The materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criteria for materials provide explicit instruction for letter identification of all twenty-six letters (uppercase and lowercase). (Kindergarten)

In From Phonics to Reading Level K, students are introduced to the letters of the alphabet and are taught to connect the letter forms with the letter names by associating them while singing the alphabet song. This activity is repeated with charts containing uppercase letters, followed by practice with lowercase letters. Each letter is introduced as the focus of an instructional lesson that is taught over a period of five days. On each of these days, students are provided practice on identifying both the uppercase and lowercase forms of the letter. There is a sequence for the identifying of letters in the contents page as well as the scope and sequence at the beginning of the book.

Materials contain isolated, systematic and explicit instruction for all twenty-six letters (recognize and name uppercase and lowercase). Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• Each lesson in Teacher's Edition Level K introduces a specific letter that is then the focus of instruction for five days. Each day students are provided explicit instruction on identifying both the uppercase and lowercase forms of the letter which is the focus of instruction.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, each of the first twenty-six out of thirty total lessons explicitly teaches a letter.
• In Student Book Level K, each of the first twenty-six out of thirty total lessons explicitly teaches a letter.

In Teacher's Edition Level K and Student Book Level K, each letter is taught using the same instructional routine that includes instruction in identifying, naming, and forming uppercase and lowercase letters.

• In Teacher's Edition Level K and Student Book Level K, Unit 1 includes extra practice with alphabetic sequence and matching uppercase and lowercase letters.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 1, the teacher points to each letter on an alphabet strip, chart, or wall frieze. The chart provided begins with introducing only uppercase letters.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 6, Day 1, during the Learn and Blend section, the teacher states that the /n/ sound is spelled with the letter n. Then the teacher points to the uppercase and lowercase Nn.

There is a defined sequence for letter instruction to be completed in a reasonable time frame over the school year. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, on the contents page, the manual explains the scope and sequence for letter identification of uppercase and lowercase letters during alphabet knowledge activities in Unit 1. The writing of the letters of the alphabet is presented from Lessons 1-26 out of thirty lessons. Each letter is allotted the same amount of instructional time for introduction and practice of both writing and connecting the sound to the symbol.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, in each unit, students practice writing, saying, and identifying the following specific letters.
• Unit 1:
• Target skill Lesson 1: Mm
• Target skill Lesson 2: Aa
• Target skill Lesson 3: Ss
• Target skill Lesson 4: Tt
• Target skill Lesson 5: Pp
• Unit 2:
• Target skill Lesson 6: Nn
• Target skill Lesson 7: Ii
• Target skill Lesson 8: Cc
• Target skill Lesson 9: Ff
• Target skill Lesson 10: Dd
• Unit 3:
• Target Skill Lesson 11: Hh
• Target skill Lesson 12: Oo
• Target skill Lesson 13: Rr
• Target Skill Lesson 14: Bb
• Target skill Lesson 15: Ll
• Unit 4:
• Target skill Lesson 16: Kk
• Target skill Lesson 17: Ee
• Target skill Lesson 18: Gg
• Target skill Lesson 19: Ww
• Target skill Lesson 20: Xx
• Unit 5:
• Target skill Lesson 21: Vv
• Target skill Lesson 22: Uu
• Target skill Lesson 23: Jj
• Target skill Lesson 24: Qu
• Target skill Lesson 25: Yy
• Unit 6:
• Target skill Lesson 26: Zz

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criteria for materials engage students in sufficient practice of letter identification.

Each lesson in From Phonics to Reading Teacher's Edition Level K provides activities for students to practice locating and saying letters in both their uppercase and lowercase forms. Lessons provide cumulative practice on previously introduced letters to ensure that practice has been provided. Students have opportunities to engage in naming the letters through the practice of a variety of activities, such as: think and writes, tracing activities, singing the alphabet songs, and identifying the letter that makes a sound for a beginning word. The materials engage children in some identification, location, and naming of all twenty six letters. Letter identification work is largely focused on lowercase letters.

Materials provide students with frequent opportunities to engage in practice identifying all twenty-six letters in uppercase and lowercase. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Day 1, students write the lowercase letter that goes with the uppercase letter in the Student Book.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Day 1 of each lesson includes an Introduce Sound-Spelling routine that instructs teachers to ask children to identify and underline the target lowercase letter in a series of words.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 4, the Independent/Partner Work is an alphabet review in which teachers provide each group with a set of uppercase or lowercase letter cards. Have children place the cards face down on a desk or tabletop and then take turns revealing a card and naming the letter.

Materials provide opportunities to engage in practice locating all twenty-six letters (uppercase and lowercase). Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 4, Day 1, during the alphabet knowledge activity, students match uppercase and lowercase letters.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Day 1, the lesson begins with an alphabet recognition routine where students are asked to name all uppercase and lowercase letters on the workbook page and then match the uppercase letter to a lowercase letter and write the corresponding lowercase letter. The lesson introduces the new sound/letter which is the focus of the next five lessons. Students are taught both the uppercase and lowercase forms of the letter and identify/underline the letter in words.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 17, Day 1, during Learn and Blend, the teacher guides students to find the lowercase e in the word engine and underline it.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 22, Day 1, the lesson introduces the uppercase and lowercase u, connecting the short /u/ sound with the letter name and has students identify the letters in the context of words and sentences.

Materials provide opportunities to engage in naming all 26 letters (uppercase and lowercase). Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 1, students sing the alphabet song while pointing to each letter on an alphabet strip, chart, or wall frieze as they sing. Next, students are guided to find the last letter in their own name and identify the name of that letter. Students practice naming all the letters from letters a through z while connecting dots to complete a drawing of an object. The letter Aa is then introduced in the uppercase and lowercase forms, along with the short sound of the letter. Students identify the a within words.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, each lesson contains a Trace and Write activity with uppercase and lowercase letters that instructs teachers, “Remind children to say the letter’s name and sound each time they trace or write it. This will accelerate their mastery of the letter-sound connection.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 3, Day 1, students trace the letters in their student books while saying the name of the letter.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Day 2, students participate in an activity in which children are given uppercase and lowercase letter cards that they use to name and match the letters.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criteria for materials embed letter identification practice in meaningful print use.

The From Phonics to Reading Level K materials embed letter identification practice in meaningful print use in several ways. Students identify uppercase and lowercase letters within the context of their names, in high-frequency words that are the focus of instruction, and in alphabet books that they construct. Students identify letters within connected texts that are part of the daily lessons. With the exception of a few introductory activities in Unit 1, letter identification practice is limited to the print words and examples in Student Book, Level K. Extensions to meaningful print (e.g., names, environmental print) are not included, with the exception of lowercase vowel identification located in the family extension suggestions.

Materials contain a variety of tasks/activities that apply letter identification and naming of all twenty-six uppercase letters to meaningful print use (e.g., initial letter of a child’s name, environmental print, letter assortments, alphabet books, shared writing). Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 2, students have an alphabet book they read in class and then take home which has all uppercase letters listed. The lesson guides students to make an alphabet book by cutting out the pages and then folding to form a booklet. This booklet is used for repeated practice both at home and at school.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 3,in the dictation routine, students read the sentence starter "My name is ..." and complete it by writing their name. Students are reminded to begin their name with an uppercase letter and say each letter name as they write it.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 2, teachers are instructed, “Call on children to point to and identify the first letter in their names. Tell children that when they write their names and the names of other people they should begin the name with an uppercase, or capital, letter. Have children write their names on the board or find their name on a chart or name card in the classroom. Ask them to chorally identify the first letter in each name.”

Materials contain a variety of tasks/activities that apply letter identification and naming of all 26 lowercase letters to meaningful print use (e.g., initial letter of a child’s name, environmental print, letter assortments, alphabet books, shared writing). Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 2, students have an alphabet book they read in class and then take home, which has all lowercase letters listed.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 13, Day 1, the teacher tells students that the /r/ sound is spelled with the letter r. Students find the words ready, race, round, and racetrack and underline the letter r in the words.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 13, Day 2, in Understanding How Sentences Work, students partner up and choose a word in the sentence. The student states the letter names and sounds and then says what the word is.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 15, Day 4, during a cumulative review activity, students write the week’s high-frequency words by saying the names of the letters and building the words with letter cards.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, in the “Home Connection” letters, parents are instructed to look for words with the targeted lowercase vowels in books, signs, magazine covers, etc.

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

In From Phonics to Reading Teacher's Edition Level K, teacher directions provide opportunities for the teacher to model how to correctly write the uppercase and lowercase letters, but explicit instructions are not provided on how to teach the formation of letters. Instructions do not provide for a sequence of strokes in the formation of each letter. The program offers frequent opportunities in all units for students to practice forming and writing the uppercase and lowercase letters through paper/pencil tasks such as trace and write activities and the read-spell-write activity. Multimodal or multisensory instruction opportunities are found in the intervention activities suggested for students struggling with letter formation.

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

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 2, students are prompted to write their name. The teacher is told to model how to write your name on primary writing lines. They are told to say each letter as they write their name and point out uppercase and lowercase letters.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 3, the teacher is to, “model how to form the letter m in both the uppercase and lowercase forms.” Students are asked to trace, then form, the uppercase and lowercase versions of the letter m and say its sound as they write it.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 12, Day 2, the teacher is instructed to “model how to form Oo. Have children trace and then write Oo. Remind children to say the letter’s name and sound each time they trace or write it.”
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Lesson 3, Day 1, for Independent/Partner Work, the teacher is instructed to “Guide children to notice that the letters of the alphabet are formed with different lines and curves. Have children work with partners to identify and draw the lines and curves they see in alphabet letters. Model for Aa to show that it has five different lines and curves (A: /, \, -: a:o, |).”

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

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 18, Day 2, students complete the trace and write activity for the letter Gg, uppercase and lowercase.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, each daily lesson provides practice on a letter that is the specific focus of instruction, as well as a cumulative review of previously taught letters.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 9, Day 2, students focus on the letter Ff, which was introduced in the previous lesson. Students practice writing both the uppercase and lowercase forms of Ff. On Day 3, students practice writing words containing the letter Ff.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 13, Day 2, students focus on the letter Rr, which was introduced in the previous lesson. Students practice writing both the uppercase and lowercase forms of Rr. On Day 3, students practice writing words containing the letter Rr.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 21, Day 2, students focus on the letter Vv, which was introduced in the previous lesson. Students practice writing both the upper and lowercase forms of Vv. On Day 3, students practice writing words containing the letter Vv.

Materials include opportunities for students to practice forming letters using multimodal and/or multisensory methods. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 24, Day 1, students complete a read-spell-write activity. Each time they write the word, they say the letters of the word they are writing.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 1, the teacher is encouraged to set up in the alphabet corner of their learning center: letters to trace, plastic or magnetic letters, alphabet stamps, and alphabet puzzles or games.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 4, Day 1, Intervention, teachers are instructed to “provide children with a tactile experience, writing the uppercase and lowercase letters on individual index cards and having children manipulate the cards to make a match….”
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 4, Day 2, Intervention, teachers are instructed to help develop fine motor skills for children struggling with letter formation. The Teacher’s Edition states, “Children may enjoy writing letters in a tray of sand, finger painting them, or making letters out of pipe cleaners or clay.”

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

The From Phonics to Reading Kindergarten materials provide instruction around the organization of print concepts on Day 2 of all lessons throughout the text. The lessons on print concepts address skills such as spacing between words, how spoken words correlate to letters, and how uppercase letters appear at the beginning of certain words or at the beginning of sentences. However, the instruction for teachers is limited to a single sentence that reminds teachers to demonstrate the skill or explain the skill to students. Periodically, the initial instruction of print concept skills is provided after the student has already been expected to use the skill in reading connected text (e.g., instruction on left to right progression, return sweep, and reading from top to bottom of the page). Practice on connected text occurs with student take-home books constructed from the Student Book. Level K materials provide instructional support for concepts of print and connects the learning to Take-Home Books..

Materials include sufficient and explicit instruction for all students about the organization of print concepts (e.g., follow words left to right, spoken words correlate sequences of letters, letter spacing). Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• Follow words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 6, Day 2, the teacher writes the sentence, “What is it?” The teacher reminds students that we read from left to right. The teacher moves their finger left to right as the teacher models reading each word. Students chorally read the sentence as it is tracked.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 13, Day 2, the teacher writes the sentence on the board, “He ran to the rock.” The teacher has students raise their hands when they hear the word ran. Then the teacher says “This is ran, because the letters /r/ /a/ /n/ stand for the sounds /r/, /a/, /n/, which makes the word ran.”
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 2, students are told that letters of the alphabet are used to write words, including their names. The teacher models writing their name, saying each letter name as it is written, and pointing out that a name begins with an uppercase letter.
• Recognize that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters.

