1st Grade - Gateway 2

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

Pathways to Reading, First Grade manuals provide detailed lessons regarding how to present the content to students. Materials are provided for whole group lessons in the "Large Group Manual." The "Small Group Manual" is used in conjunction with the "First Grade Small Group Folder" for documenting data for small group lessons. The "Flip & Assist" book supports the "Small Group Manual" providing strategies along with possible student responses for help with remediation. "Reproducibles" are provided for whole and small group activities. Sample lessons are provided through video clips that provide support and a modeling tool for the teacher. However, while consistent routines and activities are used throughout the year, the layout of the "First Grade Large Group Instructor Manual" often necessitates flipping back and forth through pages during a daily lesson to find the lessons that correspond with each day.

Materials provide a well-defined, teacher resource (teacher edition, manual) for content presentation. For example, the following is noted:

• There are multiple teacher manuals/resources included:
• "First Grade Large Group."
• "First Grade Small Group."
• "First Grade Small Group Folder."
• "First Grade Assessments."
• "Flip & Assist" (Grade 1 and Above).
• "Advanced Oral PA Development."
• "First Grade Pathways to Spelling."
• "First Grade Reproducibles."
• "Online Video Library for Teachers."
• In the "Large Group Manual," pages 2-4, the teacher is provided with quarterly literacy plans. Lessons throughout the manual are broken down into weeks and days.
• In the "Large Group Manual," for Week 6, page 86, the teacher refers to the sight words from Set 1 located on pg. 14. Days 2 and 3 of Week 6 include a "Vowel Lesson Review" with -r vowels. The first activity is to, “Review the sounds of the -r vowels by repeating Lesson 6.” However, no page number is listed, so the teacher is required to locate Lesson 6.

The teacher resource contains detailed information and instructional routines that help the teacher to effectively implement all foundational skills content (i.e., phonological awareness, phonics, irregularly spelled words, word analysis, fluency). For example, the following is noted:

• In the "Large Group Manual," page 2, the materials provide a model of the "Division of Instructional Time for the First Quarter."
• "Large Group," 20 minutes, 3-4 times a week.
• "Small Group, 60-80 minutes daily.
• "Handwriting," 15-20 minutes three times a week to alternate with "Large Group instruction."
• "Writing," 30 minutes daily.
• In the "Large Group Manual," page 28, students are introduced to the /k/ sound. A chart is provided for the teacher that lists the 6 steps for introducing the sounds. The process for introducing sounds is consistent throughout the manual: "1. Make the sound, 2. Describe the Mouth, 3. Choose a picture, 4. Spell, 5. Find the 'PAL,' and 6. 'Loud Pal, Whispery Pal.'"
• In the "Advanced Oral PA Development Manual," pages 76-77 include, “Objective”, “Intro Directions”, “Assist,” and “Routine” to implement the objective of omitting consonants next to the end in CVCC words.

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, the following is noted:

• Videos are provided on the Pathways to Reading Website for teacher use. Topics addressed in the videos include small groups, vowels, segmenting and writing words, multisyllabic words, and fluency. Videos provide demonstrations of a teacher working with students on the strategies taught in Pathways to Reading. For example, the following is noted,
• A 1 minute and 4 second video titled, “First Grade: Focus on Accuracy” shows a teacher helping a student correct an error while reading.
• Consonant articulation practice videos such as, “Introduction of Exploders: p/b, t/d, c, k/g, ch/j.”
• First Grade "Reproducibles," spelling PowerPoints and masters, and assessment masters are provided in digital format on the Pathways to Reading website.
• The online resource includes a "Board Letter Tiles Notebook for SMART Boards" to accompany building words activities.

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

Lessons throughout the Grade 1 Pathways to Reading manuals contain explanations and examples of foundational skills being taught such as detailed annotations of the phonological instruction, speech concepts, and further suggestions for professional reading. The "First Grade Large Group Manual" contains a "Teacher Preparation" section that provides adult-level explanations of foundational skills concepts such as phonemic awareness, phonics, and high-frequency words. The "Flip and Assist Manual" provides explanations and examples of foundational skills. Accompanying online video tutorials are located on the Pathways to Reading website.

