2014

Jolly Phonics

Publisher
Jolly Learning
Subject
ELA
Grades
K-2
Report Release
11/13/2019
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)
Does Not Meet 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)
NE = Not Eligible. Product did not meet the threshold for review.
Not Eligible
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
62/202

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
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Report for 1st Grade

Alignment Summary

NOTE: The review of this product included all materials suggested by and purchased from the publisher for the United States version of Jolly Phonics, copyright 2014. The program was reviewed based on information provided by the publisher and the CCSS alignment document available on their website. See additional review details here.  

The instructional materials reviewed for Jolly Phonics do not meet the criteria for alignment to standards and research-based practices for foundational skills instruction. The materials provide instruction in letter sounds and students learn uppercase letters in Grade 1. Materials provide limited opportunities for students to learn general concepts of print. The materials partially meet the criteria for materials emphasize explicit, systematic instruction of research-based and/or evidence-based phonological awareness. Materials do not meet the criteria for materials emphasize explicit, systematic instruction of research-based and/or evidence-based phonics. The materials do not provide systematic and explicit instruction and practice in fluency by focusing on accuracy and automaticity in decoding, and rate, expression, and accuracy.

1st Grade
Alignment (Gateway 1)
Does Not Meet Expectations
Usability (Gateway 2)
Not Rated
Overview of Gateway 1

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

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 do not 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. Materials partially meet the criterion for materials emphasize explicit, systematic instruction of researched-based and/or evidence-based phonics. Materials partially meet the criterion for materials explicitly teach word analysis strategies based on the requirements of the standards and provide limited practice opportunities for students to apply word analysis strategies. The materials do not 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.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criterion for materials and instruction provide embedded support with general concepts of print, and systematic and explicit instruction and practice for letter recognition in early Kindergarten. The materials partially meet the criteria for materials provide explicit instruction to print and to practice forming the 26 letters (uppercase and lowercase), as well as for materials provide instructional support for general concepts of print and connect learning of print concepts to books. Materials provide limited 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 for materials provide explicit instruction to print and to practice forming the 26 letters (uppercase and lowercase).

The Grade 1 materials tell the teacher to teach how to write the given uppercase letter, but do not include detailed directions to assist in how to explain and model correct formation of all 26 uppercase letters. There are opportunities for students to write letters.  

Materials include limited clear directions for the teacher concerning how to explain and model how to correctly form each of the 26 letters (uppercase and lowercase).

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 84, an overview on teaching handwriting is provided: “Students trace inside the outline letters and write over the lines of dotted letters. On the pages where there are starting dots above the line, students have to write the letters by themselves. When the capital letters are being introduced, teachers should explain how each letter is formed before the student starts writing.”
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 104, students practice writing capital letters: S, A, T, I, P, N, C, K, E, H, R, M, D.  Students trace inside the outline letters in the boxes. If the outline letter is a lowercase letter, the students write the corresponding capital letter in the second half of the box. If the outline letter is a capital letter, the students write the corresponding lower case letter in the second half of the box. At the bottom of the page, students practice writing lowercase letters z, w, v.  The teacher teaches students how to write the capital letters Z, W, and V. Students trace inside the outline letters and write over the dotted lines.  
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 115, the teacher introduces b and d, which are often confused. The teacher is told to tell students to remember that the letter b starts at the top with a down stroke (the bat) and then bounces up and round for the ball. The letter d is a “caterpillar c” letter, so it starts in the middle with an o shape.  


Materials include frequent opportunities for students to practice forming all of the 26 letters (uppercase and lowercase)

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 91, students practice the sounds and formation for the letter sounds c, k, e, h, r, m, and d. The teacher teaches students how to write the capital letters C, K, E, H, R, M, and D. The teacher tells students all capital letters start at the top. Students trace inside the outline letters and then write over the dotted letters, saying the letter names as they do so.  Students join each capital letter to its corresponding lowercase letter and trace inside the outline letters, using a different color for each pair of letters.  
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 100, students practice the sounds and formation of the letter j and digraphs ai, oa, ie, ee, and or. The teacher teaches students how to write the capital letter J. Students trace inside the outline letters and then write over the dotted letters. Students practice writing the digraphs ai, oa, ie, ee, and or and trace inside the outline letters. Students practice writing the capital letters S, A, T, I, P, N, C, K, E, H, R, M, D, G, O, U, L, F, B, and J.   


Materials include limited opportunities for students to practice forming letters using multimodal and/or multisensory methods. 

  • In White Board Lessons, students are shown how each letter is formed on the White Board, and teachers are provided with instructions on letter formation to read to students. For example, in the lesson on ck, the letter formation instructions for the letter c read, “You write a caterpillar /c/ like this. Start near the top, go back, over around and up.” 


Students have opportunities to print all upper- and lowercase letters.

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 115, students practice writing capital letters for the first half of the alphabet. Students write inside each lower case outline letter and then write the corresponding capital letter next to it. Students use a red pencil for letters A-E and a yellow pencil for letters F-M
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 for 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).


Materials provide instruction on capitalizing the first letter of a sentence; however, there is limited explicit instruction on the rules of capitalization. In the Words and Sentences portion of the lesson, the teacher reminds students to include key components of a sentence when they write; however, the end punctuation is always a period.   


