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Report Overview
Summary of Alignment & Usability: Magnetic Reading Foundations | ELA
ELA K-2
The Magnetic Foundations materials meet the expectations for alignment to standards and research-based practices for foundational skills instruction. The program has a well-defined scope and sequence that delineates daily opportunities for students to practice phonological awareness skills through explicit teacher modeling, and students engage in oral practice activities that are reinforced through a variety of multimodal activities. Materials provide teachers with explicit instructional routines, systematic and repeated modeling, and instruction for students to hear, say, encode, and read the newly taught grade-level phonics pattern and provide students with opportunities to decode phonetically spelled words. Materials include a well-defined teacher resource for content presentation, which includes a detailed scope and sequence, a weekly planner, and detailed information and instructional routines that help the teacher to effectively implement all foundational skills content through session-specific teacher-scripted lessons. Materials provide a clear research-based explanation for the instructional sequence of phonics skills that are taught and regularly and systematically provide a variety of assessment opportunities over the course of the year to demonstrate students’ progress toward mastery and independence of print concepts, letter recognition, and letter formation.
Kindergarten
View Full ReportEdReports 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)
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)
1st Grade
View Full ReportEdReports 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)
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)
2nd Grade
View Full ReportEdReports 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)
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)
Report for 1st Grade
Alignment Summary
The Grade 1 materials meet the expectations for alignment to standards and research-based practices for foundational skills instruction. Materials provide clear directions for the teacher around explicit instruction and modeling on how to correctly form all 26 of the uppercase and lowercase letters, though materials do not provide opportunities for students to practice forming all of the letters using a variety of multimodal and multisensory methods. Materials provide daily opportunities for students to practice phonological awareness skills, which are introduced with explicit teacher modeling, and provide teachers with explicit instructional routines, systematic and repeated modeling, and instruction for students to hear, say, encode, and read the newly taught grade-level phonics pattern, in addition to opportunities to decode phonetically spelled words. Materials contain teacher-level instruction and modeling for building, manipulating, spelling, and encoding words using common and newly-taught sound and spelling patterns of phonics. Materials provide frequent, explicit instruction of word analysis and decoding strategies and include frequent opportunities for both teacher explicit instruction and student practice in decoding text with accuracy and automaticity. Materials include a well-defined teacher resource for content presentation, which includes a detailed scope and sequence, a weekly planner, and detailed information and instructional routines that help the teacher to effectively implement all foundational skills content through session-specific teacher-scripted lessons. The program utilizes lesson plans that are research-based, including foundational concepts, such as phonological and phonemic awareness, alphabetic principles, phonics, and high-frequency words. Materials include a variety of decodable texts that contain grade-level phonics skills aligned to the program’s scope and sequence to address securing phonics. The lesson materials include lesson plans to teach and review previously taught high-frequency and irregularly spelled words.
Materials provide assessment opportunities over the course of the year to demonstrate students’ progress toward mastery and independence of print concepts, letter recognition, and letter formation, including checks for understanding within the lessons, weekly formative assessments, and unit summative assessments that measure student progress in word recognition and analysis. Materials provide regular support for differentiation and reteaching to students needing additional support. The Program Implementation includes a pacing guide with flexible options for whole-group and small-group instruction, along with sample schedules.
Usability (Gateway 2)
Overview of Gateway 1
Alignment to Standards and Research-Based Practices for Foundational Skills Instruction
Materials provide clear directions for the teacher around explicit instruction and modeling on how to correctly form all 26 of the uppercase and lowercase letters, though materials do not provide opportunities for students to practice forming all of the letters using a variety of multimodal and multisensory methods. Materials provide explicit instruction related to the organization of print concepts in the area of capitalization, spacing between words, and ending punctuation. Materials provide daily opportunities for students to practice phonological awareness skills, which are introduced with explicit teacher modeling, and students engage in oral practice activities that are reinforced through a variety of multimodal activities. Materials provide teachers with systematic, explicit instruction in phonological awareness in all six units through modeling of teaching syllables, phonemes, and spoken words. Materials provide teachers with explicit instructional routines, systematic and repeated modeling, and instruction for students to hear, say, encode, and read the newly taught grade-level phonics pattern, in addition to opportunities to decode phonetically spelled words. Phonics lessons are designed to provide students with frequent opportunities to read words of newly learned grade-level phonics skills and review previously learned grade-level phonics skills through word lists and student workbook pages. Materials contain teacher-level instruction and modeling for building, manipulating, spelling, and encoding words using common and newly-taught sound and spelling patterns of phonics. Materials provide frequent opportunities through the use of connected text and the student workbook for students to read grade-level high-frequency words in a sentence and write them in tasks designed to promote automaticity. Materials provide frequent, explicit instruction of word analysis and decoding strategies and include frequent opportunities for both teacher explicit instruction and student practice in decoding text with accuracy and automaticity. Materials include frequent, systematic opportunities for explicit instruction in fluency along with opportunities for students to hear fluent reading of grade-level text.
Criterion 1.1: Print Concepts and Letter Recognition (Alphabet Knowledge)
Materials provide clear directions for the teacher around explicit instruction and modeling on how to correctly form all 26 of the uppercase and lowercase letters, though materials do not provide opportunities for students to practice forming all of the letters using a variety of multimodal and multisensory methods. Materials provide explicit instruction related to the organization of print concepts in the area of capitalization, spacing between words, and ending punctuation and include opportunities for students to participate in authentic practice, letter identification, and letter formation using print concepts through student workbooks and library books found in the classroom.
Indicator 1A
Indicator 1A.iv
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1aiv.
The materials provide clear directions for the teacher related to providing explicit instruction and modeling how to correctly form all 26 of the uppercase and lowercase letters. The materials do not provide opportunities for students to practice forming all of the letters using a variety of multimodal and multisensory methods.
Materials include clear directions for the teacher concerning how to explain and model how to correctly form each of the 26 letters (uppercase and lowercase). For example:
Print all upper- and lowercase letters.
In Unit 1, Week 2, Session 2, the teacher models how to form uppercase and lowercase a and i. The teacher thinks aloud while forming the uppercase I by stating, “Start at the top line, Lift to the top line and slide right across the top line. Lift to the bottom line. Then slide across the bottom line,” and lowercase i by stating, “Start at the middle. Draw straight down to make a line. Lift and add a dot above the line.” The teacher is directed to use the Teacher Guide Instructional Resource Letter Formation on A68-A71 for specific directions
In Unit 2, Week 9, Session 2, the teacher models how to form uppercase and lowercase Bb. The teacher thinks aloud while modeling letter formation for uppercase B by stating, “Start at the top line. Draw straight down to make a line. Lift to the top line. Make a curve to the right and meet your line in the middle. Then make another curve to the right and meet your line at the bottom” and lower case b by stating, “Start at the top line. Draw down to make a line. Lift to the middle of your line. Curve to the right and meet your line at the bottom.” The teacher is directed to use the Teacher Guide Instructional Resource Letter Formation on A68-A71 for specific directions.
Materials include frequent opportunities for students to practice forming all of the 26 letters (uppercase and lowercase). For example:
In Unit 1, Week 5, Session 2, students practice Letter Formation of uppercase and lowercase Uu.
In Unit 4, Week 20, Session 2, students practice letter formation as they write words that the teacher dictates: we, seem, green, brain, He sees three trees.
Materials include frequent opportunities for students to practice forming letters using multimodal and/or multisensory methods. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 1, Session 2, students with data variance in letter formation receive small group prerequisite instruction. In the Reteach lesson students review and reinforce Letter Formation: Mm. Students practice writing with their finger on their palm the letters M and m before they practice in their workbooks. Students say the letter name and letter sound each time they write a letter. Then students practice their phonics skills in their Student Workbooks.
In Unit 1, Week 5, Session 2, students with data variance in letter formation receive small group prerequisite instruction. In the Reteach lesson students review Letter Formation: Aa and practice skywriting each letter A and a before they practice in their workbooks. Students say the letter name and letter sound each time they write a letter. Then students practice their phonics skills in their Student Workbooks.
Indicator 1B
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1b. (K-early Grade 1).
The materials provide explicit instruction related to the organization of print concepts in the area of capitalization, spacing between words, and ending punctuation. Concepts of print instruction is found in Unit 1 through Unit 4. Materials include a variety of books suitable for teaching print concepts, and there are 15 texts for teaching concepts of print embedded in Unit 1. The materials provide opportunities for students to participate in authentic practice, letter identification, and letter formation using print concepts through student workbooks and library books found in the classroom. The materials include students’ practice of previously learned print concepts, letter identification, and letter formation.
Materials include explicit instruction for all students about the organization of print concepts (e.g. recognize features of a sentence). For example:
Recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence (e.g., first word, capitalization, ending punctuation).
In Unit 1, Week 3, Session 4, the teacher explains, “Words are made up of letters, and sentences are made up of words. The first word of a sentence always begins with a capital letter. Sentences always end with a punctuation mark.” The teacher reads the first sentence in Let’s Read! on page 56 and calls attention to the capital letter at the beginning of the sentence and the period at the end.
In Unit 1, Week 5, Session 3, the teacher reminds students that a sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with an end mark. The teacher explains that the punctuation mark at the end of the sentence might be a period, question mark, or exclamation point.
In Unit 3, Week 15, Session 3, the teacher reminds students about concepts of print in the text Jen’s Music! The teacher reviews the differences between letters, words, and sentences.
Materials include frequent, adequate lessons, tasks, and questions for all students about the organization of print concepts (e.g. recognize features of a sentence). For example:
In Unit 1, Week 1, Session 4, the teacher says, “When we read, where do we start? We start at the top and read across. When we go to the end of a line, we return to the left to start the next line.”
In Unit 1, Week 2, Session 2, the teacher asks students to point to letters and words. Then the teacher asks students to identify the first letter in the word, but.
Materials include a variety of physical books (teacher-guided, such as big books) that are suitable for the teaching of print concepts. For example:
In Unit 2, Week 9, Sessions 1–4, the teacher uses the Alphabet Tales Big Book, Student Alphabet Book: R, student Alphabet Book: D, and two Duet Passages.
In Unit 7, Week 26, Sessions 1–4, the teacher uses the Duet Decodable in June and the Magnetic Reader It Is Hot.
Materials include sufficient and explicit instruction about the organization of print concepts (e.g., recognize features of a sentence) in the context of a book. For example:
In Unit 2, Week 8, Session 4, the teacher uses the Magnetic Reader to review concepts of print. The teacher reminds students that a sentence always ends with a punctuation mark. The teacher points to the first sentence on page 2 of the Magnetic Reader, “Jen’s Music” and explains that an exclamation mark reminds students to read with excitement. The students discuss the different kinds of end punctuation and review what each mark means.
In Unit 2, Week 9, Session 2, the teacher tells students that it is a good idea to point to each word as they read because it helps them read every word. Then the teacher models it.
Materials consistently include opportunities for students to engage in authentic practice using print concepts in the context of student books. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 4, Session 2, students find information, including the title, author’s name, and the name of the illustrator on the cover of a book. The students then use Hop on a Log, and additional classroom books, to point to the title, author, and illustrator’s name.
In Unit 1, Week 5, Session 2, the students look at the student text, Meg Can Help, and locate periods and exclalmation points. Students point to the different ending punctuation in the student text.
Materials contain periodic cumulative review opportunities during which the teacher reminds students about previously learned grade-level print concepts, letter identification, and letter formation. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 2, Session 4, the teacher models skills previously presented in Kindergarten related to the identification of Short i: j, qu, z, w, v, y, the concept of a word in a sentence, and points out the narrow space between the letters and larger space on either side the word. The teacher then asks the students words in the next sentence and points to the spaces between words.
In Unit 3, Week 14, Session 2, the teacher reinforces Letter Formation: The teacher models and explicitly reviews the formation of X,x.
Materials include students’ practice of previously learned print concepts, letter identification, and letter formation. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 1, Session 1, students use their workbooks to demonstrate how to hold a book correctly and turn one page at a time. The teacher checks that students are able to recognize that print carries over from one page to the next. Students model reading page by page using a previously read book from the classroom library.
In Unit 1, Week 1, Session 4, students review letter identification and formation and practice with letters they have difficulty forming. As students practice in their workbooks, they say the letter name each time they write the letter. The teacher calls on students to orally spell their first name before they write it in their workbooks. The teacher asks, “Which letters in your name are easy to write?”
In Unit 2, Week 7, Session 2, the teacher reviews letter identification and formation for Y, y. As students practice in their workbooks, they identify and say the letter name each time they write the letter.
Criterion 1.2: Phonological Awareness
Materials emphasize explicit, systematic instruction of research-based and/or evidence-based phonological awareness.
Materials provide daily opportunities for students to practice phonological awareness skills, which are introduced with explicit teacher modeling, and students engage in oral practice activities that are reinforced through a variety of multimodal activities. Materials provide teachers with systematic, explicit instruction in phonological awareness in all six units through modeling of teaching syllables, phonemes, and spoken words. Each lesson is designed to follow a routine where the teacher models a specific skill and provide practice opportunities for students throughout the lessons for each newly taught sound and sound pattern. Lessons include multimodal/multisensory activities for student practice of phonological awareness skills.
Indicator 1C
Materials have frequent opportunities for students to engage in phonological awareness activities during Kindergarten and early Grade 1.
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1c.
The materials provide daily opportunities for students to practice phonological awareness skills. All skills are introduced with explicit teacher modeling, and students engage in oral practice activities that are reinforced through a variety of multimodal activities. Using the Teacher Toolbox Articulation Videos, students practice articulating sounds with visual and auditory modeling of phonological awareness activities.
Materials include a variety of activities for phonological awareness. For example:
In Unit 2, Week 8, Session 3, students use picture cards of objects with one syllable that begins with a single consonant sound and identity the onset and rime. The materials suggest that students say the onset as they touch a counter with their left pointer finger. Repeat with the rime and right pointer finger. Students use the Blend Sounds routine and move the counters together as they blend the word.
In Unit 4, Week 20, Session 1, students use the Blend Sounds Routine using a visual, such as Elkonin boxes and place a counter in a box for each phoneme in the words feet, creek, cheek, peel. Students point to the counter and say each phoneme. Then, students slide a finger under the counters and say the word.