Complete, detailed adult-level explanations are provided for each foundational skill taught at the grade level. For example, the following is noted:

• In the "Large Group Manual," page 144, when students are learning about multisyllabic words, the teacher is provided with two very important points, one of which is, “The main focus of multisyllabic instruction is to teach students to approach decoding multisyllabic words a syllable at a time. Once vowel bump, circle and read has been established begin to use the language: “What’s the first syllable with the first vowel?” “What’s the next syllable with the next vowel?” “What’s the word?” The student may not divide the word following the vowel bump rules. That’s acceptable. The objective is that the student is approaching the word a syllable at a time and not a sound at a time. If the student gets into a tongue twister situation ask: “That seems to be hard to pronounce the way you’re dividing it. Is there another way to divide the syllables?”
• In the "Large Group Manual," "Teacher Preparation Tab" pages 3-4, the materials explain the shape of the mouth when pronouncing “special sounds” in speech such as "nasal," "fricatives," "glides," and "liquids."
• In the "Large Group Manual," "Teacher Preparation Tab" page 13, teachers are provided an explanation for how to teach the /sh/ sound. Teachers are given six steps for learning about the sound, "1. Make the Sound, 2. Describe the Mouth Action, 3. Anchor with a Picture, 4. Spell, 5. Find the "Pal & Spell,' and 6. Determine 'Loud/Whispery.'" For example, the following is noted:
• Under 1. "Make the Sound," teachers are told, “T: Make the sound: /sh/ (shop). T: Feel the air. Does it explode (stop quickly) or squeeze out of the mouth? Circle one." An image of each has been provided.

Detailed examples of the grade level foundational skill concepts are provided for the teacher. For example, the following is noted:

• In the "Large Group Manual," "Teacher Preparation Tab," pages 3-4, "Pathways" category: "Special Sounds," examples are provided about sounds: /l/, /r/. These are labeled, "liquids." The description is as follows: “/l/ curls the tongue in the front of the mouth. /r/ curls the tongue in the back of the mouth. Both are voiced.”
• In the "Large Group Manual," "Teacher Preparation Tab," page 28, the teacher is provided with examples and rules for long vowel spellings. For example, Guide #4 states, “When the vowel says its name the -e goes to the end of the word.” The teacher is provided with a chart that lists the words name, bike, lake, cute, and note as examples of this rule. The teacher is informed that “a subset of this guide is that the 2 ee-s are like twins and mostly stick together. feet, greet. However they also occur separated: Pete, complete.”
• In the "Large Group Manual," "Teacher Preparation Tab," page 30, the teacher is provided with examples and rules for the letter y. For example, Guide #11 states, “The letter -y is very versatile. At the beginning of a word it functions as a consonant with a sound similar to /ee//u/. When stretching a word that begins with the -y sound the sound /ee/ is heard.” The teacher is provided with a chart that lists “y = /y/ yard; y = /ie/ fly; /ee/ ba by/; /i/ gym”.

The materials reviewed for Pathways to Reading Grade 1 meet the criteria for 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.

Materials provide an evidence-based explanation for the expected hierarchy by which phonological awareness skills are introduced and taught through the "Advanced Oral PA Development Manual," and the "Small Group Manual." Lessons throughout the program adhere to the phonemic awareness progression. The sequence and expectations are consistent across Kindergarten and First Grade levels.

Materials contain a clear, evidence-based explanation for the expected hierarchy for teaching phonological awareness skills. For example, the following is noted:

• In the "Large Group Manual," page 41, materials cite researcher Linnea Ehri’s theory outlining the stages of development for learning to read words by sight: phonemic awareness, to phonics, to sight word development, to fluency and accuracy, to comprehension.
• In the "Advanced Oral PA Development Manual," page 6, an "Overview of Grade Level Expectations" lists minimum achievements for, "Basic Syllable, Onset Rime, Advanced Phoneme, and Multisyllable lessons" based on David Kilpatrick’s three levels of phonemic awareness development. Suggested guidelines are provided for Lessons 1-19 and the expected levels on the Phonological Awareness Screening Test (PAST).