Materials include limited 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:

  • Students have opportunities to recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence (e.g., first word, capitalization, ending punctuation).
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 12, the teacher is told, “At this stage, it is sufficient for the students to know that a sentence starts with a capital letter, ends with a period, and must make sense.” 
  • White Board Lessons, Unit 1, Words and Sentences, the teacher writes the sentence “A hen just sits on her nest.” As the teacher writes some of the reminders, the teacher is instructed to tell students, “Sentences start with a capital letter. Capital letters are always tall. Leave a space between each word.”
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 106, some of the points the teacher is told to address in the lesson include, “Sentences start with a capital letter. Leave a space between each word. Don’t forget the period.” 


Materials include limited 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:

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 89,  “Write the sentence: A hen just sits on her nest. Discuss it as you write, saying: Sentences start with a capital letter. Capital letters are always tall. Listen for the sounds in the words. Leave a space between each word. Don’t forget the period.” After the teacher has written the sentence, the students copy it down too. 
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 127, students complete an activity where they write in the missing capital letters. (for example ___ ___ C ___ E).
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 33, students have a Grammar lesson, titled Rainbow Capitals, where they practice writing inside outlines of all of the capital letters using different colored pencils. 
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 35, Grammar, students practice unscrambling sentences, by looking for features such as a capital and a period to form complete sentences. 
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, Page 37, students practice rewriting sentences correctly, such as, “the dog is spotty.” and “i like eggs.” 


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

  • Jolly Readers include four levels. These decodable readers include: Mud (Level 1), Shells (Level 2), Sharks (Level 3), Teeth (Level 4). 

The Finger Phonics Big Books have a story line, but only isolated words are presented in a typeface big enough to teach left to right. The story line does not continue from page to page. These are not included as part of the base program.

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:

  • Jolly Phonics Readers, Green Decodable, The Cricket and the Ant, some of the skills the students need to have mastered include; “Recognize the basic 42 letter sounds. Recognize the alternative letter-sound spellings in the leaves below, including the ‘hop-over e’ digraphs in words like take, these, bike, code, mule.”
  • Jolly Phonics Readers, Green Decodable, Little Monsters, the comprehension questions are, “What is the monster’s pet called? What is the monster with the rod hoping to catch? What are the twin monsters’ favorite toys? Why are the twin monsters fighting? Why does Big Monster go up to the bedroom?” 


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

  • Jolly Phonics Readers, Level 2, page 5, Phonics, “Did you see that juggler in the park?” said Snake. “Yes,” said Bee. “He was fantastic!” exclaimed Inky.


Materials contain limited 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:

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 132, when writing the sentence, “The statue has a hat and coat,” some of the reminders the teacher provides students with are:
    • Sentences start with a capital letter. 
    • Capital letters are always tall.
    • Listen for the sounds in the words.
    • Leave a space between each word.
    • Don’t forget the period. 


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

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 98, when writing the sentence “A boat sails on the pond,” some of the reminders the teacher provides students with are:
    • Sentences start with a capital letter. 
    • Capital letters are always tall.
    • Listen for the sounds in the words.
    • Leave a space between each word.
    • Don’t forget the period. 
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 104, the teacher looks at a copy of the alphabet with students. Students say the alphabet.

Criterion 1.2: Phonological Awareness

06/12

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

The instructional materials for Grade 1 partially meet the criterion for materials emphasize explicit, systematic instruction of researched-based and/or evidence-based phonological awareness. The materials partially meet the criteria for  materials have frequent opportunities for students to engage in oral language activities to practice phonological awareness, as well as materials provide limited explicit instruction in phonological awareness. The materials partially meet the criteria for materials provide practice of each newly taught sound (phoneme) and sound pattern.

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 for materials have frequent opportunities for students to engage in oral language activities to practice phonological awareness through Kindergarten and early 1st grade.


Grade 1 materials provide daily opportunities for students to blend words and opportunities where students listen and identify the word that did not match the sound all of the other words contained; however, opportunities to orally manipulate words by changing the first sound, last sound, and rhyming activities, could not be found. 


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

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, page 94, states: “Practice the short vowel sounds: /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, and /u/. The students look at the blending words at the top of the page. Read out the first word, duck. The students listen for and identify the short vowel sound /u/.”


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

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 93, students practice blending the words magpie, fern, roasting, foil, and thunderstorm. Students are also told to blend words they may not know when completing the Reading Sentences portion of the lesson. Some of these sentences include, “Did you see the cartoons in that comic book?” and “Some children are painting in the corner.” 
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 103, the teacher instructions read, “Write the following sentences on the board, pointing out the tricky words, and blending any unknown words with students.” Four sentences to practice are provided, one example being, “2. We made a cake with blackberry jam.” 
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 110, in a lesson on ay and oy, the teacher says the word stay and asks students to identify the ending sound /ai/. The teacher also says the word joy and asks students to identify the ending sound /oi/
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 114, in a lesson on ee and ea, the teacher says the word eve and asks students to identify the beginning sound. The teacher also asks students to identify the middle sound in leap
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 for materials provide explicit instruction in phonological awareness through systematic modeling across the K-1 grade band.

Grade 1 materials provide limited explicit instruction in phonological awareness through modeling, particularly related to distinguishing long from short vowel sounds and blending sounds; however, opportunities to segment and provide instruction related to syllables could not be found.  


Materials provide the teacher with limited systematic, explicit modeling for instruction in syllables, sounds (phonemes), and spoken words. 