In Unit 6, Week 30, Session 2, students tap a finger on the desk for each sound and the teacher incrementally adds words with more phonemes for students to segment. Students use the Segment Sounds Routine to segment the words drawn, /d/ /r/ /ô/ /n/ crawls, /k/ /r/ /ô/ /l/ /z/ crook, /k/ /r/ /oo˘/ /k/ haul, /h/ /ô/ /l/ thaw, /th/ /ô/.
There are frequent opportunities for students to practice phonological awareness. Over the course of the year, students participate in daily phonological awareness activities. For example:
In Unit 2, Week 11, Session 1, students practice adding phonemes to make new words. Students listen to the sounds in the word right and add /f/ to make fringe. Students use the Add Sounds Routine to add phonemes to change words from rust to crust, rack to crack, rain to crane, and row to crow.
In Unit 3, Week 13, Session 3, students blend phonemes in the word steak. Students listen to the sounds in the word sprout and blend the sounds. Students use the Blend Sounds Routine to practice with the words spruce and strange.
In Unit 6, Week 30, Session 1, students practice blending phonemes with variant vowels, au, aw, al, all. Students use the Blend Sounds Routine to practice with the words haul, lawn, fault, thaw, auto, launch, and faucet.
Indicator 1D
Materials provide explicit instruction in phonological awareness through systematic modeling across the K-1 grade band.
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1d.
The materials provide teachers with systematic, explicit instruction in phonological awareness in all six units through modeling of teaching syllables, phonemes, and spoken words. Each lesson is designed to follow a routine where the teacher models a specific skill. The materials provide the teacher with six examples or six words for each activity for teacher modeling.
Materials provide the teacher with systematic, explicit modeling for instruction in syllables, sounds (phonemes), and spoken words. For example:
Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words.
In Unit 3, Week 15, Sessions 3, the teacher uses systematic and explicit instruction to guide students through the Identity Sounds Routine with five sets of three words. The teacher models identifying if the word is short or long a in the words bake, gate, pace, bat, can, sad, take, late.
In Unit 4, Week 17, Session 3, the teacher uses systematic and explicit instruction to guide student through the Idenritfy Sounds routine. The teacher models identifying whether the sound is short or long with the words, let, bed, men, mean, feet, heal, cube, fume, use, mug, tub, fun, pen, deck, get, seen, feel and meet.
Orally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant blends.
In Unit 3, Week 13, Session 1, the teacher uses the Blends Sounds Routine to model blending sounds together in the word scratch /s//k//r//ă//ch/.
In Unit 4, Week 19, Session 1, the teacher uses the Blend Sounds Routine to model blending sounds together to say the word /d/ /r/ /ā/ /n/ to make the word drain.
Isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single-syllable words.
In Unit 1, Week 1, Session 2, the teacher uses the Isolate Sounds Routine and models listening for the first or beginning sound in act. The teacher says the first or beginning sound in act and uses the routine to have students students isolate the first sound in each word big, /b/ coat, /k/ add, /ă/ match, /m/ not, /n/ ten, /t/.
In Unit 2, Week 7, Session 1, the teacher uses the Isolate Sounds Routine and models listening for the last, or ending sound in the word tooth. The teacher models the sound, and students isolate the last sound in the word. mouth, /th/ crash, /sh/ wash, /sh/ trash, /sh/ both, /th/ cloth, /th/
In Unit 4, Week 16, Session 1, the teacher uses the Isolate Sounds Routine and says, “I am going to listen to the middle sound in the word rode. Now I will say the middle sound I hear in road /o/, The middle sound in rode is /o/.” The teacher uses the routine and has students isolate the medial sound in each word, hope, /ō/ those, /ō/ tight, /ī/ bike, /ī/ ride, /ī/ hose, /ō/.
Segment spoken single-syllable words into their complete sequence of individual sounds (phonemes).
In Unit 1, Week 1, Session 4, the teacher uses the Segment Sounds Routine and demonstrates breaking the word side into the complete sequence of phonemes. “What sounds do I hear in side? /s//ī//d/.” The teacher uses the routine and has students segment single-syllable words into individual sounds.
In Unit 4, Week 16, Session 2, the teacher uses the Segment Sounds Routine and demonstrates breaking the word hive into the complete sequence of sounds. The teacher uses the routine and has students segment single-syllable words into individual sounds.
Materials provide the teacher with examples for instruction in syllables, sounds (phonemes), and spoken words called for in grade-level standards. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 4, Session 2, the teacher directs the students to listen to the sounds /r/ /ĕ/ /k/. The teacher tells the students the word is wreck.
In Unit 2, Week 2, Session 2, the teacher tells students that they are going to blend sounds together to make a word. Students listen as the teacher says the sounds /f/ /ĭ/ /l/. The teacher says, “Now I will blend those sounds together: /fffiiilll/. The word is fill.”
In Unit 2, Week 6, Session 3, the teacher tells students they are going to blend syllables together to say a word. The teacher models blending the syllables /whim/ /per/ into the word whimper.
Indicator 1E
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1e.
The materials provide practice opportunities for students throughout the lessons for each newly taught sound and sound pattern. Lessons include multimodal/multisensory activities for student practice of phonological awareness skills.
Materials provide ample opportunities for students to practice each new sound and sound pattern. For example:
Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words.
In Unit 3, Week 15, Session 4, students distinguish vowel sounds heard in the long /ā/ in paste to /ă/ in past. The students distinguish the difference between the short and long vowel sounds in the following five words: /ā/ in base to form bass; /ă/ in rack to form rake; /ă/ in band to form bend.
In Unit 4, Week 17, Session 4, students distinguish between the short and long vowel sounds in the following words: /ē/ in seal to form sell; /ĕ/ in led to form lead; /ĭ/ in lick to form like, /ŭ/ in tub to form tube; /ē/ in meet to form met.
Orally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant blends.
In Unit 1, Week 3, Session 2, the students blend sounds together to say a word. Students blend the sounds using the Blend Sounds Routine for the words /b/ /ŏ/ /b/, bob; /p/ /ŏ/ /t/, pot; /h/ /ĭ/ /s/, hiss; /s/ /ŏ/ /k/, sock.
In Unit 3, week 11, Session 1, students blend sounds together including consonant blends cr-, fr-. Students practice orally blending the words, freeze, crisp, frost, cream, and friend.
Isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single-syllable words.
In Unit 1, Week 1, Session 1, students use the Isolate Sounds Routine to isolate the first sound in the words act. map, big, coat, add, match.
In Unit 1, Week 5, Session 1, students practice isolating and pronouncing the medial sound in the following six words: mutt, bed, rub, met, fuss, and sun.
In Unit 2, Week 8, Session 1, students practice isolating the final sound in dash. Then they practice isolating the final sound with six other words, reach, mush, itch, couch, wash, and latch.
Segment spoken single-syllable words into their complete sequence of individual sounds (phonemes).
In Unit 3, Week 15, Session 2, students segment the sounds in shade /sh/ /ā/ /d/. Students segment the sounds in shake /sh/ /ā/ /k/ and use the Segement Sounds Routine for the words base, /b/ /ā/ /s/; chase, /ch/ /ā/ /s/; just, /j/ /ŭ/ /s/ /t/; cape, /c/ /ā/ /p/.
In Unit 4, Week 16, Session 2, students practice breaking the words pride, pile, mole, and drove into a sequence of individual sounds.
Materials include a variety of multimodal/multisensory activities for student practice of phonological awareness. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 2, Session 2, students place a counter to mark each sound and then sweep their hand below the counters as they blend the sounds together.
In Unit 1, Week 3, Session 1, students stand as the teacher says a set of words such as ox, box; lash, dash; or rip, rock. If the teacher says words that do not rhyme, the students hop up and down.
In Unit 4, Week 17, Session 2, students tap their desks as they segment each phoneme. Then students repeat the same process as they segment the sounds.
Criterion 1.3: Phonics
Materials emphasize explicit, systematic instruction of research-based and/or evidence-based phonics.
Materials provide teachers with explicit instructional routines, systematic and repeated modeling, and instruction for students to hear, say, encode, and read the newly taught grade-level phonics pattern, in addition to opportunities to decode phonetically spelled words. Phonics lessons are designed to provide students with frequent opportunities to read words of newly learned grade-level phonics skills and review previously learned grade-level phonics skills through word lists and student workbook pages. Materials provide explicit, systematic instruction to support students with decoding phonetically regular words in a sentence. Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to decode words in a sentence, including Connected Text passages, Student Workbook passages, and Word Level Reading Fluency activities. Materials contain teacher-level instruction and modeling for building, manipulating, spelling, and encoding words using common and newly-taught sound and spelling patterns of phonics utilizing Word Build Cards. In addition, materials provide students with frequent opportunities to build, manipulate, spell, and encode words using common and newly-taught sound and spelling patterns phonics. Materials include explicit, systematic teacher modeling that demonstrates the use of phonics to encode sounds to letters and words in writing tasks through the use of the Word Building Cards, Spell It Routine, and Connect Sounds to Spelling Routine.
Indicator 1F
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1f.
The materials provide teachers with explicit instructional routines, systematic and repeated modeling, and instruction for students to hear, say, encode, and read the newly taught grade-level phonics pattern.
Materials contain explicit instructions for systematic and repeated teacher modeling of all grade-level phonics standards. For example:
Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs.
In Unit 2, Week 6, Session 4, the teacher reminds children that sometimes two consonants together will stand for one new sound. The teacher displays the Sound-Spelling and Articulation Cards for ch and explains that sometimes two consonants together can represent one sound. The teacher says the image name, says the sound, and writes the word chin. The teacher breaks the word chase into sounds and then asks, “What sounds do you hear in chase?”
In Unit 2, Week 7, Session 3, the teacher displays the Sound-Spelling and Articulation Cards for -ck. The teacher begins the lesson on ending digraph -ck by explaining that the letters c and k together stand for /k/. The teacher explains that sometimes two consonants together can represent one sound.
Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.
In Unit 1, Week 1, Session 1, the teacher displays the Sound Spelling and Articulation cards for /n/. The teacher models blending the sounds back together and says the word is man. The teacher uses the Blend Sounds Routine models blending sounds to read the words: cab, bam, mat, tab, can, tan.
In Unit 5, Week 22, Session 1, the teacher displays the Sound Spelling and Articulation Cards for /ī/. The teacher explains that the vowel sound can have different spellings and writes the word sight on the board and reads it aloud while underlying the igh and saying the vowel sound. The teacher then models blending the sounds in the word is sight. The teacher uses the Blend Words Routine to model blending sounds to read the words: fight, bright, thigh, sight, right, flight.
Know final -e and common vowel team conventions for representing long vowel sounds.
In Unit 3, Week 15, Session 2, the teacher introduces the lesson on Long a: a_e and explains that sometimes long a is spelled with the letter a followed by a consonant and a silent e. The teacher models with words where the e at the end of the word makes the letter a say its name.
In Unit 4, Week 16, Session 1, the teacher explains that sometimes the /o/ is spelled with the letter o followed by a consonant e: o_e. The teacher models with words where the final e is silent, and the o says its name.
In Unit 5, Week 21, Session 1, the teacher introduces the lesson on Long o: oa and explains that the long o sound can have different spellings. The teacher writes road on the board, underlines the oa, and reads the word aloud. The teacher explains that oa is a vowel team that can stand for the long o sound.
Use knowledge that every syllable must have a vowel sound to determine the number of syllables in a printed word.
In Unit 3, Week 11, Session 2, the teacher models breaking words into syllables to read longer words. The teacher reminds students that each syllable in a word has one vowel. The teacher writes the word napkin and reads it aloud, holding up a finger for each syllable. The teacher explains there are two vowels in different parts of the word, so it is two syllables. The teacher writes the word sunset on the board and models dividing the word between the two consonants to determine the number of syllables in the word.
In Unit 6, Week 28, Session 2, the teacher reminds students that every syllable has one vowel sound and introduces the lesson on Vowel Team Syllable Patterns. The teacher explains that many vowel sounds are spelled with vowel teams, such as ai, ee, ea, and oa, and explains that vowel teams always stay together in the same syllable. The teacher writes the word floating and draws a slash to separate the syllables, float/ ing to determine how many syllables are in the word.
Decode two-syllable words following basic patterns by breaking the words into syllables.
In Unit 2, Week 10, Session 2, the teacher writes the words back and pack on the board. The teacher reads the words out loud to students and tells them that when they put back and pack together, the word is backpack.
In Unit 6, Week 26, Session 2, the teacher reminds the students that every syllable has one vowel sound and they can read longer words by breaking words into syllables. The teacher explains the consonant+le pattern and uses the word purple to break the word into syllables: pur/ple.
Read words with inflectional endings.
In Unit 2, Week 9, Session 4, the teacher reminds students that adding -ed to an action word shows that the action happened in the past, and adding -ing to shows that the action is happening right now. The teacher builds the word hug and ends by having students read the word hugging.
In Unit 5, Week 25, Session 4, the teacher reminds students that when -er is added to a word, two things are compared. When -est is added to a word, two or more things are being compared. The teacher writes the word easy on the board and models how to add the suffix -er. The teacher writes the sentence with the word easier in it and has students read the word.
Lessons provide teachers with systematic and repeated instruction for students to hear, say, encode, and read each newly taught grade-level phonics pattern. For example:
In Unit 2, Week 7, Session 1, the teacher uses the Encode Words Routine which includes Word Building Cards, Connect Sounds to Spellings Routine, and Dictation to build and read words with digraphs sh and th. The teacher writes and displays the word rush and models saying each sound, then blending the sounds to read the word. The teacher guides students through building and reading the words wish, math, and hush. The teacher models saying a word slowly and recording a letter for each sound then dictates each word.
In Unit 3, Week 13, Session 2, the teacher uses the Encode Words Routine which includes Word Building Cards, Connect Sounds to Spellings Routine, and Dictation to build and read words with the three letter blend spl-. The teacher guides students through building and reading the words split, splint, and splash. The teacher models saying a word slowly and recording a letter for each sound then dictates each word.
Indicator 1G
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 1g.
The materials provide students with opportunities to decode phonetically spelled words. Phonics lessons are designed to provide students with frequent opportunities to read words of newly taught grade-level phonics skills and to review previously learned grade-level phonics skills through word lists and student workbook pages. Materials contain a variety of methods such as word cards, student workbook pages, and connected text, to promote students’ practice of previously taught grade-level phonics skills.
Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to decode (phonemes, onset and rime, and/or syllables) phonetically spelled words. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 3, Session 1, students decode the phonetically spelled words for six words with short o sounds, including ox, cot, not, box, mom, and tot.
In Unit 3, Week 11, Session 3, students use the Blend Sounds routine to blend sounds to say the words drag, truck, drip, trim, drum, and trash.
In Unit 6, Week 28, Session 2, students blend and decode two-syllable words like season, repeat, daisy. Students practice matching syllables to make and read the words tower, oyster, joyful, raisin in the Student Workbook.
Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to read complete words by saying the entire word as a unit using newly taught phonics skills. For example:
In Unit 3, Week 12, Session 3, students learn beginning Blends sn-, sw- and use the Blend Sounds routine to practice reading the whole words snack, swim, snug, swing, sniff, and switch. Students read the Connected Text A Big Trip and practice reading words with sn- and sw- to reinforce the newly taught phonics skill.
In Unit 4, Week 19, Session 1, students learn long a: ai and use the Blend Sounds routine to practice reading the whole words bait, pain, stain, wait, faint, and braids. Students practice word-level reading fluency by reading words with long a: ai for automaticity.
Materials contain opportunities for students to review previously learned grade-level phonics. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 1, Session 1, students review previously learned short a and consonants m, t, s, b, n, p, r, h, c/k, d using the Blend Sounds Together Routine. Students practice decoding the words cab, mat, can, bam, tab, and tan. In Session 2, students practice reading the words in the Connected Text titled “At Bat.”
In Unit 4, Week 20, Session 4, students use the previously learned Sound Spelling and Articulation Cards displayed in the room as tools to help them spell words. Students use the letters in the pictures to make words with both newly-taught long e patterns ee and eal and previously-taught long a pattern, ain.
Materials contain a variety of methods to promote students’ practice of previously taught grade-level phonics. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 4, Session 3, students use a variety of activities to practice previously learned short e sounds. For example, students practice using the Blend Words Routine. Students blend onset and rime for the word bench, /b/ /ench/ by adding movement. Students step to the left for onset and to the right to say the rime, and hop to say the whole word. Students then read the Connected Text “A Big Hot Pot” and the Magnetic Reader “The Big Picture,” which includes words with short e.
In Unit 3, Week 13, Session 4, the students use a variety of activities to review three letter Consonant Blends: str-, spr-. Students use counters to mark each sound and sweep their hands below the counters to blend the sounds together. Students echo read to blend the sounds and then read the Magnetic Reader, “Stop, Spot, Snap,” that includes words with str and spr.
Indicator 1H
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1h.
The materials provide explicit, systematic instruction to support students with decoding phonetically regular words in a sentence. Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to decode words in a sentence, including Connected Text passages, Student Workbook passages, and Word Level Reading Fluency activities.
Materials provide explicit, systematic practice for decoding phonetically regular words in a sentence. For example:
In Unit 2, Week 9, Session 2, students read the Connected Text passage “Big Red Blobs,” which contains eight sentences. The teacher calls attention to words with the target sound spellings bl- and cl- and the week’s Super Words. The teacher models decoding the first sentence, pointing to each word as students point along. Students read the text in unison as the teacher circulates and provides feedback as needed.
In Unit 4, Week 17, Session 4, students read the Connected Text passage “Fun and Games,” which contains twelve sentences. The teacher calls attention to words with the target sound-spellings and the week’s Super Words. The teacher models decoding the first sentence, pointing to each word as students point along. Students read the text in unison as the teacher circulates and provides feedback as needed.
Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to decode words in a sentence. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 4, Session 1, students practice decoding words in sentences in the Magnetic Reader, “The Big Picture,” which has 33 sentences.
In Unit 4, Week 19, Session 1, students practice decoding words in sentences in the Magnetic Reader, “Going Places,” which contains 41 sentences that include long a words.
In Unit 6, Week 25, Session 2, students practice decoding words in sentences in the Connected Text passage, “The Turnip Mystery.” The passage contains 68 sentences.
Indicator 1I
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1i.
The materials contain teacher-level instruction and modeling for building, manipulating, spelling, and encoding words using common and newly-taught sound and spelling patterns of phonics utilizing Word Build Cards. In addition, the materials provide students with frequent opportunities to build, manipulate, spell, and encode words using common and newly-taught sound and spelling patterns phonics through the use of Word Building Cards and Student Workbook practice pages.
The materials contain teacher-level instruction/modeling for building/manipulating/spelling and encoding words using common and newly-taught sound and spelling patterns of phonics. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 3, Session 1, the teacher uses Word Building Cards to build the word jog. The teacher points to each card, says the sounds, and then blends the word. The teacher uses the Connect Sounds to Spellings Routine and says, “Think about the first sound. Which letter stands for that sound? Write the letter. Keep going for each sound in the word.” Students read the word, then the teacher changes one card at a time to build the words log and hog. Students read the new word after each change. The teacher dictates the words dog, hop, lot, for students to spell.
In Unit 3, Week 15, Session 4, the teacher uses the Word Building Cards and models saying the word take, and then tells students they are going to think about the sounds they hear in take. Then the teacher says, “I say the word slowly, take.” The teacher says the sounds, and writes the word for the students. The teacher dictate the words name, rake, rack for students to spell.
Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to build/manipulate/spell and encode words using common and newly-taught sound and spelling patterns phonics. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 5, Session 2, students use Word Building Cards to build words, say the sounds, and blend the word. Students point to each card, say the sound, and then blend the word. Students change one letter to spell sum and hum. Students use the Connect Sounds and the Spell It Routine to sound and write the dictation words bun, fun, cut, wet on page 81 of their Student Workbook.
In Unit 4, Week 17, Session 2, students use Word Building Cards to build words, say the sounds, and blend the word. Students change one letter at a time to make the words cube and cute. Students use the Connect Sounds and the Spell It Routine to sound and write the dictation words to write the dictation words eve, tube, rude and the sentence These cute pups like to play.
Indicator 1J
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1j. (mid K-Grade 2)
The materials include explicit, systematic teacher modeling that demonstrates the use of phonics to encode sounds to letters and words in writing tasks through the use of Word Building Cards, Spell It Routine, and Connect Sounds to Spelling Routine. Lessons provide students with frequent activities and tasks to promote the application of phonics as they encode words in sentences or in phrases based on common and newly taught phonics patterns through the use of dictated sentences and activities in the Student Workbook.
Materials include explicit, systematic teacher-level instruction of teacher modeling that demonstrates the use of phonics to encode sounds to letters and words in writing tasks. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 3, Session 2, the teacher uses the Word Building Cards to model building the word jog. The teacher points to each card, says the sound, and then blends the word. Students change one letter to spell log. Students repeat to spell hog. Students write dictation words on page 45 of their Student Workbook.
In Unit 4, Week 16, Session 4, the teacher uses the Spell It Routine to model encoding the word wide. The teacher dictates words and sentences, and students connect sounds to spelling and write the words hide, chose, ripe, state, and the sentence The kind sits on a throne.
Lessons provide students with frequent activities and tasks to promote application of phonics as they encode words in sentences or in phrases based on common and newly taught phonics patterns. For example:
In Unit 5, Week 21, Session 2, students use the Connect Sounds to Spelling and the Spell it Routine to build and read long o words. Students encode the words cold, soak, float and the sentence, Can you find the boat in the stream?
In Unit 6, Week 27, students use the Connect Sounds to Spelling and the Spell it Routine to build and read ow words. Students encode the missing ow words in the phrases the silly clown, the king’s crown, the wise owl, and the big cow.
Criterion 1.4: Word Recognition and Word Analysis
Materials include systematic and explicit instruction of high-frequency words. Materials include frequent opportunities for the teacher to model the spelling and reading of high-frequency words in isolation in Sessions 1 and 2, with a review in Sessions 3 and 4. Materials provide frequent opportunities through the use of connected text and the student workbook for students to read grade-level high-frequency words in a sentence and write them in tasks designed to promote automaticity. Materials provide frequent, explicit instruction of word analysis and decoding strategies, through the use of teacher scripts, teacher modeling, and student practice, in addition to frequent opportunities for explicit instruction of word solving strategies to decode unfamiliar words.
Indicator 1K
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1k.
The materials include systematic and explicit lessons. Materials include frequent opportunities for the teacher to model the spelling and reading of high-frequency words in isolation in Sessions 1 and 2, with a review in Sessions 3 and 4. Materials include a sufficient quantity of grade-appropriate high-frequency words for students to make reading progress, with students learning sixty high-frequency words in the year. Materials include a sufficient quantity of grade-appropriate high-frequency words for students to make reading progress, with students learning 120 high-frequency words in the year. Students practice identifying and reading high-frequency words in isolation and in context each week, reviewing words from the previous week as well.
Materials include systematic and explicit instruction of high-frequency words. For example:
Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
The Grade 1 Instructional Routines outline the process for introducing high-frequency words, which includes seeing and saying the word, spelling the word, and writing the word. The materials indicate that the routine focuses on helping students identify known sound-spellings in the words before learning unknown spellings.
In Unit 2, Week 9, Session 1, the teacher displays the Super Word Cards about, out, play, and were. The teacher uses the Super Words Routine. Students see and say the word, repeat the word, listen to the word in context, spell the word, write the word, and apply learning on the Super Words practice page.
In Unit 4, Week 20, Session 1, the teacher displays the Super Word Cards around, found, good, and now. The teacher uses the Super Words Routine. Students see and say the word, repeat the word, listen to the word in context, spell the word, write the word, and apply learning on the Super Words practice page.
Materials include frequent opportunities for the teacher to model the spelling and reading of high-frequency words in isolation. For example:
In Unit 2, Week 10, Session 1, the teacher displays the Super Word Card for come and some. The teacher uses the Super Word Routine to model seeing and saying the word, spelling the word, and writing the word. The teacher reads the context sentence on the back of the card and spells each word aloud before asking students to spell each word chorally.
Students spell and read the irregularly spelled words: come and some.
In Unit 3, Week 13, Session 1, the teacher displays the Super Word Cards for the high-frequency words all, small, their, and through. The teacher uses the Super Word Routine to model seeing and saying the word, spelling the word, and writing the word. The teacher reads the word, reads the context sentence on the back of the card, then reviews any applicable known sound-spellings.
Students practice identifying and reading high-frequency words in isolation.
In Unit 1, Week 3, Session 3, students identify and read the current week and previous week’s Super Word Cards: do, that, they, was, but, her, not, and of. Students engage in a speed drill, flashing each card while they read the word, gradually increasing speed.
In Unit 4, Week 19, Session 2, students identify and read the Super Words away, because, each, and where. Students spell each word and tap the corresponding word. Students take turns reading and spelling a Super Word and have another student identify the correct word by tapping it.
Materials include a sufficient quantity of grade-appropriate high-frequency words for students to make reading progress. For example:
The Grade 1 Scope and Sequence indicates that high-frequency word instruction begins in Unit 1, Week 1. The teacher introduces four new high-frequency words per week.
The First Grade Teacher Guide, Scope and Sequence, high-frequency words are taught each week. Students learn a total of 120 words.
Indicator 1L
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1l.
The materials provide frequent opportunities through the use of connected text and the student workbook for students to read grade-level high-frequency words in a sentence and write them in tasks designed to promote automaticity. Materials also use Super Word Cards to provide repeated, explicit instruction on how to use student-friendly reference materials and resources and read high-frequency words.
Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to read grade-level high-frequency words in a sentence. For example:
In Unit 2, Week 8, Session 2, students read the irregularly spelled words or, look, have, and from in sentences in the decodable text, “Such Fun Music.”
In Unit 3, Week 12, Session 2, students read the connected text, “A Brill Skill,” which contains sentences that include the week’s high-frequency words could, great, said, and would.
Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to write grade-level high-frequency words in tasks (such as sentences) in order to promote automaticity in writing grade appropriate high-frequency words. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 5, Session 1, as part of the Super Words Routine, students see and say the word, connect sounds to spellings, and write the Super Words be, he, she, and we on a practice page and in their student workbooks.
In Unit 5, Week 21, Session 2, as part of the Super Words routine, students see and say the word, and connect sounds to spellings. Students use a word bank with the Super Words, find, light, little, and right, and choose the correct word to complete the two sentences. Students write the correct word in the blanks.
Materials provide repeated, explicit instruction on how to use student-friendly reference materials and resources and reading high-frequency words (e.g., word cards, word lists, word ladders, and student dictionaries). For example:
In Unit 2, Week 7, Session 1, the High-Frequency Word Tip directs teachers to display the Super Word Card for students to use as a reference tool for self-checking.
Every Session throughout each unit includes high-frequency word instruction through the Super Words Routine. The routine includes See and Say, Spell and Write, isolated practice, Student Workbook practice, and connected texts with the Super Words bolded. Students use the connected texts as a resource for the review of high-frequency words.
Indicator 1M
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1m.
The materials provide frequent, explicit instruction of word analysis and decoding strategies, through the use of teacher scripts, teacher modeling, and student practice. Materials include frequent opportunities for explicit instruction of word solving strategies to decode unfamiliar words. Materials contain varied and frequent opportunities for students to learn, practice, and apply word analysis strategies in decodable text and in student workbook pages through words in isolation and sentences.
Materials contain frequent explicit instruction of word analysis strategies (e.g. phoneme/grapheme recognition, syllabication, morpheme analysis). For example:
In Unit 1, Week 5, Session 4, the teacher reminds students that the -ed word ending indicates that an action happened in the past. The teacher writes the sentence, Tom filled the bins, and underlines the -ed ending in filled. The teacher explains that this happened in the past.
In Unit 6, Week 26, Session 2, the teacher reminds students that they can decode unfamiliar words by breaking a word into syllables. The teacher provides an explicit lesson designed to teach students to use the consonant+le syllable pattern.
Materials contain frequent explicit instruction of word solving strategies to decode unfamiliar words. For example:
In Unit 5, Week 24, Session 1, the teacher provides examples of r-controlled vowel ar words and then uses the Isolate Phonemes lesson activity to decode unfamiliar words.
In Unit 6, Week 26, Session 4, students prepare to read the connected text, “Up in the Sky.” The teacher calls attention to words that contain oar and ore and writes and displays the words roar and before from the text so that students can practice reading the words with automaticity. The teacher models decoding the first sentence of the text. Students then read the text in unison.