Materials contain a phonemic awareness sequence of instruction and practice based on the expected hierarchy. For example, the following is noted:

• In the "Advanced Oral PA Development Manual," page 1, materials cite the work of David Kilpatrick’s levels of phonemic awareness development as early, basic, and advanced. The research is addressed in Pathways to Reading as follows:
• "Early: Kindergarten PA exercises (ability to rhyme, clap out syllables in words, notice beginning sounds).
• Basic: 'Segment and Write' for segmenting.
• 'Old Word/New Word' for blending (ability to segment and blend).
• 'Advanced-Old Word/New Word' manipulation of sounds (ability to manipulate sounds by adding, omitting, and substituting)."

Materials have a cohesive sequence of phonemic awareness instruction based on the expected hierarchy to build toward students’ application of the skills. For example, the following is noted:

• In the Addendum, Kindergarten, "First Grade Up," "PTR Phonemic Awareness and Phonics Continuum," students learn CVC, CCVC/CVCC, CCVCC/CCCVC/CVCCC, and 2 syllables.
• In the "Advanced Oral PA Development Manual," pages 30-38, students add an initial consonant to make CCVC words. In Lesson 12, students omit initial consonants to make CVC from CCVC words. In Lesson 13, students begin with CCVC words and substitute the initial consonant.
  

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

The "Teacher Preparation" section of the "Large Group Manual" provides an explanation of the scope and sequence for phonics. Teachers are provided with research-based explanations for the phonics sequence in Grade 1. Materials provide a list of all phonics guides (rules) that will be addressed over the course of the school year. While there are some low utility patterns that are taught, the majority of phonics rules that are taught are of high utility. The "Teacher Preparation" pages explain and provide examples of all phonics rules that will be taught during the sequence.

Materials clearly delineate a scope and sequence with a cohesive, intentional sequence of phonics instruction and practice to build toward application of skills. For example, the following is noted:

• In the "Large Group Manual," "Teacher Preparation Tab" page 65, the materials outline the "Phonemic Awareness and Phonics Continuum." The Phonics sequence listed is: short vowels (a, e, i, o, u), basic consonants (b, c, d, f, g, j, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w, y, z), consonant digraphs (th, sh, ch, wh, ng), long vowels (a_e, ee, i_e, o_e, u_e), alternate spellings (-ck, qu, x, y, -ge, g/e, i, y, c/e, i, y, -tch, -dge), long vowel pairs (ai, ay, oa, ea), buddy vowels (ou/ow, oi/oy, aw/aw, oo/oo), -r vowels (ar, er, ir, or, ur), inflectional endings (s/es, -ed, -ing), prefixes (re- , in- , dis- , pre- , per-), and suffixes (-y, -ly, -er, -le, -tion, -ture).
• In the "Small Group Folder," the materials provide a sheet with the scope and sequence of sounds and phonics guides taught in Grade 1. The phonics patterns are taught by pools:
• Pool 1: consonant set 1(pb, td, ckg, fv, th), consonant set 2 (s, z, sh, ch) consonant set 3 (m, n, l, r, ng) a, e, i, o, u, -ck, c? k?
• Pool 2: w, h, wh, qu, x, y, ae, ee, ie, oe, ue, -e to end, 2 ee’s
• Pool 3: oi/oy, ou/ow, au/aw, oo/oo, c/e, i, y
• Pool 4: er, ir, ur, ar, or, g/e, i, y, -ge
• Pool 5: ai/ay, ea, oa, (optional -dge, -tch)

Materials have a clear research-based explanation for the order of the phonics sequence. For example, the following is noted:

• In the "Large Group Manual," "Teacher Preparation Tab," page 41, the materials include information on the underlying processes that support a successful decoder as, “The ability to figure out (decode) new words independently is important in a reader’s development. Research studies (see pages 42 and 43) indicate phonemic awareness and phonics skills are the foundation of independent decoding.”
• In the "Large Group Manual," "Teacher Preparation Tab," page 43, the teacher is provided with an explanation and chart containing information about Ehri’s Theory of Fluency. For example, under "Stage 4 Consolidated Alphabetic Middle of First Grade," the teacher is provided with the following information:
• "Readers recognize words instantly. Readers store words as units. Repeated encounters with words allow them to store letter patterns across different words. For example, they learn the multi-letter unit -ent. With stored units they can approach the new word dent as two units: /d/, /ent/ rather than four: /d/, /e/, /n/, /t/. The foundation for this stage is success in the Fully Alphabetic stage."

Phonics instruction is based in high utility patterns and/or common phonics generalizations. For example, the following is noted:

• In the "Large Group Manual," "Teacher Preparation Tab," pages 27-30, the scope of phonics guides (rules) are provided. Guides include: #1-3 /k/, /j/, or /ch/ at the end of a word, #4 & #5 long vowels -e and "Two Vowels Go Walking," #6 & #7 -c and -g similarities, #8 & #9 the choice of c or k, /j/ -ge, and #10 & #11 copycat letters qu, x, and y.
• In the "Large Group Manual," "Teacher Preparation Tab" pages 27-30, some of the phonics patterns taught are of high utility while others are not. High utility patterns taught include the following.
• "#1 When the sound /k/ is at the end of a word right after a one-letter vowel the defender c is added.
• #2 When the sound /j/ is at the end of a word right after a one-letter vowel defender d is added.
• #3 When the sound /ch/ is at the end of a word right after a one-letter vowel defender t is added.
• #6 When c is followed by an -e, -i, or -y it always has the /s/ sound."
• Low utility patterns however are also included in instruction. For example, the following is noted:
• "#5 When two vowels go walking (and are not found together in "Vowel Town") the first one does the talking. What does it say? Its name. Subset: /ae/ sound at the end of a word is spelled -ay.
• #8 A subset of the c guide is the choice of c -r -k to spell the /k/ sound at the beginning of a word. When there is a choice of spelling the first sound with a c or k choose c. There are far more c words in the dictionary."

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 following is noted:

• In the "Large Group Manual," page 2, the "Quarterly Literacy Plan," Quarter 1 lists a consonants overview and review, vowels overviews with the introduction of vowel buddies, and -r vowels. "Segment and Write" includes endings -ng, ck, digraphs th, sh, ch, wh, and -e to end, 2-ee’s along with qu, x, y are introduced and/or reviewed weekly.
• In the "Large Group Manual," "Teacher Preparation Tab," page 27, the teacher instructions include, “Become familiar with each guide and the language used to discuss it in order to carry out the student lessons and to correct student errors.”

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

Pathways to Reading materials provide assessment opportunities over the course of the school year to measure students’ mastery of phonics. Assessment opportunities include quarterly assessments such as "Spell a Sound," and various word spelling assessments. Students take a total of 25 weekly spelling assessments over the course of the year. Teachers are provided with instructional implications based on the assessments.

Materials provide resources and tools to collect ongoing data about students’ progress in phonics. For example, the following is noted:

• In the "Spelling Manual," page 1, materials state that 25 weekly spelling lessons end with an exam which contains four spelling words, a sentence the students practiced during the week, and two new words which include the phonics sound/spelling covered that week. The teacher is able to grade the spelling exams immediately.
• In the "Assessment Manual," pages 35-40, teachers are provided with tracking forms to track class data and individual student data on assessments (e.g., "Spell a Sound," "Spell a Word No Guides," "Spell a Word with Guides," "Spell a Word Multisyllable," "Nonsense Word Reading").
• In the "Assessment Manual," page 41, teachers are provided with instructions for using the "Excel Pathways Assessment Report." The Excel document provides a means for teachers to collect student assessment data. “Enter data each period. Scores are color coded. Red = at risk. Orange and yellow = nearing target. Green = On target.” Group and individual reports are available.
• In the Small Group Folder, Level 4, Days 4-6 provide materials that allow teachers to track students’ progress each day on their ability to spell and write in context (e.g., sentence and paragraph).

