of the lesson.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, instructional routines follow this weekly pattern. Day 1. Teachers introduce Sound- Spelling for ten minutes. Day 2 consists of five minutes of spelling/blending and fluency activities. Day 3 is high frequency word practices for five minutes and Day 4 is word study activities for five minutes.

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

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Instructional Routines for Days 1-5 include a variety of recurring whole-group instructional elements including instruction in: phonemic awareness, sound-spelling/blending, high-frequency words, reading connected text, word study, dictation, word building, and writing.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, the “Teacher Table” boxes provide guidance for teacher-led small groups to support English learners and intervention groups.
• In Unit 1, Lesson 5, Day 1, the “Teacher Table: English Learners” instructs teachers in the area of Vocabulary, “Each day, select several words from the Student Book Blend It lines. Focus on words whose meanings can be explained or demonstrated in a concrete way. For example, show a picture of a tent. Point to a plant or a desk. Pantomime gasp and jump.”
• In Unit 2, Lesson 9, Day 2, during whole group Sound/Spelling activity, teachers “Display cards labeled with sound-spellings, affixes, and syllable types for each previously taught lesson. Have children chorally read each card. Mix the card set, then repeat.”
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 3, Lesson 17, Day 4, the sound-spelling/blending activity is completed as a whole group activity and contains a cumulative quick check.

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

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, the Pacing Guide delineates pacing per day as well as per component. Suggested Pacing for Day One routines includes Sound Spelling for ten minutes and High-Frequency Words for five minutes. The Teacher's Edition Level B provides a time indicator for each portion of each day’s lesson (e.g., sound-spelling/blending -five minutes, high-frequency words - five minutes.)
• In Teacher's Edition, Level B, Unit 6, Lesson 24, Day 2, the instructions for a fluency activity state that the activity should be done for five minutes.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, the Pacing Guide suggests daily routines ranging from 15 to 25 minutes per day, with a reminder for teachers that states, “Teacher Table Small-Group Instruction and Independent Partner Work time should also be factored into each lesson.”
• In Online Teacher's Edition, Level B, there is an alternative pacing guide for shorter work blocks.

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

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, the introduction provides a Scope and Sequence Chart which indicates that the program is made up of thirty lessons, and illustrates how these lessons are each taught over a five day period.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, the Table of Contents shows how lessons are organized into six units. The Scope and Sequence and Implementation Guide outlines thirty lessons consisting of five instructional days per lesson, for a total of one hundred-fifty days of instruction. The program provides a total of one hundred-fifty lessons, varying in length from twenty to forty minutes daily.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, the Pacing Guide indicates students spend twenty-five minutes per week on activities relating to high-frequency words.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, introduction describes thirty minutes per week allotted for sound spelling/blending activities to build upon word analysis skills, phonics, and irregularly spelled words.

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for 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.

From Phonics to Reading Level B materials are organized to introduce one new phonics pattern per lesson with some recurring instructional routines for each new pattern. The scope and sequence of phonics instruction is arranged with an overview of the benefits of explicit instruction in phonics. According to the document called, From Phonics to Reading "Scope and Sequence Rationale," the scope and sequence is based on research published by Blevins in 2017. The document has guiding principles from Blevins about a scope and sequence.

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 From Phonics to Reading "Scope and Sequence Rationale," the materials focus more on continuous consonants early, so blending is modeled easily.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, the Scope and Sequence Chart delineates the sequence of phonics instruction.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 1, the contents page lists the target skill of short vowels, closed syllables, consonant + -le syllables, s-blends and final blends.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 2, the contents page lists final -e and consonant digraphs to move into longer words, final -e, /e/ syllables, digraphs /sh/, /ch/, /tch/, /th/, /wh/, /ph/, /ng/, and /nk/.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 3, the contents page lists long vowels transition to longer words such as long /a/, open syllables, long /e/, Vowel Team syllables, long /i/, long /o/, long /u/, and consonant + le syllables.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 4, the contents page lists r-controlled vowels, r-controlled /ar/, /ur/, /or/, /ar/, r-controlled vowel syllables, and consonant + le syllables.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 5, the contents page lists complex vowels and diphthongs, short and long /oo/, diphthongs /ou/and /oi/, vowel /o/, and vowel team syllables.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 6, the contents page lists syllable types and final stable syllables.

