Amira Reading Suite, Grade 2

Evaluation for 1.1a
Materials include an explanation of the stated purpose of the supplemental program (e.g., additional instruction and/or practice, targeted remediation or acceleration).

The Amira Reading Suite grade 2 materials explain that the supplemental program is designed to enhance grade-level instruction with additional practice and to offer targeted remediation and acceleration for students who are below grade level. The Amira Instruct User Manual provides an overview of Amira Instruct as a resource designed to bridge assessment data and daily classroom instruction by generating differentiated lesson plans driven by artificial intelligence (AI). The manual explains, “Instruct transforms those insights into actionable, differentiated lesson plans that align with district curricula and Science of Reading principles.”

The Amira Tutor User Manual provides an overview of Amira Tutor as a resource designed for practice, targeted remediation, acceleration, and integration into a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework. The manual explains, “Amira Tutor is an AI-powered reading coach that provides one-on-one tutoring support for students across all reading levels.”

Evaluation for 1.1b
Materials include guidance on how to appropriately use the supplemental program to support an existing core reading and language arts program.

The Amira Implementation Guide offers detailed, step-by-step instructions for integrating the supplemental program with existing core reading and language arts curricula. The guide addresses implementation across all MTSS tiers and provides checklists, practical resources for launching the program, and advice on preparing students, setting weekly goals, and embedding the Amira Reading Suite program into daily routines. Importantly, the guide includes evidence that Amira’s adaptive AI aligns supplemental lessons with the district’s tier one scope and sequence, ensuring instruction follows a coherent progression and supports seamless integration with core classroom instruction.

The grade 2 materials provide guidance for integrating the supplemental program with an existing core reading and language arts curriculum. According to the Amira MTSS Guide, the Amira Reading Suite program supports all MTSS tiers as both a diagnostic and an instructional tool. The guide details how the program supplements core instruction at each tier and emphasizes its role in intervention support, ensuring comprehensive coverage across the MTSS framework.

Evaluation for 1.1c
Materials include a scope and sequence outlining student expectations, skills taught, and a rationale for the design of the scope and sequence.

The Amira Scope & Sequence and Amira ELAR Lesson Map identify which on grade-level student expectations the supplemental program addresses. For example, the grade 2 materials identify the instructional progression across the school year and align instructional lessons to the specific grade 2 TEKS. However, because the program provides both additional instruction and practice and targeted remediation or acceleration, the materials are expected to identify both the on grade-level and below grade-level TEKS addressed within the program. The materials do not identify the below grade-level TEKS addressed through targeted instruction.

The Amira Scope & Sequence identifies the literacy skills the program teaches and shows where those skills are developed across the school year. For grade 2, the scope and sequence names specific skills within instructional strands, including decoding, phonological awareness, high-frequency words, vocabulary, background knowledge, and structures and reasoning related to comprehension and language. The weekly progression identifies when specific skills are taught and includes cumulative review of previously taught skills. For example, grade 2 decoding instruction progresses from closed and open syllables to digraphs, vowel-consonant-e (VCe) patterns, vowel teams, r-controlled vowels, syllable division patterns, and vowel diphthongs. The sequence also incorporates morphological skills throughout the year—including inflectional endings, prefixes, and suffixes—and revisits previously introduced skills in later weeks. For example, students progress from inflections -ed and -ing and prefixes un- and re- to suffixes such as -ful, -less, -y, and -ly, and they review common prefixes near the end of the year. This organization allows educators to identify the specific literacy skills taught and where they occur within the program’s instructional sequence.

Within the Amira Scope & Sequence, the “About This Scope and Sequence” section provides a rationale for the design and sequencing of instruction. The materials explain that the default scope and sequence reflects recommended pacing when no personalization data are available and that skills within each instructional strand follow a sequential progression, with previously taught skills reviewed cumulatively as new skills are introduced. Since the program is adaptive, instruction can also respond to individual student needs rather than requiring every student to follow the same pathway. Additionally, in the Amira Instruct User Manual, section 2.2, “Core Coherence Pathway,” provides guidance for districts to upload their own tier one curriculum scope and sequence to align Amira instruction with local curriculum and pacing. This guidance explains the purpose of the default sequence and how instruction may be adjusted to meet student needs or to align with district curriculum and pacing.

Evaluation for 1.1d
Materials include guidance on time requirements (e.g., duration, frequency) and suggested pacing for effective implementation.

The materials provide explicit, research-backed guidance on time requirements and pacing for effective implementation with Amira Tutor. The Usage Guidelines for Amira recommend 10 minutes per week for basic impact, 20 minutes per week for noticeable growth, and 30 minutes per week across three or more sessions for optimal results, noting that additional time beyond 45 minutes per week does not yield further benefit.

The “Scheduling Success with Amira” document provides specific, actionable guidance for educators. For example, the document includes a sample daily schedule that allocates 15–20 minutes for Amira Tutor three times a week and recommends administering Amira Istation’s Indicators of Progress (ISIP) Assess three times a year with monthly progress monitoring. The document also details differentiated pacing based on student percentile rank, allowing educators to adjust frequency and duration according to individual student needs. By offering these concrete examples, the materials ensure educators can implement the program with clarity and flexibility.

Evaluation for 1.1e
Materials include resources and guidance to support educators with implementing the materials as designed.

The materials include resources and guidance to support educators in implementing the materials as designed. For example, the Amira Implementation Guide provides step-by-step instructions, checklists, and practical support for launching the program, including advice on preparing students, setting weekly goals, and integrating the program into daily routines. The materials help support students with additional practice to enhance grade-level instruction as well as targeted remediation and acceleration for students performing below grade level.

The Amira Instruct User Manual explains how the AI-powered program can fully plan lessons for effective implementation, but recommends educators maintain their own agency through the process. The program combines automatic generation with educator customization. Through this combination, the program can effectively implement lessons and activities that are adaptive to each student’s individual needs and progress, but educators can also apply their professional judgment based on formal and informal student observations. This also allows educators to adjust for classroom dynamics, available resources, and timing to meet the needs of students who are on or below grade level.

Evaluation for 1.1f
Materials contain supports for families in both Spanish and English with suggestions on supporting the progress of their student.

The materials include supports for families in both English and Spanish, along with additional resources designed to support student growth. The Amira Family Communication Guide provides suggestions for supporting student progress and includes communication tools, explanations of program metrics, and guidance for supporting reading at home. The guide explains that schools should maintain consistent and predictable communication with families throughout the school year to foster clear, supportive, and encouraging partnerships rather than limit communication to benchmark windows or periods of concern. The guide provides resources for educators to send home both before and after administering the beginning-, middle-, and end-of-year benchmark assessments. These resources are designed to build partnerships between school and home.

The introductory family letter, “Boosting Literacy with Amira Learning,” introduces families to Amira Learning and explains that their school may send home additional opportunities for families to support their child’s reading development, emphasizing the importance of family partnership in helping students thrive. The Amira Family Communication Guide also helps families interpret the “Parent Report,” offering score interpretation and suggestions for supporting reading growth at home. Family letters are available in both English and Spanish, as well as seven other languages.

Evaluation for 2.1a
Materials include appropriate instructional assessments for the stated purpose of the supplemental program (e.g., diagnostic placement assessments for targeted remediation or acceleration).

The Amira ISIP Assess User Manual explains that the materials include a diagnostic instructional assessment aimed at placing students in an adaptive pathway for targeted remediation or acceleration or providing additional practice for students who demonstrate grade-level proficiency. Educators can administer the Amira ISIP Assessment at the beginning, middle, and end of the year. The assessment includes “tasks that cover all components of the ‘reading rope’ model,” including phonological awareness, phonics and decoding, high-frequency word recognition, oral reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The “Inside Amira ISIP Assess” document explains that specific tasks, such as pseudoword identification, are designed to assess “phonics mastery and ability to decode unfamiliar words.” Through this evaluation, the AI-powered program targets remediation or assigns acceleration goals, providing educators with “real-time actionable data.” Educators also can use it as a summative assessment at the middle and end of the year.

The Amira Reading Suite materials provide ongoing formative assessment opportunities, allowing educators to monitor student progress and adjust instruction throughout implementation. Outside benchmark administration windows, educators may assign the On-Demand Assessment, a full ISIP assessment educators can use at any point in the academic year, or the Subtests On-Demand Assessment, a skill-based formative assessment tool that educators may use to identify student growth areas that need additional support. These assessment options allow educators to frequently monitor growth, identify skill deficits, and make instructional decisions related to remediation or acceleration without replacing benchmark assessment data.

Evaluation for 2.1b
Materials include the definition and intended purpose for the instructional assessments included.

The Amira ISIP Assess User Manual outlines the program’s various instructional assessments and how they fit within the program framework. The “Integrating Amira into MTSS” section describes a “comprehensive three-layer approach to progress monitoring” and outlines the assessment tools associated with each level of support, including diagnostic benchmarks, tutoring assessments, AI assessments, and on-demand testing. A chart explains the purpose of each assessment type and identifies whether it is used for screening, ongoing progress monitoring, or evaluating response to intervention. This guidance helps educators understand the role of each assessment.