  • Students have limited opportunities to distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words.
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 94, states: “Practice the short vowel sounds: /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, and /u/. The students look at the blending words at the top of the page. Read out the first word, duck. The students listen for and identify the short vowel sound /u/.”
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 105, the teacher introduces three new tricky words: go, no, and so. The teacher points out that these words should have the short vowel sound /o/ at the end, but they actually have the long vowel sound /oa/. The teacher encourages students to say, “If one way doesn’t work, try the other.” Students first say the words as they are spelled and if this pronunciation doesn’t work, they try saying the word with the long vowel sound. 
    • Students have opportunities to orally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant blends.
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 18, provides teachers with an explanation for how blending is to be used throughout Jolly Phonics, as well as some tips to help students. For example, “Another simple way to help students learn to blend sounds in their heads is as follows: the teacher writes letters randomly on the board and then points to one letter after another, spelling out a word. The students watch this and try to put the sounds together in their head to identify the word.” 
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 20, the teacher is provided with a list of Helpful Hints for Blending to use with students. There are five hints total, some of which include, “When two vowels go walking, the first does the talking, and “If the short vowel doesn’t work, try the long one.” Detailed explanations are also provided with each hint. 
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 93, students practice blending the words magpie, fern, roasting, foil, and thunderstorm. Students are also told to blend words they may not know when completing the Reading Sentences portion of the lesson. Some of these sentences include, “Did you see the cartoons in that comic book?” and “Some children are painting in the corner.” 
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 103, the teacher instructions read, “Write the following sentences on the board, pointing out the tricky words, and blending any unknown words with students.” Four sentences to practice are provided, one example being, “2. We made a cake with blackberry jam.” 
  • Students have limited opportunities to isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single-syllable words.
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, Page 110, in a lesson on ay and oy the teacher says the word stay and asks students to identify the ending sound /ai/. The teacher also says the word joy and asks students to identify the ending sound /oi/
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 114, in a lesson on ee and ea, the teacher says the word eve and asks students to identify the beginning sound. The teacher also asks students to identify the middle sound in leap


Students have opportunities to segment spoken single-syllable words into their complete sequence of individual sounds (phonemes).

    • No evidence found


Materials provide the teacher with limited examples for instruction in syllables, sounds (phonemes), and spoken words called for in grade level standards.

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 122, students learn about alternatives for ow. The teacher goes over the two sounds /ou/ and /oa/ that can be made by ow. Students also practice blending eight /ou/ words, such as shout, south, mouse, and flour. Students then practice blending eight /oa/ words, such as coat, toad, oak, and soap. Students complete an activity page where they illustrate six words with either the /ou/ or /oa/ sound. Four additional words are also provided for extra blending practice. 
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 110, Flashcards, “Practice some of the basic 42 sounds, plus y as /ee/, a_e, e_e, i_e, o_e, u_e.” 
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 for materials provide practice of each newly taught sound (phoneme) and sound pattern across the K-1 band. 

Grade 1 materials provide some practice of each newly taught sound and sound pattern; however, the materials do not address all skills in detail or in multimodal/multisensory ways.  

Materials provide ample opportunities for students to practice each new sound and sound pattern called for in grade level standards.

  • Students have opportunities to distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words.
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 90, the teacher reminds students that the short vowel sounds are /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, and /u/. With students, the teacher reads the short vowel sounds at the top of the page (bag, net, bin, box, and mug). The teacher points out the location of Inky Mouse in the pictures above the short vowel words (against the bag, resting on the edge of the net, in the bin, on top of the box, and under the mug). The teacher emphasizes the short vowels. Students trace inside the outline vowel letters. Students look at the pictures and say the words, writing the word over the dotted word. Students say each word, listen for the short vowel sound, and write on the lines underneath the pictures.  
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 103, the teacher explains to students that when a word has more than one vowel, the “magic” from the second vowel can sometimes hop back over one letter and change the first short vowel into a long vowel. Students say, ”When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking.”  Students look at the blending words, listen to the teacher read the words aloud, and identify the long vowel sound.  
  • Students have opportunities to orally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant blends.
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 87, “Write the following list of words on the board, and blend with the students: sandwich, barn, weekend, skunk, limping.” 
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 105, the teacher writes the words on the board and blends them with the students.  
  • Students have opportunities to isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single-syllable words.
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 108, students look at the first picture and say the word cue.  Students listen for the sounds in the word cue: /c/,/ue/. Students write over the dotted word cue underneath the picture. Students look at the rest of the pictures, say each word to themselves, identify all sounds in each word, and write the words on the lines underneath the picture.  
  • Students have opportunities to segment spoken single-syllable words into their complete sequence of individual sounds (phonemes).
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2,page 112, students look at the animal pictures and say the word. Students listen carefully and try to work the sounds in this word and the order in which the sounds come. Students look at the letters on the side of the picture and decide in which order the letters should be placed in the word. Students write the word on the lines.  There is a line for each sound. The slightly longer lines indicate a digraph is needed.  

Materials include a limited variety of multimodal/multisensory activities for student practice of phonological awareness.

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 114, students learn about the alternatives ee and ea. Students hear the new sound, see it when the teacher writes it on the board in different words, blend different words with the new sound, write new words with the sound on the activity page, and practice reading complete sentences with the new sound; however, students do not have the opportunity to apply actions to the sounds the way they did in Kindergarten with Phonics Book 1. 

Criterion 1.3: Phonics

12/20

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

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 partially meet the criterion for materials emphasize explicit, systematic instruction of researched-based and/or evidence-based phonics. The materials partially meet the criteria for materials emphasize explicit phonics instruction through systematic and repeated modeling and for materials promote frequent opportunities for students to practice decoding phonetically regular words in a sentence. The materials meet the criteria for 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. Students have limited practice opportunities to build, manipulate, spell, and encode grade-level phonics, including common and newly-taught sound and sound patterns. The materials partially meet the criteria for materials promote 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 for materials emphasize explicit phonics instruction through systematic and repeated modeling. 