Multiple and varied opportunities are provided over the course of the year for students to learn, practice, and apply word analysis strategies. For example:
In Unit 2, Week 8, Session 4, students identify which words end in -s and which end in -es, and rewrite the words in groups according to their ending. Students read the words in unison.
In Unit 5, Week 21, Session 2, students read and clap the words robot, hotel, boat, goat, road, and remix. Then students record the number of syllables in each word. Students rewrite each word with two syllables and draw a line to divide the syllables.
In Unit 6, Week 27, Session 2, students identify and practice ou words and decode ou words as they read them in the decodable text, “Up in a Cloud.”
Criterion 1.5: Decoding Accuracy, Decoding Automaticity and Fluency
Materials provide systematic and explicit instruction and practice in fluency by focusing on accuracy and automaticity in decoding in K and 1, and rate, expression, and accuracy in mid-to-late 1st and 2nd grade. Materials for 2nd grade fluency practice should vary (decodables and grade-level texts).
Materials include frequent opportunities for both teacher explicit instruction and student practice in decoding text with accuracy and automaticity. Materials include frequent, systematic opportunities for explicit instruction in fluency along with opportunities for students to hear fluent reading of grade-level text. Materials include opportunities for echo reading, unison reading, partner reading, and independent reading and frequent teacher guidance in confirming or self-correcting errors. Lesson plans for Connected Text passages and Magnetic Readers include explicit instruction and modeling as well as guided practice with confirmation and self-correcting errors, using both letter sounds and context to confirm and/or self-correct.
Indicator 1N
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1n. (K-1)
The materials include frequent opportunities for both teacher explicit instruction and student practice in decoding text with accuracy and automaticity. The materials include teacher scripts for four Fix-Up Strategies: Confirm and Correct Word Recognition, Read Out Loud, Read More Slowly, and Reread. These scripts focus on accuracy and cue the teacher on modeling and guiding students to apply these strategies along with automaticity within daily lesson plans in the Teacher’s Guide. Instruction and guided student practice occur in Units 1–6 with the Read Connected Text and Magnetic Readers. Grade 1 materials also include optional fluency practice materials that the teacher may use for additional practice opportunities.
Materials provide systematic and explicit instruction and practice in fluency by focusing on accuracy and automaticity in decoding. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 4, Session 2, students read the Magnetic Reader, “Hop on a Log.” The teacher reviews the high-frequency words and the short e phonics pattern. The teacher reviews the Fix-Up Strategy, Confirm and Correct Word Recognition, and models reading out loud and correcting errors. The teacher reads with the students in unison, modeling fluent reading.
In Unit 2, Week 8, Session 2, the teacher reads aloud a portion of the Magnetic Reader, “Jen’s Music.” The teacher models misreading the word like as lick. The teacher asks students if lick makes sense in the sentence, then explains they will use the Fix-Up Strategy Confirm and Correct Word Recognition to correct the error. The teacher models reading the word out loud and correcting the error. Students read pages 1–5, and the teacher reminds them to self-correct if they misread.
Materials provide opportunities for students in Kindergarten and Grade 1 to engage in decoding practice focused on accuracy and automaticity. For example:
In Unit 2, Week 10, Session 3, students use the high frequency words that have the sm- and sp- word patterns on page 180 in their Student Workbooks to participate in speed drills for accuracy and automaticity when reading words.
In Unit 3, Week 14, Session 3, students read pages 4–8 in the Magnetic Reader, “Is It a Plant?” The teacher checks that students can decode with automaticity and read with accuracy. The teacher reminds students to use what they know about letters and sounds and what is happening in the text to self-correct.
Indicator 1O
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1o. (Grades 1-2)
The materials include frequent, systematic opportunities for explicit instruction in fluency along with opportunities for students to hear fluent reading of grade-level text. Materials include a variety of resources for explicit instruction in fluency, such as decodable Connected Text and Magnetic Readers. Each session includes an opportunity to read connected text, and the lesson plans for Sessions 2 and 4 of each week include targeted fluency instruction for the second read of the text. Additionally, each week of instruction includes Magnetic Reader lessons, which also include instruction in fluency Fix-Up Strategies and routine modeling of fluent reading. Units 1–3 focus on accuracy, and Units 4–6 include instruction in accuracy, prosody, and rate.
Materials include frequent opportunities for explicit, systematic instruction in fluency elements using grade-level text. For example:
Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.
In Unit 5, Week 22, Session 2, the teacher guides students during a second read of the Connected Text, “Ty’s Mitt.” The teacher tells students that good readers use their voices to help show the meaning of a text. The teacher models reading the first page of the text with expression and points out specific places where reading with accuracy and expression shows the meaning of the text. The teacher explains the Fix-Up Strategy Intonation and guides children to apply the strategy to orally read the second page of the text with accuracy and expression.
In Unit 6, Week 27, Session 2, the teacher guides students during a second read of the Connected Text, “Up in a Cloud.” The teacher tells students that reading with accuracy and at a natural pace will help readers understand a text. The teacher models reading the first paragraph of the text very slowly, then rereads the text at a natural pace and discusses the difference with students. The teacher explains the Fix-Up Strategy Pacing and guides children to apply the strategy to echo read the second paragraph of the text with natural pacing.
Materials provide opportunities for students to hear fluent reading of grade-level. For example:
In Unit 3, Week 13, Session 1, the teacher reads aloud the first page of the Magnetic Reader “At Hot Springs” as students follow along.
In Unit 5, Week 25, Session 2, the teacher reminds students to read at an appropriate pace, and then reads the passage again modeling an appropriate pace that sounds like natural speaking for students.
Materials include a variety of resources for explicit instruction in fluency. For example:
In Program Implementation, Instructional Resources, Fluency Fix-Up Strategies, the materials include a Fix-Up Strategies guide that outlines eight instructional routines to use as needed. Four of these strategies focus on accuracy, including Confirm and Correct Word Recognition, Read Out Loud, Read More Slowly, and Reread. Three strategies focus on prosody, including Expression, Phrasing, and Intonation, and one strategy focuses on Rate/Pacing. The guide includes teacher scripts, a visual cue card for students, and instructions for more practice. Fluency strategies are included in every week of instruction. Units 1–3 focus on accuracy, and Units 4–6 focus on accuracy, prosody, and rate. Explicit instruction in fluency strategies is embedded in Connected Text exercises and Magnetic Reader lessons.
Indicator 1P
Varied and frequent opportunities are built into the materials for students to engage in supported practice to gain oral reading fluency beginning in mid-Grade 1 and through Grade 2 (once accuracy is secure).
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1p.
The materials offer daily opportunities for instruction and supported practice to gain oral reading fluency over the course of the year. The Connected Text passages and the Magnetic Reader for each week include student practice of fluency skills through repeated readings. The materials include opportunities for echo reading, unison reading, partner reading, and independent reading. In these practice opportunities, the materials instruct teachers to monitor for fluent reading and offer feedback and support strategies for students to gain oral reading fluency.
Varied, frequent opportunities are provided over the course of the year in core materials for students to gain oral reading fluency. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 3, Session 2, during Word Level Reading Fluency, students turn to page 52 in their workbooks and practice reading words with the sound spelling of short o and high-frequency words fluently and accurately.
In Unit 4, Week 20, Session 3, in the Build Independence section of the lesson for the Magnetic Reader, “East Park Beat,” students read the text aloud on their own or with a partner. The teacher checks to make sure that students are reading with automaticity and accuracy.
In Unit 6, Week 29, Sessions 1–4, within the Magnetic Reader, “Looking at Stars,” students read the text, “Shining Bright,” over four sessions. Over the course of the four sessions, students read the text twice, and the teacher provides instruction, modeling, and corrective guidance in reading with accuracy and appropriate phrasing.
Materials contain opportunities for students to participate in repeated readings of a grade-level text to practice oral reading fluency. For example:
In Unit 2, Week 7, Session 4, the teacher models fluent reading on page 130 of the Connected Text, “Quack Shack.” Students follow along, then read each sentence chorally after the teacher. Then students reread page 130 in partner groups, focusing on fluent reading.
In Unit 6, Week 29, Session 2, students reread passages in the Connected Text, “Make a Moon Book” and focus on using punctuation to read fluently with appropriate phrasing.
Materials include guidance and feedback suggestions to the teacher for supporting students’ gains in oral reading fluency. For example:
In Unit 4, Week 17, Session 2, students read the Connected Text, “Fun in the Sun,” in unison while the teacher listens for appropriate phrasing. The Check asks teachers whether students are able to read the text with appropriate phrasing. If not, the materials indicate that the teacher should have students use gestures, such as a stop motion, to help them remember to stop at the ends of sentences.
In Unit 5, Week 23, Session 4, students read the Connected Text, “A New Pet.” The Check includes suggested feedback designed to encourage students to use punctuation marks to read with appropriate phrasing.
Indicator 1Q
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 1q.
The materials provide frequent teacher guidance in confirming or self-correcting errors. Lesson plans for Connected Text passages and Magnetic Readers include explicit instruction and modeling as well as guided practice with confirmation and self-correcting errors, using both letter sounds and context to confirm and/or self-correct. Materials also include frequent opportunities for students to read text with purpose and understanding. Each unit features a unit theme to which the unit texts connect. The teacher opens and closes each unit with a discussion of the theme that includes explicit sentence frames for supporting discussion. Lesson plans for the weekly Magnetic Readers instruct the teacher to guide students to set a purpose for reading and include comprehension questions.
Materials provide explicit lessons for the teacher in confirming and self-correcting errors in fluency. For example:
Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
In Unit 2, Week 6, Session 2, the teacher models the Fix-Up Strategy Confirm and Correct Word Recognition. The teacher tells students that when they get stuck on a word, they should stop, sound out each part of the word and blend the sounds together, then ask themselves if it sounds like a real word. The teacher tells students to read the sentence next again and make sure the word makes sense in the sentence. The teacher rereads page 104 of the Connected Text, “A Ship for Jess,” misreading big as dig, then models the FIx-Up Strategy.
In Unit 5, Week 21, Session 2, the teacher explains the Fix-Up Strategy Read More Slowly. The teacher tells students that if what they read does not make sense, they should stop and ask themselves if they read too quickly or if they skipped any words or punctuation marks. The teacher tells the students to reread the text slowly and carefully, ensuring they read the words correctly and that what they read makes sense.
Materials provide opportunities for students to practice using confirmation or self-correction of errors. For example:
In Unit 2, Week 7, Session 4, as part of the Accuracy Fix-Up Strategy practice, students read with a partner to practice using the strategy to self-correct errors.
In Unit 4, Week 17, Session 3, students read the second half of “Fun in Forts.” The teacher reminds students to use what they know about letters and sounds and what is happening in the story to self-correct.
Multiple opportunities are provided over the course of the year for students to read on-level texts (Grades 1–2) for purpose and understanding. For example:
Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
In Unit 1, Week 4, Sessions 1–4, within the Magnetic Reader, students read the text “The Big Picture” over a series of four sessions. In Session 1, the teacher guides students to set a purpose for reading and gives examples of finding out how the kids work together or finding out what drawing they make. In Sessions 2 and 3, the teacher asks 1–2 comprehension questions after the students read the text. In Session 4, the teacher prompts students to make connections between the story and themselves and the story and the Unit 1 theme, “Friendship.”
In Unit 4, Week, Sessions 1–4, within the Magnetic Reader, students read the text “Time For A Trip” over a series of four sessions. In Session 1, the teacher guides students to set a purpose for reading the text about a father and son who leave their city home to visit relatives in the suburbs. The teacher guides students to recognize that the way they read the text helps them understand the character’s feelings.
In Unit 6, In the Sky, Unit Wrap-Up, the teacher reminds students of the texts they read in the unit and the unit words. The teacher guides students to set a purpose for reading and tells students they can use the words to talk about objects in the sky they read about.
Overview of Gateway 2
Implementation, Support Materials & Assessment
Materials include a well-defined teacher resource for content presentation, which includes a detailed scope and sequence, a weekly planner, and detailed information and instructional routines that help the teacher to effectively implement all foundational skills content through session-specific teacher-scripted lessons. Materials are designed to provide the teacher with additional information to help them understand why the skills are important or to provide tips on how to meet the diverse student needs. The program utilizes lesson plans that are research-based, including foundational concepts, such as phonological and phonemic awareness, alphabetic principles, phonics, and high-frequency words. Materials provide a delineated sequence for phonological awareness skills to be taught within the year and contain a clear evidence-based explanation for the expected hierarchy for teaching phonological awareness skills. The scope and sequence of phonics instruction is based in high-utility patterns and/or common phonics generalizations. Materials include a variety of decodable texts that contain grade-level phonics skills aligned to the program’s scope and sequence to address securing phonics. The lesson materials include lesson plans to teach and review previously taught high-frequency and irregularly spelled words. Materials provide assessment opportunities over the course of the year to demonstrate students’ progress toward mastery and independence of print concepts, letter recognition, and letter formation, including checks for understanding within the lessons, weekly formative assessments, and unit summative assessments that measure student progress in word recognition and analysis. Materials include multiple fluency assessment resources and benchmark assessments to be administered in the fall, winter, and spring, in addition to standards alignment resources for both formative and summative assessments inclusive of tasks, questions, and assessment items, along with specific standards covered in lessons. Materials provide regular support for differentiation and reteaching to students needing additional support. The Program Implementation resources offer guidance to teachers for scaffolding and adapting lessons and activities to support students who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level in opportunities to learn foundational skills at the grade-level standards in addition to providing learning opportunities for students beyond grade level. Program Implementation materials include Guidance for Interactive Tutorials, Scope and Sequence Standards Correlations, Instructional Routines, Printable Readers, Family Letters, and digital slides that can be projected to accompany lessons. The program also includes articulation videos that model mouth formation of common sounds in isolation and in words. The Program Implementation includes a pacing guide with flexible options for whole-group and small-group instruction, along with sample schedules.