In the Amira ISIP Assess Technical Guide, the “Purpose and Use” section explains the intended purpose of the program’s instructional assessments. The materials state that Amira ISIP Assess serves “three distinct and crucial purposes in supporting early literacy development: as a universal screener, a benchmark assessment, and a progress monitoring tool.” The Universal Screener identifies students who may need additional support, while the Benchmark Assessment, a diagnostic tool, provides beginning-, middle-, and end-of-year data to monitor students’ growth over time. The guide describes the Progress Monitoring component as an ongoing formative assessment that evaluates “students’ rate of improvement” and identifies skills that require additional instructional intervention. Combined, these explanations clarify how assessment results guide intervention and tailor instructional planning throughout the year, culminating in the Amira ISIP Assessment, a summative evaluation tool that assesses students’ mastery at the end of the academic school year.

Evaluation for 2.1c
For instructional assessments administered by educators, materials include guidance to ensure consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments.

The Amira Benchmark Guide offers educators step-by-step guidance for administering benchmark assessments consistently throughout the academic school year. The materials outline procedures for “what to do before, during, and after the Amira Benchmark assessment,” including checking the assessment window, adjusting assessment settings, and setting up accommodations prior to administration. The guide also includes recommendations for maintaining a focused testing environment during assessment administration and reviewing and sharing results after testing is complete.

The Amira Benchmark Guide also includes administrative guidance to support accurate testing conditions and consistent assessment delivery. The materials provide recommendations for “space setup and technology needs,” including seating arrangements designed to reduce microphone interference and minimize background noise during assessment administration. These measures are intended to ensure that assessment results accurately reflect students’ abilities by minimizing external factors that could distort performance. The manual also includes troubleshooting guidance, technology preparation recommendations, and procedures for students who have completed the test.

Evaluation for 2.1d
Instructional assessments include items at varying levels of complexity.

Amira ISIP Assess evaluates reading development across a range of skill areas and increasing levels of complexity. The “Inside Amira ISIP Assess” document provides an overview of assessment tasks that progress from foundational literacy skills, such as letter names, letter sounds, and phonological awareness, to more advanced literacy tasks involving decoding, spelling, and reading comprehension. For example, students move from identifying letters and sounds to reading real and nonsense words, applying spelling knowledge, and demonstrating comprehension of written passages. This progression allows assessment tasks to measure increasingly complex reading skills as students develop proficiency.

The Amira Reading Suite uses AI to adjust text complexity based on student performance. In the Amira Tutor User Manual, the “Tutor Features and Capabilities” section explains that students interact with texts leveled by AI to varying levels of complexity: below, at, or above grade level. Students receive texts and reading tasks that match their current skill level as they progress. This allows educators to gather assessment data from students working across different levels of text complexity.

Evaluation for 2.2a
Instructional assessments and scoring information provide guidance for interpreting student performance.

The Amira Metrics Guide provides scoring guidance through a collection of assessment measures and reports that help educators make sense of student performance data. The guide explains key measures, including the Amira Reading Mastery (ARM) score, Amira Reading Mastery Percentile Rank, Estimated Mastery, Mastery of Academic Standards & Targets (MAST) Score, and Dyslexia Risk Index (DRI). The guide also explains what each score means and how it can be used. For example, the ARM score compares students’ performance to their peers, the DRI identifies potential reading risk, and the MAST score reflects mastery of grade-level standards. The guide outlines how to interpret the various scores from the assessments to help “educators understand student performance in relation to national peers, grade-level standards, and risk indicators for reading difficulties.”

The Administrator Dashboard: Configurations & Reporting Guide explains how educators can use the “Assessment Classification Report” and the “How to Track Reading Risk” report to interpret assessment results. The “Assessment Classification Report” provides information about student performance and the “How to Track Reading Risk” report highlights student risk levels based on the results. The Administrator Dashboard: Configurations & Reporting Guide gives educators the information they need to interpret the dashboard reports and track reading risk, standards mastery, and reading proficiency.

Evaluation for 2.2b
Materials provide guidance for the use of the supplemental program to respond to student trends in performance on assessments.

The Administrator Dashboard: Configurations & Reporting Guide and the Teacher Reports Reference Guide explain how educators can use the “Teacher Reports,” including the “Reading Rope Insights Report,” to identify areas that require additional instruction or practice. In the “Teacher Reports,” educators can view performance across reading skills and determine specific areas of strength and growth. The reports give educators guidance in identifying patterns in data trends and making instructional decisions based on individual student needs. For example, the “Decoding” tab highlights which decoding skills the student has mastered and which need further intervention.

The Amira MTSS Guide explains how educators can use assessment data to identify student needs and choose appropriate instructional support. For example, the “Intervention Plan Template” helps educators document student needs, set goals, select intervention strategies, and create a progress monitoring plan for growth. In addition, the guide explains how educators can use assessment results across the different tiers of support. At tier one, assessment data help educators identify students’ strengths and areas that may need additional support. At tier two, educators can use Amira Tutor and Amira Instruct to address specific reading skill gaps. At tier three, more detailed reports help educators plan intensive support for students with greater instructional needs.

Evaluation for 2.2c
Materials include tools for educators to track student progress and growth, and tools for students to track their own progress and growth.

The Amira Reading Suite program includes a digital dashboard with several tools to track student progress and growth. The Administrator Dashboard: Configurations & Reporting Guide and the Teacher Reports Reference Guide explain how educators can use the program’s reporting tools to track student progress and growth over time. For example, the “Class Progress Report” allows educators to monitor assessment scores throughout the school year, while the “Skill Diagnostic Report” provides information about student mastery of individual reading skills.

In the Amira Reading Suite program students can use tools to view and monitor their own progress over time. The “Student Growth Graph” provides a visual display of student performance and growth across assessment opportunities. The “Progress Report” and “Student Summary Report” provide real-time data related to reading risk, skill mastery, and assessment performance to help students track their progress and better understand their reading growth over time.

Evaluation for 2.2d
If applicable for the stated purpose of the supplemental program, materials include guidance for entry and exit criteria.

The materials include guidance for entry criteria through the Amira ISIP Assess Technical Guide, which provides measurable criteria for identifying students who require supplemental intervention. For example, the guide includes recommended ARM cut scores by grade level and assessment window (e.g., fall, winter, spring), and identifies students whose ARM scores fall below the recommended cut score as at risk for reading difficulties. The guide also classifies students scoring below the 25th percentile as tier three and provides explicit entry criteria for intervention placement.

The Amira MTSS Guide includes an “Intervention Check-In Template” that supports educators in monitoring progress toward a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) learning goal and documenting decisions to continue, modify, or exit intervention. For example, the template provides space to record ongoing progress monitoring data and team decisions across multiple intervention check-ins. However, the materials do not establish program-defined exit criteria indicating when students have met intervention goals or are ready to discontinue supplemental support. Exit decisions are based on educator-developed SMART goals and team judgment rather than objective exit thresholds.

Evaluation for 3.1a
If applicable for the stated purpose, materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction and activities for students who have not yet reached proficiency in grade-level skills.

The educator-led lessons in Amira Instruct include guidance to help educators differentiate instruction for students who have not yet demonstrated proficiency in grade-level skills. Within the “Differentiation and Support” section of each lesson, educators are provided with differentiation suggestions, intervention activities, and additional support. For example, in the lesson “Producing Rhyming Words in a Series” educators are encouraged to begin with familiar rhyme families and model how to build longer rhyme chains by changing beginning sounds and blends while keeping the ending pattern the same. Additional intervention supports include using anchor charts that highlight rhyme-family patterns, providing guided practice with word-sorting activities, and encouraging students to try single sounds before adding more complex blends. Students also have opportunities to work collaboratively with partners to build rhyme series before independently generating their own rhyming word chains. These supports provide educators with practical ways to scaffold instruction and reinforce skills for students who need additional support.

The Early Reader Skills Scaffold provides targeted support for students who need additional practice in foundational reading skills. The Early Reader Skills Scaffold Overview provides a structured sequence of activities designed for students who are not yet ready to read connected text independently. These activities include letter–sound practice, phoneme segmentation, word manipulation tasks, and decodable sentence reading. The scaffolded activities allow educators to provide students with more targeted practice based on their needs while reinforcing foundational literacy skills.

Evaluation for 3.1b
If applicable for the stated purpose, materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction and activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level skills.

The materials offer educators guidance for differentiating instruction for students who have already demonstrated proficiency in grade-level skills as outlined in the Amira Instruct User Manual. The program’s adaptive instruction adjusts text complexity and instructional focus in response to individual student performance, ensuring access to appropriately rigorous content. Additionally, the materials feature Comprehension Conversations, which are AI-driven Socratic dialogues that prompt students to articulate their thinking, reflect on ideas, and make real-world connections. These elements give advanced learners meaningful opportunities to interact with more complex texts, deepen understanding through higher-order questions, and expand their learning beyond grade-level expectations.

​The materials also include educator guidance for differentiated activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level skills. The Amira Tutor User Manual describes a lesson planning process that uses assessment data to adjust instruction based on student performance and skill mastery. The manual provides guidance for differentiating assignments to ensure that students receive instruction matched to their specific needs and skill level, using a process that “customizes assignments based on individual learning profiles” to provide appropriately challenging learning opportunities.

Evaluation for 3.1c
Materials include educator guidance for providing specially designed instruction (SDI) for students receiving supports and services through special education.