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

• In From Phonics to Reading "Scope and Sequence Rationale," the materials cover all the basic phonics skills in Level K and Level A and reinforce basic skills in Level B to ensure mastery. Level B and C include work with multisyllabic words and teach the six syllable types.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, the introductory material says that the phonics sequence is based on "Seven Characteristics of Strong Phonics Instruction," including blending, dictation and word awareness as well as reading connected text.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, the "Seven Characteristics of Strong Phonics Instruction" provides an overview of how phonics skills are taught and practiced.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, the "Assessing Phonics Instruction" explanation provides an overview of how phonics instruction develops strong reading skills, tracing the development from sound-symbol correspondence to automaticity.

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

• According to From Phonics to Reading "Scope and Sequence Rationale," the materials teach higher utility letters early on, so more words can be read and spelled.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 2, Lesson 8, Day 4, students work on learning consonant digraphs and a trigraph (i.e., /sh/, /ch/, /tch/, and /th/).
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 3, Lesson 14, Day 1-5, students review and practice all long /i/ phonemic patterns (e.g., /igh/, / with final e,/i/ at the end of an open syllable, -ild, -ind,).
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 3, Lesson 12, Day 2, students work on learning long /e/ words and reading long /e/ words in context.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 4, Lesson 20, Day 4, students work on practicing r-controlled vowel /or/ words.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 5, Lesson 26, Days 1-5, students review and practice the diphthong /oi/ in one and two syllable words.

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 Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 2, students work on final e, final e syllables, and digraphs /sh/, /ch/, /tch/, /th/, /wh/, /ph/, /ng/, and /nk/.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 4, students learn r-controlled target skills /ar/, /ur/, /or/, and /ar/.
• In Lesson 22, students complete r-controlled vowel syllables, and then in Lesson 23, students work on consonant + le syllables.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 5, students work on four different skills. Students work on short and long /oo/ and then words with the diphthongs /ou/, /oi/, and /o/.
• The program introduces the concepts of open and closed syllables, silent letters, the soft sounds of /c/ and /g/, and phonics generalizations related to the use of inflectional endings.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 2, in the Build Fluency section of the lesson, students practice identifying the first closed syllable in words and then reading two syllable words in a fluency timed reading.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 2, Lesson 6, Day 4, in the Word Study section of the lesson, students are introduced to the soft sounds of /c/ and /g/ and practice reading words with those sounds.
• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 3, Lesson 13, Day 2, in the Word Study section of the lesson, students are introduced to the silent letters /kn/, /wr/, /gn/, and /mb/ and practice reading words with those sounds.

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for materials include decodable texts with phonics aligned to the program’s scope and sequence.

From Phonics to Reading Level B materials include two decodable Connected Text passages in each lesson. The decodable passages feature words with the lesson’s targeted sound-spelling. Recurring Read Connected Text instructional routines provide teachers with detailed lesson plans that call for repeated readings of the passages. Students interact with decodable text on Day 1 and Days 4-5 of each lesson. The texts go home with students to provide more opportunity for students to read it. The texts are aligned to the scope and sequence on the planning pages.

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

• In Student Book Level B, each lesson contains two Connected Text passages. These passages are used on Day 1, Day 4, and Day 5 of every lesson in the Read Connected Text routine.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 3, Lesson 10, Day 4, students read the decodable text "Nate, Don’t be Late." Students read decodable words with long a such as Nate, wake, late, chase, shake.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 4, Lesson 19, Day 2, students read the connected text, "A Laughing Game." Students read decodable words with r-controlled vowels such as Bert, person, turkey, twirled, curled, whirled, dirt, thirsty, slurp.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 6, Lesson 29, Day 4, students read the text "Robots." Students read decodable words with various syllable types such as robot, yogurt, invented, performs, responds, includes, without, humans.