Criterion 2.1: Guidance for Implementation, Including Scope and Sequence
Materials include a well-defined teacher resource for content presentation, which includes a detailed scope and sequence, a weekly planner, and detailed information and instructional routines that help the teacher to effectively implement all foundational skills content through session-specific teacher-scripted lessons along with sidebars prompting for when and how to use the digital articulation videos and slides. Materials include complete detailed adult-level explanations for each of the foundational skills. Materials are designed to provide the teacher with additional information to help them understand why the skills are important or to provide tips on how to meet the diverse student needs. Materials include content that can reasonably be completed within a regular school year, and the pacing allows for maximum student understanding. The program utilizes lesson plans that are research-based, including foundational concepts, such as phonological and phonemic awareness, alphabetic principles, phonics, and high-frequency words. Materials provide a delineated sequence for phonological awareness skills to be taught within the year. Materials contain a clear evidence-based explanation for the expected hierarchy for teaching phonological awareness skills in the following progression found in the Introduction: rhyming, beginning sound isolation, blending compound words, onset rimes, individual phonemes, segmenting phonemes, and culminating with adding/substituting and deleting phonemes. The scope and sequence of phonics instruction is based in high-utility patterns and/or common phonics generalizations. The program includes resources for teachers to inform parents and other stakeholders about the Foundational Skills program and specific suggestions for supporting their child’s reading progress and achievement.
Indicator 2A
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 2a.
The materials include a well-defined teacher resource for content presentation, including a detailed scope and sequence and a weekly planner. The teacher resource contains detailed information and instructional routines that help the teacher to effectively implement all foundational skills content through session-specific teacher-scripted lessons along with sidebars prompting for when and how to use the digital articulation videos and slides. The technology pieces include support and guidance for the teacher and do not create an additional layer of complication around the materials.
Materials provide a well-defined teacher resource (teacher edition, manual) for content presentation. For example:
The Teacher Guide contains the key objectives for each session. There is information for phonics, word analysis, high-frequency words, fluency, and differentiated supports for learners. The Teacher Guide provides a weekly scope, sequence, and detailed daily lesson plans, called sessions. The session plans are explicit and detailed. The sessions provides explicit instruction for the teacher to follow. The lesson supports the teacher with a check for understanding annotation containing a scaffold to use if needed.
The Tools for Instruction is a teacher resource that contains detailed information and instructional routines to help the teacher implement all foundational skills content effectively. Instructional Routines found in Tools for Instruction contain detailed information on routines.
The teacher’s manual provides a weekly scope and sequence in addition to a detailed daily lesson plan. For example:
The Instructional Routines Guide, located in the front matter A40–47 and in the Program Implementation section of the digital Teacher Toolbox, introduces and defines the instructional routines found in the program. The routines include scripting for the specific skill being taught and routines for:
Phonological Awareness
Recognize Letter Sounds Routine
Isolate Sounds Routine
Identify Sounds Routine
Blend Sounds Routine
Segment Sounds Rouitne
Delete Sounds Routine
Add Sounds Routine
Change Sounds Routine
High-Frequency Words
See and Say the Word Routine
Spell the Word Routine
Write the Word Routine
Phonics
Decoding Blend Words Routine
Encoding Spell It Routine
Corrective Feedback
Decoding Corrective Feedback Routine
Encoding Corrective Feedback Routine
In Unit 1, Week 1, Sessions 1–5, the Teacher Guide contains a detailed scope and sequence followed by daily lesson plans referred to as sessions. The session plans are explicit and detailed. The plan provides instruction that tells the teacher what to say explicitly. The lesson supports the teacher with a useful check for understanding annotation that contains a scaffold to use if needed.
In Unit 4, Week 20, Session 1–5, Weekly Planner, the weekly planner includes daily plans and maps out each section of the program the teacher will be using with students. Session 5 information outlines the weekly assessment and the cumulative review. Each session contains the unit words, the standards being taught, and the materials the teacher will need for the week.
The teacher resource contains detailed information and instructional routines that help the teacher to effectively implement all foundational skills content (i.e., phonological awareness, print concepts, letters, phonics, HFW, word analysis, decoding). For example:
In Unit 2, Week 7, Sessions 1–4, the Teacher Guide outlines the segmenting syllables routine with a model, which explains to the teacher that they are going to break the word apart and then clap each syllable as they say the word.
In Unit 3, Week 14, Session 2, Teacher Guide, the Segment Sounds Routine is clearly scripted using the model, apply and check format. The Super Words Routine outlines what the teacher says and does and what students do.
Any technology pieces included provide support and guidance for the teacher and do not create an additional layer of complication around the materials. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 2, Weekly Planner, Classroom Resources, the Articulation Videos allow the teacher to clearly see how to pronounce each sound presented during the week. Each video also includes words that begin with each of the featured sounds.
In Unit 2, Lesson 13, Session Slides, the Digital Toolbox contains technology pieces that are not cumbersome or complicated. From the digital toolbox, teachers access slides that accompany the lesson, articulation videos, and interactive tutorials from the main interface. Articulation videos allow the teacher to clearly see how to pronounce each sound presented during the week. The Session Slides provide teachers with an easy-to-use and helpful technology tool.
Indicator 2B
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 2b.
The materials include complete detailed adult-level explanations for each of the foundational skills. Materials are designed to provide the teacher with additional information to help them understand why the skills are important or to provide tips on how to meet the diverse student needs. Detailed examples of the grade-level skills concepts are provided to the teacher throughout the lesson as part of the explicit instruction format.
Complete, detailed adult-level explanations are provided for each foundational skill taught at the grade level. For example:
The Instructional Routines defines phonological awareness as “an understanding that spoken words are made up of sounds. It states that phonological awareness lessons help children recognize and manipulate spoken sounds before learning to attach each sound to a grapheme or letter.” The Foundational Skills Terms to Know defines foundational skills words including, but not limited to, consonant blends, continuous sounds, phrasing, and prefix.
The Instructional Resources: Elkonin Boxes explains that “the smallest unit of speech represented in the alphabetic writing system is called, phoneme.”
Detailed examples of the grade level foundational skill concepts are provided for the teacher. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 4, the session guide provides teachers with examples for blending onset and rime. Materials state: “Have children blend the onset and rime in the word mill. Listen to the Sounds: Your turn! Listen as I say the first sound and the rest of the word: /m/ /ĭl/. Blend the Sounds Together: Now you blend the sounds together to say the word. /m/ /ĭl/ What is the word? mill.”
In Unit 2, Week 6, Session 1, the session includes a box that explains that students identifying beginning sounds in spoken words can build students ability to retain letter sounds. In this section, there is one example that the teacher models, and six examples that they can apply to the learning.
Indicator 2C
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 2c.
The materials include content that can reasonably be completed within a regular school year, and the pacing allows for maximum student understanding. The program utilizes lesson plans that are research-based, including foundational concepts, such as phonological and phonemic awareness, alphabetic principles, phonics, and high-frequency words. The program materials have lessons and guidance for both the whole group and small group. The session documents have multiple sections but do not have time frames for each section of phonological awareness; rather, materials note the total time of the entire session. Materials provide assessments to identify how small group lessons should be done and what skills should be reinforced. Sessions are designed to be taught in whole group for 45 minutes. There are a total of six units with 30 weeks of instruction and five sessions each week.
Lesson plans utilize effective, research-based lesson plan design for early literacy instruction. For example:
In the Teacher Toolbox, Program Implementation Guide, the Instructional Routines provide a detailed explanation of the program design. The Teach, Model, and Apply model provides a structure and instructional routine for lessons on phonological awareness, phonics, high-frequency words, handwriting, and phonics.
In Unit 6, Week 30, Session 1, the lesson begins as the teacher models using the Sound Spelling and Articulation Cards for the /o/ sounds and reminds children vowel sounds can have different spellings and uses haul as an example. The teacher models the Blend Words routine. The teacher checks for understanding and provides reteaching support.
The effective lesson design structure includes both whole-group and small-group instruction. For example:
In Program Implementation, the Flexible Pacing Options document states that the whole group instruction is meant to be 45 minutes for Sessions 1–4 with 10–15 minutes of small group instruction using Magnetic Readers.
In the Teacher Toolbox, the Weekly Planner Unit provides instruction for the whole configuration and 45 minutes of instruction. In the lesson, the instructions point teachers toward the Magnetic Readers as a resource for small group instruction.
The pacing of each component of daily lesson plans is clear and appropriate. For example:
In the Teacher Toolbox, Weekly Planner, the Flexible Pacing Options are: Phonological Awareness and Phonics, 20 minutes; Read Aloud Together and Concepts of Print, 10 minutes; Letter formation, 15 minutes. This results in a total of 45 minutes for whole group instruction.
In the Teacher Toolbox, Weekly Planner, Unit 4 includes 20 minutes for phonological awareness, phonics, and high-frequency words; 30 minutes for word analysis and word-level reading fluency; and 45 minutes for connected texts.
The suggested amount of time and expectations for maximum student understanding of all foundational skill content (i.e., phonological awareness, print concepts, letters, phonics, HFW, word analysis, decoding) can reasonably be completed in one school year and should not require modifications. For example:
The How Magnetic Reading Foundation Works document states there are six units with 30 weeks of instruction (approximately 150 days).
The Scope and Sequence shows pacing for all units across 30 weeks in concepts of phonological awareness, phonics, word analysis, spelling, letter formation, high-frequency words, fluency, and unit words.
For those materials on the borderline (e.g., approximately 130 days on the low end or 200 days on the high end), the evidence clearly explains how students would be able to master ALL the grade level standards within one school year.
N/A
Indicator 2D
Indicator 2D.i
Scope and sequence clearly delineate the sequence in which phonological awareness skills are to be taught, with a clear, evidence-based explanation for the expected hierarchy of phonemic awareness competence. (K-1)
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 2d.i.
The materials provide a delineated sequence for phonological awareness skills to be taught within the year. The materials contain a clear evidence-based explanation for the expected hierarchy for teaching phonological awareness skills in the following progression found in the Introduction: rhyming, beginning sound isolation, blending compound words, onset rimes, individual phonemes, segmenting phonemes, and culminating with adding/substituting and deleting phonemes. The materials have a cohesive sequence of phonemic awareness instruction and practice to build toward students’ application of skills that build in complexity. According to the Foundations Research document, there is a repetitive nature to Grade 1 skills and 103 skills are taught.
Materials contain a clear, evidence-based explanation for the expected hierarchy for teaching phonological awareness skills. For example:
In Welcome to Magnetic Reading Foundations, Introduction, Research Base, the research states that students learn to hear, identify and manipulate large word parts into syllables and onset-rime. The learning should focus on isolating, identifying, and manipulating individual phonemes.
The Magnetic Reading Foundations Research Rationale states students are supported by reading from the beginning of the year. There are large sound units such as syllables and onset-rime. It states that the skills start with isolation and blending/segmenting but then progress to addition, deletion, and substitution tasks building from simple to more complex.
In Magnetic Reading Foundations Introduction, Research Base, the introduction briefly explains the research for teaching phonological awareness. Materials state, “Research has confirmed that the phoneme level is the most important that can be taught to the earliest readers (Brady 2020). Furthermore, the ability to identify and manipulate phonemes is an important precursor to decoding because it trains children to hear the words that correspond to sound spellings. (Wagner and Torgerson, 1987).”
Materials contain a phonemic awareness sequence of instruction and practice based on the expected hierarchy. For example:
In Scope and Sequence, Units 1–5, materials identify the phonemic awareness sequence for first-grade instruction. Based on this document, the sequence of instruction follows a research-based approach to that begins with the component parts of the known word (segmenting the word into its phonemes), isolating a specific phoneme, deleting that phoneme, adding the new phoneme, and blending the phonemes together to say the new word.
In Unit 1, Week 5, Session 1, the teacher provides instruction on blending onset and rime within words. The teacher models the word hug, /h/ /ug/. Students participate in guided practice with the word yum, /y/ /um/. Finally, students use use the routine to segment the follow words: hum,/h/ /um/; luck /l/ /uk/; buzz /b/ /uz/; jug /j//ug/; hut /h//ut/; and ducked, /d//ukt/.
Unit 3, Week 15, Session 2, the teacher provides instruction on segmenting individual sounds within words. The teacher models with the word brand, /b/ /r//a//n//d/. Students participate in guide practice with the word grab /g//r//a//b/. Students use the routine to segment the following words breath /b//r//e//th/; braids, /b//r//a//d//z/; grapes /g//r//a//p//s/; group, /g//r//oo//p/; cry /c//r//i/; and dream /d//r//e//m/.
Unit 5, Week 27, Session 3, the teacher provides instruction on adding a sound to a word to make a new word. The teacher models by adding /p/ to the word ouch to create the word pouch. The students participate in guided practice by adding /d/ to the word out to create the word doubt. The students use the routine to add phonemes and pronounce the new words: /g//r/+owl = growl; /k/ + ouch = crouch; /p/+out = pout; /g/+round = ground; how+/l/=howl and brow=/n/=brown.
Materials have a cohesive sequence of phonemic awareness instruction based on the expected hierarchy to build toward students’ application of the skills. For example:
In Scope and Sequence, Units 1–6, materials identify the phonemic awareness sequence for first-grade instruction. Based on this document, the sequence of instruction follows a research-based approach that begins with the component parts of the known word (segmenting the word into its phonemes), isolating a specific phoneme, deleting that phoneme, adding the new phoneme, and blending the phonemes together to say the new word.
Unit 1: Recognize/Produce Rhyme; Isolate Phonemes (Initial); Blend, Identify, Segment Phonemes, Segment Onset and Rime, Recognize/Produce Alliteration
Unit 2: Blend Syllables, Segment Syllables, Isolate Initial Phonemes, Blend, Identify, Segment Phonemes, Add, Delete Initial Phonemes
Unit 3: Blend/Segment/Add Phonemes, Isolate/Identify/Substitute Medial Phonemes,
Unit 4: Blend/Segment Phonemes, Isolate Initial/Medial/Final Phonemes, Identify/Delete Final Phonemes, Substitute Initial Phonemes
Unit 5: Blend/Segment/Identify/Add Phonemes, Isolate Initial /Medial/ Final Phonemes, Substitute Initial/Medial Phonemes
Unit 6: Blend/Segment/Add/Delete Phonemes, Identify Phonemes, Isolate Initial/Medial/Final Phonemes, Substitute Initial/Medial/Final Phonemes
Indicator 2D.ii
Scope and sequence clearly delineate an intentional sequence in which phonics skills are to be taught, with a clear explanation for the order of the sequence.
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 2d.ii.
The materials provide a clear research based explanation for the instructional sequence of phonics skills that are taught. The scope and sequence of phonics instruction is based in high-utility patterns and/or common phonics generalizations. Phonics skills move from simple to complex, with some review of previously learned phonics skills.