The materials reference supports for students with disabilities but do not include educator guidance for providing SDI. For example, the Amira Instruct User Manual includes sections such as “MTSS and IRIP Integration” and “Efficacy and Impact,” which describe tier three supports and individualized reading instruction plans (IRIPs) based on identified student needs. These resources support identifying students who require intervention and provide data for instructional decision-making, but the materials do not provide educator-facing guidance for adapting lesson content, instructional methods, or instructional delivery to meet the individualized needs of students receiving special education services.

Additionally, the Administrator Dashboard: Configurations & Reporting Guide includes options for adjusting assessment settings and accommodations. In the “How to Configure Assessments” section, guidance shows educators how to modify the “Rapid Automatized Naming” task, select language preferences, and apply extended time through a timer accommodation. Although these features allow educators to customize assessment administration based on student needs, they do not provide guidance for adapting lesson content, instructional methods, or instructional delivery for students receiving special education services.

Evaluation for 3.2a
Educator-led supplemental programs include explicit (direct) prompts and guidance to support the educator in modeling and explaining the skill(s) to be learned.

The educator-led lessons in Amira Instruct provide explicit prompts to help educators model and explain the taught skill. In the “Teach (I Do)” section, educators receive direct scripting and think-aloud prompts to guide students through the learning process. For example, the lesson “Variant Vowels: /aw/ and /oi/” prompts educators to model variant vowel sounds by stating, “Another variant vowel sound is /aw/. My mouth is open, and my jaw drops. Listen: /aw/.” The lesson also guides educators to write specific words on the board and model encoding patterns while spelling the word aloud: “If I hear /oi/ at the end of a word like joy, I use o-y.” Similarly, in the lesson “Inflectional Endings” educators are directed to say, “The ending -s is one of the most common endings. It can mean more than one. Or it can show that someone is doing something right now.” The lesson continues by directing educators to write cat and cats on the board and explain, “I see the base word cat with an -s at the end. I read the base word first: cat. Then I add the ending: cats. One cat, two cats.” These explicit prompts support educators in modeling the thinking process and explaining new concepts and skills.

Additionally, the materials provide consistent instructional structures that support educator modeling and explanation of targeted skills across lessons. Each lesson includes a learning target, key terms, and organized instructional sections such as, “Launch,” “Teach,” “Model,” “Guided Practice,” and “Wrap & Review.” Within these sections, educators receive instructional guidance, sample explanations, and modeling support to demonstrate concepts to students. For example, in the lesson “Recognizing Characteristics and Structures of Informational Text” educators model how to identify the central idea of an informational text by determining what the text is mostly about and identifying supporting details. The lesson also includes modeling guidance that supports educators in identifying and explaining text features such as headings and demonstrating how those features support understanding of the text. Similarly, the lesson “Producing Rhyming Words in a Series” guides educators to explain how words within a rhyme family share the same ending pattern and model how to build a series of rhyming words by changing beginning sounds and blends while keeping the ending pattern the same. Across lessons, these embedded supports consistently guide educators in modeling and explaining the targeted skills and concepts.

Evaluation for 3.2b
Educator-led supplemental programs include educator guidance and recommendations for effective delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional approaches.

The Teacher Dashboard offers a variety of lessons and activities designed to support educators in teaching reading skills. Lessons provide clear, step-by-step instructions that follow a gradual release of responsibility model: educators first demonstrate the skill in the “I Do” step, then guide students through practice in the “We Do” step, and finally allow students to apply the skill independently in the “You Do” step. Instructional strategies include educator modeling, guided practice, multisensory activities, and structured opportunities for student engagement. For instance, in the “Identify High-Frequency Words by Sight” lesson, educators model the “Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check” routine and explicitly demonstrate how to identify and analyze Heart Words and Sound-It-Out words. The lesson then guides students through shared practice with high-frequency words before providing opportunities for independent application. Additional supports include anchor charts, sentence frames, word cards, partner practice, and multisensory intervention activities such as tracing words in sand, forming letters with playdough, and clapping syllables. Detailed scripts, coaching prompts, and formative checks support effective lesson delivery and facilitation. These lesson components include educator modeling, guided practice, multisensory activities, and structured response activities, providing educators opportunities to implement a variety of instructional approaches.

The “Guided Practice” section of educator-led lessons within Amira Instruct supports effective facilitation through structured opportunities for discussion, collaboration, and active participation. For example, the lesson “Character Traits” includes a variety of instructional approaches that support effective delivery and facilitation. The lesson includes recommendations for facilitating movement-based activities, whole-group participation, and structured partner discussions. For instance, educators tell students, “Stand up. If I say something about personality, put your hand on your heart. If I say something about how a person looks, put your hand on your head.” The lesson also incorporates collaborative learning. Educators tell students to turn to a partner and discuss character traits using assigned speaking roles, and then switch roles and share additional ideas. These instructional approaches actively engage students while supporting discussion, collaboration, and understanding of the targeted skill.

Evaluation for 3.2c
Materials include guidance for educators on recommended structures (e.g., whole group, small group, individual) to support effective implementation.

The materials provide guidance on recommended instructional structures to support effective program implementation. The “Scheduling Success with Amira” document encourages educators to use the program flexibly across individual, small-group, and whole-group instructional settings. The materials connect each instructional structure to specific purposes, including independent practice, intervention, homework, literacy centers, support for emergent bilingual (EB) students, and core literacy instruction. Additional implementation supports include a sample classroom schedule and student plans organized by percentile rank, which help educators determine appropriate levels of use and instructional focus. These resources guide educators in integrating the program into daily classroom routines and meeting diverse student needs. These resources also support flexible implementation across instructional settings and classroom routines.

The materials guide educators in selecting instructional structures aligned to student support needs within the MTSS framework, as outlined in the Amira MTSS Guide. For tier one, the guide emphasizes high-quality classroom instruction for all students and highlights whole-group practices that support oral reading fluency and skill reinforcement. For tier two, the guide recommends targeted small-group interventions for students who require additional support and provides reporting tools to help educators form groups based on specific skill needs. The materials also explain how Amira Tutor supplements educator-led small-group instruction through guided oral reading practice. Additional supports for tier three include individualized instructional pathways, adaptive feedback, and one-on-one oral reading practice at each student’s instructional level. The materials include an “Intervention Plan Template” that prompts educators to identify the appropriate tier and document instructional supports.

Evaluation for 3.3a
Materials include educator guidance on providing linguistic accommodations for various levels of language proficiency [as defined by the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)], which are designed to engage students in using increasingly more academic language.

The educator-led lessons in Amira Instruct include guidance for providing linguistic accommodations that support multilingual learners in using academic language during instruction. For example, in the lesson “Producing Rhyming Words in a Series,” the “Multilingual Learners” section encourages educators to briefly confirm the meaning of unfamiliar words within rhyme families, such as mound and hound, to support vocabulary development. The lesson also recommends making cognate connections when possible, noting that words such as train may be similar across languages. Additionally, the lesson encourages educators to use a visual sorting chart so students can see words grouped by family and revisit the same word families over multiple days. These linguistic accommodations support EB students’ access to lesson content and provide opportunities to use academic language during literacy instruction.

The materials do not include explicitly differentiated guidance for two or more levels of language proficiency as defined by the ELPS, such as pre-production, beginning, intermediate, high intermediate, and advanced. While several lessons in Amira Instruct include multilingual support, the guidance does not differentiate accommodations by proficiency level or provide separate recommendations for students at different stages of English language development. For example, the “Multilingual Learners” sections provide the same accommodations for all multilingual learners rather than distinguishing between supports for students at varying proficiency levels. Additionally, the program includes supports such as Spanish assessment options, Spanish-language directions, and cognate supports in the “Guidance for Assessment Accommodations” document and the Amira Intervention Encyclopedia. However, these resources focus primarily on language access, assessment accommodations, and tutoring supports rather than educator guidance that differentiates linguistic accommodations according to students’ levels of English language proficiency.

Evaluation for 3.3b
Materials include implementation guidance to support educators in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs.

The materials do not include implementation guidance to support educators in effectively using the materials within state-approved bilingual and ESL programs. While the materials offer instructional strategies for multilingual learners at the lesson level, overview guidance in user manuals does not provide direction for implementing the program within state-approved ESL program structures. For example, the “Multilingual Support” section of educator-led lessons in Amira Instruct provides guidance on using linguistic accommodations, cross-linguistic strategies (e.g., identifying cognates), and pre-teaching vocabulary. However, the Amira Instruct User Manual includes only general guidance on differentiating instruction for all students and does not address support for EB students.

The Amira Intervention Encyclopedia outlines additional linguistic accommodations and supports for EB students; however, it does not provide guidance on where these supports align with a state-approved instructional model. This resource outlines “micro-interventions” in Amira Tutor that focus on specific reading skills. AI provides these interventions to students based on errors in oral reading. While the resource states that materials are available in both English and Spanish, it does not explain how these “micro-interventions” align with or are used with state-approved ESL program models (e.g., ESL Content-Based, ESL Pull-Out). For example, the “Cognate” section states, “In this intervention, Amira helps the student to bridge from Spanish to English. Amira shows the student the Spanish cognate for the English word that has induced struggle.” The section further explains that the program provides this support only to students who have been designated as bilingual in the dashboard. Overall, the materials identify available supports but do not provide educators with guidance for implementing them within a state-approved bilingual or ESL program.

Evaluation for 3.3c
If designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs, materials include resources that outline opportunities to address metalinguistic transfer from English to the partner language.