Materials provide frequent opportunities for students to engage in multimodal activities where they hear, say, write and read newly taught sounds and spelling patterns. Activities include having students listen to a story that highlights the new sound, hear words with the new sound, practice writing the new associated grapheme, and then practice reading words with the new grapheme. In addition, the teacher materials provide some explicit and repeated modeling of grade level phonics standards. Rather than modeling skills first, the teacher is often told to do them with students. Opportunities are missed for students to use knowledge that every syllable must have a vowel sound to determine the number of syllables in a printed word.

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

  • Students have opportunities to know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs.
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 94, the teacher reminds students that when two letters that make the same sound are next to each other, the sound is only said once. The teacher explains that when a short vowel is followed by a /ck/ sound in words, the /ck/ sound is spelled ck.  Students blend words with the ck spelling.  
  • Students have opportunities to decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 87, the teacher writes the following list of words on the board and blends them with the students: sandwich, barn, weekend, skunk, limping.
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 88, the teacher writes the following list of words on the board and blends them with the students: black, paid, soak, street, fork.  
  • Students have opportunities to know final -e and common vowel team conventions for representing long vowel sounds.
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 114, when students are learning about the alternatives ee and ea, the teacher models saying the word free and identifying the long e sound. The teacher repeats this activity with the words eve and leap. The teacher also explains the different spelling patterns that are producing the long e sound. The teacher reads the blending words three, teeth, tree, leaf, feet, sheep, seal, bee, and sea with students.
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 118, students learn about the spelling patterns ie, y, and i_e. Students read numerous words with the new spelling pattern with the teacher, such as pie, lie, line, time, my, and flying. Students also practice blending words with the spelling pattern, such as nylon, satisfy, spy, pylon, and sly. Students read four sentences; an example being, “ The boy is unhappy about the hole in his jumper.” 
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 122, when students are learning about the ow sound, there are opportunities where the teacher explains the new spelling pattern and asks students questions, but actual teacher modeling is absent. For example, the teacher directions state:""Explain to the students that the digraph ow has two sounds: it can make an /oa/, as in yellow, or /ou/, as in owl."The teacher also asks students questions. For example, "Say the word yellow, and ask the students what sound they can hear at the end of this word. They should say an /oa/ sound." However, opportunities are missed for explicit, repeated teacher modeling. Tasks are often completed together. At one point the teacher is told, “Now read the /oa/ sound words with the students.” 
  • Students have opportunities to use knowledge that every syllable must have a vowel sound to determine the number of syllables in a printed word.
    • No evidence found
  • Students have opportunities to decode two-syllable words following basic patterns by breaking the words into syllables.
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 90, the teacher writes the following list of words on the board and blends them with the students: noisy, starting, groan, pail, street.
    • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 91, the teacher writes the following list of words on the board and blends them with the students: barbecue, foggy, louder, happy, handstand.  
  • Students have opportunities to read words with inflectional endings.
    • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 49, the teacher shows a picture of a dog and asks students what it shows. The teacher holds a picture of several dogs and asks what the picture shows. The teacher writes dog and dogs on the board and asks how the words differ. The teacher explains that nouns usually change when they describe more than one object and introduces the terms singular and plural. The teacher gives a singular noun and students reply with the plural form. Students complete an activity page where they read each noun and decide whether it is singular or plural.  
    • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 63, the teacher introduces past tense verbs. The teacher points out that verbs often change to show when the action takes place and provides examples of adding ed to the root word. Students read the list of verbs in the present tense and write them in the past tense. Then students read sentences and decide if they are in the present or past tense.  

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

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 86, students learn about y making an /ee/ sound. The teacher reads the following words from the activity page aloud to students: jolly, daisy, muddy, teddy, sunny, funny, daddy, and spotty. When working on their activity page, students read the following words with the /ee/ sound: sunny, body, puppy, teddy, sandy, and holly
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 94, students learn about the /ck/ sound. The students and teacher read the following words together: duck, bricks, sack, peck, black, sock, jacket, tick, kick, clock. The students practice tracing over the letters in the following words: stick, black, socks, rocket, duck, brick, neck. The students then practice blending the words bedroom, beetroot, cricket, haddock, and packing. The students also practice reading four sentences; however, these don’t focus on the spelling pattern and instead focus on tricky words. For example, “You are very clever indeed.” Guidance in how to use the decodable readers is absent. On page 82, the materials state, “If the Jolly Phonics Readers are available, these more able students can be given books from the Red Level.” 
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 110, when students are learning about the alternatives ay and oy, students complete the following writing activity: writing inside outlines of the letters ai and ay. Students also write inside outlines of the letters oy and oi. Students are then given six different pictures for each pair of digraphs and must choose either ai or ay for the first set of six and then either oi or oy for the second set of six. Dictation practice, where students write out full words with the new sound patterns, is not included in the lesson. 
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 122, students learn about the alternative /ow/. The teacher is instructed to “Say the word yellow, and ask the students what sound they can hear at the end of this word. Now say the word owl, and ask the students what sound they can hear at the beginning of the word.” Often, students read words aloud with the teacher. For example, in this lesson, when students are working on the activity page, the teacher is instructed, “Now read the /oa/ sound words with the students. Point out the letters making the /oa/ sound in each word.” 
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 126, students learn about the alternatives /er/, /ir/, and /ur/. The teacher is instructed to “Say the word summer, and ask the students what sound they can hear at the end of this word. They should say an /er/ sound.” This activity is repeated with the middle sound in bird and the middle sound in burn. Opportunities to read the new sound pattern include reading six words (summer, winter, skirt, shirt, purple, purse) and drawing a picture to go with them, blending the words thirteen, burst, thirsty, turnip, and first, and reading four sentences that contain the sound, such as, “2. I had a surprise party on my birthday.” While decodable readers are provided, there are no teacher instructions on which lesson they correspond with or how to use them on a daily basis. 
  • Whiteboard Lessons, Unit 12, Alternatives, students blend the following words: statue, argue, fuel, glue, pew, few, blew, cute, mule, and June.
  • Phonics Students Book 2, page 10, when students are learning about the alternative /ck/, students trace over the following words: stick, black, socks, neck, rocket, brick, and duck
  • Phonics Student Book 2, page 30, students write the following words with the /ee/ and /ea/ spelling pattern: three, teeth, tree, leaf, feet, sheep, seal, bee, and sea.
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 for 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 students with  opportunities to review previously taught grade-level phonics skills by orally calling out sounds for letter patterns on flash cards, decoding words with previously taught alternative spelling patterns, and writing previously taught graphemes. In addition, review activities are listed consistently throughout the document and across categories, including Letter Recognition, Letter Formation, Blending, Identifying Sounds in Words, and Tricky 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:

  • Phonics Teacher’s Guide, Book 2, page 90, students learn about the ck sound and blend the words bedroom, beetroot, cricket, haddock, and packing
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 114, students learn about the alternatives ee and ea and blend the following words: three, teeth, tree, leaf, feet, sheep, seal, bee, and sea
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 122, students learn about the alternative ow and blend the words shallow, drown, sparrow, shower, and rainbow. 
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 44, students learn about spelling short vowel words. The teacher directions read, “The two longer words, Wednesday and Saturday, will be easier to remember if the students split them up into their three syllables, pronouncing the words, Sat-ur-day and Wed-nes-day.” 
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 54, students learn about the y spelling of the /ee/ sound. The teacher directions read, “The last word in the list, family, is longer than the rest. The students will find this word easier to spell if they split the word up into its three syllables fam-i-ly.” 

Lessons provide students with daily 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:

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 87, “Write the following list of words on the board, and blend them with the students.” 
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 118, “Write the following sentences on the board, pointing out the tricky words and blending any unknown words with the students.” 

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

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 10, “As well as holding up flash cards, there are lots of activities that will help the students to learn the letter sounds. Large letters could be placed in the corners of the room and the students told to run to the correct corner when they see or hear one of the letter sounds.”
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 35, “The reading activities on these pages help  students to consolidate their letter-sound and tricky word knowledge and provide them with the opportunity to practice their blending skills.”
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 102, under Flashcards, “Practice some of the basic 42 sounds, plus y as /ee/.”
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 108, under Flashcards, “Use the flashcards, or Tricky Word Wall Flowers, to practice the tricky words already taught, including you, your, some, come, said, here, there, they, go, no, and so.” 
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 129, under Flashcards, teacher instructions read, “Practice some of the basic 42 sounds, plus y as /ee/ and /ie/, a_e, e_e, i_e, o_e, u_e, ay, oy, ea, ow as /oa/ and /ou/, ir, and ur.” 
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 52, Spelling: the ck spelling of the /ck/ sound. Additional instruction is provided for the letter/spelling sound pattern. A student activity page gives more practice.
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 64, Spelling the u_e spelling of the /ue/ sound. Additional instruction is provided for the letter/spelling sound pattern. A student activity page gives more practice.
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 68, teacher instructions read, “Remind the students that the main ways of writing the /ai/ sound are ai, a_e, and ay.”

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

  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 68, the students write inside the outline ay on their page using the correct formation. This can be done several times using different colors.
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 110, “Practice some of the basic 42 sounds, plus y as /ee/, a_e, e_e, i_e, o_e, u_e.” 
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 120, “Use the flashcards, or Tricky Word Wall Flowers, to practice the tricky words already taught, including one, by, only, old, like, and have.
Indicator 1H
02/04
Materials provide frequent opportunities for students to practice decoding phonetically regular words in a sentence.

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

There are six lessons that include an activity called Reading Sentences. In this activity, teachers are directed to point out tricky words and blend unknown words with the students. Of the 47 lessons in the Phonics Student Book 2, two lessons do not include opportunities for students to read phonetically regular words in a sentence with the teacher. Jolly Phonics Readers are identified as reading books that students who are able to decode regular words independently can use from the Red Level when they have completed Phonics Student Book 1. During the core program lessons, there is no explicit directive to teachers for when or how to use them with students. 

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

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 86, students read sentences that contain phonetically regular words. The teacher writes sentences on the board, “pointing out the tricky words and blending any unknown words with the students.” Example sentences include: "The farmyard is a mess. The shark swam in the reef." Each lesson after this first lesson contains opportunities for students to practice decoding phonetically regular words in a sentence, except for the lessons outlined on pages 110 and 122 of the Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2.
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 132, students read sentences that contain phonetically regular words. The teacher writes sentences on the board, “pointing out the tricky words, and blending any unknown words with the students.” Example sentences include: Where are all the tennis balls? What is the quickest way to the pool?
  • Phonics Student Book 2, page 47, students read each sentence and illustrate it in the picture frame. Sentences include some learned tricky words and some phonetically regular words.