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 Student Book Level B, each lesson’s Connected Text passages include words that introduce practice with the lesson’s targeted sound-spelling.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 2, students read the connected text, "Ben’s Tips for Good Health." Students read decodable words with short vowels such as Ben, mom, Jill, check, well, sick, Jill, tips, kids, wash, hands, well, run, jump, bed, hit, can, list.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 2 Lesson planner for Lesson 8, students read, "A Horse’s Tail." Students read decodable words with consonant digraphs such as flicks, pinch, itch, back, chase, sheets.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 5 planner for Lesson 26, students read the connected text "Toy Drive." Students read decodable words with diphthong /oi/ such as join, toy, enjoy, choice.

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 Teacher's Edition Level B, each lesson contains three days of practice reading the lesson’s decodable text. On Day 1, teachers guide students through a reading of the first Connected Text passage. On Day 4, teachers guide students through a first read of the second passage. Students read the passage independently first, then chorally. On Day 5, students read the second passage independently. In the recurring Read Connected Text routines, the materials provide detailed lesson plans that guide the teacher through the process.

  • In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 3 Lesson 14, Day 4, students read a text independently as a first read. The teacher walks around and listens. The students are prompted to underline or circle confusing words. Then the students chorally read the text a second time.

  • In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 4, Lesson 9, Day 4, students read the decodable text, "A Year of Seasons," twice on that day. On Day 5, students reread the text and write about the text.

  • In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 5, Lesson 24, Day 5, students reread the decodable passage of "Moose on the Loose."

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for materials include decodable texts with high-frequency words aligned to the program’s scope and sequence.

The From Phonics to Reading Level B materials reviewed meet the expectation that materials include decodable texts with high-frequency words aligned to the program’s scope and sequence. There are opportunities for students to use decodable text for multiple readings. Instruction and learning focuses on specific high-frequency words each week. Most of the high-frequency words are found in the texts.

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

• In Student Book Level B, each lesson contains two Connected Text passages. Each passage contains high-frequency words.

  • In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 2, Lesson 7, Day 2, students read the connected text, "Surprise Party!". The text contains the high-frequency words many, there, and them.

  • In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 3, Lesson 10, Day 2, students read the connected text, "Hay Bale Maze This Saturday." The text contains the high-frequency words: if, school, small, and or.

  • In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 6, Lesson 30, Day 2, students read a decodable passage, "Mission to Mars," which contains the high-frequency words: work, year, into and such.

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:

• In Student Book Level B, each lesson’s decodable passages contain some or all of the lesson’s newly-taught high-frequency words.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 2, students read the connected text, "The Joke Book." This is the suggested reading in the Unit 1 Planner. The high-frequency words for Lesson 2 are: what, funny, some, where, and were. "The Joke Book" contains: were, some, funny, and what.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 3, Lesson 11, Day 4, students read the text "Animals on the Go." This is referenced in the Unit 3 planner under Lesson 11, Connected Text. The high-frequency words for Lesson 11 are: don’t, would, off, out, and more. "Animals on the Go" contains: don’t, off, and out.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 4, Lesson 18, Day 2, students read the connected text, "Star Party," which contains high-frequency words: blue, put, always, found, and only taught in this lesson. The Unit 4 planner states that students should read this text during Lesson 18.

Materials include detailed lesson plans for repeated readings of decodable texts to address securing high-frequency words/irregularly spelled words in context. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, each lesson contains three days of practice reading the lesson’s decodable texts. On Day 1, the teacher guides students through a reading of the first Connected Text passage. On Day 4, the teacher guides students through a first read of the second passage. Students read the passage independently first, then chorally. On Day 5, students read the second passage independently.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 2, Lesson 6, Day 4, students are introduced to the decodable text, "A Place in Space," which contains the high-frequency words: then, long, their, and saw. Students read this text twice, once independently and one chorally. On Day 5, students read the text a third time to themselves.