This guidance is not applicable because the program is not designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs.

Evaluation for 4.1a
Materials do not include the three-cueing method as defined in Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.0062. TEC, §28.0062 defines three-cueing as a method of reading instruction for the identification of words in which a student is encouraged to draw on context and sentence structure to read words without sounding the words out or using a phonics-based approach.

No evidence of three-cueing as defined in Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.0062 was found in this program.

Evaluation for 4.2a
Materials include a systematic sequence of phonological awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose that progresses from basic skills and larger units of sound to more complex skills and smaller units of sound.

According to the Amira Scope & Sequence, the program introduces phonological awareness skills in an order that does not consistently progress from basic to more complex skills. For example, students engage primarily in blending and segmenting phonemes through most of the year, and the program does not introduce deleting and substituting phonemes until week 31. Additionally, the scope and sequence document does not provide evidence of instruction in phoneme addition, rhyming, or vowel discrimination. Although this document shows instruction in blending, segmenting, deleting, and substituting phonemes, it does not reflect a clear progression of all grade-level phonological awareness skills from larger units of sound to smaller ones.

Additionally, the materials do not show a systematic progression for phonological awareness skills aligned to the grade 2 TEKS. The Amira ELAR Lesson Map lists lessons according to the TEKS. However, the map does not establish a required sequence of instruction. Because educators assign Amira Tutor and Amira Instruct lessons based on individual student needs, the lesson map does not demonstrate the systematic sequence required by this indicator guidance statement. Individual lessons provide instruction in phonological awareness skills such as rhyming, sound discrimination, and phonemic awareness, but the materials do not demonstrate that these skills are intentionally sequenced to build from basic skills and larger units of sound to more complex skills and smaller units of sound.

Evaluation for 4.2b
Materials include a systematic sequence of phonemic awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose that progresses from basic skills (e.g., identifying, blending, and segmenting phonemes) to more complex skills (e.g., adding, deleting, and substituting phonemes).

According to the Amira Scope & Sequence, the program does not introduce phonemic awareness skills in an order that consistently progresses from basic to more complex skills. For example, students engage primarily in blending and segmenting phonemes throughout most of the year, and deleting and substituting phonemes are not introduced until week 31. Additionally, the scope and sequence document does not provide evidence of instruction in phoneme addition, rhyming, or vowel discrimination. Although the scope and sequence document shows instruction in blending, segmenting, deleting, and substituting phonemes, it does not reflect a clear progression from larger units of sound to smaller ones across all the grade-level TEKS.

The materials do not show a systematic progression for phonemic awareness skills aligned to the grade 2 TEKS. The Amira ELAR Lesson Map lists lessons by their corresponding TEKS. However, the map does not establish a sequence of instruction across the TEKS. Because educators assign Amira Tutor and Amira Instruct lessons based on individual student needs, the lesson map does not demonstrate the systematic sequence required by this indicator guidance statement. Individual lessons provide instruction in phonemic awareness skills such as blending, segmenting, adding, deleting, and substituting phonemes, but the materials do not demonstrate that these skills are intentionally sequenced to build from basic to complex skills as these lessons are not provided in a sequence of instruction.

Evaluation for 4.2c
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The materials provide explicit instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness through clearly identified learning objectives, direct educator guidance, and precise instructional language. The lesson “Adding and Removing Phonemes” explicitly teaches how adding or removing a phoneme changes a spoken word. The lesson clearly identifies the target skill and provides educators with step-by-step directions for introducing the concept, explaining academic vocabulary such as phoneme, and demonstrating how manipulating individual sounds creates new words. Educators then model multiple examples and explain the thinking process students should use when identifying and changing sounds. These clear objectives, precise directions, and explicit explanations support direct instruction aligned with the grade 2 TEKS.

The materials also include explicit phonological and phonemic awareness instruction through direct educator modeling, followed by supported and independent practice. This gradual release of responsibility model is evident across lessons. For example, in the lesson “Manipulating Phonemes to Make New Words” educators demonstrate how changing, removing, or substituting a phoneme alters a spoken word. Through multiple examples, educators model and explain the process of identifying the target sound, manipulating the phoneme, and determining the new word. Students then practice manipulating phonemes with educator support and feedback before independently applying the same process to additional words. Because students first observe the skill, then practice it with support, and finally apply it independently, the lesson provides explicit instruction aligned with the grade 2 TEKS.

Evaluation for 4.2d
Materials include cumulative student practice of phonological and phonemic awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The materials include cumulative practice in phonological and phonemic awareness by providing repeated opportunities for students to apply previously taught skills during subsequent instruction. According to the Amira Scope & Sequence, students practice foundational phonemic awareness skills, such as blending and segmenting phonemes, and continue to apply those skills in later lessons involving deleting and substituting phonemes. Throughout instruction, students revisit and use previously learned phonemic awareness skills while engaging with related phoneme-manipulation tasks. These recurring opportunities to practice and connect skills provide cumulative practice aligned with the grade 2 TEKS.

The materials also provide cumulative practice within individual lessons by requiring students to apply previously taught and modeled skills. In the lesson “Distinguishing Vowel Sounds in One-Syllable Words” educators first model how to identify and classify vowel sounds as long or short. Students then apply the same skill during whole-group activities and partner practice. Throughout the lesson, students repeatedly identify vowel sounds in words, compare words with similar vowel sounds, and explain their reasoning to a partner. These repeated opportunities to apply a previously taught skill provide cumulative practice aligned with the grade 2 TEKS.

Evaluation for 4.2e
Student practice includes only phonological and phonemic awareness skills that have been explicitly taught.

The educator-led lessons in Amira Instruct provide phonological awareness instruction and guide students to apply previously taught and modeled skills. For example, the lesson “Producing Rhyming Words in a Series” teaches students to identify shared ending sounds and generate additional rhyming words within a word family. Educators model how to use words with sounds such as -ight, -ound, and -ain to create rhyming series. Students then generate rhyming words with educator support before independently identifying words that complete a rhyming series and determining which words do not rhyme. Because students practice only the rhyming skills introduced and modeled earlier in the lesson, their practice remains aligned with previously taught phonological awareness skills.

The educator-led lessons in Amira Instruct also provide phonemic awareness practice limited to skills explicitly taught earlier in the lesson. For example, the lesson “Adding and Removing Phonemes” teaches students how adding or removing a phoneme changes a spoken word. Educators model the process using examples such as adding /k/ to rash to form crash and removing /k/ from clump to form lump. Students practice manipulating phonemes with educator support before independently applying the same phoneme addition and phoneme deletion procedures. Rather than introducing a new skill during practice, the lesson provides opportunities for students to reinforce and apply previously taught and modeled phoneme-manipulation skills.

Evaluation for 4.A.3a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing sound-spelling patterns in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Amira Instruct User Manual and the Amira Scope & Sequence show how phonics instruction builds systematically across grade levels and gives students additional opportunities to practice skills and receive targeted support when needed. In the manual, the section “Integration with High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) and Scope & Sequence” describes the program’s phonics instruction as systematic, progressing from blending and segmenting sounds to more advanced sound-manipulation skills. Additionally, the section “Understanding Science of Reading Alignment” explains the explicit, systematic instruction in letter–sound correspondences and decoding strategies and states that the program is designed to work alongside district-adopted curriculum, supporting alignment with the grade-level TEKS. The grade 2 scope and sequence shows this progression by introducing closed syllables before advancing to common digraphs, VCe patterns, and increasingly complex word analysis skills. The materials provide opportunities for students to learn a new skill and then apply that skill in a corresponding lesson, reinforcing sound–spelling patterns over time.

The lessons within Amira Instruct reinforce the systematic sequence of sound–spelling instruction through explicit modeling and application of appropriate grade-level patterns. For example, the lesson “Decoding Words With Short, Long, and Variant Vowels” guides educators to compare vowel patterns by identifying red as a short-vowel word, cake as a long-vowel word, and ball as a variant-vowel word. Through explicit modeling, students learn how different vowel patterns affect pronunciation and word reading. The lesson builds on previously learned vowel concepts while preparing students for more advanced syllable and word analysis skills introduced later in the sequence. Students are then given opportunities for practice, allowing them to apply the targeted patterns and reinforce their progress in sound–spelling instruction.

Evaluation for 4.A.3b
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in decoding and encoding words using sound-spelling patterns in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Amira Instruct educator-led lessons provide explicit, direct instruction in decoding words using sound–spelling patterns aligned with the grade-level TEKS, support grade-level instruction, and provide additional practice and targeted support as needed. The lessons include clearly stated learning targets, educator-led explanations, modeling, guided practice, independent application, and opportunities for review and feedback. For example, in the lesson “Decoding Multisyllabic Words With Vowel Digraphs,” in the “Model” section, educators demonstrate how to divide words such as season and repeat into syllables and blend them to read the complete word. The lesson “Decoding Multisyllabic Words With Closed, Open, and VCe Syllables” provides explicit instruction as educators model how to identify vowels, divide words into syllables, determine the syllable type, and blend the syllables to read words such as napkin. Students then practice the skill with educator support before applying the targeted sound–spelling patterns independently. These instructional supports connect new learning to previously taught sound–spelling patterns and provide opportunities for modeling, practice, review, and feedback as students develop decoding skills.