Materials offer systematically implemented assessment opportunities to determine students’ progress in phonics. For example, the following is noted:

• In the "Spelling Manual," page 1, materials explain that students take weekly spelling tests to measure phonics knowledge. “Students are asked to spell four words and one sentence practiced throughout the week and two new words not found on the week’s list. The two new words contain the same phonics and sound/spellings as those practiced throughout the week’s lesson. Students apply their phonics knowledge to spell the two new words.”
• In the "Assessment Manual," page 2, "Test 3 Word Spelling With Guides" is used to assess a range of phonics and spelling conventions such as vowels, consonant digraphs, and -ck, 2 ee’s, qu -y, -ge. This test is given three (3) times during the year.
• In the "Assessment Manual," page 3, materials explain the purpose of "Spell a Sound" is to “Measure knowledge of sound/letter associations.” In this test, the teacher dictates consonants and vowels to students.
• In the "Assessment Manual," page 3, "Word Spelling With Guides" indicates the purpose of the exam is to measure students’ phonics knowledge. Students spell eight words with phonics elements taught in Pathways to Spelling. The vowels included are a, ee, ae, ie, oi, ou, ar. Consonant digraphs included are sh, ch. Guides included are -ck, 2 ee’s, qu, -y, and -ge.

Multiple assessment opportunities are provided regularly for students to demonstrate progress toward mastery and independence with phonics. For example, the following is noted:

• In the "Spelling Manual," page 1, materials advise that each of the 25 weekly spelling lessons end with an exam that contains four spelling words, a sentence the students practiced during the week, and two new words which include the phonics sound/spelling taught that week.
• In the "Assessment Manual," page 2, the following assessments are administered during the year:
• Test 1, "Spell a Sound," is given at the start of school and at the end of each quarter. However, if at the end of the 2nd quarter a student scores a 4 or 5, the student does not need to take the test again.
• Test 2, "Word Spelling: No guides," is given at the start of school and at the end of each quarter. However, if at the end of the 1st quarter a student scores a 4 or 5, the student does not need to take the test again.
• Test 3, "Word Spelling: With Guides" is given at the end of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters.
• Test 4, "Word Spelling Multisyllable," is given at the end of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters. However, if at the end of the 2nd quarter a student scores a 4 or 5, the student does not need to take the test again.

Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information about students’ current skills/level of understanding of phonics.For example, the following is noted:

• In the "Assessment Manual," page 2, based on a student’s performance on a test, a student will be given a rubric score of 1-5. These numbers correspond with 1= High Risk, 2=At Risk, 3=Nearing Target, 4=On Target, and 5=Above Target.
• In the "Assessment Manual," pages 19-20, materials provide "Test Forms A and B" which contain phonemic awareness and phonics rubrics based on exam results.

Materials genuinely measure students’ progress to support teachers with some instructional adjustments to help students make progress toward mastery in phonics. For example, the following is noted:

• In the "Spelling Manual," page 65, teachers score and return tests with the student errors section. Materials advise the teacher to score and study student errors such as phonics skills not mastered or segmenting errors like sounds being added, omitted, or switched in a word. The teacher is to refer the student to “Thoughtful Spelling Strategies 1, 2, and 3.”
• In the "Spelling Manual," page 198, the teacher scores the test and assesses for type of error: segmenting (e.g., sounds added, omitted, out of order); phonics (e.g., rule/pattern not applied made=mad, kit=cit); visual memory (e.g., word spelled phonetically, but inaccurately kap=cap, his=hiz, seat=seet) so that teachers can respond instructionally.
• In the "Assessment Manual," page 3, after administering Test 2: "Word Spelling-No Guides," the teacher is provided with instructional implications in the areas of phonics and phonemic awareness. For example, if students have a weak phonics score, the teacher is instructed to, “Be certain the student has mastered each concept in a Segment and Write group of words before moving on. Observe the student’s application of concepts in "Old/New," "Read Single Words," and "Read in Context." The student may need more practice before proceeding to the next level.”