Lessons provide students with limited opportunities to decode words in a sentence.

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 127, the teacher writes four sentences on the board, pointing out the tricky words, and blending any unknown words with students.  
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 132, the teacher writes four sentences on the board, pointing out the tricky words, and blending any unknown words with students.
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 for 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.

Students have opportunities to engage in encoding either through the Phonics Book 2 or the Grammar 1 activities and tasks; however, the principal method for providing students opportunities to spell words includes students employing the process of, “Look, copy, cover, write, check” to write and spell phonetically irregular words over dotted lines in the Phonics Student Book 2. Students are not explicitly taught how to spell common orthographic patterns for multisyllabic words in the Jolly Phonics Program or in the Jolly Grammar 1 Student Book.

The materials contain limited teacher-level instruction/modeling for  building, manipulating, spelling, and encoding words using common and newly-taught sound and spelling patterns of phonics.

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 114, the teacher is directed to engage with students on how free and eve are spelled and write them on the board. The teacher reminds students that the /ee/ sound can be written in more than one way. The teacher writes leap and points out the ea in the middle makes the same /ee/ sound. The teacher blends all three words, pointing to the letters as s/he says each sound.
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 126, the teacher is directed to engage with students on how an /er/ sound is usually written and writes summer on the board. Teachers remind students that the /er/ sound can be written in more than one way. Teachers say bird and burn and ask students what sound they hear in the middle of those words. Teachers write bird and burn and point out that ir and ur make the same /er/ sound.
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 62, the teacher reviews the o_e spelling of /oa/ as the “o hop-over e.” With students, they make a list of words that use the o_e spelling and write them on the board.

Lessons provide students with limited daily opportunities to build,manipulate,spell, and encode words in isolation based in common and newly taught phonics patterns.

  • Phonics Student Book 2, page 6, students look at pictures and say the word to themselves, listening first for the short vowel sound then for all of the sounds in the word. Then students write the sounds of the word on the lines underneath the picture. Pictures include, box, bus, frog, duck, nest, ring, hat, shell, crab.
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 32, the teacher reads six words with the /sh/ sound one at a time. Students listen for the sounds in each word and write the words on the lines.
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 88, students write and spell phonetically irregular words over dotted lines in the Phonics Student Book 2. Words include you and your.
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 89, students write and spell phonetically regular words by filling in graphemes in the medial position of words. Students have a choice of short vowels they can write for the missing grapheme. For example, students can write and spell quack or quick for the prompt, qu_ck.
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 for materials promote application and encoding of phonics in activities and tasks.

The program suggests that students who can write independently can try. Students are not expected to write decodable words in sentences. Lessons in the Phonics Student Book 2  provide opportunities for students to trace dotted graphemes and words, while others involve students copying a sentence from the board that contains phonetically regular words. Finally, students have opportunities to encode words in isolation through dictation activities.

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:

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 93, teachers are directed to write the sentence “I can see a big dog,” to begin the description of a picture. Teachers are directed to discuss as they write, listening for the sounds of the words. 
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 94, teachers explain the grapheme ck and its occurrence with short vowels.
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 61, teachers explain that some verbs are spelled with an s added to the verb root.

Lessons provide students with limited opportunities to encode words in sentences or in phrases based on common and newly taught grade level phonics pattern. Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 98, students are directed to copy the sentence the teacher wrote as a model. Those students who can write independently can try to write some more sentences on their own.
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 89, students copy a sentence containing phonetically regular words that the teacher wrote on the board: A hen just sits on her nest.
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 38, students encode words in sentences using the targeted grapheme (i.e., ng) through teacher dictation. Sentences include: The string was long. She sang a song.

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.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 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 criteria for materials include systematic instruction of high-frequency words and practice opportunities of high-frequency words to develop automaticity and for materials provide frequent practice opportunities to read and write high-frequency words in tasks (sentences). The materials also partially meet the criteria for  materials explicitly teach word analysis strategies based on the requirements of the standards and provide limited 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 for materials include systematic instruction of high-frequency words and practice opportunities of high-frequency words to develop automaticity.


The method for teaching the spelling of Tricky Words is focused on the students identifying the word and identifying each word’s tricky aspects. Students use look, copy, cover, write, check to learn Tricky Words. Look, copy, cover, write, check is described for the teacher in the Tricky Words overview in the Phonics Teacher’s Book. The program provides instruction on 38 irregularly spelled words throughout the year.  


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

  • Students have opportunities to recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 88, the teacher uses the look, copy, cover, write, check method with students to look at the first word, you in Phonics Student Book 2, page 4. The teacher models saying the letter names in the word. Students write over the dotted word you. Students cover all instances of the word and try writing the word in the next column and check their spelling. Steps are repeated with your.
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 92, the teacher introduces two new Tricky Words, come and some. The teacher points out that some is the same as come, but it has a letter s at the beginning.
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 108, the teacher is directed to “Use the flashcards, or Tricky Word Wall Flowers, to practice the Tricky Words already taught, including you, your, some, come, said, here, there, they, go, no, and so.”


Materials include limited opportunities for the teacher to model the spelling and reading of irregularly spelled words in isolation.  Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 101, the teacher is directed to read the words, met, mat, man, underneath the picture in Phonics Student Book 2, page 17, out loud to students. 
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 112, the teacher uses flashcards, or Tricky Word Wall Flowers, with students to practice the Tricky Words already taught, including you, your, some, come, said, here, there, they, go, no, so, my, one, and by.
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 22, the teacher is directed to use the  “say it as it sounds” technique, pronouncing the word with a short /i/ sound so that the Frid of Friday rhymes with rid.”
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 52, the teacher is directed to read the spelling words with the students. “As a class, say the sounds in the regular words, and say the letter names in the Tricky Words go and no.”