Similarly, the educator-led lessons provide explicit, direct instruction in encoding. For example, the lesson “Decoding and Spelling Words With Silent Letters” includes explicit educator modeling during the “Teach” section, in which educators explain that the letter k is silent when it appears before n at the beginning of a word and demonstrate this pattern in words such as knee. Students then participate in guided practice activities that require them to read and spell words containing the targeted pattern. Another example, the lesson “Decoding Multisyllabic Words With Closed, Open, and VCe Syllables,” provides explicit instruction in applying sound–spelling patterns through educator modeling, guided practice, and independent application. These instructional supports provide a gradual release from educator modeling to student application while reinforcing previously taught skills through practice, review, and feedback.

Evaluation for 4.A.3c
Materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding words using sound-spelling patterns in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text, to develop automaticity.

The Amira Instruct lessons provide cumulative opportunities for students to practice decoding and encoding sound–spelling patterns in isolation across multiple lessons. The Amira Instruct User Manual states that instruction is “explicit, systematic, cumulative, and multisensory in its delivery,” indicating that skills build progressively over time. For example, the lesson “Trigraphs: The Short Vowel Protectors tch and dge” reinforces previously taught sound–spelling patterns by having students identify trigraphs and read words such as sketch, ledge, and stretch during guided practice. Students also apply these patterns through sentence dictation activities that combine newly taught trigraphs with previously learned silent-letter patterns. Similarly, the lesson “Decoding Multisyllabic R-Controlled Syllable Words” provides repeated opportunities for students to encode multisyllabic words such as person and forest on dry-erase boards. These cumulative practice opportunities provide repeated, isolated practice in decoding and encoding to support increased accuracy and automaticity.

Additionally, the materials include cumulative student practice in decoding sound–spelling patterns in connected decodable text. For example, in the grade 2 lesson “Vowel Digraphs in Connected Text” students read the passage “By the Creek” and apply previously taught decoding skills while decoding multisyllabic words with vowel-team syllables, such as season, rainbow, footprint, mainstream, repeat, driftwood, and shallow. During the “Guided Practice” section students read the passage with a partner, divide multisyllabic words into syllables, identify words containing vowel teams, and decode the vowel-team syllable in each word. Students also apply their decoding skills to answer comprehension questions about the text. Similar connected-text lessons appear throughout the materials for previously introduced patterns, including VCe syllables, r-controlled syllables, and vowel diphthongs, providing repeated opportunities for students to apply established decoding skills while reading new text. By requiring students to apply previously taught syllable division and decoding skills across connected texts, the materials provide cumulative decoding practice to support accuracy and automaticity.

Evaluation for 4.A.3d
Student practice includes only sound-spelling patterns that have been explicitly taught.

The Amira Scope & Sequence outlines a progression of phonics and word analysis skills that build from less complex to more complex patterns and includes cumulative review opportunities throughout instruction. The Amira Instruct lesson “Decoding Multisyllabic Words with Vowel Diphthongs” ensures student practice aligns with previously taught sound–spelling patterns. During guided practice students decode words such as around, spell words such as toilet, and identify diphthongs in words such as enjoy. Student practice focuses only on the /ow/ and /oy/ patterns modeled during the “Teach” and “Model” sections. These activities allow students to practice and reinforce sound–spelling patterns already introduced during instruction.

Similarly, the Amira Instruct lesson “Consonant-le Endings” provides opportunities for students to apply previously taught sound–spelling patterns. During independent practice students sort words such as bubble, puddle, and bottle by their endings and identify consonant-le words in sentences. These activities require students to apply the -ble, -dle, and -tle patterns explicitly taught during instruction and to recognize those same patterns across multiple contexts. By revisiting previously taught spelling patterns through sorting, identification, and reading tasks, students reinforce their understanding of the targeted patterns.

Evaluation for 4.B.3a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Amira Scope & Sequence outlines a systematic progression for introducing high-frequency words throughout grade 2. According to the Teacher Fluency Plan, the program draws its high-frequency words from research-based lists, including the Dolch and Fry high-frequency word lists. The sequence begins with high-frequency words such as into and two, then progresses to words such as always and almost, and later in the year includes words such as rough, tough, enough, and laugh. This organized progression supports automatic word recognition, enhances grade-level instruction, and provides additional support for students who need remediation or acceleration.

The lesson-level materials reinforce this systematic progression by moving students from identifying and analyzing regular and irregular high-frequency words to reading and spelling those words accurately. For example, the Amira Instruct lesson “Reading and Writing the High-Frequency Word Busy” introduces students to an irregular high-frequency word by analyzing its unexpected sound–spelling correspondence. As students build understanding of regular and irregular high-frequency words, subsequent lessons continue to reinforce automatic word recognition and accurate spelling through reading and writing individual high-frequency words. This progression moves from analyzing high-frequency words to reading and spelling them accurately and automatically, allowing students to build on their previously learned knowledge of high-frequency words throughout the instructional sequence.

Evaluation for 4.B.3b
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Amira Instruct educator-led lessons provide explicit, direct instruction in decoding regular and irregular high-frequency words in alignment with the program’s stated purpose of supporting grade-level instruction and providing targeted remediation and acceleration. In the lesson “Reading and Writing the High-Frequency Word Busy,” the “Teach” section introduces the target high-frequency word as a whole word and directs students to read, discuss, and work with the word in context. This lesson provides educator-led instruction in reading a targeted high-frequency word and supports students in recognizing and decoding the word accurately during guided practice.

Similarly, the educator-led lessons provide explicit, direct instruction in encoding. The lessons include educator modeling, guided practice, and opportunities for students to apply spelling routines with previously taught words. For example, in the lesson “Spell and Read High-Frequency Words,” the “Teach” section models how to use a clue to identify a high-frequency word and then spell it by mapping sounds to letters. Students work with previously taught words such as nothing, question, remember, thought, and tomorrow as they read, identify, and spell the words with educator support before applying the same process independently. These instructional supports provide a gradual release from educator modeling to student application while reinforcing orthographic mapping, accurate spelling, and automatic word recognition, supporting the program’s stated purpose of enhancing grade-level instruction and providing targeted remediation and acceleration when needed.

Evaluation for 4.B.3c
Materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list in alignment with grade-level skills as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text, to develop automaticity.

The Amira Scope & Sequence provides cumulative practice for students in decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list throughout grade 2 by revisiting previously taught high-frequency words while introducing new grade-level words. The lessons include educator explanations, modeling, guided practice, independent application, and review activities that reinforce previously taught high-frequency words. For example, in the lesson “Spell and Read High-Frequency Words” educators guide students to decode high-frequency words by matching vocabulary clues and analyzing sound–spelling patterns and then to encode the same words by mapping phonemes to letters. In “Reading and Writing the High-Frequency Word Busy” educators model the regular and irregular spelling patterns before guiding students to read and spell the word by identifying the sounds and recording the corresponding letters.

Additional cumulative student practice provides opportunities to decode regular and irregular high-frequency words in decodable connected text. For example, in the lesson “Reading and Writing the High-Frequency Word Become” students practice reading a decodable connected text that includes the newly taught irregular high-frequency word become along with previously taught regular high-frequency words (e.g., to, do) and irregular high-frequency words (e.g., want, what, you).

Evaluation for 4.B.3d
Student practice includes only regular and irregular high-frequency words that have been explicitly taught.

The grade 2 materials ensure that educators explicitly teach regular high-frequency words before students practice them independently. In the Amira Instruct lesson “Identifying High-Frequency Words” students learn to read and spell the high-frequency words, identifying Sight Words, or “Words you recognize instantly because you have already mapped its letters and sounds in your brain!” and Heart Words, or “Words with a tricky part that doesn’t follow regular phonics rules. You learn it ‘by heart.’” An example of a Sight Word is month, while an example of a Heart Word is century. Educators explicitly model how to decode these high-frequency words by applying expected and unexpected sound–spelling correspondences. Students then apply the same routine during guided practice, using the words laughed, control, and guess. Across these lesson components, students practice only the high-frequency words that educators explicitly teach before independent application.

The materials ensure that student practice includes only irregular high-frequency words that have been explicitly taught. For example, in the Amira Instruct lesson “Identify High-Frequency Words by Sight” the educator explicitly introduces and reviews the irregular high-frequency words nothing, question, and tomorrow before students practice them. During instruction, educators model how to read each target word and explain that some words contain irregular spellings that students must remember. Students then practice reading, spelling, and identifying the targeted words in sentences and a connected passage. Throughout the lesson, student practice is limited to the explicitly taught irregular high-frequency words.

Evaluation for 4.C.3a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing syllable types and syllable division principles in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Amira Scope & Sequence shows how syllable instruction progresses systematically across grade levels and aims to strengthen grade-level instruction by providing students with additional practice and targeted support when needed. In grade 2 the scope outlines sequenced syllable instruction in a planned progression, beginning with closed and open syllables, then advancing to VCe syllables, vowel teams, r-controlled syllables, final stable syllables, and increasingly complex syllable division patterns. This organized sequence moves from more common syllable types to more complex syllable patterns and principles of syllable division, allowing students to build on previous learning as instruction progresses.

