Biliteracy para todos: Cross Linguistic Connections Early

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).

In the Early Biliteracy Teacher Resource Book, “What is Biliteracy para todos?” includes an explanation of the stated purpose for the supplemental program. The materials support students across three developmental stages of biliteracy: Early Biliteracy, Developing Biliteracy, and Advanced Biliteracy. The stated purpose of the material is to embrace students’ language practices and culture, connect the two languages of instruction, and empower educators and students through biliteracy practices.

The materials include a program described as a stand alone, stating that it functions to provide additional instruction and practice that build directly on prior learning. Specifically, the Cross Linguistic Connections (CLC) lessons support access to biliteracy by connecting language and literacy skills previously developed in Spanish or English during the initial language arts block.

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 CLC materials include a “Pacing Guide for Cross Linguistic Connections” with flexible scheduling options to support educators in implementing the program alongside their core instruction. For example, educators may choose to teach the full 30-minute CLC lesson in a single day, including the introduction, minilesson, student investigation, and review, or divide the lesson into 15-minute segments across two days.

The pacing guide indicates that educators can select which aspects of language to emphasize throughout the year based on student needs. An educator may choose to focus exclusively on phonology for several weeks or incorporate a combination of language components, such as morphology, syntax, and grammar, depending on the areas in which students need additional instruction.

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 materials provide a “Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills Alignment” chart at the end of the guide, which serves as the program’s scope and sequence. This comprehensive chart clearly identifies the student expectations addressed across all 10 text sets in the program. For example, Set 1 includes the title for the weekly student readers and the TEKS explanation for the skills taught in English and in Spanish.

The pacing guide divides the lessons into sets. Each set is divided into four weeks. Each week covers a different skill. For example, the educator may focus on three aspects of language using the same set. The instructional sequence emphasizes phonology during weeks 1 and 2, transitions to grammar in week 3, and concludes with syntax in week 4.

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

The “Pacing Guide for Cross Linguistic Connections” includes detailed guidance on time requirements and pacing for implementing the 40 CLC lessons. For example, educators may teach a complete lesson in one 30-minute session that includes the introduction, minilesson, student investigation, and review.

The materials include guidance on another option with suggested lesson time. For example, educators may opt to teach the material in 15 minutes each day over two lessons. Day one can include the introduction and the minilesson. Day two can include the student investigation and the review.

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

The materials include scripted, step-by-step lesson plans for 10 sets of instruction in both Spanish and English that address phonology, morphology, grammar, and syntax. For example, in Set 3, each lesson is organized into four structured phases: the introduction, the minilesson, the student investigation, and the review. The materials provide guidance through educator scripts that detail what to say, such as, “We are going to learn about digraphs in English and Spanish. A digraph is two consonants that make one sound.” Educators are also provided questions to ask, such as “What do you notice about consonant digraphs in English and Spanish?” Anticipated student “Partner Talk” responses provide support to show targeted expectations.

The Early Biliteracy materials include the structure of the lesson with educator guidance. The “Assessment” section includes directions for the use of rubric assessments at the end of a series of minilessons. The educator can use the rubric to record biliteracy behaviors, such as the level of language; the focus of the minilesson; and whether the student is not aware, partially aware, or fully aware of similarities or differences in metalinguistics.

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 do not include support for families in either English or Spanish. There are no materials to be sent home and no guidance for families on how to support their children in making cross-linguistic connections. The materials do not provide guidance on how to communicate student progress in their linguistic repertoire. The Teacher Resource Book includes only materials intended for classroom implementation, with instructional supports focused on educator and student use.

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 Early Biliteracy materials include formative assessment opportunities that are consistently embedded throughout lessons to support the development of students’ metalinguistic awareness. The materials integrate ongoing assessment through “Partner Talk” routines included within the minilesson and student investigation phases of instruction. During these activities, students use provided sentence stems to discuss similarities and differences between English and Spanish, allowing educators to monitor students’ understanding through academic conversations. For example, in the “Syntax” lesson in Set 3 using the paired texts “In the Forest” and “En el bosque,” the educator guides students to identify prepositional phrases by asking, “What do you notice about the information at the end of the sentence? Where are the frogs?” Students then participate in partner discussions using sentence stems. As students explain that the frogs are “in this forest/en este bosque,” the educator observes and assesses students’ understanding of syntax and cross-linguistic structures.