In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 2, the teacher tells students that the letters of the alphabet are used to write words including people’s names

In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 8, Day 2, teachers are instructed to write the sentence " My cat is big." on the board. The teacher says, "Follow along as I read the sentence and raise your hand when you hear the word big. Then point to the word big and say: “This word is big because the letters b, i, g, stand for the sounds /b/, /i/, /g/, which make the word big.” This instructional routine is repeated in Lesson 13.

• Understand that words are separated by spaces in print.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 9, Day 2,the teacher is reminded to state there are spaces between words in order to know where one word ends and another begins.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Lesson 2, Day 2, the teacher is instructed, “Write the sentence on the board: "I can run'. Call on children to read the sentence and count the words. Guide children to understand that the words are separated by spaces.” This instructional routine is repeated in Lessons 3-5.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Lesson 9, Day 2, the teacher is instructed to use sentences from passage "Can It Fit?" to review word spacing. This instructional routine is repeated in Lessons 12, 17, 21 and 26.

Materials include frequent and adequate lessons, tasks, and questions for all students about the organization of print concepts (e.g. follow words left to right, spoken words correlate sequences of letters, letter spacing). Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, print concept activities are practiced every five days Day 2, during the Print Concepts section of the lesson (i.e., students count the number of words in a spoken sentence, the teacher guides students to understand words are separated by spaces, and that sentences end with a period).
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lessons 6 and 7, students practice following words left to right. Spoken words correlating to sequences of letters are practiced in Lessons 1, 8 and 11. This concept is reinforced through word building activities. Letter spacing is practiced in Lessons 2, 9, 12, 17, 21 and 26.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 2, students are asked to listen and count the words in the sentence. After the teacher models, the students repeat the sentence and count. The teacher calls on students to read the sentence and count the words in the sentence. The teacher is guided to remind students that words are separated by spaces.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 6, Day 2, the teacher is instructed to, “Remind children that we read a sentence from left to right. Move your finger left to right as you model reading each word. Then have the children chorally read the sentence as you track the print.”

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

• Each of the thirty lessons in Student Book, Level K, provides a student book to practice connected reading and teach print concepts. These books are cut out and constructed by the student and reread multiple times both at home and in class. They are initially introduced in a teacher guided reading and then incorporated into independent practice.

Materials include explicit instruction about the organization of print concepts (e.g., follow words left to right, spoken words correlate sequences of letters, letter spacing) in the context of a book. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Day 2, in the book, "I Like," students identify and count the words in the sentence, and then identify where one word begins and another ends.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 7, Day 2, the teacher reviews left to right progression and then introduces the concepts of ‘return sweep’ and moving top to bottom to read the page. Students then take turns working with a partner to demonstrate “how they follow words from left to right, top to bottom, and page by page to read the book.”

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

• Students practice print concepts in the Read Connected Text portion of the Student Book. For example, In Teacher’s Edition, Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 4, Day 2, students apply how sentences work and review word spacing using text from Student Book, "Sam Sat."

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

• The Teacher's Edition Level K provides periodic review of print concepts on Day 2 of each of the thirty lessons in the book. It provides a Cumulative Review section on Day 4 of each of the thirty lessons in the book to review previously introduced concepts taught.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 17, Day 2, the teacher asks students how many words there are in the sentence that they are reading. The concept of counting words was taught in Unit 1.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 26, Day 2, the teacher reviews word spacing. The teacher models a sentence with no spacing. The teacher writes the same sentence with spacing. The teacher guides students to recognize spacing makes a sentence easier to read.

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

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 12, Day 2, students take turns reading a sentence and identifying the words in the sentence. Students learn and practice this skill in Unit 1.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 21, Day 2, students take turns reading a sentence from the story and counting the words in the story.

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

The Teacher’s Edition for Level K provides daily activities for students to practice phonemic and phonological awareness skills. These skills are addressed in the first exercise of the day and then reinforced through various activities that are woven into the lessons and the activities found in the Student Book. All skills are introduced with explicit teacher modeling and follow-up exercises ask students to orally practice the skills.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, introductory material explains that phonological awareness exercises include the following skills: recognizing and producing rhyme, clapping and counting syllables, blending syllables, identifying words in a spoken sentence, alliteration, isolating beginning, middle and ending sounds, oral segmentation, and phonemic manipulation.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 11, Day 1, students blend sounds to make words after the teacher says the sound sequences.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 9, Days 1-5, students practice oral blending , recognizing and producing rhymes, and isolating beginning, medial and ending sounds with some words containing /f/.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Days 2-5, students practice an oral blending activity and identify words in spoken sentences on Day 2. On Day 3, students isolate beginning and ending sounds. On Days 4 and 5, students clap and count syllables.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3 planner, Lesson 11, Days 1-5, students complete oral blending, segmentation, and then isolate beginning, medial, and ending sounds for five minutes each day.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, there are thirty lessons which include activities that focus on one or more of the following skills: identifying that words are made up of sound units, clapping and counting syllables, blending phonemes into syllables and words, and identifying beginning and ending sounds in a word or syllable. In all thirty lessons, each instructional day's activities include instruction and/or practice in phonological awareness.

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

From Phonics to Reading Level K materials provide teachers with systematic lessons in rhyming, syllables, blending and segmenting onsets and rimes, and isolating and manipulating phonemes. Lessons include teacher scripts for explicit modeling and examples for students’ practice. The Teacher’s Edition Level K combines phonemic analysis and phonemic awareness skills under the heading of phonemic awareness when introduced within the program. The Teacher’s Edition provides examples for teaching each of the skills included in the scope and sequence chart. The Instructional Guide for Phonological Awareness Scope and Sequence Rationale contains additional routines.

Materials provide the teacher with systematic, explicit modeling for instruction in syllables, sounds (phonemes), and spoken words. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• Recognize and produce rhyming words.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 1, page 9, the teacher states two words: “Mat, sat. Ask: What is the same about the words? Yes, mat and sat end with the same sounds. Listen: /m/ /at/, mat; /s/ /at/, sat. Words that end with the same sound rhyme. Mat and sat rhyme because they both end in -at. Continue with these word pairs. Have children repeat the words after you. Ask children to show thumbs up if the words rhyme and thumbs down if they do not: man, pan; man, top; mop, top; cat, bat; bat, run; run, sun”.
• In Teacher Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 4, Day 3, page 56, there is explicit modeling for instruction in recognizing words that rhyme (e.g., “Listen, k/at/ and b/at/ rhyme because they both end in -at.) and includes seven word sets as examples for teaching the concept.
• In Instructional Guide: Phonological Awareness Scope and Sequence Rationale, page 4, there is the Rhyme Routine. It includes the following steps: Introduce, Model (I Do), Guided Practice/Practice (We Do/You Do).
• Count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 2, page 11 the teacher introduces the concept of syllables. Teachers are instructed, “Tell children that words have parts called syllables. Say pan, then clap the syllable. The word pan has one syllable, or part. Repeat for the word pancake. Say: The word pancake has two syllables, or parts, pan-cake. Have children say and clap the syllables after you. Continue by having children repeat these words and then say and clap the syllables: class, classroom, ball, baseball, table, teacher, desk, pen, pencil”
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 4, Day 5, page 61, during the blending syllables exercise, teachers are instructed, “Remind children that words have parts called syllables. Tell children they will put together syllables to say words. Say: The syllables are cup-cake. Say the syllables with me, and then put them together to say the word: cup-cake, cupcake. The word is cupcake. Continue with the following syllables: bath-tub, out-side, sun-set, pea-nut, hap-py, gar-den, mit-ten, tun-nel.”
• In Instructional Guide: Phonological Awareness Scope and Sequence Rationale, page 5, there is the Oral Blending Routine. It includes the following steps: Introduce, Model (I Do), Guided Practice/Practice (We Do/You Do).
• Blend and segment onsets and rimes of single-syllable spoken words.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 3, Day 1, page 35, teachers introduce oral blending of single-syllable words. Teachers are instructed, “Tell children they will be blending, or putting together, sounds to make words. Say the first sound of a word and then the rest of the word. Use the following sound sequences. Ask children to blend the sounds together to make a word. /m/ /at/ /s/ /at/ /m/ /an/ /p/ /an/ /m/ /op/ /s/ /it/ /s/ /un/ /p/ /et/”
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 13, Day 2, page 167, the teacher tells students they will be segmenting or breaking apart, words. “Say the words below one at a time. Ask children to segment each word in the first row by beginning sound and the rest of the word onset and rime.” Students can practice with the words mop, hop, tan, and can.
• In Instructional Guide: Phonological Awareness Scope and Sequence Rationale, pages 4-6, there is the Oral Blending Routine and Oral Segmentation Routine (Sound by Sound). It includes the following steps: Introduce, Model (I Do), Guided Practice/Practice (We Do/You Do).
• Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words.1 (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 8, Day 4, page 110, the teacher introduces isolation of beginning, middle and ending sounds. Example words include cat, pin, big, cup, mop, tap, win, and pup.
• In Teacher Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 10, Day 2, page 129, the teacher is instructed to “tell children they will be segmenting words...Ask the children to segment each word in the first row by onset and rime. Ask them to segment each word in the second row sound-by-sound, then count the number of sounds.” Instructions then say to provide feedback by modeling how to segment the word, as opposed to providing explicit instruction first and then feedback if they make mistakes with the skill.
• Add or substitute individual sounds (phonemes) in simple, one-syllable words to make new words.
• In Teacher Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 27, Day 3, page 344, the teacher introduces adding a new sound to the beginning of a word to make a new word. It is modeled with five examples and practiced again on Day 4 with another four examples. Following the addition of sounds to the beginning of a word, students are instructed to make new words by adding syllables to the end of a word.

Materials provide the teacher with examples for instruction in syllables, sounds (phonemes), and spoken words called for in grade level standards. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Day 2, page 66, the teacher introduces the skill of identifying words in spoken sentences. The teacher is instructed, “Tell children what they will count the words in sentences you say. Say: “I see Pat.” Repeat, holding up a finger for each word: I, see, Pat. The sentence “I see Pat” has three words. Continue with these sentences: Sam sat on the mat. I like to nap. Can you tap?”
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 13, Day 3, page 170, the teacher tells students they are going to be segmenting words. The teacher says the following words: rug, pat, fish, ramp.
• Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 7, Day 1, page 103 - In an oral blending lesson, teachers are instructed, “Tell children they will be blending, or putting together, sounds to make words. Say the following sound sequences. Ask children to blend the sounds together to make a word. /k/ /at/; /k/ /up/; /t/ /ok/; /d/ /ek/; /k/ /a/ /p/; /p/ /a/ /k/; /k/ /i/ /d/; /s/ /t/ /a/ /k/.”
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 27, Day 4, page 346, it directs receives the teacher how to have students practice adding a sound to the beginning of the word to make a new word with -up and /k/.

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

The Teacher’s Edition Level K teaches sounds and sound patterns and provides practice across a number of activities within each lesson. There are opportunities for students to: clap the syllables, create words that rhyme with words, and listen and practice segmenting and blending sounds. Level K materials feature daily practice in phonological awareness, and this practice focuses on the newly taught sound in each lesson.