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

In Pathways to Reading, assessment opportunities align with the sequence lessons that are taught. The materials include an "Assessment Manual" which provides information on student progress and instructional suggestions to assist students toward mastery of word recognition and analysis. Materials provide instructions for administering assessments throughout the Grade 1 sequence. Assessments in the areas of nonsense word reading and sight words are administered on a quarterly basis. Students are assessed during small group instruction. Notetaking sheets are provided for the teacher to use during small group instruction time.

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, the following is noted:

• In the "Assessment Manual," page 27, materials state that each quarter students are assessed on 50 sight words.
• In the "Assessment Manual," pages 27-29, there are four exams provided with four lists of words. Each list is tested at the end of the nine week period. If students score a 3 or less, they are tested again. At the end of the fourth nine week period, all 200 words are tested. The sequence of the exams given follows the sequence in which the high-frequency words are taught:
• End of first nine weeks, all students read "List 1" (short vowels).
• End of the second nine weeks, all students read "List 2" (short/long vowels).
• End of third nine weeks, all students read "List 3" (short/long/buddy vowels).
• End of fourth nine weeks, all students read "List 4" (buddy/-r vowels/multisyllable).

Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information concerning students’ current skills/level of understanding of word recognition and word analysis. For example, the following is noted:

• In the "Assessment Manual," pages 21-24, materials provide scoring forms and a rubric which breaks the exam down into phonemic awareness, phonics, and visual memory skills. Instructional demands such as having students practice multisyllable spelling skills are included for low score instructional suggestions.
• In the "Assessment Manual," pages 35 and 40, the teacher keeps a class summary of students’ progress.
• In the "Assessment Manual," page 41, the "Pathways Assessment Report" is an electronic report available on the program's website. The Excel document allows the teacher to track student data throughout the year. Scores are color-coded: Red=at risk. Orange and yellow=nearing target. Green=On target. Reports are available for groups and individuals.
• In the Small Group Folder, teachers are provided with "Small Group Note Taking Cues" to use to record observations of student performance in small groups. One of the areas the teacher is instructed to record student performance in is "Word Reading Lists." As part of these observations the teacher is instructed to, “Record number of words read correctly,” and to, “Record errors.”

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, the following is noted:

• In the "Assessment Manual," page 5, based on a student’s performance on the sight word reading assessment, the teacher is provided with instructional implications. Suggestions are broken down into three categories: weak phonemic awareness score, weak phonics score, and weak orthographic memory for non-phonetic words. For example, if a student has a weak phonics score, the teacher is instructed to, “Check that pacing hasn’t been too fast. Check that a six-day cycle is being followed moving from 'Segment and Write' to 'Single Word Reading' to 'Read in Context.'”
• In the "Assessment Manual," page 5, the instructional implications for students after the sight word reading test are as follows:
• “Weak orthographic memory for non-phonetic words:”
• Increase the amount of reading in context at the appropriate decodable level.
• Give specific attention to "Cheater" words in "Pathways to Spelling" and the "Visual Memory Word Wall." Ask the student to read a target word from the wall. Cover it and ask for the spelling. Uncover and ask, “Are you right?”
• Increase student reading in context with teacher feedback on decoding errors.
• When a high frequency word is missed, write it on a flashcard for the student’s personal word practice.
• In the "Assessment Manual," pages 21-24, materials provide scoring forms and a rubric which breaks the exam down into phonemic awareness, phonics, and visual memory skills. It lists "Instructional Demands" such as having students practice reading and spelling multisyllable words if they are scoring low on their phonics assessment.

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

In Pathways to Reading, 60 to 80 minutes each day is the suggested time assigned to small group instruction based on four levels and grouping of students based on their specific needs. Small group lessons are provided in the "Small Group Manual" to begin as soon as possible after the startup of school. Lessons located in the "Small Group Manual" provide an opportunity for reteaching skills initially taught in a whole group setting. Students are assessed regularly in order to move between levels. "Student Assists" for students who are struggling are spread throughout lessons and provide teachers with tips to help students. The "Flip and Assist Manual" also provides ideas for teachers to use to help students who read, write, speak, or listen below grade level.