The lesson-level materials reinforce this systematic progression by introducing increasingly complex syllable types and principles of syllable division across lessons. For example, the Amira Instruct lesson “Decoding Multisyllabic Words With Closed, Open, and VCe Syllables” introduces students to closed and open syllables before expanding instruction to VCe syllables within the same lesson. As students build their understanding of these foundational syllable types, subsequent lessons, including “Decoding Multisyllabic Words With Vowel Digraphs,” introduce more complex syllable patterns by teaching students to identify vowel teams in multisyllabic words and apply syllable division strategies to decode increasingly complex words. This progression moves from foundational syllable types to more complex syllable patterns and principles of syllable division, allowing students to build on previously learned knowledge throughout the instructional sequence.

Evaluation for 4.C.3b
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Amira Instruct educator-led lessons provide explicit, direct instruction in decoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words, support grade-level instruction, and provide additional practice and targeted support. Lessons include clearly stated learning targets, educator-led explanations, modeling, guided practice, independent application, and opportunities for review and feedback. For example, in the lesson “Decoding and Spelling Multisyllabic Closed Syllable Words” educators explicitly model how to decode multisyllabic words by identifying the vowels, locating the consonants between the vowels, dividing the word into syllables, and applying the closed syllable pattern to read each syllable. During the “Model” section educators demonstrate this process with the word basket by dividing the word into bas-ket, noting that each consonant closes the syllable and signals the short vowel sound, and then blending the syllables to read the complete word. Students then practice decoding additional multisyllabic words with educator support before independently applying the same decoding routine. These instructional supports provide explicit explanations, educator modeling, guided practice, review, and feedback while supporting grade-level instruction and providing targeted remediation and acceleration when needed.

Similarly, the educator-led lessons provide explicit, direct instruction in encoding. The lessons include clearly stated learning targets, educator-led explanations, modeling, guided practice, independent application, and opportunities for review and feedback. For example, in the lesson “Consonant-le Endings” educators explicitly model how to encode multisyllabic words by identifying the syllables, recognizing the consonant plus -le syllable pattern, and applying the appropriate sound–spelling patterns to spell each syllable. During the “Teach” section educators model this process with the word cable by identifying the open syllable ca- and the consonant-le syllable -ble before spelling the complete word. Students then practice encoding additional one-syllable and multisyllabic words with educator support before independently applying the same spelling routine. These instructional supports provide a gradual release from educator modeling to student application while reinforcing accurate encoding of one-syllable and multisyllabic words.

Evaluation for 4.C.3c
Materials include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text, to develop automaticity.

The Amira Scope & Sequence provides cumulative practice for students in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words throughout grade 2 by revisiting previously taught syllable patterns while introducing new grade-level patterns. As instruction progresses from one-syllable word patterns to multisyllabic words with VCe syllables, vowel teams, and vowel diphthongs, students continue to apply previously learned decoding and encoding skills alongside new learning. For example, in the lesson “Decoding and Spelling Multisyllabic VCe Syllable Words” students decode and spell multisyllabic words such as sunrise, beehive, pancake, and milkshake after applying previously learned syllable knowledge. Later, in “Decoding Multisyllabic Words with Vowel Diphthongs,” students continue to decode and encode multisyllabic words by breaking them into syllables and identifying the oi/oy and ou/ow diphthongs.

Additional cumulative student practice provides opportunities for students to decode one-syllable and multisyllabic words in decodable connected text. For example, in the lesson “Trigraphs: The Short-Vowel Protectors tch and dge” students decode sentences containing previously taught sound–spelling patterns and complete a fill-in-the-blank activity using a word bank that includes words with trigraphs. Students then apply newly taught and previously learned sound–spelling patterns as they decode connected text containing one-syllable and multisyllabic words. Together, these instructional routines provide cumulative practice with previously taught and newly introduced one-syllable and multisyllabic word patterns in isolation and connected text to support the development of accuracy and automaticity.

Evaluation for 4.C.3d
Student practice includes only syllable types and syllable division principles that have been explicitly taught.

The grade 2 materials ensure that student practice includes only syllable types and syllable division principles that educators explicitly teach before students practice them independently. For example, in the lesson “Reading and Spelling Multisyllabic Open Syllable Words” educators explicitly teach students to determine whether the first syllable of a multisyllabic word is open or closed and to apply the vowel-consonant-vowel (VCV) syllable division principle. During guided practice students identify whether the first syllable in words such as focus and problem is open or closed before building each word with syllable tiles. Throughout the lesson, students practice only the syllable types and syllable division principles introduced during instruction.

Similarly, corresponding student activities limit practice to the syllable types and syllable division principles introduced during educator-led instruction. In the student activity “Decoding Words by Syllable Division Patterns” students divide words using only the previously taught vowel-consonant-consonant-vowel (VCCV) and VCV syllable division patterns, then read the divided words and match each to the correct picture. Across the student practice activities, students work only with the targeted syllable types and syllable division principles and do not encounter untaught patterns.

Evaluation for 4.D.3a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing morphemes in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Amira Scope & Sequence shows how morpheme instruction progresses systematically across grade levels and aims to strengthen grade-level instruction by providing students with additional practice and targeted support. In grade 2 the scope outlines morphemes in a planned progression, beginning with inflectional endings such as -ed, -ing, -s, and -es, followed by comparative and superlative endings -er and -est, before introducing prefixes such as un-, re-, and dis- later in the year. This organized sequence moves from less complex morphemes to more complex morphemes, allowing students to build on previously taught morphological knowledge as instruction progresses.

The lesson-level materials reinforce this systematic progression by building on previously taught morphemes before introducing more complex morphemes. For example, in the Amira Instruct lesson “Decoding and Spelling Words with Inflectional Ending -es” educators build on students’ previous understanding of plural endings by reviewing when -s is used before introducing situations in which words require -es. Students then apply this knowledge during guided practice by identifying base words and applying the appropriate inflectional ending. The sequence continues in the lesson “Decoding and Spelling Words with Prefix un-,” where educators introduce the prefix un-, explain that it means “not” or “the opposite of,” and model how adding the prefix changes the meaning of the base word.

Evaluation for 4.D.3b
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction on morphological skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Amira Instruct educator-led lessons provide explicit, direct instruction on morphological skills that support grade-level instruction and provide additional practice and targeted support. The lessons include clearly stated learning targets, educator-led instruction, precise instructional language, guided practice, and opportunities for ongoing review and feedback. For example, in the lesson “Decoding and Spelling Words with Prefix un-” educators explicitly teach that the prefix un- means “not” or “the opposite of” and explain how adding the prefix changes the meaning of a base word. During the “Teach” section educators provide direct explanations for identifying the prefix, separating it from the base word, and determining the meaning of the new word using examples such as happy to unhappy and lock to unlock. Clear explanations, precise directions, and explicit educator guidance provide direct instruction in morphological skills while supporting the program’s stated purpose of enhancing grade-level instruction and providing targeted remediation and acceleration when needed.

The explicit instruction includes educator-led explanation and modeling of morphological skills before students apply them independently. For example, in the lesson “Decoding and Spelling Words with Prefix re-” educators model how to identify the prefix re-, separate it from the base word, and combine the morphemes to determine the meaning of the new word. Educators demonstrate this process using example words such as rewrite, explaining, “I spot a prefix: re-. I remove it and see write. I know write! So re- + write = rewrite. It means ‘to write again.’” Students then practice applying this process with educator guidance before independently decoding and spelling additional words with the prefix re-. This gradual release from educator modeling to supported and independent application provides explicit instruction that helps students accurately understand and apply grade-level morphological skills.

Evaluation for 4.D.3c
Materials include cumulative student practice of morphological skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in connected text, to develop automaticity.

The Amira Scope & Sequence outlines cumulative opportunities for students to practice morphological skills throughout grade 2 by revisiting previously taught morphemes while learning new prefixes and suffixes. As instruction progresses, lessons continue to provide opportunities for students to decode, encode, analyze, and build words using both previously taught and newly introduced morphemes in isolation. For example, in the lesson “Decoding and Spelling Words with -ed” students sort words by the three pronunciations of -ed, build words by combining base words with the suffix, and repeatedly read and spell those words during guided practice. Later, in “Decoding and Spelling Words with Prefix un-” students combine the previously taught prefix un- with base words to construct words that match given meanings. Across these lessons, students repeatedly decode, encode, analyze, and build words using previously taught and newly introduced morphemes in isolation, providing cumulative practice that supports automaticity.

The materials further provide cumulative student practice of morphological skills in decodable connected text. For example, in the Amira Instruct lesson “Prefix re- in Connected Text” students apply previously taught morphological skills as they read the passage “A Busy Evening.” Students decode words with the prefix re-, such as refill, restart, retell, repack, replay, reuse, and reread, while reviewing previously taught morphological patterns, including un- and -ed, within the passage. Students identify and decode words containing the current and previously taught morphemes and use the meanings of these words to answer comprehension questions about the text. The lesson provides cumulative practice with previously taught and newly introduced morphological skills within decodable connected text to support automaticity.

Evaluation for 4.D.3d
Student practice includes only morphemes that have been explicitly taught.

The grade 2 materials ensure that student independent practice includes only morphemes that educators have explicitly taught. For example, the lesson “Decoding and Spelling Words with Prefix un-” ensures student practice aligns with previously taught morphemes. During the “Guided Practice” section students decode and spell words such as untie, unsafe, unlike, and unclear by applying the prefix un- to base words and determining each word’s meaning. The lesson’s “Launch” section confirms that students have already received instruction on these morphemes.