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

• Recognize and produce rhyming words.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 1, students recognize words that rhyme. Students show thumbs up if the words rhyme.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 7, Day 2, students recognize rhyme in six examples.
• Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 21, Day 5, students recognize and produce rhymes with the short /u/ sound that is the focus of the five instructional segments for Lesson 21.
• Count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words.
• Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 4, students blend syllables with short vowel sounds.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 17, Day 3, students segment words one at a time, sound by sound and then count the number of words. The word list is: he, egg, by, pet, tell, end, mess, and deck.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 17, Day 4, students practice oral blending with the following words: eg to beg, -an to man, men, top, pak and kis.
• Blend and segment onsets and rimes of single-syllable spoken words.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Day 1, students blend the first letter of the sound and then the rest of the word /s/ /at/. Students blend the sounds together to make words.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 14, Day 3, students segment words first by onset and rime, then by phonemes during an oral segmentation lesson. The following words are segmented by onset and rime: big, box, rub, tub.
• Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds, or phonemes, in three-phoneme CVC words ,not including CVC words ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 9, Day 4, students practice isolating beginning, medial and ending sounds in a list of words. The beginning sound: if, ten, dog, and pack. Middle sound: sap, sit, cup, and dock. The ending sound: in, set, fit, and luck.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 14, Day 4,students have four examples of isolating four beginning sounds: big, run, him, bat; four middle sounds: rub, hid, pan, back; and four ending sounds: sat, mop, bit, hot.
• Add or substitute individual sounds (phonemes) in simple, one-syllable words to make new words.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 27, Day 3, students add sounds with up /k/; ox /f/; end /b/; and inch /p/.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 29, Day 3, students practice adding a sound to the beginning of a word to make a new word and then they practice adding a syllable to the end of the word to make a new word. For example, the syllable -ed to the end of act. Students have an opportunity to practice adding a new sound to four words.
• Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6,Lessons 28-30, students continue to practice adding sounds in short words.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K. phonological awareness exercises are largely choral oral practice. Some exercises include clapping, moving counters, and “thumbs up, thumbs down” responses.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Day 5, students clap and count the syllables in the words toe, tiptoe, ball, baseball, cow, cowboy, soccer, kick, and kicker.
• In Multisensory/Multimodal Techniques, Level A, Lesson 1, students receive multimodal practice of listening/speaking, and auditory practice during oral blending.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criteria for materials emphasize explicit phonics instruction through systematic and repeated modeling.

The materials provide teachers with explicit examples, instructional routines, and systematic and repeated instruction for students to hear, say, encode, and read each newly taught grade level phonics pattern. According to the High-Impact Routine: Dictation, a teacher can model encoding a word using the Think and Write tool. According to the High-Impact Routine: Word Building, a teacher can model building a word with the Make New Words tool. There is instruction and modeling for associating long and short sounds with the common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels. Each short vowel sound is introduced in a separate lesson, one in each of the first five units. The final three lessons (Lessons 28, 29, 30) of the last unit (Unit 6) introduce long vowel sounds for long a, long o, long e, and long i. Two lessons teach the final -e spelling for long vowel words with a_e, o_e, i_e.

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

• Demonstrate basic knowledge of one-to-one letter-sound correspondences by producing the primary sound or many of the most frequent sound for each consonant.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, each consonant is introduced and practiced lesson by lesson. Each letter/sound is introduced in the same way, using an action rhyme and an explicit explanation that the sound is spelled using the letter shown.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 6, Day 1, the materials introduce sound-spelling during Blend It. The teacher is to guide the students to say the sound for each letter in the first line, which are consonant sounds /n/, /p/, /t/, and /a/.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 23, Day 2, during Sound-Spelling Blending, students chorally say the /a/sounds from the cards for all previously taught phonics skills with no modeling provided.
• Associate the long and short sounds with the common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 1, the teacher models the short /a/sound using the action rhyme and explains that short /a/ is spelled with the letter a.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 7, Day 1, the teacher reads the action rhyme from the Student Book. The teacher explains that the short /i/ is spelled with the letter i.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 12, Day 1, the teacher tells students that the short /o/ sound is spelled with the letter o. The teacher explains that /o/ can appear at the beginning or in the middle of the word. The teacher guides students to find the word on.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 17, Day 1, the teacher models blending the first word with short /e/ sound.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 22, Day 1, the teacher models for students how to read short /u/ words.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 28, Day 1, the teacher reads the action rhyme and explains the following about long vowels in open syllables: long /e/ is spelled e, long /i/ is spelled i, and long /o/ is spelled o.
• Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 9, Day 2,during Word Study, the teacher states fit. The teacher explains the beginning sound /f/ and the ending sound /t/. The teacher states tan and asks, “Is /n/ the beginning or ending sound in tan?”
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 21, Day 2, Word Study, students identify the difference between tan and Stan. After teacher instruction in consonant blends, students practice with led/sled, tick/stick, pill/spill, and pan/plan.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, each lesson includes recurring instructional routines that provide teachers with systematic and repeated instruction. For example:
• Students hear the newly taught sound in the Learn and Say and Say and Write routines.
• Students say the newly taught sound in the Learn and Say, Say and Write, Sort it Out, and Cumulative Review routines.
• Students encode the newly taught sound in the Retell and Write, Listen and Spell, and Think and Write routines.
• Students read the newly taught sound in the Blend It and Reading Connected Text routines.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 7, Day 2, the teacher writes the word sits. The teacher guides the students in separating the base word sit from the -s ending to identify the word. The teacher guides them in blending sit and the -s ending in sits. The students practice with the words taps, naps, pins, tips, and sips.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 11, Day 4, students write lesson's word and sentence. The teacher subsequently writes the answers so students can self-correct their work.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 24, Day 3, the teacher displays all of the sound-spelling cards for all previously taught phonic skills, one at a time. Students chorally say the sounds. The teacher mixes up the card set and repeats the activity.

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

From Phonics to Reading Level K materials provide frequent opportunities for students to practice reading words containing new and review phonics elements through decoding by phoneme and reading complete words. Opportunities for practice are built into daily instructional time. Teacher’s Edition Level K is structured so that, in each of its thirty lessons, students are introduced to a phonics skill in the Sound-Spelling/Blending exercises and are provided daily opportunities to cumulatively review previously taught phonics skills with a quick review on Days 2-5 of each lesson. Phonic elements are practiced when reading words in isolation, in short sentences, and in connected text selections that are a part of each lesson. Additional decoding practice is provided through Connected Text selections incorporated in each lesson.

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

• In Teacher Edition, Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 9, Days 1-5, students have practice opportunities for the phoneme/grapheme /f/.
• In Day 1, Introduce Sound-Spelling, students blend and read words containing the /f/ sound using the Learn and Build activity in the Student Book.
• In Day 2, Sound-Spelling/Blending, students review sound-spelling cards for all previously taught phonics skills and reread the Blend It lines in the Student Book to a partner. Students are provided an opportunity to read the /f/ sound in connected text selections in the Student Book.
• In Day 3, Sound-Spelling/Blending, students review all previously taught phonics skills and reread the Blend It activity from the Student Book.
• In Day 4, students complete a second reading of the connected text in the Student Book.
• In Day 5, Writing Extension, students reread the connected text selection from the Student Book.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 11, Day 2, students decode the words to read the text "Hats."
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 26, Day 1, students practice blending the lines of the Blend It activity with /z/ words.

Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to read complete words by saying the entire word as a unit using newly taught phonics skills. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 3, Day 1, Blend It, students practice blending line 2 and reading words with /a/, /m/, and /s/.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 6, Day 4, students practice reading the text, "What Is It?", which has phonics skills from Unit 2.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 12, Day 3,students read the Blend It lines with the /op/ and /ot/ words.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3 , Lesson 14 , Day 3, students complete Cumulative Quick Check activity where the teacher displays the sound-spelling cards for all of the previously taught phonics skills for students to practice one at a time. The cards are mixed up, and the activity is repeated.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 16, Day 3, students read the Blend It lines again.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 26, Day 4, students participate during the Sound Spelling/Blending activity where the teacher displays all of the previously taught phonics skills on the sound cards. Once students have practiced it one time, the teacher mixes the cards, and students reread the sounds.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 8, Day 3, students practice blending words and sounds that they were previously taught during Cumulative Quick Check.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 15, Day 3, students complete a Cumulative Quick Check using sound-spelling cards with previously taught phonics skills.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 29, Day 4, Read and Write Activity, students circle the word that has the long vowel sound and then the word is written on the word.

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

From Phonics to Reading Level K materials provide frequent and systematic practice decoding phonetically regular words in the context of a sentence. Students have the opportunity to practice decoding sentences, and there is systematic practice for decoding words in a sentence. Both the Blend It and the Read Connected Text exercises provide students with opportunities to decode words that contain targeted sound-spelling patterns and previously-taught sound-spelling patterns. Beginning in Lesson 2, practice with decoding words in sentences occurs once or twice daily.

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

• In Student Book Level K, beginning in Lesson 3, the Blend It exercise includes at least one context sentence. Students use this sentence to practice decoding words that contain the current or past target sound-spellings and/or high frequency words. Students read the sentence(s) chorally on Day 1, then practice independently or with a partner on Days 2-5.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 11, Day 1, students read the Blend It lines with the letter h in it, along with one-syllable words. On Day 2, students read the sentences from the Blend It activity again. On Day 3, students practice reading the Blend It sentences again.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 21, Day 4, Home School Connection, students write five sentences in their journals containing words from the target skill. After writing the sentences, students read the sentences to build fluency. The sentences are:
• Did the fox go to the den?
• Do not get hurt!
• Dad got gas for the van.
• A vet helps cats and dogs.
• A vat is a big tub.

Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to decode words in a sentence. Examples include, but are not limited to the following:

• In Student Book Level K, beginning in Lesson 2, each lesson contains a Take-Home Book that students use in class and at home to practice decoding words in sentences. The teacher guides students in a choral reading of the book on Day 2 and Day 4, and students read the book independently on Day 5 of each lesson.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Day 1, students read sentences with the letter p in it. For example:
• Pam sat.
• I see a map.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 19, Day 3, Listen and Spell, students write sentences that contain the letter w and read the sentences to a partner with words.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 30, Day 1, Blend It, students read words with /ī/, /ō/, and final -e words. The sentences are:
• I hope I can go.
• I like to ride the bike.

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

From Phonics to Reading Level K materials include some recurring instructional routines that give students frequent practice building and encoding words, both in isolation and in written responses to text. There are practice opportunities for students to build, manipulate, and spell words. There is encoding practice that students complete included in the Dictation activities, Think-Write-Spell activities, and Sort It Out activities. According to the High-Impact Routine: Dictation, a teacher can model encoding a word using the Think and Write tool. According to the High-Impact Routine: Word Building, a teacher can model building a word with the Make New Words tool.

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. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 6, Day 3, Dictation, the teacher explicitly models segmenting a word and encoding its sounds. The teacher says the word pan and models segmenting the word with left to right hand motions, then guides children to connect each sound to a spelling. Children then complete another example, map, independently.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 13, Day 4, Dictation, the teacher says the word rip. The students write the word. The teacher says the sentence, Ron and Pam ran. The teacher writes the answers for children to self-correct their work.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 22, Day 3, during Independent/Partner Work, the students independently complete the Spell It activity in Daily Practice in Student Book with partners. The teacher is to prompt each student to select five words for their partner to write.

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

• In Student Book Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 11, Day 3, Dictation, students say the name of each picture for items 1 and 2. Next, students write the letter for the first sound in the picture name. The students practice segmenting the words. The students complete item 4 on their own in their Student Book.
• In Student Book Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 16, Day 3, Word Building, Trace, Write and Build, students use their letter cards to trace, write, and build words.
• In Student Book Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 29, Day 4, students complete the Sort It Out activity where they read each word, then sort the words with either short a or a_e words. The students write the words in the correct box.

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

From Phonics to Reading Level K materials provide frequent student practice applying and encoding phonics in the weekly dictation and writing about connected text routines. Students have many opportunities to practice encoding the targeted phonics skills in sentences. According to the High-Impact Routine: Dictation, a teacher can model encoding a word using the Think and Write tool. The teacher directions ask the teacher to have students complete the encoding tasks, however, the task is without further explanation or modeling. The materials contain self-correction procedures for the teacher.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 10, Day 3,Dictation, the teacher writes a sentence on the board for students to self-correct.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 3, Day 4, the first time students complete the Listen and Spell routine, the teacher asks the students to write the word am in isolation. The students write the sentence “I see Sam.” The materials instruct the teacher to "say" the word/sentence, “have children write” the word/sentence, and “write the answers for children to self-correct their work.” Explicit instruction and teacher modeling are not provided. These teacher instructions remain the same for this exercise in each lesson.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 3, Day 5, the first time students complete the Write About It exercise, the Teacher’s Edition asks teachers to “have children complete the writing activity, get feedback from partners, and revise as needed.” Explicit instruction and teacher modeling is not provided. These teacher instructions remain the same for this exercise in each lesson.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 3, Day 3, students complete the Dictation activity. The directions tell the teacher to identify the first letter in a word. Then they say the word, have the children repeat, and then have children repeat. Then the students complete 2 - 4 on their own. When they are finished the teacher writes the correct answers on the board, and students self-correct their work.