Materials provide opportunities for small group reteaching. For example, the following is noted:

• In the "Large Group Manual," pages 2-5, the "Quarterly Literacy Plan" indicates that vowels are introduced and practiced in whole group lessons in Quarters 1 and 2 in "Reading," and in Quarters 3 and 4 in "Spelling" instruction. In the "Small Group Manual," page 28, Level 1, Day 1 has "Vowel Practice 1."
• In the "Small Group Manual," page 19, four levels are established for small group instruction. Each level focuses on different activities. For example, Level 1 instruction focuses on vowel practice and "Segment and Write." Level 2 focuses on vowel practice, "Segment and Write," "Old/New Word," "Read Words," and "Read in Context."
• In the "Small Group Folder," students are placed into four levels of instruction. Level 1 and Level 2 students work with a teacher on materials that may be below grade level during their 20 minutes per day for at least three times per week.

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, the following is noted:

• In the "Large Group Manual," page 135, if the “Student gives the wrong number of vowel sounds,” the teacher is instructed to say, “Let’s check. Every syllable has a vowel sound. So if we found two syllables, we know there are two vowel sounds in the word.”
• In the "Large Group Manual," "Teacher Preparation Tab" pages 36-37, the "Old/New Word Teacher Guide" provides multiple examples of student assists and adaptations to the lessons. Student responses include phonemic awareness questions, phonics questions, and prompts for teachers. For example, “Repeat step 4 until the first half of an Old/New Word list has been completed. Then, on one board leave the student’s last word. Collect the other boards. Hold up one board with the last word on it.” Teacher models changing the letters around and prompting students, with “What’s my new word?”
• In the "Small Group Manual," pages 61-62, during the small group vowel practice lesson, the teacher is provided with a "Student Assist" for students having difficulty recalling the image of the vowel chart to recall letter/sound associations. The teacher asks the student to recall the location of the vowel sounds on the vowel chart. “If student still can’t recall, refer to the vowel chart. Let student locate the sound.”
• In the "Flip and Assist Manual," page 11, when completing the "Say It" activity, the teacher is provided with assists for helping the student. For example, if the “student makes a sound error: -e=/a/, etc.” the teacher is instructed to, “Student Assist: Student say the set of sounds with the error. Repeat the sound correctly. T: You’re not quite matching. (Ask the student to say the set of sounds the error is in.) Say these top three smile sounds. (R) T: (Point to the sound that was in error.) What’s this sound again? (R)."

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

In Pathways to Reading, a minimum of 60 minutes each day involves small group instruction based on four levels and grouping of students based on their specific needs. Extension lessons are provided for students working above grade level through "Xtend" lessons and in the small group Level 4 lessons. Students who read, write, speak, or listen above grade level are provided activities that promote student independence. While Level 4 students receive fewer individualized teacher lessons in small groups, their daily and weekly activities advance to include more frequent opportunities to spell, read, and write in context. Materials provide multiple opportunities for advanced students to investigate grade-level foundational skills at a greater depth. For example, the following is noted:

• In the "Small Group Manual," page 19, teachers are provided with a chart that lists the activities students will work on at each level. In Level 1, students focus on targets such as vowel practice and "Segment and Write." In Level 4 students are working on applying foundational skills through "Read Words," and "Read in Context" activities.
• In the "Small Group Manual," page 48, Level 4 "Read in Context," the teacher is to have students read independently and “Students read grade level text on their own and are prepared to come to the small group and discuss errors and strategies used to read any unknown words. Did the strategy work? Were they accurate?”
• In the "Small Group Folder," page 5, materials outline the four levels of instruction for students. Level 3 students begin with "Segment and Write," and "Reading Words," move to "Old/New Word" in Day 3, and "Read Multisyllable Words," and "Read in Context" on Days 4-6. Level 4 students begin "Read Multisyllable Words," and "Read in Context" on Days 1-3. On Days 4-6, Level 4 students move into spelling and writing in context.