Similarly, the lesson “Decoding and Spelling Words with Prefix re-” provides additional opportunities for students to apply previously taught morphemes. During independent practice, students construct and decode words using only the prefix re-, which is taught in the paired “Teach” section. These activities require students to apply the re- prefix to both word building and decoding tasks. By revisiting the same morpheme across multiple activities, students reinforce previously taught morphemes rather than encountering unfamiliar ones.

Evaluation for 6.1a
Materials include modeling of fluent reading (including rate, accuracy, and prosody).

The Amira Instruct educator-led lessons include modeling of fluent reading, addressing rate, accuracy, and prosody. In “Read with Fluency,” the “Model” section provides a connected passage for educators to read aloud while demonstrating fluent reading. The lesson directs educators to model grouping words into meaningful phrases, pausing appropriately at commas and periods and using expression to convey meaning rather than reading word-by-word. These educator directions explicitly model appropriate rate, accuracy, and prosody before students practice the passage. Similarly, in the lesson “Synthesizing, Monitoring Comprehension, and Fluency,” the “Teach” section guides educators to read the same connected passage twice—first in a monotone and then with appropriate pacing, accuracy, and expression. The lesson then guides educators to discuss how changes in rate and prosody support comprehension and directs students to notice the differences between the two readings before practicing fluent reading themselves. Together, these lessons provide educators with connected texts and explicit guidance for modeling fluent reading with appropriate rate, accuracy, and prosody.

The Amira Intervention Encyclopedia outlines the micro-interventions delivered by Amira Tutor in response to students’ oral reading fluency errors. For example, the “Sentence Re-Read” intervention begins when “a student struggles to read more than one word in a sentence and is losing persistence and understanding.” During the intervention, the program reads the sentence aloud and then prompts the student to echo the modeled reading. This repeated model-and-echo routine provides students with an opportunity to hear fluent reading and immediately practice reading the sentence with appropriate expression and phrasing.

Evaluation for 6.1b
Materials include opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with word lists, phrases/sentences, and connected texts.

The materials include opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with word lists. In “Teacher Plan 2.2: Fluency” students use high-frequency word lists from Dolch and Fry as part of fluency practice. For example, part 1 includes a “Read-Find-Sort” activity in which students search for and identify high-frequency words while reading, using the word lists to locate and circle targeted words in text. The plan also directs educators to use high-frequency word practice to support automatic word recognition and oral reading fluency. These word list activities provide students with opportunities to repeatedly read and recognize high-frequency words to build fluency.

The Amira Instruct educator-led lessons also provide opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with phrases and sentences. In the “Fluency Practice: How Does Your Voice Sound?” lesson, the “Expression Practice” section directs students to read individual sentences, such as “Leo cracked two eggs into a big blue bowl,” using different emotions and expressions. Students reread the same sentence while matching their voice to the meaning, providing repeated practice with appropriate rate, accuracy, and prosody.

Beyond sentence-level practice, the grade 2 materials provide opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with connected text. In “Teacher Plan 2.2: Fluency,” part 3, “Repeated Timed Oral Reading” includes an activity in which students reread a connected passage while monitoring correct words per minute across multiple readings. Students also participate in partner reading by alternating sections of the passage aloud, providing repeated practice with connected text to develop reading rate, accuracy, and stamina.

Evaluation for 6.1c
Materials include opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with a variety of grade-level texts as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Amira Instruct educator-led lessons provide opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with a variety of grade-level literary texts. For example, in “Read with Fluency,” the “Guided Practice” section has partners take turns reading a connected literary passage about a farmer feeding animals. As students alternate reading they practice keeping a steady pace, reading words accurately, grouping words into meaningful phrases, and pausing appropriately at commas and periods.

Similarly, the educator-led lessons extend fluency practice to additional grade-level text types. In “Retelling and Paraphrasing Texts,” the “Guided Practice” section presents an informational passage about monarch butterflies and directs students to read the passage chorally before discussing the information in the text. Students practice oral reading with appropriate rate, accuracy, and prosody while reading connected informational text. In addition, the lesson “Discussing Author’s Purpose and Text Structure” asks students to read persuasive, informational, and literary passages on the same topic while identifying the author’s purpose and matching each passage to its text structure. Together, these lessons provide opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with a variety of grade-level text types, including literary, informational, and persuasive texts.

Evaluation for 6.1d
Materials include a variety of texts at different levels of complexity.

The Amira Instruct educator-led lessons include a variety of texts at different levels of complexity that support students’ development of reading fluency with grade-level texts. For example, in the lesson “Discussing Author’s Purpose and Text Structure” students read informational, literary, and persuasive passages on the same topic while comparing the authors’ purposes and text structures. The passages vary in vocabulary, sentence complexity, and knowledge demands. The materials further extend this progression in “Identify Visual Patterns in Poems,” where students read poems containing rhythm and rhyme, repetition, and figurative language before analyzing how those text features contribute to meaning. The inclusion of multiple passages with varied topics and language features provides students with opportunities to practice reading texts at an appropriate level of complexity.

Evaluation for 6.1e
Materials include guidance for educators to provide feedback to students on reading fluency (including rate, accuracy, and prosody).

The Amira Instruct educator-led lessons include guidance for educators to provide feedback on students’ reading fluency including rate, accuracy, and prosody. In the educator-facing lesson “Read with Fluency,” the “Differentiation & Support” section provides “Teacher Notes” with specific coaching prompts to support immediate, individualized feedback during oral reading. For example, the notes prompt educators to encourage students to reread with expression, group words into meaningful phrases, pause appropriately at punctuation, and recognize smooth, accurate reading. These prompts guide educators to provide feedback on rate by adjusting reading speed, accuracy through self-monitoring and rereading, and prosody through phrasing, pauses, and expressive reading. This guidance supports educators in delivering targeted feedback on students’ individual reading fluency.

The Intervention Encyclopedia describes targeted micro-interventions that are offered in response to students’ oral reading fluency performance in Amira Tutor. These interventions provide students with immediate feedback in specific areas of fluency, including decoding accuracy, reading rate, and prosody. For example, interventions such as “Sound It Out” and “Tap It Out” provide immediate feedback when students experience difficulty decoding individual words, while paced reading supports allow students to adjust their reading rate to support comprehension. The “Sentence Re-Read” intervention models fluent reading by providing feedback through a model of appropriate phrasing, expression, and intonation before prompting the student to echo the reading. Together, these embedded supports provide immediate, individualized feedback that addresses reading accuracy, rate, and prosody during oral reading.

Evaluation for 8.1a
[English reading language arts] Materials include opportunities for students to read high-quality, grade-level, complex texts as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, in a variety of text types (e.g., literary, informational). [Spanish reading language arts] Materials include opportunities for students to read high-quality, grade-level, complex authentic or transadapted Spanish texts as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, in a variety of text types (e.g., literary, informational).

The materials include opportunities for students to read high-quality, grade-level complex texts. For example, in the Amira Instruct lesson “Structures in Poetry: Stanzas, Rhythm, and Repetition” students read a well-crafted, complex text, free from spelling and grammatical errors. The text uses a poetic structure with stanzas and includes figurative language, increasing the knowledge demand of the reader.

Additionally, the educator-led lessons include a variety of text types for students to read. For example, in the Amira Instruct lesson “Recognizing Characteristics and Structures of Informational Texts” students read multiple informational passages about the Alamo during independent practice. In the Amira Instruct lesson “Traditional Literature in Reading” students read a folktale titled “The Clever Mouse.”

Evaluation for 8.1b
Materials include a variety of high-quality texts at different levels of complexity.

The Amira Instruct lessons include a variety of high-quality texts at different levels of complexity. For example, in the lesson “Recognize Characteristics of Traditional Literature” students read multiple traditional literature passages that vary in complexity through differences in cultural context, vocabulary, text structure, and knowledge demands. Some passages are less complex because they include familiar story patterns and clearly identifiable genre characteristics, while others require students to interpret cultural elements, analyze traditional story features, and distinguish among different forms of traditional literature. As students move through the “Model,” “Guided Practice,” and “Wrap” sections, they continue reading additional traditional literature and supporting their thinking with text evidence. The passages vary in complexity through differences in vocabulary, knowledge demands, text structure, and the amount of inference required to classify and understand each story.

Similarly, the lessons include texts that vary in complexity within the same lesson sequence. In “Identify the Author’s Main Purpose” students analyze informational, literary, and persuasive passages during educator modeling, guided practice, and independent application. The passages vary in complexity through differences in text structure, vocabulary, knowledge demands, and levels of meaning as students determine whether the author’s purpose is to inform, entertain, or persuade. Some passages communicate their purpose through straightforward factual information or familiar narratives, while others require students to interpret persuasive language and textual clues to determine the author’s purpose. Across the lesson, students engage with multiple text types that vary in vocabulary, text structure, knowledge demands, and the amount of inference required to identify the author’s purpose.

Evaluation for 8.1c
Texts include content that is relevant, engaging, and authentically reflects students' diverse backgrounds and experiences.

The materials include texts that are relevant and engaging for students. In the Amira Instruct lesson “Describe Characters and Setting in Drama” students read short dramatic scenes that feature familiar settings, character interactions, and everyday situations, such as two students sharing lunch in a school cafeteria. These scenarios reflect experiences that are recognizable to elementary students while encouraging them to analyze dialogue, character actions, and relationships. Throughout the lesson, students engage with age-appropriate characters, school settings, and relatable social interactions that support engagement while reinforcing the lesson’s focus on characters and setting in drama.