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. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Lesson 6, Day 5, students write about “What is it?” Students review their answers with their partner, get feedback, and revise as needed.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 19, Day 5, students write about what Dan and Ben do, based on the text they read. Students review their answers with their partner, get feedback, and revise as needed.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 21, Day 5, students write about how the vet helps in the book, "The Best Vet." Students review their answers with their partner, get feedback, and revise as needed.

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

In From Phonics to Reading Level K, recurring instructional routines explicitly model and teach both reading and spelling of high-frequency words, primarily using the Read-Spell-Write routine. High-frequency words are read and written in isolation and in context. An appropriate number of high-frequency words are taught over the course of the materials, and materials provide explicit examples for teacher modeling. There is high-frequency practice for students in the Read-Spell-Write activities. Students practice at least two high-frequency words in each lesson. Most of the reading of high-frequency words happens in context of sentences and not in isolation. During the Spell section of the Read-Spell-Write activities, the students say the letters as they write the word, but they do not necessarily read the whole word.

Materials include systematic and explicit instruction of high-frequency words. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• Read common high-frequency words by sight (e.g., the, of, to, you, she, my, is, are, do, does).
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, beginning in Lesson 2, each lesson introduces two high-frequency words. The high-frequency words are taught and practiced using recurring instructional routines three out of five lesson days. Those routines include the Read-Spell-Write routine and the Use in Context routine.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 3, Day 2, the High-Frequency Words section introduces the week’s two new high-frequency words see and a using a Read-Spell-Write routine. The teacher is provided one model for explicitly introducing students to reading, spelling, and writing the new high-frequency words.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 6, Day 2, the teacher reviews and reteaches the high-frequency words is and it using the Read-Spell-Write routine.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 13, Day 1, Read, the teacher writes a context sentence and underlines the high-frequency word. The teacher points to the words and children read it. The teacher says, “The hat is red and blue.” The teacher points to the word and and asks what the word is.

Materials include frequent opportunities for the teacher to model the spelling and reading of high-frequency words in isolation. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 13, Day 1, the teacher spells the high-frequency words out loud. The teacher is guided to briefly point out any letter-sounds or spellings children might already know or that are the same as other words they have learned. The teacher spells the word, writes the word, and says each word as she writes it.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 4, Day 2, High-Frequency Words, instructions are for the teacher to, “Spell the word aloud and have children repeat it.” The model provided is: “Say: the word the is spelled t-h-e. Spell it with me: t-h-e. The begins with a t, but not the /t/ sound. The letters th together make a new sound, /th/.”
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 28, Day 1, High-Frequency Words, instructions are for the teacher to, “Spell the word aloud and have children repeat it.” The model provided is: “Say the word come is spelled c-o-m-e. Spell it with me: c-o-m-e. What is the first letter in the word come? What sound does this letter make?”

Students practice identifying and reading high-frequency words in isolation. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Student Book Level K, Day Four of each lesson features a Cumulative Review in which students read high-frequency words independently in isolation before using them in context.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Day Five of each lesson reviews high-frequency words by having the teacher write the lesson’s two target words in isolation, then have students chorally read each word.
• In Student Book Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 14, Day 1, Read-Spell-Write activity, students read the word or after the teacher writes it on the board. The word or is found in a sentence.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 21, Day 1, Read-Spell-Write activity, the students write the high-frequency words go and hurt on in their Student Book. The students say the letters as they write the words.

Materials include a sufficient quantity of grade-appropriate high-frequency words for students to make reading progress. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, two high-frequency words are taught in each lesson, beginning in Lesson 2, for a total of fifty-eight high-frequency words by the end of Kindergarten.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 6, Day 1,teacher presents two new high-frequency words: is and it.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 16, Day 1, teacher presents two new high-frequency words: she and her.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 30, Day 1, teacher presents two new high-frequency words: use and blue.

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

In From Phonics to Reading Level K materials, recurring instructional routines provide students with frequent practice both reading and writing high-frequency words in context. Practice occurs in frame sentences, student-generated sentences, and connected text. The students complete pages in their Student Book that would allow them to go back and look at words when they are writing other activities.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, each lesson has an Use in Context exercise in which students write high-frequency words in the context of a frame sentence. The teacher asks students to read the sentences to a partner.
• In Student Book Level K, each lesson has a Take-Home Book in which students read connected text that includes targeted high-frequency words.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 5, during the building fluency with high-frequency words activity in corresponding Student Book, the teacher displays the words I and can. Students chorally read each word, and students write the word in a sentence.
• In Student Book Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 11, Day 3, students complete the high-frequency sentences, and when completed, they read the sentences to a partner.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 26, Day 2, students read the story, "Zig, Zag, Buzz!" which has high-frequency words for and finds.

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. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, each lesson has a Use in Context exercise that asks students to write the targeted high-frequency word in a frame sentence.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, each lesson has a Cumulative Review that asks students to write a high-frequency word in the context of a frame sentence and asks students to generate and write a sentence using a given high-frequency word.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 7, Day 2, the teacher extends practice by creating oral sentences for each word. Students say each sentence to a partner and then write the sentence.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 16, Day 1, students write the high-frequency word two times and then write the words into a predetermined sentence.
• In Student Book Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 21, Day 3, students complete the Use in Context sentences, and students read the sentences to their partners.

Materials provide repeated, explicit instruction in how to use student-friendly reference materials and resources and reading high-frequency words (e.g., word cards, word lists, word ladders, student dictionaries).

• Students complete pages in their Student Books that can be used as a reference to look back on and review. Students complete Read-Spell-Write lessons in their Student Books on Day 1 and on Day 3 the teacher reteaches the words and students use their work from Day 1 to apply the high-frequency words in context of a sentence.

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

From Phonics to Reading Level K materials provide explicit instruction in phoneme/grapheme recognition using the Word Study routines and when introducing long vowel patterns in the Blend It exercises. Opportunities for students to practice word analysis strategies are present during various activities including.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 8, Day 2, the teacher uses Word Study exercises to teach the -ck ending. The teacher explains that the letters /c/ and /k/ together make one sound /k/. Students practice reading words with -ck endings.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 20, Day 1, during the Spell part of the Read-Spell-Write activity, the teacher spells the word aloud and has the children repeat it. The teacher briefly points out any letter-sounds or spellings students might already know or that are the same in other words they have previously learned. Example: The teacher says one. “The word one is spelled o-n-e. The word one has an n in the middle. What sound does the letter make?”
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 25, Day 2, the teacher uses the Word Study exercise to teach double final consonants. The teacher uses the word yell to point out that the word has three sounds, but four letters. The teacher explains that double final consonants make one sound together. Students practice reading words with double final consonants.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 27, Day 1, the teacher says, “When there is one vowel and it is at the end of the word, it can have a long vowel sound.” Students find examples me, hi, go, so, and no, and underline the vowel.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Read Connected Text, the teacher is instructed to provide corrective feedback if students have difficulty with a word, then have students reread the sentence with the corrected word, confirming the word is correct using syntax and semantic cues. The teacher asks: “Does the word make sense in the sentence? Is it the kind of word that would fit (e.g., noun, verb)? Is it the right word?”
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 24, Day 1, the teacher explains that qu says /kw/. The teacher guides students to find the words quack and quietly and underline the qu.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 29, Day 1, the final -e pattern is introduced. The teacher studies the word ate with students, and then the teacher points out that a final -e signals a long vowel sound. Students then underline the a_e pattern in grape, ate, plate, and grapes.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Unit 3, Lesson 12, Day 3, Dictation, students write the letter for the first word of the picture name.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 21, Day 3, the teacher says the word wax. The teacher models segmenting the word. The teacher asks, “How many sounds are in the word wax?” The teacher asks the following questions: What is the first sound in wax? What letter do we write for that sound?”
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 29, Day 4, students sort word cards by their vowel sound and spelling.

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

From Phonics to Reading Level K materials offer frequent opportunities for students to engage in decoding practice; students repeat the Blend It words and sentences daily, and decodable Take-Home Books are reread multiple times per lesson as part of recurring instructional routines. Explicit instruction and teacher modeling of fluent reading focused on accuracy and automaticity are completed in all of the kindergarten lessons. Teacher models fluency in all thirty lessons by echo reading, audiobook modeling, and oral recitation, as well as other types of modeling.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K has a decodable text that is introduced on Day 2 of each lesson. The teacher is instructed to, “Guide children in a reading of ‘____’ on Student Book, pages ‘____’.... Have children point to each word as they chorally read it aloud. If they have difficulty with a word, provide corrective feedback. Have children reread the sentence with the corrected word.”
• On Day 4, students complete a second reading of the decodable text selection. The teacher instructions are to ”have students whisper-read the book or read it to a partner. Circulate, listen in, and provide corrective feedback.”
• By Day 5, students reread the text to themselves, while the teacher circulates and asks students to read a few sentences so the teacher can check on growing fluency.
• In From Fluency to Comprehension Routines and Minilessons, Lesson 1 the teacher models fluency by highlighting aspects of fluent reading, such as “pointing out dialogue when reading the way a character says the words.” The teacher also says, "Listen to me when I read the passage. Notice how I read each sentence." The teacher then explains what a strong reader is.
• In From Fluency to Comprehension Routines and Minilessons, Lesson 3, Model Fluency: Pauses Between Words, teacher explains and models how reading a passage without pausing between words will sound silly. The teacher rereads the text pausing and phrasing things appropriately, telling students it takes practice to read a text like this.

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

• In Student Book Level K, Blend It, the exercise asks students to “Read the words each day by yourself and to a partner.” Students read both words in isolation and in sentences.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 13, Day 1, Blend It, the teacher tells students to “Read the words each day by yourself and to a partner to build fluency.”
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, each lesson contains a decodable Take-Home Book. This book is used for two readings. The second read is designed to build fluency as students whisper-read the text.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Day 2 and Day 4 of each lesson, Independent/Partner Work, students reread the Take-Home Books from the current and previous lessons.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Day 4, Independent/Partner Work, the Teacher’s Edition states the teacher should send the book "I like" home with students at the end of the week so that the students can read to their families. The teacher is instructed to ask students to bring it back to school in the future and place it in their Book Folders so they can have repeated readings in the future to build phonics mastery.

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

From Phonics to Reading Level K materials contain connected text that students use for both decoding and comprehension. Materials provide teacher support and guidance for helping students read with purpose and understanding, including a variety of comprehension questions for each text and opportunities to write about the text. There is teacher guidance for providing feedback when the teacher uses the Reading Observation Form. There is information concerning the purpose of reading the text in the Differentiation: Above Level Students and English Language Learners during small group time for decodable texts.

Multiple opportunities are provided over the course of the year for students to read emergent-reader texts (Kindergarten) for purpose and understanding. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• Read emergent-reader texts with purpose and understanding.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, each lesson contains a Take-Home Book used in a recurring Read Connected Text instructional routine. This routine engages students in a Preview and Predict, First Read, and Check Comprehension routine. These routines include explicit instructions for teachers and model prompts to promote understanding of the text.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 12, Day 2, students read the text, "What is This?". The teacher asks students what they predict the story will be about and why. After reading the text, the teacher asks the following questions:
• What is the girl’s mother cooking?
• Where does the story take place?
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 19, Day 2, students read the text, "We Will Win." The Teacher’s Edition instructs the teacher to have students read out loud. If the students make a mistake, the teacher provides correct feedback. The students reread the sentence with the corrected word. The teacher confirms that the word is correct by asking, “Does the word make sense in the sentence?” “Is it the kind of word that would fit?” or “Is it the right word?”
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 26, Day 2, the teacher asks students what they think the text is about and why. After reading the text, the teacher asks the following questions:
• What is the bee looking for at the beginning of the story?
• What is it looking for at the end of the story?

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, the Read Connected Text routine includes explicit directions for teachers to provide corrective feedback. Teachers are instructed: “Confirm that the word is correct by asking children to use other cues. For example, ask: ‘Does the word make sense in the sentence? Is it the kind of word that would fit? Is it the right word?’”
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, during the Read Connected Text routine, the teacher is directed to describe the first page picture and use key words to frontload vocabulary. For example:
• In Unit 3, Lesson 15, Day 2, the teacher is to “Describe the picture on the first page using key words to frontload vocabulary.”
• In Unit 5, Lesson 24, Day 2, the teacher is to “Describe the picture on the first page using key words to frontload vocabulary.”