Students practice identifying and reading irregularly spelled words in isolation.  Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 120, the teacher introduces the two new Tricky Words: live and give. The students look at the words in red flowers at the top of the page: live and give. Remind the students that English words ending in a /v/ sound do not end with a letter v, but have a silent e added to the end. Point out the e at the end of the words live and give. The students write inside the outline letters using a red pencil.”
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 128, the teacher and students use the flashcards, or the Tricky Word Wall Flowers, to practice the Tricky Words already taught, including one, by, only, old, like, have, live, give, little and down.
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 38, the teacher reads the spelling words with the students. “As a class, say the sounds in the regular words, and say the letter names in the Tricky Words be and was. Encourage the students to use the ‘say it as it sounds technique’ when spelling was. Pronounce was as though it rhymes with mass.”
  • Phonics Student Book 2, page 32, students write inside the outline letters of like and have, using a red pencil.
  • Phonics Student Book 2, page 44, students use the look, copy, cover, write check procedure for what, when and why. Students write over the dotted word when. Students cover all instances of the word and try writing the word in the next column and check their spelling.

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

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 84, identify 28 Tricky Words is introduced in Student Book 2: you, your, come, some, said, here, there, they, go, no, so, my, one, by, only, old, like, have, live, give, little, down, what, when, why, where, why
Indicator 1L
01/02
Materials provide frequent practice opportunities to read and write high-frequency words in context (sentences).

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

Students have the opportunity to write sentences with high-frequency words about every third or fourth lesson in Phonics Student Book 2; however, while students do have the opportunity to write sentences containing high-frequency words, lessons often do not specifically target the high-frequency words as part of the instruction.

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

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 106, teachers are directed to write four sentences on the board, point out the Tricky Words, and blend any unknown words with the students. Sentences include:
    • The boat is so strong.
    • We must go and sort out the books.
    • The roof shook in the storm.
    • There are no fish in this pond.
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 124, teachers are directed to write four sentences on the board, point out the Tricky Words, and blend any unknown words with the students. Sentences include:
    • The little boy ran down the hill.
    • We went up and down the lift.
    • Show me that little book.
    • The little mole lives deep down underground.

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:

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 89, the teacher is directed to write the sentence for students to copy: A hen just sits on her nest.
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 98, the teacher is directed to write the sentence for students to copy: A boat sails on the pond.
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 32, the teacher reads sentences aloud while students write the sentences. The teacher identifies the Tricky Words in the sentences. The following sentences are used:
    • I am on a ship. 
    • She shops for food. 
    • His toothbrush is red.
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 68, the teacher reads sentences aloud while students write the sentences. The teacher identifies the Tricky Words in the sentences. The following sentences are used:
    • You can all stay here. 
    • Today is hot. 
    • I made this from clay.
  • Phonics Student Book 2, page 25, the teacher and students discuss the picture of the moth on the page. The teacher guides the writing of the moth description. The teacher writes a sentence, and students copy it. 
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 for 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.

Jolly Phonics Grade 1 materials provide limited practice opportunities for students regarding word analysis strategies involving double letters/consonants with short vowels, and y making the /ee/ sound at the end of a word; however, opportunities to practice multisyllabic words with word analysis strategies are not evident.

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

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 94, the teacher is directed to remind students when two letters that make up the same sound are next to each other, the sound is only said once. Teachers explain that when the short vowel is followed by the /ck/ sound in short words, the /ck/ sound is spelled ck; both a caterpillar c and a kicking k are needed. 
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 99, the teacher is directed to remind students when two letters that make up the same sound are next to each other, the sound is only said once. The teacher explains that consonants are often doubled after a short vowel sound so that the “magic” from any subsequent vowels cannot “hop back” over the consonants and change the short vowel into a long vowel. 
  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 103, the teacher explains to the students that when a word has more than one vowel, the ‘magic’ from the second vowel can sometimes hop back over one letter, and change the first short vowel into a long vowel.

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

  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 49, the teacher writes dog and dogs on the board. The teacher asks the students how the two words differ and explains that nouns usually change when they describe more than one object. 
  • Jolly Grammar 1 Teacher’s Book, page 63, the teacher shows that the past tense of a regular verb is made by adding the suffix ed to the root. 

Multiple 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:

  • Phonics Teacher’s Book, Book 2, page 114, students look at the blending words at the top of their page. The teacher blends words with the students, and points out the letters making the /ee/ sound in each word.
  • Phonics Student Book 2, page 26, students listen for where the /ai/ sound comes in the word when the teacher says the word tray. Students decide how tray is spelled and write either ai or ay in the space. Students continue with the rest of the words, listening for the position of the /ai/ and /oi/ sounds and completing the word by writing the correct spellings of the /ai/ and /oi/ sounds on the lines.

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:

  • Jolly Grammar 1 Student Book, pages 2, 4, and 20, students engage in varied opportunities across time to learn, practice, and apply word analysis strategies. For example, students write words with the /sh/ grapheme (Page 2), read words with the /ch/ grapheme (Page 4), and write sentences with words that contain the double consonant letters /ss/ and /zz/ (Page 20).

Criterion 1.5: Decoding Accuracy, Decoding Automaticity and Fluency

00/16

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).