• In Teacher's Edition Level B, Unit 3, Lesson 14, Day 4, students read the text, "How to Make Mud Pies" twice. The text contains the high-frequency words: every, eight, try, and every.

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for 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.

From Phonics to Reading Level B materials include a vocabulary acquisition routine at the beginning of each lesson that is aimed at English Learners. The strategy focuses on concrete demonstrations of vocabulary words. Opportunities for reteaching are limited. The Teacher’s Edition instructs the teacher to focus on the Blend It lines and vocabulary for which students can have concrete images. The materials give general guidance for each lesson on how different languages understand that phonics lesson. There is an additional instructional guide about English Learner Supports. It includes information about routines, English Learner Support, and examples. It also provides EL supports in each lesson for Vocabulary Focus and Writing Extension.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level B, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 1, page 19, in Teacher Table - English Learners, the teacher gives students hand mirrors. The students say the closed syllable, and the teacher points out that their mouths open for a vowel sound and close for a consonant sound. The teacher is prompted to take several words from the Blend It activity on page 19 of the Student Book and focus on the words that have concrete meanings to show students.

• In Teacher’s Edition Level B, Unit 4, Lesson 18, Day 1, page 185, the teacher is instructed to select several vocabulary words from the Blend It activity page 185 in the Student Book and focus on words whose meanings can be demonstrated.

• In Teacher’s Edition Level B, Unit 4, Lesson 20, Day 1, page 205, the Teacher Table - English Learners box provides information about r-controlled /or/ sound in Cantonese, Vietnamese, Hmong, and Korean does not exist. Teachers are instructed to model mouth position and have children notice the difference between short /o/ and /or/.

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’s Edition Level B, page xxiv, the Teacher’s Edition states that children whose primary language is not English may have difficulty pronouncing sounds in English and understanding their meaning. It further says that Sound Transfer information is provided to help teachers recognize the distinctions between a student’s primary language and English.

  • In Teacher’s Edition Level B, Unit 2, Lesson 6, Day 1, page 61, the Teacher’s Edition states that in Cantonese and Mandarin, there is an approximate sound transfer for long vowel sounds, but there is no such transfer in Tagalog for long /i/ or /u/. The teacher should focus on articulation.

  • In Teacher’s Edition Level B, Unit 4, Lesson 22, Day 1, page 225, the Teacher’s Edition provides the following information: there is no sound transfer for /ar/ or /ur/ for most languages, and there is no sound transfer for /or/ in Cantonese, Vietnamese, Hmong, or Korean.

• In Teacher’s Edition Level B, page xxiv, in Teacher’s Table - English Learners, the Teacher’s Edition explains, “Time must also be spent discussing the meanings of the lesson’s words through simple definitions (including in both languages), actions, pantomiming, and so on.”

  • In Teacher’s Edition Level B, Unit 3, Lesson 13, Day 1, page 133, the Teacher Table - English Learners box instructs the teacher to focus on words whose meanings can be demonstrated concretely. The teacher is instructed to show a picture of a notebook, raincoat, snowman, and seaweed and to act out the words aloud, elbow, and sixteen.

• In the Instructional Guides: English Learner Supports, Level 2 English Learner Supports, for Lesson 9, it includes for Vocabulary Focus: “Preteach the following words: whale, graph, skunk, string, spring, summer, fall, winter.”

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for 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.

From Phonics to Reading Level B materials include opportunities for small group reteaching of skills. Two exercises in each lesson call for reteaching of specific exercises for students who are struggling with foundational skills; the materials provide explicit instruction for reteaching steps in the reteaching exercise that occurs with pages within the same lesson. There are reteaching activities for every lesson, but some reteaching activities repeat an activity that students did on a previous day where the teacher focuses on a different skill. According to “Phonics Instructional Guide: Multiple Tiers for Success,” students in Tier 2 should receive the small-group suggestions provided in each week’s lesson, and students who are further behind should be assessed with the Comprehensive Phonics Survey and Phonemic Awareness Assessment to determine their skill deficits. Those students should be placed along the phonics continuum and taught using those materials.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level B, Day 2 of each lesson includes Teacher Table - Intervention instructions to Address Learning Gaps. The teacher is instructed to meet each day with students to repeat blending and connected text pages from previously-taught lessons based on weekly assessment data.