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

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

Materials provide a well-defined, teacher resource with Teacher's Edition for content presentation. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, the front matter contains a scope and sequence for all concepts taught, and denotes the level where individual skills are taught. The categories of Main Skill, Word Study or Extra Focus, and Phonemic Awareness Skills repeat across all thirty lessons.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, the front matter provides an overview of each unit and how each lesson within a unit is structured for the ease of presentation.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, the front matter provides overall lesson pacing recommendations for each component of the daily lesson, as well as unit planning charts that indicate the print and instructional resources that correlate with the units.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, the front matter contains an implementation guide explaining the recurring instructional sequence of Days 1-5 of each Lesson.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, a consistent color-coded tab system identifies the lesson and day number on each page. These colors match the color-coded tabs in the Student Book.

The teacher resource contains detailed information and instructional routines that help the teacher to effectively implement all foundational skills content: phonological awareness, print concepts, letters, phonics, high frequency words, word analysis, and decoding. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, the front matter contains a high-frequency words routine explanation that tells the teacher they should implement the routine for five minutes. It states that students are introduced to the skill through Read-Spell-Write routine. The Teacher’s Edition explains how this looks throughout each day for students.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1,Lesson 12, Day 1, Sound-Spelling routine, the teacher does the Learn and Blend, Blend it, and Corrective Feedback routine.
• In Learn and Blend, the teacher reads the action rhyme. Students repeat.
• In Blend It, the teacher guides students in saying each sound for each letter. The teacher blends the word lines and sentences. The teacher models blending the first word. Students chorally blend the remaining words.
• In Corrective Feedback, when a student makes an error, the teacher states, “My turn.” The teacher models the sound correctly. The students repeat the sound. The teacher taps under the letter and states, “What’s the sound?” Students chorally respond. The teacher goes back to the beginning of the word and states, “Let’s start over.” The teacher blends the word with the students.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, the Unit 1 Planner outlines the five lessons contained in the Unit and when each of the instructional routines: phonemic awareness, high-frequency words, connected text for decoding practice, dictation, word building and word study is used for instruction. For example:
• The phonemic awareness instructional routine is taught on Lessons 1-5, while high-frequency words are introduced in Lessons 2-5. A planner is provided at the beginning of each Unit to provide a broad overview of each skill that is taught within each lesson in the unit.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, lessons are divided into six units:
• Short /a/.
• Short /i/.
• Short /o/.
• Short /e/.
• Short /u/.
• Introduction to Long Vowels.

Each unit begins with a unit planner that outlines the instructional routines for skills in the following areas: phonemic awareness, high-frequency words, connected text, dictation, word building, and word study.

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

In Online Teacher’s Edition Level K, Lesson 3, Day 2, teachers can view an online version of the Teacher’s Edition .All parts are outlined with the same formatting as the manual.

• In Online Teacher’s Edition Level K, a stand-alone e-book can be used to teach the lesson using a tablet or iPad. This is designed to take the place of the printed Teacher’s Edition.
• In Online Teacher’s Edition Level K, the blue SadlierConnect.com symbol identifies opportunities for online instructional resources and interactive student activities.
• In Online Teacher’s Edition Level K , users access one page at a time. Lesson plans do not allow the user to move forward or backwards. Online materials do not contain a search option.

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

From Phonics to Reading provides brief descriptions of the foundational skills that are incorporated into the daily program instruction. There are adult level explanations for foundational skills, high-frequency words, and blending. There are detailed explanations for print concepts and alphabetic knowledge in the Teacher’s Guide to Print Concepts. There are examples of foundational skills embedded within the lesson plans and in the Wiley Blevins professional development videos. The front material of the Teacher's Edition Level K features an overview of the “Seven Characteristics of Strong Phonics Instruction” and of the Daily Instructional Routines. These two resources provide some adult-level explanations of the foundational skills concepts.

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

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, introductory material provides a brief description of phonemic awareness but does not provide a description of phonological awareness. The material states that a “range of subskills is taught to develop [it] with oral blending and oral segmentation having the most positive impact on reading and writing development.” No explanation of oral blending or segmentation is provided.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, the implementation guide states, “Alphabet recognition, knowing the names of the letters and sounds they represent, is an essential prerequisite for early reading success. Without a thorough knowledge of letters and an understanding that words are made up of sounds, children cannot learn to read.”
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, “Seven Characteristics of Strong Phonics Instruction,” it states, “The two best predictors of early reading success are phonemic awareness and alphabet recognition. Phonemic awareness is the understanding that words are made up of a series of discrete sounds (phonemes). A range of subskills is taught to develop phonemic awareness with oral blending and oral segmentation having the most positive impact on reading and writing development.”
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Alphabet Recognition, students understand the letters of the alphabet have specific shapes, orientations, names, and sounds that they represent.” The text explains that teachers need to work to ensure students understand both upper and lower case letters as well as ensuring that students can match a letter to its sound, as well as match the sound to the correct letter.

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

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 4, Day 2, Print Concepts, students hold up their words in the sentences as the teacher says it and they repeat it, holding up a finger for each word. Then the teacher writes the sentences on the board and children count the number of words.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Lesson 6, Day 1, Oral Blending, the materials state, “Tell children they will be blending, or putting together, sounds to make words. Say the following sound sequences. Ask children to blend the sounds together to make a word: /n/ /ap/;/n/ /od/; /r/ /un/; /f/ /an/; /m/ /an/; and /p/ /en/.”
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Lesson 15, Day 2, Word Study, Double Final Consonants, the materials state, “Say the word hill and have children segment the word into individual sounds. Ask: How many sounds do you hear in word hill? That’s right, three: /h/ /i/ /l/, hill. Write the word hill. Have children chorally read the word and count the number of letters. Underline the letters ll. Say: The word hill has four letters but only three sounds. The double final consonants ll together stands for one sound, /l/. Repeat the routine with the following words: Bill, fill, miss, pass, toss.”
• In Teacher’s Guide to High Frequency Words, it explains what high frequency words are, what teachers can do in order to support the routine for students, and activities that the teacher can do to support students understanding of high frequency words, including: flashcards, build a log of cumulative sentences, play What’s Missing, and play Mix and Fix it.
• In Wiley Blevins Video, "High-Impact Routine: High-Frequency Words," examples of high-frequency words provided include: a, and, for, he, is, in, it, of, that, the, to, was, and you.

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

From Phonics to Reading Level K materials include one hundred-fifty days of lessons to be taught over the course of the year. These lessons are arranged around thirty topics and organized into six units. The materials can adequately be taught during the course of the school year, leaving additional days for repeated lessons or missed instructional days. Lesson formats present objectives to be taught in the day’s lesson and are consistently structured for both teachers and students. Pacing guides are provided for routines used in each lesson, as well as day-to-day lesson requirements. There is research-based information supplied to users that supports the literacy instruction that was conducted by Wiley Blevins and other research that supports the scope and sequence of the lessons. There are whole-group and small-group activities, and a planning sheet is provided to assist teachers in planning activities for teacher-table interventions.

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

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, a pacing guide maps out the increments of each instructional routine based on a five-day plan.
• Day 1 is phonemic awareness, sound-spelling and high-frequency words.
• Day 2 is phonemic awareness, sound-spelling/blending, high-frequency words, read-connected text, print concepts, word study, and handwriting.
• Day 3 adds on dictation and word-building to phonemic awareness, sound spelling/blending, and high-frequency words.
• Day 4 focuses on a sound sort, independent practice, dictation, reading connected text, and cumulative review.
• Day 5 is phonemic awareness, sound-spelling, high-frequency words, writing extension, and cumulative assessment.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, consistent structure provides for daily sequencing of skills within the lessons, with examples specified for teacher use and a brief description of how the teacher should present the skill information. In addition, there is an estimation of how much time should be spent on that portion of the lesson.

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

• In Teacher's Edition Level K Online Resource, the online small group planner states that new teacher-table intervention groups are formed based on the fluency assessment, the letter name assessment, the letter-sound assessment, and informal assessments. The materials supply a list of skills that students are expected to learn.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 10, Day 2, it provides opportunities for both whole and small group instruction throughout the lesson. The Phonemic Awareness routine provides group instruction on segmenting words. The Sound-Spelling/Blending routine calls for peer partner practice. The Intervention Section recommends that teachers meet daily with children who are not at mastery and repeat the blending, dictation, and connected text reading pages.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Instructional Routines for Days One through Five, there are a variety of recurring whole-group instructional elements including: instruction in phonemic awareness, sound-spelling/blending, high-frequency words, reading connected text, print concepts, word study, dictation, word building, and writing.
• In Unit 4, Lesson 17, Day 5, Sound-Spelling/Blending, as part of whole group instruction, the teacher is to “Display sound-spelling cards for all the previously taught phonics skills, one at a time. Have children chorally say the sound. Mix the card set, then repeat.”
• In Teacher's Edition Level K , the “Teacher Table” boxes provide guidance for teacher-led small groups to support English learners and intervention groups.
• In Unit 6, Lesson 30, Day 1, the “Teacher Table: English Learners” instructs teachers in the area of Vocabulary, “Each day, select several words from the Blend It line in Student Book. Focus on words whose meanings can be explained or demonstrated in a concrete way. For example, show a picture of a bike and a home. Hold up five fingers then hold your hands far apart to show the meaning of wide.”

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

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, the Pacing Guide delineates pacing per day as well as per component. Suggested pacing for Day One routines includes:
• Phonemic Awareness (five minutes).
• Sound Spelling (ten minutes).
• High-Frequency Words (five minutes).
• In Unit 2, Lesson 6, Day 5, students work on the following:
• phonemic awareness activity (five minutes).
• sound-spelling/blending activity (ten minutes).
• high-frequency words activity( ten minutes).
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, the Pacing Guide provides guidance for lessons taught over a five-day period for Units 2-5:
• Day 1 (twenty minutes).
• Day 2 (forty minutes).
• Day 3 (thirty minutes).
• Day 4 ( forty minutes).
• Day 5 (thirty minutes).
• In Online Teacher’s Edition Level K, an alternative pacing guide for shorter work blocks is provided.

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

In Teacher's Edition Level K, one hundred-fifty lessons are provided, varying in length from twenty to forty minutes daily, and taught within the one hundred-eighty day school year. The Scope and Sequence and Implementation Guide outlines thirty lessons, consisting of five instructional days per lesson, for a total of one hundred-fifty days of instruction.

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, a "Scope and Sequence Chart" indicates that the program is made up of thirty lessons. Materials illustrate how these lessons are each taught over a five day period.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, high-frequency activities occur every day in each lesson. The high-frequency lessons happen throughout Days 1, 2, 3 and 5. There are sound-spelling and blending routine activities that students complete throughout the lessons. On Day 1, the activity is ten minutes long. On Days 2-5, the activity is five minutes long.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten 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.

From Phonics to Reading Level K materials feature a scope and sequence that delineates the sequence of phonological awareness skills. Within these phonological awareness skills are following phonemic awareness skills: identifying, blending, segmenting, and manipulating phonemes. Teachers are provided with regular exercises of increasing complexity that help children learn, practice, and apply phonemic awareness skills. There is a clear hierarchical sequence that is delineated and supported by an evidence-based explanation in an Instructional Guide: Phonological Awareness Scope and Sequence Rationale..

Materials contain an explanation for the expected hierarchy for teaching phonological awareness skills. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, page x, program overview, the materials state that the program and the scope and sequence for skills is designed to promote early reading and writing, based on foundational skills research and practice.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, in the author’s notes on the Seven Characteristics of Strong Phonics Instruction, phonemic awareness is highlighted as a critical skill for developing early literacy skills.
• In Instructional Guides, Level K, page 5, there is an explanation of, “The Simple View of Reading,” and “Scarborough’s Reading Rope,” which explains that phonics teaching alone is not enough to have students reading at grade level text.
• In Instructional Guide: Phonological Awareness Scope and Sequence Rationale, it explains “There is a progression from easier to more complex across phonological awareness task types within each grade”, and “There is a progression from larger word parts to smaller words parts within each phonological awareness task type through the grade.”