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 do not meet the criterion for materials and instruction provide systematic and explicit instruction and practice in fluency by focusing on accuracy and automaticity. The materials do not meet the criteria for materials provide opportunities for students to engage in decoding practice focused on accuracy and automaticity nor do they meet the criteria for instructional opportunities are built into the materials for systematic, evidence-based, explicit instruction in fluency. The materials do not meet the criteria for varied and frequent opportunities are built into the materials for students to engage in supported practice to gain oral reading fluency or for materials provide teacher guidance to support students as they confirm or self-correct errors.

Indicator 1N
00/04
Materials provide opportunities for students to engage in decoding practice focused on accuracy and automaticity in K and Grade 1.

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 do not meet the criteria for materials provide opportunities for students to engage in decoding practice focused on accuracy and automaticity in K and Grade 1.


Students do not engage in intentional listening activities for the purpose of listening to the teacher read words with accuracy and automaticity. In addition, the teacher is not prompted in the lessons to model decoding accuracy and automaticity as part of systematic instruction. While students do have daily opportunities to blend sounds into words containing previously introduced phonetic concepts and graphemes chorally with the teacher, students do not practice decoding words independently for accuracy and automaticity. 

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

  • No evidence found. 


Materials provide 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: 

  • No evidence found. 
Indicator 1O
00/04
Instructional opportunities are built into the materials for systematic, evidence-based, explicit instruction in fluency. (Grades 1-2)

The instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 do not meet the criteria for instructional opportunities are built into the materials for systematic, evidence-based, explicit instruction in fluency (Grades 1-2). 


The instructional materials lack opportunities to provide support for evidence-based or systematic fluency instruction with grade-level text. Materials lack a variety of genres for fluency instruction. Opportunities are missed for students to hear modeled phrasing, expression, intonation, rate, and accuracy for the purpose of fluency instruction. In addition, the lessons do not include modeled repeated reading of the same passage. There are no lessons using decodable and grade-level texts of a variety of genres for students to practice fluency elements, including rate, expression, and accuracy.


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

  • Students have opportunities to read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.
    • No evidence found


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

  • No evidence found


Materials include a variety of resources for explicit instruction in fluency.  Examples include, but are not limited to: 

  • No evidence found
Indicator 1P
00/04

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 instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 do not meet the criteria for 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 Jolly Phonics Grade 1 materials do not provide students with texts to read that focus on rate, accuracy, or expression. Instructional materials do not adequately support the development of fluency. There are no lessons that utilize decodable and/or grade-level reading passages that focus on fluency and repeated reading to practice oral reading fluency for students. In addition, the materials do not include a variety of fluency opportunities. The lessons do not include student practice opportunities for whisper reading, repeated readings, choral reading, oral recitation, or echo reading. 


Varied, frequent 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: 

  • No evidence found


Materials contain 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: 

  • No evidence found


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

  • No evidence found
Indicator 1Q
00/04
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 instructional materials reviewed for Grade 1 do not meet the criteria for materials provide teacher guidance to support students as they confirm or self-correct errors.


The Jolly Phonics Grade 1 materials do not provide guidance to the teacher on how to provide systematic, explicit instruction in reading fluency, including teacher modeling of self-correction, confirmation of errors while reading, or providing students techniques for self-correcting. 


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

  • Students have opportunities to use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
    • No evidence found


Materials provide opportunities for students to practice using confirmation or self-correction of errors.  Examples include, but are not limited to: 

  • No evidence found


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: 

  • Students have opportunities to read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
    • No evidence found


Materials contain explicit directions and/or think-alouds for the teacher to model how to engage with a text to emphasize reading for purpose and understanding

  • No evidence found


Criterion 2.1: Guidance for Implementation, Including Scope and Sequence

NE = Not Eligible. Product did not meet the threshold for review.
NE
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.
Indicator 2A
00/04
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.
Indicator 2B
00/04
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.
Indicator 2C
00/04
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.
Indicator 2D
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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)

Indicator 2D.ii
00/04

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.

Indicator 2E
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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.

Criterion 2.2: Decodable Texts

NE = Not Eligible. Product did not meet the threshold for review.
NE
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.
Indicator 2F
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Aligned Decodable Texts
Indicator 2F.i
00/04
Materials include decodable texts with phonics aligned to the program’s scope and sequence and opportunities for students to use decodables for multiple readings.
Indicator 2F.ii
00/04
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.

Criterion 2.3: Assessment and Differentiation

NE = Not Eligible. Product did not meet the threshold for review.
NE
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.
Indicator 2G
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Regular and Systematic Opportunities for Assessment
Indicator 2G.i
00/02

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).

Indicator 2G.ii
00/02

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

Indicator 2G.iii
00/02

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)

Indicator 2G.iv
00/02

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)

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)
Indicator 2H
00/02
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.
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
00/04

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.

Indicator 2I.ii
00/04

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.

Indicator 2I.iii
00/04

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

Criterion 2.4: Effective Technology Use and Visual Design

NE = Not Eligible. Product did not meet the threshold for review.
NE
Materials support effective use of technology and visual design to enhance student learning. Digital materials are accessible and available in multiple platforms.
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.
Indicator 2K
Read
Materials support effective use of technology to enhance student learning.
Indicator 2L
Read
Digital materials include opportunities for teachers to personalize learning for all students, using adaptive or other technological innovations.
Indicator 2M
Read
Materials can be easily customized for local use.
Indicator 2N
Read
The visual design (whether in print or digital) is not distracting or chaotic, but supports students in engaging thoughtfully with the subject.