• In Teacher’s Edition Level B, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Day 4, page 56, the Teacher Table - Intervention box instructs teachers to repeat the Word Building exercise for students struggling. The materials provide explicit instructions for the teacher to focus on the position and sound spelling that changes in each word and model thinking aloud with an example script, “What sound is different in these two words? Where is that sound in the word? What letter or letters do we write for that sound?”

• In Teacher’s Edition Level B, Unit 4, Lesson 20, Day 3, page 210, the Teacher Table - Intervention box instructs the teacher to guide students in a Guided Spelling/Dictation activity in which the teacher says the word soar and models segmenting the word. Students repeat the sounds and count the number of sounds. The teacher guides children to connect each sound to a spelling. The teacher dictates soar, fork, more, chore, and “We left the store before the storm hit” and asks students to write the words and the sentence.

• In Teacher’s Edition Level B, Unit 5, Lesson 24, Day 4, page 254, the teacher completes the Word Building activity on page 252 with students who struggled. The teacher is prompted to focus on the position and spelling of the sounds.

Materials provide guidance to teachers for scaffolding and adapting lessons and activities to support students read, write, speak, or listen below grade level in extensive opportunities to learn foundational skills at the grade-level standards.

• In “Phonics Instructional Guide: Multiple Tiers for Success,” it suggests students use the online support to listen to the decodable story to read to them before students read it.

• In “Phonics Instructional Guide: Multiple Tiers for Success,” during the blending exercises, students might only be accountable for a couple of Blending Lines rather than the full list.

• In “Phonics Instructional Guide: Multiple Tiers for Success,” small-group time should be more intensive and focus on blending lines, dictation, word building, and reading decodable stories and writing about the stories.

• In “Phonics Instructional Guide: Multiple Tiers for Success,” students needing Tier 3 support may benefit from the following daily lesson: (1) Begin with a review of previous content. (2) Present and work on the day’s target multimodal lesson. (3) Ensure reading of and writing about controlled tests about the multimodal lesson.

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for materials regularly provide extensions and/or more advanced opportunities for students who read, write, speak, or listen above grade level.

From Phonics to Reading Level B materials offer limited opportunities for students with above grade level skills to engage with grade-level foundational skills at a greater level of depth or challenge. In the Instructional Guide: Above Level Student Supports, a table lists per lesson ways to challenge above level students. The teacher is prompted in the Multiple Tiers for Success document to have students above level read the challenge lines. The program does mention that the teacher should teach according to the students’ needs in the classroom, and in the Instructional Guides: Multiple Tiers for Success, it suggests that the teacher assess students using the Comprehensive Phonics Screener, and the Phonemic Awareness Assessment in order to determine where to place students on the phonics continuum and do those lessons during small group.

Materials provide opportunities for advanced students to investigate grade-level foundational skills at a greater depth.

• In “Phonics Instructional Guide: Multiple Tiers for Success,” it suggests that when working with students above grade level, students should be presented with the challenge lines.

• In “Phonics Instructional Guide: Multiple Tiers for Success,” it suggests the teacher should use the Comprehensive Survey to place students further in the scope and sequence and begin instruction there during small-group.

• In “Phonics Instructional Guide: Multiple Tiers for Success,” it suggests during whole group instruction, students performing above grade level should read the decodable text on the initial day to confirm mastery and not reread on subsequent days. On the following days, students should work on more complex skills.

• In the “Instructional Guide: Above Level Student Supports,” in Lesson 17, for Word Building, it recommends student above grade level, select 3 of the syllable cards and write two words that contain each syllable.

• In the “Instructional Guide: Above Level Student Supports,” in Lesson 30, for Word Sort, it recommends, “Challenge students to generate an additional word for each word sort category. Have students write a sentence for each word of the following sort words: tension, vision, treasure, creature, future, action.”