Materials contain a phonemic awareness sequence of instruction and practice based on the expected hierarchy. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, as part of the Program Overview, a Scope and Sequence Chart is provided on page xii. This chart delineates the order in which phonemic awareness skills are introduced throughout the 30 lessons, which are designed to provide instruction over the course of a 150-day program.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, page xii, there is a phonemic awareness overall category of whether during the lesson students are completing oral blending, oral segmentation activity, or rhyme and alliteration.
• In Instructional Guide: Phonological Awareness Scope and Sequence Rationale, there are five activity types listed in a progression from easiest to most complex. It lists Activity Type 1: Rhyme and Alliteration, Activity Type 2: Oddity Tasks (phoneme categorization), Activity Type 3: Oral Blending, Activity Type 4: Oral Segmentation (including counting sounds), and Activity Type 5: Phoneme Manipulation (substitution, deletion, addition).

Materials have a cohesive sequence of phonemic awareness instruction based on the expected hierarchy to build toward students’ application of the skills. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, a phonological awareness skill is introduced on one day and not practiced again until approximately five instructional days later. This pattern is repeated frequently with different skills introduced on each day of the five-day lesson and then not practiced until the following lesson. Such activities include:
• In Teacher Edition, Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 1, students practice the following phonemic awareness skills: oral blending, clapping syllables, identifying words in a spoken sentence, and recognizing rhymes. Each one of these skills is practiced on a different day within the five day lesson.
• In Teacher Edition, Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 2, students practice the following skills: recognizing rhyme, clapping and counting syllables, oral blending, and identifying words in a spoken sentence, according to the scope and sequence chart. Each one of these skills is practiced on a different day within the five-day lesson.
• In Teacher Edition, Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 5, students practice the following skills: oral blending, clapping and counting syllables, isolating beginning and ending sounds, and identifying words in a spoken sentence. Each one of these skills is practiced on a different day within the five day lesson.

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

From Phonics to Reading Level K materials are organized to introduce one letter and sound per lesson with some recurring instructional routines for each new letter/sound. Short vowels are introduced one at a time, one in each of the first five units. Some long vowel sounds are introduced at the end of the sixth and final unit. Students spend several weeks in each unit on some of the phonics patterns in order to ensure mastery. The scope and sequence of phonics instruction is arranged with an overview of the benefits of explicit instruction in phonics. The "From Phonics to Reading Scope and Sequence Rationale" explains why the skills are taught in the way that they are.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, the "Scope and Sequence Chart" delineates the sequence of phonics instruction. The Scope and Sequence begins with alphabet recognition, progressing to blending words with plural nouns with -s, and double final consonants.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, the contents page informs the teacher where instruction in vowel sounds can be found:
• Short /a/ is taught in Unit 1.
• Short /i / is taught in Unit 2.
• Short /o/ is taught in Unit 3.
• Short /e/ is taught in Unit 4.
• Short /u/ is taught in Unit 5.
• Introduction to Long Vowels is taught in Unit 6.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, the program separates the introduction of sounds/letters that are potentially confusing (e.g., short /i/ and short /e/; /b/, /d/, and /p/), but there is no indication as to the rationale of sequencing these sounds/letters based on frequency of use in one and two syllable words.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, the materials contain a scope and sequence that consists of a main skill, learning the letter and sound for all twenty-six letters, including short vowel sounds.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, introductory overview says that From Phonics to Reading incorporates explicit, researched-based phonics instruction with lessons that embody the "Seven Characteristics of Strong Phonics Instruction." In the introduction to the "Seven Characteristics of Strong Phonics Instruction," the author, Blevins, refers to his work with schools, districts and publishers as general support for what he identifies as important to phonics instruction. However, the program does not provide research-based explanations that support the inclusion or order of the skills taught in the program.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, the Assessing Phonics Instruction explanation provides an overview of how phonics instruction develops strong reading skills, tracing the development from sound-symbol correspondence to automaticity.
• In "From Phonics to Reading Scope and Sequence Rationale," guiding principles are outlined. The rationale states that the principals are based on the ideas of moving from the simplest to the more complex. For example, progress from simple to more complex sounds.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 9, Day 1, students are introduced to decoding one-syllable words by blending /f/ sound words.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 8, Day 2, the material introduces the letter c and teaches students to write upper and lower case forms, read c words in context, and reviews the -ck ending in words.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 17, Day 3,students work on building and writing short /e/ words.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 24, Day 4, Sound Sort, students sort words with /w/ and /kw/.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 6, the unit planner states that students are introduced to and work with plural nouns with -s. In Lesson 7, students work with inflectional ending -s for verbs.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4, the following skills are taught:
• Lesson 16, students work on blending and reading words with ending -ck.
• Lesson 17, students work on the skill of distinguishing initial and medial vowel sounds.
• Lesson 18, students are taught the phonics skill of inflectional endings -s for verbs.
• Lesson 19, students are taught about plural nouns with -s,
• Lesson 20, students work on plural nouns with -es.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5,the following skills are taught:
• Lesson 21, students work on consonant blends.
• Lesson 22, students learn to distinguish between initial and medial vowel sounds.
• Lesson 23, students work on plural nouns with -s,
• Lesson 24, students learn inflectional ending -s for verbs.
• Lesson 25, students learn about double final consonants.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criteria for materials contain strategies for informing all stakeholders, including students, parents, or caregivers about the English Language Arts (ELA)/literacy program and suggestions for how they can help support student progress and achievement.

In each From Phonics to Reading Level K Unit, there is a “Home Connection” family letter. The letter informs families about the skills students will be learning, and the letter suggests learning extensions for home. There is a list of the Take-Home Books provided for students to extend their practice by reading at home. Recommendations are included for related children’s books that parents might find in the local library or bookstore to be used for expanding their child’s opportunity to develop reading skills. The letters reference additional student and family resources that can be accessed through SadlierConnect.com. The “Home Connection” letters are provided in Spanish.

Each lesson contains a “Home-School Connection” box for teachers that outlines instructional routines focused on building fluency to extend learning at home. There are activities that go home with students to help them develop fluency and phonics skills through connected text, as well as a suggested activity for students to complete at home.

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

• In Student Book Level K, a letter is provided at the beginning of each unit the beginning of each Unit to enhance the home-school connection for students. These letters outline objectives to be studied in the Unit, practice activities, the names of the Take-Home Books related to the Unit and extended learning opportunities.
• In the Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2 "Home Connection" letter states , “In this unit, your child will learn about words that contain the short vowel i. He or she will learn to read words with the short vowel /i/, /n/, /c/, /f/, and /d/ sounds, such as sit, man, cat, fan, and dip.”
• In the Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4 "Home Connection" letter states, “In this unit, your child will learn about words that contain short vowel /e/. He or she will learn to read words with the short vowel /e/, /k/, /g/, /w/, and /x/ sounds, such as hen, sock, dog, wag, and fox.”
• In the Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6 "Home Connection" letter states “In this unit, your child will learn about words that contain long vowels. He or she will learn to read words with z, long vowels in open syllables, and long vowels with final e, such as zip; no; mate; hope; and fine. Your child will also review short vowels.”

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

• In Student Book Level K, Unit 3, Extend the Learning in "Home-Connection" letter suggests parents look for words with short /o/ in books, signs, magazine covers, etc., and keep a notebook for words that the student discovers. The letter further suggests students should identify objects in their house that have a short /o/ sound.
• In Student Book Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 15, Day 2, the take-home connected text reviews words with the /ll/ sound. The connected text goes home once students have read the text multiple times.
• Home-School Connection letters provided in the program reference Student and Family Resources available through SadlierConnect.com.
• Weekly Cumulative Assessments on lists of sounds or words are sent home for students to practice reading with their families.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Day 5, Cumulative Assessment, students take home the week’s assessment and practice reading the sounds with their families.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 16, Day 5, Cumulative Assessment, students take home the week’s assessment and practice reading the words with their families.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 26, Day 5, Cumulative Assessment, students take home the week’s assessment and practice reading the words with their families.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Lesson 13, Day 4, the “Home-School Connection” box suggests building fluency at home in the following way: “. . . Write five sentences each week containing words with the target skill. Have children record these sentences in their journals and practice rereading them to build fluency:
• Pam and Ron ran.
• My hat is under the mat.
• The sack has a rip in it.
• I can sit on a big rock.
• The rat ran and hid.

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

From Phonics to Reading Level K materials include a decodable Take Home Book in each lesson. The Take Home Book begins in Lesson 2. The decodable book features words with the lesson’s targeted sound-spelling. Recurring Read Connected Text instructional routines provide the teacher with detailed lesson plans that call for repeated readings of the decodable book. Students interact with this text on Day 2, Day 4, and Day 5 of each lesson. There are multiple readings included in the lesson plans including during the week and in the Write About It section of the lesson plans. Students read decodable text that is aligned to the scope and sequence as well as to detailed lesson plans that have repeated readings of decodable texts.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Day 2, students read the connected text, "I Like," which contains decodable words such as tap, Sam, Pam.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 12, Day 2, students read the connected text, "What is This?". Students read decodable words such as hop, pop, frog, mom, hot, log.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 23, Day 2, students read the connected text, "What Will Jan Do?". Students read decodable words such as Jan, jog, jump.

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

• In Level K Student Book, each lesson’s Take Home Book includes words that introduce practice with the lesson’s targeted sound-spelling.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 11,Day 2, the Unit Planner states that the target objective of lesson is /h/. Students read the decodable text "Hat."
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 19, Day 2, the target skill is /w/. Students read the text, "We Will Win!"
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 6, Lesson 26, Day 2, the target objective is short vowel sounds, students read the book, "Zig, Zag, Buzz."

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, each lesson contains three days of practice reading the lesson’s decodable text:
• Day 2, the teacher guides students through a first read of the story .
• Day 4, the teacher guides students through a second read.
• Day 5, students read the book independently.

For the first and second read, the materials provide detailed lesson plans that guide the teacher through the process.

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 7, Day 4, students read the decodable text, "Big and Little." The teacher guides students through a second read of the text. Students whisper-read the text to a partner, and the teacher circulates and provides corrective feedback.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 15, Day 4, students read the decodable text, "Up and Down." Students whisper-read it for a second read. The teacher circulates, listens and gives feedback.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 24, Day 5, Write About It directions tell students to read the text again, draw a picture, and then write about the text.

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

From Phonics to Reading Level K materials include a decodable Take Home Book in each lesson, beginning in Lesson 2 that includes each lesson’s targeted high-frequency words. Recurring Read Connected Text instructional routines provides the teacher with detailed lesson plans that call for repeated readings of the decodable book. Students interact with this text on Days 2, 4, and 5 of each lesson. There are opportunities for the students to re-read the text, and the text aligns with the scope and sequence that is on the planner pages.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 2, students read the text "I Can," which includes I and can, the high-frequency words for that lesson.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 13, Day 2, the students learn the high-frequency words are, and, and under. Students read the decodable text "Uh-Oh!", which contains the high-frequency words and and under.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 17, Day 2, students learn the high-frequency words they and make. Students read the decodable text "Ten Little Men," which contains the high-frequency words make and they.

Decodable texts contain grade-level high-frequency/irregularly spelled words aligned to the program’s scope and sequence. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Student Book Level K, each lesson’s decodable Take Home book contains the lesson’s newly-taught high-frequency words.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 6, students learn the high-frequency words is and it. The students read the text, "What is it?" which contains the words is and it.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 19, students learn the high-frequency words we and play. On Day 2, students read the text, "We Will Win," which has high-frequency words we and play.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5 planner, Lesson 25, it states that students should learn the high-frequency words all and read. On Day 2, students read the decodable text "Yes!", which has decodable text with the high-frequency words read and all.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, each lesson contains three days of practice reading the lesson’s decodable text.
• Day 2, the teacher guides students through a first read of the story.
• Day 4, teachers guide students through a second read.
• Day 5, students read the book independently.

For the first and second read, the materials provide detailed lesson plans that guide the teacher through the process.

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Day 4, in each lesson the Independent/Partner Work box instructs teacher to have students reread the lesson’s decodable book and to list any words with which they struggle. The materials instruct teachers to review these words with children.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 3, Day 4, students re-read the text "Sam" . The text contains the high-frequency words I and see.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 8, Day 4, students reread the text "Good Cat," which contains the high-frequency words is and good.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 16, Day 5, Write About It activity, students reread the text "Kim," which contains the high-frequency words she and her.

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

From Phonics to Reading Assessments occur on Day 5 of each of the thirty lessons within the program. The program recommends that, due to time constraints, teachers only assess a small group of students with the goal of cycling through all the students every three to four weeks. Students are assessed on both accuracy and fluency related to letter/sound identification, as well as word reading tasks related to sound-spelling/blending exercises. However, these regular assessments do not address the mastery of print concepts that are taught throughout the program. Assessments include a writing assessment that is given three times a year, beginning, middle, and end. The guidance is given to teachers that if students miss three or more letters when writing based on writing samples that the teacher should pull a small group, model, and reteach. There is a systems routine in place to reteach writing.