Materials clearly delineate a scope and sequence with a cohesive, intentional sequence of phonics instruction and practice to build toward the application of skills. For example:
Unit 1: Short a; Consonant Review: m, t, s, b, n, p, r, h, c/k/, d; Short i; Consonant Review: f, g, l, j, k, qu, x, z, w, v, y; Short o; Short e; Short u
Unit 2: Digraphs: sh-, th-, ch-, wh-; Digraphs: -th, -sh, -ck; Digraphs: -ch, -tch, -ng; Beginning Blends: bl-, cl-, fl-, pl-; Beginning Blends: st-, sk-, sm-, sp-
Unit 3: Beginning r-Blends: fr-, cr-, dr-, tr-; Beginning Blends: gr-, br-, sn-, sw-; Three-Letter Blends: scr-, spl-, str-, spr-; Ending Blends: -st, -sk, -nd, -nt, -mp; Long a: a_e
Unit 4: Long o: o_e; Long i: i_e; Long u: u_e; Long e: e_e; Soft c, g; Long a: ai, ay; Long e: e, ee, ea
Unit 5: Long o: o, oa, ow; Long i: i, y, igh; Long e: y, ey; r-Controlled Vowel ar; r-Controlled Vowels er, ir, ur
Unit 6: r-Controlled Vowels or, oar, ore; Diphthongs ou, ow; Diphthongs oi, oy; Variant Vowel oo (book); Variant Vowels oo (room), ue, ew; Variant Vowels au, aw, a(l)
Materials have a clear research-based explanation for the order of the phonics sequence. For example:
The Magnetic Reading Foundations Research Rationale states that the Grade 1 phonics scope and sequence follow the same overall structure as Kindergarten but contain more concepts and skills. It also states concepts of simple to complex can be seen in the review of moving from consonant digraphs to consonant blends.
The Magnetic Reading Foundations K–2 phonics scope and sequence begins with letter recognition, in which students are steeped in letter learning and heavily scaffolded into decoding words with the simplest sound spellings, such as short vowels, progresses through consonant digraphs, and advances into more complex sound spellings, like blends and vowel teams (Guthrie & Seifert, 1977; Pirani-McGurl, 2009). Students then learn spelling patterns that help them recognize larger, distinct representations of spoken sounds. This helps students develop their word attack skills for decoding multisyllabic words and use knowledge of spelling patterns to accurately encode, or write, the combination of letters to represent the sounds they hear in spoken words (Ehri, 2020; National Reading Panel, 2000; Petscher et al., 2020).
Phonics instruction is based in high-utility patterns and/or common phonics generalizations. For example:
The Grade 1 Phonics Scope and Sequence follows the same overall structure of Grade K, though it includes more concepts and many more skills (Grade K concepts in italics): alphabet review, short vowel sounds, consonant digraphs, consonant blends, CVCe long vowels, soft c and g, long vowel patterns, r-controlled vowels, diphthongs, and variant vowels. As in Grade K, the Grade 1 overview demonstrates a systematic approach to the four principles in numerous ways. First, the principle of building from simple to more complex concepts can be seen in the sequence of consonant digraphs to consonant blends. Consonant digraphs are taught first because learning a grapheme corresponds to one sound (e.g., sh makes a /sh/ sound) is a simpler concept than a spelling that corresponds to two or more sounds (e.g., bl makes a /bl/ sound) (Pirani-McGurl, 2009). Second, the principle of practice and application that can be seen with short vowels in Grade K can also be seen in Grade 1. After short vowels in CVC words, students learn consonant digraphs and consonant blends, which gives students time to practice and apply short vowel patterns in CCVC and CVCC words before they progress to the new concept of long vowels (Guthrie & Seifert, 1977). Third, the principle of concepts and skills repeating consistently across grades is shown in the repetition in Grade 1 of short vowels and CVCe long vowels. Within these concepts, skills are presented in the same order as in Grade K (Guthrie & Seifert, 1977).
Concepts are reviewed while skills progress within Grade 1, as seen in the progression of learning all CVCe long vowels before learning multiple long vowel patterns. Learning that a_e makes a long a sound (e.g., tape) is a simple concept and easily transferable to o_e makes a long o sound (e.g., hope) (Mesmer, 2019), so all CVCe long vowels are grouped together. Additional long vowel patterns follow in sets of two or three, such as ai, ay, (e.g., claim, say) and o, oa, ow (e.g., cold, float, snow). Because students have already secured knowledge of CVCe long vowels, they can more easily master additional spelling patterns for the same sound. Because the principles listed above are related, this progression of CVCe long vowels to additional long vowel patterns also embodies the principle of building from simple to complex patterns. Fourth, the principle of introducing high-utility skills strategically in Grade 1 can be seen in the different order of skills within CVCe long vowels (i.e., a, o, i, u, e) and the subsequent long vowel patterns (i.e., a, e, o, i, e). Long u patterns (e.g., ew, ue) are considered low utility and are taught in Grade 2. Magnetic Reading Foundations departs from a consistent order of vowels across skills to prioritize utility and access to a greater number of words, which allows students to read more complex and conceptually interesting text in the decodable Magnetic Readers.
Patterns and generalizations are carefully selected to provide a meaningful and manageable number of phonics patterns and common generalizations for students to learn deeply. For example:
The Teacher Guide includes the Scope and Sequence. The students review consonants and short vowels. In Unit 2, students learn digraphs along with beginning blends. In Unit 3, students continue to learn additional beginning blends along with three-letter blends, ending blends and the beginning of long vowels with silent e. In Unit 4, students continue to learn the rest of the long vowels with silent e along with additional phonics patterns for long a and long e. In Unit 5, students learn additional phonics patterns for long o, i, and e along with the r-controlled phonics pattern. Unit 6 completes the year of learning with students learning additional r-controlled phonics patterns along with dipthongs and variant vowels.
The Teacher Guide explains the Structure of a Week. The program follows a predictable, five-session structure systematically designed to introduce a new phonics skill in the first session. In Session 2, students practice and extend what was introduced in Session 1 and review skills from the previous week. In Session 3, the teacher introduces a new phonics skill. In Session 4, students practice the new skill and review previous phonics skills. In Session 5, students complete an individual assessment. If a student has not mastered a skill, materials provide instructional guidance on next steps for teacher use.
Indicator 2E
The program includes resources for teachers to inform parents and other stakeholders about the Foundational Skills program and specific suggestions for supporting their child’s reading progress and achievement. Parents/Caregivers receive a welcome letter following each unit’s assessment, and parents/caregivers receive a detailed student progress letter delineating student progress in phonics skills, super words, other skills, and content knowledge. This editable letter includes a list of activities that can be used at home to support and reinforce skills learned in the classroom.
Materials contain jargon-free resources and processes to inform all stakeholders about foundational skills taught at school. For example:
In the Toolkit, the Weekly Planner includes a series of jargon-free family letters available for teachers to inform all stakeholders, especially parents, about the foundational skill taught at school. Letters in English and Spanish include Welcome to Magnetic Reading Foundations, Celebrating Student Success. These letters are included in both standard and editable formats.
Materials provide stakeholders with strategies and activities for practicing phonological awareness, phonics and word recognition, fluency, and print concepts that will support students in progress toward and achievement of grade-level foundational skills standards. For example:
The family letters section titled “How can I help.” provides parents with age-appropriate ways to support their child’s learning including:
Call attention to letters and words in sign, in logos, and labels in magazines, books, or anywhere children encounter print your home and community;
Play with letters! Form letters or words with food such as beans, rice, or pasta.
Play with sounds! Say a word and challenge your student to think of rhyming words. Say two words and have your student tell if they rhyme.
Read to your student.
In the Celebrating Success letter, parents receive a detailed report of their child’s progress in the development of phonics skills, super (high frequency) words, other skills, and content knowledge. The letter also includes another set of activities for parents to practice foundational skills at home.
Criterion 2.2: Decodable Texts
Materials include a variety of decodable texts that contain grade-level phonics skills aligned to the program’s scope and sequence to address securing phonics. Each week students read a decodable text designed to provide practice securing current and previously learned phonics skills. Materials include decodable texts that utilize grade-level high-frequency and irregularly spelled words that are aligned to the scope and sequence. In addition, the lesson materials include lesson plans to teach and review previously taught high-frequency and irregularly spelled words.
Indicator 2F
Indicator 2F.i
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 2f.i.
The materials include a variety of decodable texts that contain grade-level phonics skills aligned to the program’s scope and sequence to address securing phonics. Each week students read a decodable text designed to provide practice securing current and previously learned phonics skills. Materials include detailed lesson plans for repeated readings of decodable texts to address securing phonics skills. All units contain a Connected Text passage for each target sound spelling with decodable words and known high-frequency words. Units 4–6 include Connected Text lesson plans in which students participate in a first and second read. All units also include a Magnetic Reader for each week with detailed lesson plans that include multiple readings in Sessions 2 and 4.
Materials include decodable texts to address securing phonics. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 2, Session 2, students read the Connected Decodable Text, “Six Big Figs,” to practice previously-taught sound-spellings; the target sound-spelling short i and consonants f,g, k, l, and x and; Super Words but, her, not, of.
In Unit 5, Week 21, Session 2, students read the decodable text, “A Toad in a Boat” to pracrtice previously-taught sound-spellings; the target sound-spellings words with o, oa; and Super Words find, light, little, right.
Decodable texts contain grade-level phonics skills aligned to the program’s scope and sequence. For example:
In Unit 2, Week 9, Session 2, students identify and practice words that begin with beginning blends bl, cl, such as claps and blushing using the decodable text “Big Red Blobs.”
In Unit 3, Week 11, Session 4, students identify and practice words that begin with dr-, tr- blends such as Trip, drum, and trumpet. Students read the decodable text “At the Sock Hop.”
Materials include detailed lesson plans for repeated readings of decodable texts to address securing phonics skills. For example:
In Unit 2, Week 8, Session 1, the teacher explains that ch stands for /ch/ at the end of a word. Students read the decodable words found in the passage. The teacher and students read Magnetic Reader “Such Fun, Music.” The students then read the passage in unison and reread the text with a partner or independently.
In Unit 3, Week 13, Sessions 2 and 3, students read the decodable text, “To Spot Big Fish.” The students first read the passage in unison and reread the text with a partner or independently.
Indicator 2F.ii
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 2f.ii.
The materials include decodable texts that utilize grade-level high-frequency and irregularly spelled words that are aligned to the scope and sequence. In addition, the lesson materials include lesson plans to teach and review previously taught high-frequency/irregularly spelled words. Each week contains two Connected Text passages that contain the week’s high-frequency words. Connected Text lesson plans include a first and second read in Sessions 2 and 4. All weeks also include a Magnetic Reader that contains the week’s high-frequency words with detailed four-part lesson plans that include multiple readings.
Materials include decodable texts that utilize high-frequency/irregularly spelled words. For example:
In Unit 2, Week 6, Session 2, students read the decodable text passage “A Ship for Jess,” which includes the Super Words like, make, there, and what.
In Unit 5, Week 22, Session 4, students read the decodable text passage, “Game Day,” which includes the Super Words before, buy, even, and our.
Decodable texts contain grade-level high-frequency/irregularly spelled words aligned to the program’s scope and sequence. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 5, Session 2, students read the decodable text passage “Meg Can Help!”, which includes the Super Words be, he, she, and we.
In Unit 4, Week 16, Session 4, students read the decodable text passage “Rose’s Home,” which includes the Super Words down, over, these, and who.
Materials include detailed lesson plans for repeated readings of decodable texts to address securing reading high-frequency words/irregularly spelled words in context. For example:
In Unit 3, Week 13, Session 2, detailed lesson plans direct the study of the focus phonics skill scr-, apl- and the super words another, live, move, and near in the decodable Connected Text “To Spot Big Fish.” Students then read the passage in unison and reread the text with a partner or independently.
In Unit 4, Week 17, Session 2, detailed lesson plans direct the study of the focus phonics skill u_e and e_e and the super words also, first, how, and new in the decodable connected text “Fun in the Sun.” Students then read the passage in unison and reread the decodable “Fun in the Sun.” Students then read the passage in unison and reread the text with a partner or independently.
Criterion 2.3: Assessment and Differentiation
Materials provide assessment opportunities over the course of the year to demonstrate students’ progress toward mastery and independence of print concepts, letter recognition, and letter formation. Materials provide weekly, unit, and formative assessment checks to evaluate and monitor student progress toward the development of mastery and independence in phonological awareness by regularly and systematically offering assessment opportunities that measure student progress in word recognition and analysis (as indicated by the program scope and sequence). Materials provide phonics assessment materials and tools that include scoring and recording sheets to collect ongoing data about student progress in phonics. Materials include checks for understanding within the lessons, weekly formative assessments, and unit summative assessments that measure student progress in word recognition and analysis. Materials include multiple fluency assessment resources and benchmark assessments to be administered in the fall, winter, and spring. Materials include standards alignment resources for both formative and summative assessments inclusive of tasks, questions, and assessment items along with specific standards covered in lessons. Materials provide regular support for students who read, write, speak, or listen in a language other than English, and The Program Implementation materials provide an overview of supports and the rationale as well as a Language Transfer Chart for sounds and sound spellings in five languages. Materials provide regular support for differentiation and reteaching to students needing additional support. The Program Implementation resources offer guidance to teachers for scaffolding and adapting lessons and activities to support students who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level in opportunities to learn foundational skills at the grade-level standards in addition to providing learning opportunities for students beyond grade level. The Program Implementation materials offer pacing suggestions for incorporating increased small-group instruction for classes with a large variation in proficiency.
Indicator 2G
Indicator 2G.i
Materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that measure student progress through mastery of print concepts (K-1), letter recognition (K only), and printing letters (as indicated by the program scope and sequence) (K-1).
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 2g.i. (K-1)
The materials provide assessment opportunities over the course of the year to demonstrate students’ progress toward mastery and independence of print concepts, letter recognition, and letter formation. Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information concerning students’ current skills/level of understanding of print concepts, letter recognition, and letter formation. The materials also provide information on the next steps for students based on the assessment results.