The educator-led lessons also include texts that reflect a variety of backgrounds and experiences. In “Retelling and Text Evidence” students read the published picture book Amazing Grace as they identify the beginning, middle, and end of the story and cite text evidence to support their retelling. Grace’s determination to play Peter Pan despite classmates’ doubts, together with the encouragement she receives from her grandmother, presents themes of perseverance, family support, and self-confidence through the experiences of the main character. These texts expose students to a range of backgrounds and experiences while reflecting the relationships, challenges, and aspirations that students may encounter in their own lives.

Evaluation for 8.2a
Materials activate or supply background knowledge.

The materials include routines that activate and build background knowledge before reading. In the Amira Instruct lesson “Connect Texts to Personal Experiences” students connect events in a text to their own experiences before discussing the passage. During guided practice educators read short passages and prompt students to relate the text to familiar experiences by saying, for example, “Turn to your partner. Tell them about a time you had to keep trying even when something was hard.” These opportunities activate students’ background knowledge and help them connect personal experiences to the ideas and events presented in the text before and during reading.

The educator-led lessons also build background knowledge before students read unfamiliar texts. In the lesson “Make and Support Inferences” educators model how to combine background knowledge with clues from the text to make an inference before students apply the process independently. For example, educators read a passage about a girl walking slowly to school and explain, “I already know that when people walk slowly and don’t talk much, they are usually feeling sad or upset.” Students then use their own background knowledge together with textual clues to make inferences from additional passages. The lesson activates students’ prior knowledge before reading and demonstrates how background knowledge supports comprehension throughout the lesson.

Evaluation for 8.2b
Materials include pre-teaching of unfamiliar vocabulary in texts.

The materials include pre-teaching unfamiliar vocabulary before students read the text. In the ISIP lessons, the “Build Background and Develop Vocabulary” section introduces vocabulary from the upcoming narrative before students read. In “ISIP Advanced Reading 1A” students preview words such as eager, cumbersome, purchase, downloaded, and entranced before reading the passage. Similarly, in “ISIP Advanced Reading 6A” students preview words and phrases such as frustrated, stumble, disaster, drum captain, and marching before reading “Drum Lesson.” In both lessons, the educator asks students what they already know about each word, then affirms or clarifies their understanding using the definitions provided in the lesson. Students also use the vocabulary in prediction activities before reading, helping prepare them to understand the text.

The Amira Instruct lessons also include pre-teaching unfamiliar vocabulary before students read the informational text. For example, in “Vocabulary in Responses” students preview key vocabulary from the passage before reading. For each word, the lesson provides support for meaning through a synonym or brief explanation, presents the word in context, and then engages students in an interactive activity to confirm understanding before they encounter the word in the text. For example, students are introduced to the word trembling and identify its meaning as “shaking because you are scared, cold, or nervous” before reading. This sequence continues with additional words from the passage, including horizon, huddled, ingredients, and courageous. By previewing unfamiliar vocabulary, providing meaning support, and checking understanding before reading, the lesson pre-teaches the language students need to comprehend the informational text.

Evaluation for 8.2c
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction on using contextual analysis to determine the word meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in texts in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Amira Instruct educator-led lessons provide explicit, direct instruction in using contextual analysis to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in text using the gradual release of responsibility model. In “Using Context Within and Beyond a Sentence” the lesson includes a clearly stated learning target and educator-led instruction on determining the meaning of unfamiliar words using context. During the “Teach” and “Model” sections educators introduce three types of context clues, such as definition, example, and synonym clues, and explain how surrounding words and sentences can help readers determine word meaning. Educators then model this process with the word elated, using the surrounding context to show how readers identify the meaning that best fits the sentence. Students continue practicing the same routine during guided and independent work with additional words in context, and the lesson includes an exit ticket and support activities to reinforce the strategy. These lesson components provide explicit explanation, educator modeling, guided practice, and independent application in using contextual analysis to determine word meaning.

The vocabulary lessons also provide explicit, direct instruction in using contextual analysis to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in text. In the multi-grade lesson “Vocabulary: Lesson 22 – Context Clues” the educator introduces a three-step routine for determining the meaning of unfamiliar words by examining clues in the sentence containing the word, then examining surrounding sentences, and finally looking at the pictures for additional context. During the “Teach” section the educator explains each step of the routine and models its application while reading a sample text. Students then practice the same process during both guided and independent work to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words such as calm, nibble, and glee using contextual evidence from the text. The lesson includes repeated practice with the routine while students read connected text, with educator support before independent application.

Evaluation for 8.2d
Materials include opportunities for students to practice using contextual analysis to determine word meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in texts in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Amira Instruct educator-led lessons include opportunities for students to practice using contextual analysis to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in grade-appropriate texts. For example, in “Using Context Within and Beyond a Sentence” students practice the same contextual analysis routine introduced during direct instruction as they move through guided and independent work. During the “We Do” section students use three types of context clues, including looking within the sentence for a stated definition, examples of the word, or synonyms. Students practice finding each type of clue to determine the meanings of the words habitat and nutritious using the sentence stem, “I think the word means ___ because the sentence says ___.” In the “You Do” section students work with a partner to determine the meaning of timid in a sentence about waking from a long winter sleep and use context to identify the correct meaning of the multiple-meaning word using the “synonym clue.” The lesson extends practice through the corresponding student activities, where students continue to identify word meanings by citing the context clues that support their choices or by identifying which type of clue supported them in determining the word’s meaning (e.g., definition, examples, synonyms provided within the sentence). The activities within the materials give students repeated practice using contextual analysis to determine word meaning in text.

The multi-grade lessons also include opportunities for students to practice using contextual analysis to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in text. In “Vocabulary: Lesson 22 – Context Clues” students practice using clues from surrounding sentences to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words in connected text. During guided and independent practice students read short passages, determine the meaning of underlined words, and identify three clues used to determine the meaning. The three context clues appear in the same sentence, in surrounding sentences, and in the picture.

Evaluation for 8.3a
Materials include systematic and explicit (direct) instruction on reading comprehension skills at multiple levels (i.e., literal, inferential, evaluative) in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Amira Scope & Sequence outlines systematic instruction in reading comprehension skills across multiple levels, such as literal, inferential, and evaluative. According to the grade 2 scope, comprehension instruction follows a planned progression across the school year, moving from less complex skills to more complex comprehension work. Early lessons focus on more literal comprehension tasks, such as asking and answering questions, retelling, and identifying the central idea, before progressing to lessons that require students to analyze text structure, determine cause and effect, and determine the author’s purpose. The Amira Instruct lesson “Recognizing Characteristics of Persuasive Text and Distinguishing Facts from Opinion” reflects this progression. Students first identify the author’s claim and supporting reasons before evaluating whether supporting statements are facts or opinions. The lesson includes educator explanation, modeling, and guided practice to support this skill development, reflecting the broader comprehension instruction sequence outlined in the scope and sequence.

The Amira Instruct educator-led lessons provide explicit, direct instruction in reading comprehension skills at multiple levels. For example, in the lesson “Describe the Main Character’s Internal Traits” students receive educator-led instruction on using textual evidence to identify and analyze a character’s internal traits. The lesson includes a clearly stated learning target and a process for analyzing characters by identifying what a character says, does, and feels before determining what those details reveal about the character’s internal traits. During the “Model” section educators first demonstrate literal comprehension by identifying the character’s actions, dialogue, and feelings in the text. Educators then model inferential comprehension by explaining how those details reveal the character’s internal traits using evidence from the passage. Students continue to practice the same process during guided and independent work as they identify character details, infer internal traits, explain how they know, and support their thinking with textual evidence. The lesson components provide explicit explanation, educator modeling, guided practice, and independent application in reading comprehension at multiple levels.

Evaluation for 8.3b
Materials include opportunities for students to practice reading comprehension skills at multiple levels (i.e., literal, inferential, evaluative) with a variety of grade-level texts in alignment with the grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Amira Instruct educator-led lessons include opportunities for students to practice reading comprehension at multiple levels, including literal, inferential, and evaluative comprehension. For example, in “Recognizing Characteristics of Persuasive Text” students first engage in inferential comprehension by determining the author’s persuasive message and explaining what the author wants readers to think or do. Students then engage in literal comprehension by identifying facts explicitly stated in the passage. The lesson extends into evaluative comprehension as students determine whether they agree with the author’s message and explain their reasoning in response to the question, “Do you agree with the author? Should your class get a pet hamster?” A second lesson, “Describe the Importance of Setting,” provides additional practice as students identify the setting and retell the beginning, middle, and end of a literary narrative before explaining how the setting influences the characters, events, and problems in the story. Across these lessons, students receive repeated practice in literal, inferential, and evaluative comprehension.

The materials also provide students with comprehension practice across a variety of grade-level texts. In “Describe the Importance of Setting” students read a literary narrative and engage in literal and inferential comprehension as they identify the setting, retell story events, and explain how the setting influences the plot. In “Recognizing Characteristics of Persuasive Text” students read a persuasive text and engage in literal, inferential, and evaluative comprehension by identifying facts, determining the author’s persuasive message, and evaluating the author’s argument using evidence from the text. By asking students to apply comprehension skills across both literary and persuasive texts, the materials provide practice with multiple grade-level text types while reinforcing different levels of comprehension.