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

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 1, the teacher sings the “Alphabet Song,” pointing to each letter on an alphabet strip, chart, or wall frieze. The teacher repeats with students singing along. The teacher randomly points to letters for students to name.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Units 3-6, teachers use the Letter-Name and Letter-Sound Assessments to assess mastery of letter recognition.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1, the “Teacher Table: Assessment” box states, “You may want to also check on children’s growing ability to name and write letters of the alphabet,” and provides instructions.
• In Letter Formation Assessment there is a writing assessment that is given to students three times a year to students, and addresses the student's ability to write upper and lower case letters. The teacher circles on the chart which the student writes inconsistently. The teacher uses three writing samples from the student in order to assess this component. It is recommended to do this assessment at the beginning, middle and end of the school year. The next steps pull students into a small group, model how to write each letter the students missed, trace the letter, and then have students practice writing it on paper. Then they recommend students copy and write five to seven words containing the letters.

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

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, page xxiv, introductory materials provide a sample of the letter name and letter sound assessment. “When assessing children’s knowledge of the alphabet, you need to assess both the letter names and letter sounds. In addition, you also need to assess both accuracy and speed. The Letter-Name Assessment is for monitoring children’s mastery of uppercase and lowercase letters.”
• In Instructional Guides Level K, Phonics Assessment, an explanation of why concepts of print, and phonological awareness are important to assess is provided. Under the heading Concept of Print, the importance of students being able to read from left to right, and top-to-bottom is stated.
• In Assessment, Level K, Letter Name Assessments recommends that the teacher assess students three times a year. It is suggested when scoring the assessment, to focus on those letter name/sounds where student made three or more errors.

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

• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 9, Day 5, Cumulative Assessment recommends that teachers “use the Small Group Planners to modify the Teacher Table small group instruction and practice in the upcoming weeks.” These small group instruction interventions are recommendations that are included at the end of several lessons each week.
• In Teacher's Edition Level K, Unit 1 , "Intervention” boxes address letter formation but are not assessment-based.
• In Letter Name/Letter Sound Assessments, Level K, recommends that the teacher provide future instruction on those letters where students made three or more errors.

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

In From Phonics to Reading Teacher’s Edition Level K, there is a Phonemic Awareness Assessment: Assessment Schedule that includes a beginning-, middle-, and end-of-year assessment in Phonemic Awareness. However, there is no reference included that provides assessment-based instructional suggestions to help students progress toward mastery. In the phonemic awareness practice, there is a section that tells the teacher to provide corrective feedback if the student has the concept incorrect, however there is no other reference and no other assessments included that are systematically administered to students in order to determine their skill level or instructional suggestions for assessment steps to help students progress toward mastery. There is an assessment protocol to be used on Day 5 of that lesson’s instruction. However, this assessment only measures accuracy and fluency with identifying and reading sounds and words that have been introduced and practiced in the lessons.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 9, Day 5, the teacher is told to provide corrective feedback if the students get the skill incorrect.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, each of the thirty lessons provides an assessment protocol to be used on Day 5 of that lesson’s instruction. It is recommended that the teacher assess about 25% of the class each week, thereby assessing everyone at least once every four weeks.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Assessments, the teacher is provided a Phonemic Assessment schedule. It says students should be tested beginning, middle and end of the year. The beginning of the year is rhyme, syllables, initial sounds, and final sounds. The middle of the year is rhyme, syllables, initial sounds, final sounds, medial sounds, segmentation, and blending. The final assessment evaluates rhyme, syllables, initial sounds, medial sounds, segmentation, blending, and phonemic manipulation.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, the Phonemic Awareness Assessment provides the following information about each student’s skill level:
• Beginning of year: rhyme, syllables, initial sounds, and final sounds
• Middle of year: rhyme, syllables, initial sounds, final sounds, medial sounds, segmentation, and blending
• End of year: rhyme, syllables, initial sounds, final sounds, medial sounds, segmentation, blending, and phonemic manipulation

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, intervention boxes address instructional strategies for students struggling with phonological awareness skills, however, these interventions are not assessment-based.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Phonemic Awareness Assessment, Preparation and Directions, Step 3 states, “Use the Class Record Sheet to gather and record all children’s scores for each testing period to determine small-group differentiated instructional needs.” There are no directions on the assessment explaining how to determine small-group differentiated instructional needs.
• In Phonics Instructional Guide: Multiple Tiers for Support, it states, “Students who are further behind must be given the Comprehensive Phonics Survey and Phonemic Awareness Assessment...to determine their skill deficits and to identify the Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention needed.” Examples provided do not give specific additional support for phonemic awareness small group instruction.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten partially 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).

From Phonics to Reading Level K materials offer multiple, systematic assessment opportunities of both decoding and encoding skills. The teacher is instructed to administer both formal and informal assessments. The materials offer some instructional adjustments based on assessment data, but these suggestions are limited in specificity and concrete correlation of current student levels to specific interventions or instructional adjustments. There is no suggested grade level or skill level information provided to the teacher based on the results of the assessments. The program suggests the teacher reteach the students who are not successful on the assessments. However, the suggested activities are not necessarily different from the initial teaching practice.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, beginning in Unit 2, teachers administer the Letter-Name and Letter-Sound Assessments once per unit. This assessment measures both accuracy and speed.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 6, Day 5, there is a Cumulative Assessment sheet where the teacher records one point for accuracy and one point for fluency when students are reading through the list of words.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, there is a Fluency Report that records the lesson, the date of the assessment administration, the student score, the number correct, the number automatic, and the words that are misread.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, each lesson ends with the Cumulative Assessment. Teacher directions read, “Select a small group of children to assess this week. Note that the goal is to cycle through all the children every 3-4 weeks.”
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, the Letter-Name and Letter-Sound Assessments are administered as part of the first lesson of each unit, beginning in Unit 2.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3 Planner, students have a list of words that they must read, and they receive one point for accuracy and one point for fluency. The cumulative assessments are administered as follows:
• Lessons 6-11: the assessment is administered in Lesson 11
• Lessons 7-12: the assessment is administered in Lesson 12
• Lessons 8-12: the assessment is administered in Lesson 13
• Lessons 9-14: the assessment is administered in Lesson 14
• Lessons 10-15: the assessment is administered in Lesson 15
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4 Planner, the cumulative assessments are completed on Day 5 and are administered as follows:
• Lessons 11-16: the assessment is administered in Lesson 16
• Lessons 12-17: the assessment is administered in Lesson 17
• Lessons 13-18: the assessment is administered in Lesson 18
• Lessons 14-19: the assessment is administered in Lesson 19
• Lessons 15-20: the assessment is administered in Lesson 20

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, on Day 4 of each lesson, the Read and Write exercise directs the teacher to “use the page as an informal assessment.” The assessment measures students’ ability to identify and write the initial sound of a word.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, on Day 4 of each lesson, the Dictation exercise instructs the teacher to “Use the dictation activity to analyze spelling errors and provide corrective feedback.” This assessment measures students’ encoding phonics skills.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 8, Day 5, students are assessed on phonics skills from lessons 3-8. Students read a list of words, and they receive one point for accuracy and one point for fluency.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 23, Day 3,students complete the Cumulative Quick Check, where the teacher displays the sound-spelling cards for all previously taught phonics skills one at a time. Students say the sounds.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 11, Day 2, students reread the Blend It lines from Day 1. The teacher circulates and provides corrective feedback.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 15, Day 5, students complete the Cumulative Assessment that checks for word accuracy and fluency based on the phonics skill in each lesson. The words are pulled from lessons 10-15. Lesson 15 focuses on decoding words with the letter l. The words are lips, lid, lot, and fill.

Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information about students’ current skills/level of understanding of phonics.

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Instructional Guides, Phonics Assessment, page 6, it says if students struggle with reading words with previously taught phonics continue to add and reinforce the skills during blending, dictation, and word-building exercises. It further suggests to have the teacher engage the student in practice during small-group lessons, and reading decodable texts.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 7, Lessons 2 - 7, page 102, students are assessed on word/letter sound cumulative assessment, the teacher marks down on how accurate, and how fluent they read. The letter/sounds are picked from lessons 2 - 7.
• The Student Fluency Reports provide the teacher with information about each student’s letter and word reading fluency. For example, in Unit 1, the Reading Fluency Report for Lesson 1, provides information about a student’s skill to read the letter m.
• The Benchmark & Expectations document provides the teacher with student expectations for the Beginning-of-Year, Middle-of-Year, and End-of-Year in Letter Sounds and expectations for Middle-of-Year and End-of-Year in Hop, Skip, Jump Level A Beginning-of-the-Year Phonics Quick Check. For example, by Middle-of-Year, a student should accurately and automatically identify at least 15 letter sounds.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 25, Day 4, the Dictation exercise gives weekly instructional adjustments for the teacher. This lesson advises, “. . . some children might have trouble connecting the /y/ sound with Yy. Help children move past that by giving them additional practice sorting, reading, and building Yy words. Teach children a small set of high-utility words with Yy (e.g., yes, yet, yell, you, yap).”
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, after each Letter-Name and Letter-Sound Assessment, the materials instruct the teacher to “Adjust children’s placement in the materials and/or the Teacher Table instruction they receive.”
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Day 5, the assessment instructions tell the teacher to use the information to build their small group after they report the information on the fluency report.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten partially 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).

From Phonics to Reading Level K materials provide a high-frequency assessment that teachers complete three times a year with students, at the beginning, middle, and end. The students read down the list of words, and the teacher marks which ones are correct or not. There are some suggestions for how the teacher should support students who do not score well on the high-frequency assessment; however, indications of students’ skill levels cannot be determined through the use of these assessments, so teachers are not able to determine how students are progressing on skills.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, each lesson’s Teacher Table - Assessment box reads, “You may wish to also check on children’s growing ability to spell this week’s high-frequency words. . .”
• In Teacher's Edition, Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 6, Day 4, Cumulative Review, students complete items one and two in their Student Books. Students write the high-frequency words to complete the sentence. The students write a sentence using the high-frequency words.
• In Teacher’s Edition, Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 17, Day 4, Cumulative Review, students review high-frequency words by writing the words from the box to create a sentence, and build two sentences using high-frequency words.

Assessment materials provide the teacher with information concerning students’ current skills/level of understanding of word recognition and word analysis. The assessment does not provide the student with information about their current skills of understanding word recognition and word analysis.

• In the Teacher’s Edition, High-Frequency Word Assessments, the Kindergarten assessment informs the teacher of which words the student does not recognize. The Teacher Form includes a section for recording the student’s response, so the teacher can analyze the common error patterns. Suggestions for analysis of common error patterns is not included.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition, Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 12, Day 4, after students have completed the Building Fluency assessment, the Teacher’s Edition states that the teacher should use this review to determine the student’s needs. The Teacher’s Edition states that the teacher should write the week’s high-frequency words on index cards for students needing additional support. The teacher should display the words one word at a time and have students read, write, and spell them. The Teacher’s Edition states that, if time allows, the teacher should include a few high-frequency words from previous weeks.
• In Teacher’s Edition, Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 16, Day 4, after students have completed the Building Fluency assessment, the Teacher’s Edition states that the teacher should use this review to determine the student’s needs. The Teacher’s Edition states that the teacher should write the week’s high-frequency words on index cards for students needing additional support. The teacher should display the words one word at a time and have students read, write, and spell them. The Teacher’s Edition states that, if time allows, the teacher should include a few high-frequency words from previous weeks.
• In Teacher’s Edition, Level K, High Frequency Word Assessment, materials state that if you give students the assessment and they miss a word, reteach the word during the Read/Build/Write the word routine. Materials suggest the students use sentence frames, or sentence starters for students to complete with the target word in it. Students may also use the What’s Missing or Mix and Fix routines in order to support reteaching high frequency words. Materials also suggest students continue to highlight the words when reading the words in decodable texts or other classroom books.