Materials regularly and systematically provide a variety of assessment opportunities over the course of the year to demonstrate students’ progress toward mastery and independence of print concepts, letter recognition, and letter formation. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 1, Session 5, the whole class assessment, Part 1 Encode Target Sound-Spellings, assesses students' ability to write letters that stand for the following sounds: /a/, /b/, /p/,/r/, /n/,/d/. The teacher dictates a sentence to the whole class, and students write the sentence using correct spelling and punctuation.
In Unit 1, Week 2, Session 2, directions in the Teacher Guide prompt the teacher to check if students can distinguish between words and sentences. Students circle the letter and draw a box around the word.
The Letter Formation Assessment tracks students’ ability to properly form and write all of the letters.
Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information concerning students’ current skills/level of understanding of print concepts, letter recognition, and letter formation. For example:
In the Toolbox, materials note that the assessment forms are designed to provide current levels of understanding in print concepts, letter recognition, and letter formation. The teacher records the Unit number, date, and student name and record student errors in print concepts, letter recognition, and letter formation for each part of the assessment.
The Concepts of Print Assessment prompts the teacher to track and record results. Assessment guidance prompts the teacher to review the instructional next steps based on how students do.
Materials support teachers with instructional suggestions for assessment-based steps to help students to progress toward mastery in print concepts, letter recognition, and letter formation. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 3, Session 4, following the Teach and Apply sections within Concepts of Print, the teacher checks to see if students are able to correctly identify a group of words as a sentence. If students are not yet able to complete this task, teacher guidance is as follows: “Write a short sentence, such as The dog has a nap. Read the sentence aloud. Ask questions to reinforce that a sentence tells a complete thought, begins with a capital letter, and ends with punctuation.”
In Unit 1, Week 4, Session 1, following the Teach and Apply sections within Concepts of Print, the teacher checks to see if students are able to identify the title, author, and illustrator as they read. Guidance directs the teacher to display additional books and point to the title, author’s name, and illustrator’s name on the cover. Students repeat this process using other books.
Indicator 2G.ii
Materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that measure student progress of phonological awareness (as indicated by the program scope and sequence). (K-1)
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 2g.ii.
The materials provide weekly, unit, and formative assessment checks to evaluate and monitor student progress toward the development of mastery and independence in phonological awareness. The assessment materials support teachers with instructional suggestions for assessment-based steps to help students to progress toward mastery in phonological awareness. Additionally, the assessment materials provide information on students’ current skills/level of understanding of phonological awareness.
Materials regularly and systematically provide a variety of assessment opportunities over the course of the year to demonstrate students’ progress toward mastery and independence in phonological awareness. For example:
In Unit 2, Week 2, Session 1, the teacher assesses alliteration by saying pairs of words. Students give a thumbs-up when the words begin with the same sound.
In Unit 3, Week 13, Session 2, the teacher administers a check on long a, a_e, during which students orally practice segmenting onset and rime in the words base, chase, just, cape, plane, and mask.
In Unit 5, Week 22, Session 5, during the Weekly Assessment, students orally identify the medial sound in one set of three words such as hit, fin, mix. Students add the initial or final found to one set of words. Then, students substitute the initial sound in one word, for example, changing the /l/ in light to /t/ in tight.
Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information concerning students’ current skills/level of understanding of phonological awareness. For example:
The Weekly Assessment Tracker is designed to provide current levels of understanding in phonological awareness. The materials indicate that to score the Individual Assessment, which includes the phonological awareness assessment items, the teacher should use the corresponding Weekly or Unit Assessment Tracker to record both the number of items answered correctly and the specific errors a student makes.
The Program Implementation Guide provides ongoing opportunities to monitor student progress, The materials outline formative assessment opportunities to provide current levels of understanding in phonological awareness, These opportunities include checks within the daily lesson plans and the materials indicate that these checks allow a teacher to note which students were unable to perform the lesson objective, then do a quick reteach on the spot or reteach in a small-group lesson.
Materials support teachers with instructional suggestions for assessment-based steps to help students to progress toward mastery in phonological awareness. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 1, Session 5, during the Weekly Assessment, if students struggle to blend sounds, guidance directs the teacher to model and practice using familiar words. The teacher says the object's name in individual phonemes and then has students practice by orally blending the phonemes.
In Unit 3, Session 5, guidance included in Instructional Next Steps, Part 5 notes that if students are not able to blend the phonemes in a word, add initial phonemes to a word, delete the initial phoneme form words, blend onset and rime, or isolate the initial phoneme, specific next steps for the teacher include reteaching strategies and examples designed to address areas where students demonstrated difficulty.
Indicator 2G.iii
Materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that measure student progress of phonics in- and out-of-context (as indicated by the program scope and sequence). (K-2)
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 2g.iii.
The materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that measure student progress in word recognition and analysis (as indicated by the program scope and sequence). The materials provide phonics assessment materials and tools that include scoring and recording sheets to collect ongoing data about student progress in phonics. The materials help teachers determine student progress through the systematic implementation of the assessments. Materials include unit assessments, weekly assessments, and daily checks for understanding. The materials instruct teachers in scoring assessment results, and each assessment includes an Instructional Next Steps section that indicates the next steps if a student consistently makes errors in assessed phonics skills.
Materials provide resources and tools to collect ongoing data about students’ progress in phonics. For example:
The teacher and student materials include Unit and Weekly Assessments containing phonics skills assessment items for all weeks of Units 1–6, static and editable Unit and Weekly Assessment Trackers, and a Scoring Guide.
In Unit 2, Week 8, the Weekly Assessment Tracker includes an editable Grade 1 Weekly Assessment that is a whole class editable form with six parts, including target sound-spelling patterns, target words, and Part 4 word analysis words.
Materials offer assessment opportunities to determine students’ progress in phonics that are implemented systematically. For example:
The Weekly and Unit Assessments include decoding and encoding, both in and out of context. Unit Assessments 4–6 increase in complexity, adding a section in which students encode two sentences that include some words with target-sound spellings. Encode Connected Text assessment items are included in Units 1–3 but are optional.
Materials include five weeks of instruction in each unit, six units, and a total of 30 weekly assessments. Materials include six unit assessments, and daily checks throughout each lesson plan.
Multiple assessment opportunities are provided regularly for students to demonstrate progress toward mastery and independence with phonics. For example:
In Units 1–6, Unit Assessment, during the Unit Assessment, students encode six sounds or sound pairs, encode eight words, and read a Connected Text passage that contains both previously-taught high-frequency words and the unit’s target sound-spellings. The Units 4–6 assessments include an Encode Connected Text section, in which students encode two dictated sentences that contain some words with target sound-spellings.
In Units 1–6, Weekly Assessment, students encode six sound-spellings, encode six target words, and decode two sentences selected by the teacher from a list of sentences containing words with target sound-spellings.
Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information that students’ current skills/level of understanding of phonics. For example:
In Program Implementation, Assessment Resources, Scoring Guidelines, the Weekly Assessment Tracker is designed to provide information on current levels of understanding in phonics. The materials instruct teachers how to use weekly and unit assessment trackers to score assessments and determine the next steps. For the individual word recognition and word analysis assessments, if students miss two or more items in any category, the materials instruct the teacher to consult the corresponding Instructional Next Steps.
In Assessment Resources Grade 1, the Scoring Guidelines state if students miss two or more items in any category, the teacher should find the corresponding section in the Instructional next steps and follow the instructions.
Materials genuinely measure students’ progress to support teachers with instructional adjustments to help students make progress toward mastery in phonics. For example:
In Program Implementation, Assessment Resources, Scoring Guidelines, the materials outline instructional next steps that correspond to the different phonics assessment items:
If a student substitutes an incorrect letter for a given sound in the Encoding Sound Spellings and Encoding Target Words assessment items, the materials instruct the teacher to look for patterns across Parts 1, 2, and 4 of the assessment, then to provide additional instruction in any sound-spellings with a pattern of errors across items.
If a student adds or deletes sounds when encoding sound-spellings, the materials instruct the teacher to provide children with an anchor word to help children retrieve the sound-spelling.
If a student consistently makes errors with target sound-spellings when reading connected text items, the materials instruct teachers to compare results with assessment parts 1 and 2, in which students encode target sound-spellings. If a pattern emerges, the materials instruct teachers to reteach the target sound-spelling with which a student is struggling. The materials also suggest randomly displaying Word Building Cards and asking students to say the sound for each letter or letters on the card.
Indicator 2G.iv
Materials regularly and systematically offer assessment opportunities that measure student progress of word recognition and analysis (as indicated by the program scope and sequence). (K-2)
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 2g.iv.
The materials include checks for understanding within the lessons, weekly formative assessments, and unit summative assessments that measure student progress in word recognition and analysis. Units 1–6 include a Read Connected Text unit assessment which measures students’ ability to decode known sound-spellings, read high-frequency words, and read words with target word analysis elements. Weekly assessments in Units 1–6 also include Read Connected Text assessments. The assessment materials then provide teachers with instructional steps designed to provide reteaching lessons and strategies designed to help ensure all students master word recognition and word analysis skills.
Materials regularly and systematically provide a variety of assessment opportunities over the course of the year to demonstrate students’ progress toward mastery and independence of word recognition (high-frequency words or irregularly spelled words) and analysis. For example:
In Unit 1, Week 4, during the Short e: Weekly Assessment, Part 3, students write the high frequency words for, with, you, and are.
In Unit 3 Assessment, Weeks 11–15, students read aloud a connected text passage that contains 5–7 high-frequency words, 12–15 words with the unit’s target sound-spellings, and 3–4 word analysis words containing target word endings, depending on the passage selected. The teacher records any errors using the Assessment Tracker.
In Unit 5, Week 21, Session 5, during the Long o: o, oa, ow Weekly Assessment, each student reads two sentences that each contain one high-frequency word and one or two target sound-spellings or word analysis target skills from the week. The teacher records any errors using the Assessment Tracker.
Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information concerning students’ current skills/level of understanding of word recognition and word analysis. For example:
In Program Implementation, Assessment Resources, Scoring Guidelines, the Weekly tracker is designed to provide information on current levels of understanding. The materials instruct teachers how to use the weekly and unit assessment trackers to score assessments and determine next steps. For the individual word recognition and word analysis assessments, if students miss two or more items in any category, the materials instruct the teacher to consult the corresponding Instructional Next Steps.
In Unit 3, Week 15, Session 5, the Long a, Short a: Part 5, Read Connected Text portion of the Unit assessment is designed to provide the teacher with information related to each student’s current level of word recognition and word analysis skills.
Materials support teachers with instructional suggestions for assessment-based steps to help students to progress toward mastery in word recognition and word analysis. For example:
In Unit 1, Assessment, Weeks 1–5, the materials outline instructional next steps based on the Read Connected Text assessment results. If students consistently made errors across target sound-spellings and high-frequency words, the materials instruct that students should choose a Magnetic Reader from the unit to reread for practice. The materials instruct the teacher to listen as the student reads aloud and to give corrective feedback using Fix-Up Strategies, including Confirm or Correct Word Recognition or Read More Slowly.
In Unit 6 Assessment, Weeks 21–25, the materials outline instructional next steps based on the Read Connected Text assessment results. If students consistently made errors with target sound-spellings, the materials instruct teachers to compare results with assessment Parts 1, 2, and 4 in which students encode target sound-spellings. If a pattern emerges, the materials instruct teachers to reteach the target sound-spelling with which a student is struggling.
Indicator 2G.v
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 2g.v.
The materials include multiple fluency assessment resources. The materials include benchmark assessments to be administered in the fall, winter, and spring. These benchmark assessments provide teachers and students with information about students' current skills/level of understanding of fluency through the use of a scoring guide which provides guidance on calculating the mean words correct per minute and includes guidelines for determining proficiency based on these scores. The materials also provide fluency formative assessment and practice resources in the areas of rate, expression, phrasing, and intonation/inflection. The Administration of Fluency Guide provides teachers with materials and supports teachers with instructional adjustments to help students make progress toward mastery in fluency.
Multiple assessment opportunities are provided regularly and systematically over the course of the year in core materials for students to demonstrate progress toward mastery and independence of fluency. For example:
In Fluency Practice & Assessment, Fluency Benchmarking, Administration Guide, the materials indicate that the Fluency Benchmark Assessment should be given in the winter and spring of first grade. Each assessment is administered one-on-one and consists of two benchmark passages.
In Fluency Practice & Assessment, Fluency Implementation Guide, the materials indicate that formative fluency assessments may be given at any point in Units 4–6 of first grade.
Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information about students' current skills/level of understanding of fluency. For example:
In Fluency Practice & Assessment, Fluency Benchmarking, Administration Guide, the materials provide instructions for calculating students’ mean Words Correct per Minute (WCPM) and mean accuracy. The materials provide a WCPM Grade Level Percentile Ranges chart which prompts teachers to record students’ percentile range from the following options: 0–10, 11–24, 25–49, 50–75, 76–90+. The materials indicate that students meet grade-level expectations on the Benchmark Assessment if their Mean WCMP rate is in at least the 50th percentile on the Grade Level Percentile Ranges Chart.
In Fluency Instruction and Formative Practice, Rate and Accuracy WCPM Tracker, the Corrective Feedback section notes that if a student is very stilted or monotone, the teacher should model reading one or two sentences with prosody and have the child repeat them.
Materials support teachers with instructional adjustments to help students make progress toward mastery in fluency. For example:
In Fluency Practice & Assessment, Fluency Skill: Rate and Accuracy, the materials instruct teachers to identify students in need of targeted practice with rate. The materials provide student passages and teacher directions and administration scripts. The materials instruct the teacher to repeat the activity with the same passage until the student achieves a proficient rate on that passage.
The Implementation Guide for Fluency Practice and Formative Assessmentsuggests that if children are below level the teacher should determine what the primary problem is for the student within rate, and accuracy. It then suggests that if a child regularly spends more than one full second between each word, the teacher should focus on the Rate and Accuracy resources. Guidance prompts the teacher to choose the skill that corresponds to the weekly skill from the program scope and sequence, after selecting a passage from earlier in the year.
Indicator 2H
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 2h.
The materials include standards alignment resources for both formative and summative assessments inclusive of tasks, questions, and assessment items along with specific standards covered in lessons. The materials include two Standards Correlation documents. One document outlines where in the program each standard is addressed, by unit and page number. The other document breaks down each item on the weekly and unit assessments by standard addressed. Additionally, the weekly materials include a list of standards addressed in the week’s lessons. While these embedded standards lists do not provide a breakdown of individual activities and tasks aligned to specific standards, that level of detail can be found in the Standards Correlation Lesson document by cross-referencing unit and page number.