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

The materials contain a document entitled, “From Phonics to Reading Correlation to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts Grade K”, which informs the teacher about where in the Teacher’s Edition and Student Edition each CCSS standard is addressed. Some assessment materials clearly denote which standards are being evaluated in a document called “Sadlier’s From Phonics to Reading Assessment Item Analysis Common Core State Standards”.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition, CCSS Assessment Item Analysis, Kindergarten, page 1, it indicates the Letter Name Assessment corresponds to CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RFK.1.D.
• In Teacher’s Edition, CCSS Assessment Item Analysis, Kindergarten, Beginning of Year and Middle of Year, page 1, it indicates the Letter Sound Assessment corresponds to CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RFK.3.A
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 9, Day 4, page 124, the assessment says Cumulative Review, Build Fluency. It does not list the standards.

Materials include denotations of standards being assessed in some of the summative assessments.

• In Teacher’s Edition, CCSS Assessment Item Analysis, Kindergarten, End of Year, page 1, it indicates the Letter Sound Assessment corresponds to CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RFK.3.A
• In Teacher’s Edition, CCSS Assessment Item Analysis, Kindergarten, End of Year, page 2, it indicates the Phonemic Awareness Assessment Part 1: Rhyme corresponds to CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RFK.2.A.
• In Teacher’s Edition, CCSS Assessment Item Analysis, Kindergarten, End of Year, page 2, it indicates the Hop, Skip, Jump Level A Beginning-of-the-Year Phonics Quick Check corresponds to CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RFK.3.A and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RFK.3.B
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2 planner, page 79A, the Cumulative Assessments state that the Lesson 6 Cumulative Assessment assesses the skills learned in Lessons 1-6. The Lesson 7 Cumulative Assessment assesses the skills learned in Lessons 2-7. The Lesson 8 Cumulative Assessment assesses the skills learned in Lessons 3-8. The Lesson 9 Cumulative Assessment assesses the skills learned in Lessons 4-9. The Lesson 10 Cumulative Assessment assesses the skills learned in Lessons 5-10. There are no notations of standards being addressed.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, From Phonics to Reading Correlation to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts Grade K, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.1.C, it lists Teacher’s Edition, Understanding How Sentences Work (words are separated by spaces) on pages 26, 40, 54, 68, 119, 257, 219, 269, 331.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, From Phonics to Reading Correlation to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts Grade K, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.C, it lists Teacher’s Edition, Oral Segmentation (onset and rime) on pages 129, 132, 143, 146, 167, 170, 179, 182.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, From Phonics to Reading Correlation to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts Grade K, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.3.B, it lists Student Book/Teacher’s Edition for Unit 3 short o in Lesson 12 on pages 153-164.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4 Planner, the Cumulative Assessments state that the Lesson 16 Cumulative Assessment assesses the skills learned in Lessons 11-16. The Lesson 17 Cumulative Assessment assesses the skills learned in Lessons 12-17. The Lesson 18 Cumulative Assessment assesses the skills learned in Lessons 13-18. The Lesson 19 Cumulative Assessment assesses the skills learned in Lessons 14-19. The Lesson 20 Cumulative Assessment assesses the skills learned in Lessons 15-20. There are no notations of standards being addressed.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5 planner, the Cumulative Assessments state that the Lesson 21 Cumulative Assessment assesses the skills learned in Lessons 16-21. The Lesson 22 Cumulative Assessment assesses the skills learned in Lessons 17-22. The Lesson 23 Cumulative Assessment assesses the skills learned in Lessons 18-23. The Lesson 24 Cumulative Assessment assesses the skills learned in Lessons 19-24. The Lesson 25 Cumulative Assessment assesses the skills learned in Lessons 20-25. There are no notations of standards being addressed.

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

From Phonics to Reading Level K materials include a vocabulary acquisition routine at the beginning of each lesson that is aimed at English Learners. The strategy focuses on concrete demonstrations of vocabulary words. Opportunities for reteaching are limited. There is an explanation of the skills that the teacher should address with these students. In each of the thirty lessons, on Day 1 there are suggestions for English Learners in the areas of Sound Transfer and Vocabulary. There is an additional instructional guide about English Learner Supports. It includes information about routines, English Learner Support, and examples. It also provides EL supports in each lesson for Vocabulary Focus and Writing Extension.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 6, Day 1, page 79, there is a section called Teacher’s Table - English Learners. The Teacher’s Edition describes how the /n/ sound and spelling transfers in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Hmong. The teacher is told to focus on articulation by modeling the correct position of the mouth to say the letter n. The students are encouraged to practice pressing their tongues against the upper gums and feel the vibration of the nasal sound.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 2, Lesson 7, Day 1, page 91, the Teacher Table - English Learners box instructs the teacher to focus on words whose meanings can be demonstrated concretely. The teacher is instructed to show a picture of a pin and a pit and to have students act out the word sit.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 15, Day 1, page 189, in Teacher Table - English Learners, the Teacher’s Edition suggests to pick Blend It lines on page 189 of the Student Book and to focus on words whose meanings can be explained or demonstrated in a concrete way. The examples are hill and lid.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 22, Day 1, page 277, in the Sound Transfer section, the Teacher’s Edition states that the sound /u/ transfers in Vietnamese and Tagalong and has an approximate transfer in Cantonese and Mandarin. The teacher is prompted to focus on articulation and mouth position.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, page x, there is a general statement that there is support in all 30 lessons for English Language Learners.
• “provides teachers with thirty weeks of instruction, lesson support for English Learners, homework suggestions, and learning center activities.”
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, xv, there is an example of the Teacher’s Table - English Learners section on Day 1 of all 30 lessons with two sections, Sound Transfer and Vocabulary.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, page xxii, in Teacher’s Table - English Learners, the Teacher’s Edition explains that some children may have trouble pronouncing some sounds in English and understanding their meanings. It says that some languages do not have words with consonant blends. “Time must also be spent discussing the meanings of the lesson’s words through simple definitions (including in both languages), actions, pantomiming, and so on.”
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 22, Day 1, page 277, the Teacher Table - English Learners box instructs the teacher to focus on words whose meanings can be demonstrated concretely. The teacher is instructed to show a picture of a bus and the sun to act out the words run and cut.
• In the Instructional Guides: English Learner Supports, Level K English Learner Supports, for Lesson 6, it includes for Vocabulary Focus: “Preteach the name of the picture cards for the Sound Sort. Preteach the names for the pictured items on the Trace and Write page. Other pie, pan, shadow, guess.
• In the Instructional Guides: English Learner Supports, Level K English Learner Supports, for Lesson 24, it includes Sentence Starters: “The ____ runs in the maze. The ____ runs _____.”

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

From Phonics to Reading Level K materials include opportunities for small group reteaching of foundational skills. Three exercises in each lesson call for reteaching of specific exercises for students who are struggling with foundational skills; the materials provide explicit instruction for reteaching steps in the two reteaching exercises that occur with pages within the same lesson. There are lessons for the teacher to use when reteaching students who are struggling or reteaching students who did not master the content the previous day.

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

• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Day 2 of each lesson includes Teacher Table - Intervention instructions to Address Learning Gaps. The teacher is instructed to meet with students each day to repeat blending, dictation and connected text pages from previously-taught lessons based on weekly assessment data.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 3, Lesson 15, Day 3, page 195, the Teacher Table - Intervention box instructs the teacher to repeat the Think and Write activity with children who struggle. The teacher is provided explicit instructions to use sound boxes and counters to model stretching the word, then model connecting each sound with a spelling. The teacher guides children to orally segment the words and replace each counter with a spelling.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 17, Day 2, page 219, in the Teacher Table - Intervention, the teacher says the word. Children repeat the word and say the beginning vowel sound. The teacher has the children repeat the word as they write it. The teacher connects the beginning vowel sound to the letter i. The teacher repeats with the beginning, or middle vowel sound: pin, am, rap, Ed, met.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, Unit 5, Lesson 23, Day 4, page 297, the teacher repeats the Listen and Spell activity on the Student Book page 294 with students who struggled.

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.

• In the Phonics Instructional Guide: Multiple Tiers for Success, it states that students who are a Tier 3 student may need a specially designed intervention program to meet their needs.
• In the Phonics Instructional Guide: Multiple Tiers for Success: Tier 2, subheading it says to provide the instruction from the small-group instruction suggested activity that is in each week’s lesson.
• In the Phonics Instructional Guide: Multiple Tiers for Success: Tier 2 and 3 heading it suggests having students use online stories for students to listen to, during the blending exercises have students only be accountable for a couple of the blending lines instead of all. Then it further suggests to have students work on blending lines, dictation, word building, and reading of the decodable stories and writing about them.

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

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

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

• In the Multiple Tiers for Success, page 6 it says that students who are above - level should be presented with the challenge lines on the learn and blend activity.
• In the Multiple Tiers for Success, page 8, it says to be sure to assess students using the Comprehensive phonics survey, and the Phonemic Awareness Assessment in order to determine if students should be moved ahead. It says for above level students place them further along the scope and sequence and begin instruction there during small-group time. Then it suggests, to only have students read the decodable on the first day, but not reread text and instead have them work on more complex skills.
• In the “Instructional Guide: Above Level Student Supports”, in Lesson 10, for Word Building, it recommends, “Add the following words to TRACE, WRITE, AND BUILD: mad, dog.”
• In the “Instructional Guide: Above Level Student Supports”, in Lesson 21, for Word Sort, it recommends, “Conduct a Word Sort with these words: van, pan, ran, vet, wet, get.”

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

From Phonics to Reading Level K digital materials are compatible with desktop, tablet and mobile phone devices, using both Apple and Windows platforms. Devices specifically tested:

• Gateway desktop
• Microsoft SurfacePro with Windows 7 OS
• iPhone 6s with iOS
• iPad
• MacBook PrO

The materials are accessible using multiple internet browsers. Browsers specifically tested:

• Google Chrome
• Internet Explorer
• Mozilla Firefox
• Safari

Both the teacher and the student editions can be accessed on all of the different platforms.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten meet the criteria for materials support effective use of technology to enhance student learning, drawing attention to evidence and texts as appropriate.

From Phonics to Reading Level K digital materials include exact replicas of the pages in the print Student Book. The digital materials include interactive resources for each lesson that allow students to interact with the exercises in different ways, including options to check and self-correct their work, build new words, perform open word sorts, and use digital tools to annotate text.

Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Online Teacher’s Edition, Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 2, there are interactive resources for practice activities Sort It Out, Think and Write, Word Building, and the Take-Home Book, "I Can," with decodable text, that is provided in the Student Book.
• In Online Teacher's Edition, Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 20, there are interactive resources for practice activities Blend It, Sort It Out, Think and Write, Word Building, and the Take-Home Book, "Six Boxes," with decodable text, that is provided in the Student Book.
• In Online Student's Edition, Level K, Unit 1, Lesson 4, the teacher can download the digital version of the activity, Sort It Out. The teacher can move pictures into the right boxes to sort between sounds.

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

From Phonics to Reading Level K digital materials allow teachers to create assignments for individual students. Beyond this assignment feature, options to manipulate or customize content to personalize learning are limited. There is nothing on the online platform that is manipulatable. The teacher can download the pages students would use or students would be shown. This same information is in the Teacher's Edition and the Student Book.

The materials reviewed for Kindergarten do not meet the criteria for materials can be easily customized for local use.

From Phonics to Reading Level K digital materials do not allow teachers to customize content. There is nothing on the online platform that is manipulatable. The program does not offer ways to customize the display of information.

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

From Phonics to Reading Level K print and digital materials are well-organized. Pages in the Student Book limit one concept per page with easy-to-read font size. The use of color is not distracting. Teacher pages feature clearly labeled text boxes and side bars that are easy to read and use. Both the online material and the printed material in the Teacher's Edition and Student Book are clear and concise. The materials have student-appropriate font, and the writing is easy to read. There are concise directions on the student pages, and there are boxes or clear linear lines to outline the different sections.

Examples include but are not limited to the following:

• In Student Book Level K, the font size and type are easy to read and of appropriate size. Color-coded tabs clearly identify lessons. Use of color enhances materials and is not distracting.
• In Digital Materials Level K, the digital content is organized and easy to access. Digital content mirrors the organization and formatting of print content.
• In Teacher’s Edition Level K, the instructional information for teachers is appropriately sized, organized, and labeled to allow teachers to easily follow the sequence of instruction. Use of color and organization mirrors Student Book.
• In Student Book Level K, Unit 4, Lesson 20, students complete the Write About It. There are two direction lines, a small photo in the top right corner, a large box for students to draw their own picture, and two lines for students to write about their picture.