Materials include denotations of the standards being assessed in the formative assessments. For example:
In Program Implementation, Standards Correlations, Weekly and Unit Assessments, the materials provide a Standards Correlation chart that shows the CCSS standard that corresponds to each assessment item in the weekly formative assessments.
In Unit 2, Week 9, Session 5, Weekly Assessment, the Standards Correlation chart indicates that Part 6, Items 6–10, correlate with standard RF.1.3.f, “Read words with inflectional endings.” The assessment item requires students to read connected text containing words with -ed and -ing endings.
Materials include denotations of standards being assessed in the summative assessments. For example:
In Program Implementation, Standards Correlations, Weekly and Unit Assessments, the materials provide a Standards Correlation chart that shows the CCSS standard that corresponds to each assessment item in the summative unit assessments.
In Unit 4, Unit Assessment, the Standards Correlation chart indicates that Part 2 of the assessment correlates with standard L.1.2d, “Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.” The assessment items require students to encode the following words: sweet, trail, lace, cube, teach, gray, badge, me.
Alignment documentation is provided for all tasks, questions, and assessment items. For example:
In Program Implementation, Standards Correlations, Weekly and Unit Assessments, the materials provide a Standards Correlation chart that shows the CCSS standard that corresponds to each assessment item in the weekly and unit assessments.
In Instructional Materials, the materials include a list of standards addressed in the week’s lesson in the Weekly Planner and as a drop-down menu attached to the Teacher Lessons, Student Workbook, and other weekly materials. The Standards Correlations: Lessons document in Program Implementation outlines specific standard correlation to activities and tasks.
Alignment documentation contains specific standards correlated to specific lessons. For example:
In Program Implementation, Standards Correlations: Lessons, the materials provide a Standards Correlation chart that shows the CCSS standard that corresponds to each lesson. This document is organized by standard and provides the unit with a page number for lessons that correspond to the standard.
Several pages of the Grade 1 CCSS Correlations lists RF.1.3b in the Teacher Guide for Units 1–6.
Indicator 2I
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
Materials regularly provide all students, including those who read, write, speak, or listen in a language other than English with extensive opportunities for reteaching to meet or exceed grade-level standards.
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 2i.i.
The materials provide regular support for students who read, write, speak, or listen in a language other than English. The Program Implementation materials provide an overview of supports and the rationale as well as a Language Transfer Chart for sounds and sound-spellings in five languages (Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Arabic, and Haitian Creole). Within the lessons, materials preview specific supports for each session of each week in the Weekly Planner and Unit Overview. Materials embed support strategies and examples specific to activities and tasks in the lesson plans.
Materials provide support for English Language Learner (ELL) students. For example:
The Program Implementation Guide includes English Learner materials. It includes the Universal Design for the Learning approach of the curriculum, and explains how this design benefits all students. The document includes a chart of Strategies and Scaffolds for English Learners that outlines the program’s types of support, related strategies, and examples from lessons. Supports include identifying sound and sound-spelling transfers, using visual and aural supports, using kinesthetics and rhythms, leveraging home languages, explaining idioms and expressions, analyzing words, and partnering.
The Program Implementation Guide includes a Language Transfers Chart. The chart compares English sounds and sound-spellings in the top five home languages spoken in the United States: Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Arabic, and Haitian Creole. The materials instruct teachers to point out existing transfers and to use EL support strategies in the lessons where transfer does not exist.
General statements about ELL students or strategies are noted at the beginning of a unit or at one place in the Teacher Edition are then implemented by the materials throughout the lessons. For example:
The Teacher Guide provides a detailed overview of the Universal Design for Learning which indicates strategies and scaffolds for English Learners. Materials embed supports designed to support foundational skills learned at the first encounter with the text. Materials provide point of use supports to help English Language Learners acquire grade-level phonological awareness, phonics, and reading skills.
In Unit 3, Week 13, Weekly Planner, the Weekly Planner outlines specific English Learner Supports for Sessions 1–5, including identifying sound and sounds-spelling transfers, vocabulary supports, and review. Lesson materials include English Learner symbols that identify sections that provide teacher guidane on implementating support strategies specific to the lesson or task.
Indicator 2I.ii
Materials regularly provide all students, including those who read, write, speak, or listen below grade-level with extensive opportunities for reteaching to meet or exceed grade-level standards.
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 2i.ii.
The materials provide regular support for differentiation and reteaching to students needing additional support. The Program Implementation resources offer guidance to teachers for scaffolding and adapting lessons and activities to support students who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level in opportunities to learn foundational skills at the grade-level standards. The Program Implementation resources include an Instructional Routines document that outlines specific strategies for adapting lessons to support all learners. Within the Classroom Materials, a Small-Group Differentiation section offers reteaching lessons in the skills addressed each week. Teacher lesson plans also include formative checks, which offer reteaching strategies. Each week’s Weekly Planner instructs teachers to use assessment data to support students in need of reteaching and points teachers to the location of Instructional Routines and Instructional Next Steps.
Materials provide opportunities for small group reteaching. For example:
The Program Implementation includes a Flexible Pacing Options Guide. The materials outline options for implementing small-group instruction when needed. The document indicates teachers should prioritize small-group instruction if there is a large variation in children’s skill proficiency. The materials instruct teachers to vary the frequency with which they meet with different small groups, meeting more frequently with students who would benefit from reteaching. The document indicates that Session 5 can be used weekly for reteaching and assessment. It also provides sample small-group pacing schedules to incorporate small-group teaching and information on using digital resources, alphabet books, and magnetic readers in small-group instruction.
Materials include Small-Group Differentiation each week. The Tools for Instruction section provides small-group reteaching lessons for the specific skills taught that week. Each plan includes step-by-step directions for teachers and suggested modifications for instruction if the teacher observes specific student errors.
Materials provide guidance to teachers for scaffolding and adapting lessons and activities to support students who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level in extensive opportunities to learn foundational skills at the grade-level standards. For example:
In Program Implementation, the Instructional Routines Guide includes an Options for Differentiation box for each instructional routine. The Options for Differentiation provide guidance on how to differentiate specific activities and tasks, including adding manipulatives, visuals, and movement; incorporating games; using Sound Spelling and Articulation and Word Building cards; and teaching and sharing tools for learning and self-checking, including sound-spelling and articulation cards. Each week’s Weekly Planner instructs teachers to use assessment data from the previous week to plan modifications and review the support for learner variability in the Instructional Routines to support students.
In Unit 3, Week 12, Session 5, following an analysis of the Whole-Class and Individual Assessment, materials provide the teacher with If-then scaffolded reteaching activities designed to target specific grade-level foundational skill gaps.
Indicator 2I.iii
Materials regularly provide extensions and/or more advanced opportunities for students who read, write, speak, or listen above grade-level.
The materials reviewed for Grade 1 meet the criteria for 2i.iii.
The materials provide opportunities for students to have advanced opportunities using a challenge set for students. The Program Implementation materials offer pacing suggestions for incorporating increased small-group instruction for classes with a large variation in proficiency. Program Implementation materials include Options for Differentiation for recurring instructional routines, which include some challenge options. Classroom Resources includes small-group instruction supports for above-level students. Many of the extension activities are based on comprehension and writing activities and are not always specific to foundational skills.
Materials provide multiple opportunities for advanced students to investigate grade-level foundational skills at a greater depth. For example:
The Small Group Differentiation section included in the Tools for Instruction provides small-group lessons for the specific skills taught the given week. Tools for Instruction lessons include a range of content, allowing use for extension lessons for students working above grade level. Instructional Routines include an Options for Differentiation box for each instructional routine. These provide guidance to differentiate specific activities and tasks, including adding manipulatives, visuals, and movement and incorporating games.
In Unit 1, Week 3, Session 1, the Word Level Reading Fluency task includes a fourth line of words intended for students who are ready for a challenge. This line includes the following words: shop, chop, rock, flock. The challenge words incorporate blends and digraphs.
There are no instances of advanced students simply doing more assignments than their classmates. For example:
In Unit 2, Week 6, Extension Session, materials provide advanced opportunities to read the Magnetic Reader, “Lunch with Val.” Students engage in comprehension activities, respond to a writing prompt, and create an illustration.
In Unit 5, Week 22, Extension Session, materials provide advanced opportunities to read the Magnetic Reader, “Cy’s First Day.” Students engage in comprehension activities, respond to a writing prompt, and create an illustration.
Criterion 2.4: Effective Technology Use and Visual Design
Materials provide teachers with access to a large variety of useful digital materials accessible through the Teacher Toolbox. Program Implementation materials include Guidance for Interactive Tutorials, Scope and Sequence Standards Correlations, Instructional Routines, Printable Readers, Family Letters, and digital slides that can be projected to accompany lessons. The program also includes articulation videos that model mouth formation of common sounds in isolation and in words. The digital materials allow the teacher to personalize instruction for some students through the use of digital resources. The Program Implementation includes a pacing guide with flexible options for whole-group and small-group instruction, along with sample schedules. The Weekly Planner includes pacing options that indicate which skills to prioritize for differently timed instructional blocks. The teacher and student materials are well-organized and clearly labeled. The materials provide a visual design that is not distracting or chaotic; rather, the materials thoughtfully support students while engaging with the subject.
Indicator 2J
The materials provide teachers with access to a large variety of useful digital materials accessible through the Teacher Toolbox. Program Implementation materials include Guidance for Interactive Tutorials, Scope and Sequence Standards Correlations, Instructional Routines, Printable Readers, and Family Letters. Each week the teacher is able to access digital materials and videos designed to support the whole group and differentiated instruction. These include articulation videos, Interactive Tutorials to reinforce skills presented in whole group lessons; Tools for Instruction designed to provide the teacher with differentiated small groups, both reteaching and extension; Weekly and Unit Assessments with online trackers along with whole group instructional next steps.
The digital materials are compatible with multiple Internet browsers and multiple platforms. Internet browsers tested include Chrome, Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Safari, and Firefox. Platforms tested include Windows and Apple.
The materials follow a universal programming style and allow the use of tablets and mobile devices. Tablets tested include iPad and Surface Pro.
Indicator 2K
The materials include digital slides that can be projected to accompany lessons. The slides include visuals for lesson components and projectable student workbook pages. The program also includes articulation videos that model mouth formation of common sounds in isolation and in words. Digital resources include projectable Alphabet Books and Magnetic Readers. The materials include links to Interactive Tutorials; these tutorials are included in the core program.
The Online materials are available for both the teacher and the student. Digital materials for the teacher that enhance student learning include interactive teacher materials, printables, student workbooks, letter cards, and reading materials. The digital components contain PowerPoint slides that enhance the learning for students. Materials to support student learning include articulation videos. The Alphabet Books and student decodable readers can be projected and downloaded in a PDF format.
On the right-hand side of the opening page of the Teacher Toolbox, the Tools and Tips section includes a list of resources designed to explain how best to use the digital resources. By tapping on the title, the teacher can view The Teacher Toolbox Navigation video, Resource Selector Tool, and Read Frequently Asked Questions.
Indicator 2L
The digital materials allow the teacher to personalize instruction for some students through the use of digital resources. The articulation video allows students to watch the mouth of the presenter as the sounds are pronounced. Closed captions allow the teacher to further explain how to specifically make the sounds. Student Workbook pages, along with Weekly and Unit Assessments, can be made larger and displayed on a whiteboard. Although the Interactive Tutorials include closed captions and are aligned with each set of lessons that can be shown more than once, and the audio can be adjusted to meet individual student needs, the teacher must have access to the Assess & Teach in i-Ready to assign follow-up lessons to students.
The Digital materials allow the teacher to differentiate instruction by selecting different lessons and having students complete extension activities. Teachers can assign certain activities to students on Google Classroom, and each page can be enlarged and shown on the whiteboard for reference. Materials do not include a student learning technology component within or in addition to the digital platform to personalize learning for students.
In Teacher Toolbox, Week 11, the closed captioning allows the student to see words that are being pronounced in the Beginning Blends: cr-, fr-, dr-, tr; Consonant: t (t, tt, ed); Consonant f( f.ff); Consonant k, (k, c, ck, k, q (u); Consonant d (dd, ed); and Consonant r (r, rr, wr) Articulation Videos. Each page can be enlarged and shown on the whiteboard for reference.
Indicator 2M
Materials can be customized for local use. The Program Implementation includes a pacing guide with flexible options for whole group and small group instruction, along with sample schedules. The Weekly Planner includes pacing options that indicate which skills to prioritize for differently timed instructional blocks. Differentiation options and small-group lessons include both reteaching and extensions which allow for customization based on local student needs.
Customization may occur in scaffolding and in opting for digital or print materials use. Small group and extension opportunities are available throughout some of the instructional materials, which allows for customization for local use. Teachers can reteach materials as needed and determine how to best support students based on the amount of time they have in a learning block. The Assessment checks for understanding and instructional next steps can be used if a student requires reteaching.
In Teacher Guide, Appendix A72–A73, “Hello Family!”, the teacher writes a personalized, customized letter to parents. The letter is designed to provide parents with information related to their child’s progress and customized suggestions for activities that can be done at home to support student learning.
Indicator 2N
The teacher and student materials are well organized and clearly labeled. The materials provide a visual design that is not distracting or chaotic; rather, the materaials thoughtfully support students while engaging with the subject.
The student workbook pages are consistent and provide sufficient space for students to read and/or write their responses. The digital resources are also consistent in a manner that focuses on a single word, card, or letter at a time within a colorful format.
The teacher materials are designed in a consistent manner that is easy to follow. Titles and key directions are clearly designed, with color used to guide the teacher through the lesson. Digital resources are presented in a consistent manner that is easy to locate, print, and display on a whiteboard.
The materials include decodable readers and e-books with simple color illustrations, which include spelling patterns with bold type to support students in engaging with the text. Tricky words are included and are underlined. The books have colorful photos, and teachers are able to show one page at a time.
The Activity Pages include simple graphics, which are not distracting or chaotic and also emphasize focus on the spelling pattern with bold letters. Materials include articulation videos that help students to engage in the learning of sounds. The teacher materials have clear headings and a consistent layout. They have fonts that are easy to read and are not cluttered.