In the Teacher Resource Book, under “Repaso modelo de escritura,” the material includes appropriate formative and summative assessment opportunities for the stated purpose of the supplemental program. For example, the educator tells the students that they are going to think and write what they have learned from the lesson. The instructor then gives the students a sentence frame: “En español, las vocales a, e, i, o, u tienen sólo ____ sonido, pero en inglés las vocales a, e, i, o, u tienen un sonido ____ y ____. Por ejemplo, ____.” The sentence frame serves as a formative assessment when used during instruction to monitor students’ understanding of complete sentences and punctuation in both languages. It may also function as a summative assessment when used at the end of the lesson to evaluate students’ mastery of the skill.

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

In the Early Biliteracy Teacher Resource Book, under “Assessment,” the material includes a rubric for each aspect of language that educators can use to track students’ understanding of cross-linguistic connections. The purpose of this tool is to facilitate educators’ data collection about students’ metalinguistic awareness process. For example, the rubric is intended to be used at the end of teaching a series of minilessons targeting the same standard at different levels of rigor and complexity.

The Early Biliteracy materials include the “Record of Biliteracy Behaviors” an explanation of the purpose of the assessment rubric. The materials state that the purpose of this assessment is to track student progress over time in their metalinguistic analysis.

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

The Early Biliteracy materials include guidance to support the consistent administration of instructional assessments throughout the program. The materials explain that the “Record of Biliteracy Behaviors” rubric is intended for use at the end of a series of minilessons targeting the same standard at varying levels of rigor and complexity. The materials also identify when educators should gather assessment data during the lesson cycle, specifically during the minilesson and student investigation phases of instruction. The materials provide consistent procedures for grouping students and administering observational assessments. Educators are directed to organize students into bilingual pairs for cross-linguistic discussions which educators monitor to assess students’ academic conversations and language use. The materials also include resources to support consistent administration, such as sentence stems for student discussions, anchor charts to reinforce learning, and the reproducible “Record of Biliteracy Behaviors” rubric for documenting observations. For example, in a Set 4 “Phonology” lesson focused on the sound of the letter i, the educator organizes students into bilingual pairs and asks students to discuss similarities and differences in the pronunciation of the letter i in English and Spanish. Students respond using provided sentence stems while the educator observes and assesses students’ understanding.

In the Early Biliteracy Teacher Resource Book, under “Assessment,” the materials include guidance for instructional assessments. For example, the materials provide guidance for educators to record the name of the student, the aspect of language, the focus of the lesson, the extent of metalinguistic awareness, and a description of the student’s behaviors during the cross-linguistic discussion. This rubric is intended to be used at the end of teaching a series of minilessons.

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

In the Early Biliteracy Teacher Resource Book, under “Assessment,” the materials include rubric. The materials explain that the rubric is intended to be used to evaluate students’ understanding at the end of a series of minilessons targeting the same standard at different levels of rigor and complexity. For example, in September, students may be targeting phonology for a minilesson on hard c, but in October students may be targeting phonology for a minilesson on the letter i. The materials explain that the “Record of Biliteracy Behaviors” rubric is designed to evaluate students’ understanding after a series of minilessons taught at different levels of rigor and complexity. Additionally, the lessons gradually increase cognitive demand as students move from guided observation activities to independent application and written synthesis.

In the Set 2 “Phonology” lesson focused on the hard c sound using the paired texts “Looking at You” and “Te miro,” students first participate in guided observations during the minilesson by identifying the hard c sound in words such as cow, can, vaca, and caballo while discussing their observations with partners. During the student investigation, students apply their understanding independently by identifying the hard c sound in new sentences and explaining the sound patterns to a partner. The lesson concludes with a higher-level constructed-response task during the review phase, in which students synthesize their learning by collaboratively writing a summary statement explaining that the hard sound of the letter c makes the /k/ sound in both English and Spanish. These progressively rigorous activities allow educators to assess students’ metalinguistic understanding at multiple levels of complexity throughout instruction.

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

The Early Biliteracy materials include scoring guidance through the “Record of Biliteracy Behaviors” rubric to support educators in accurately evaluating instructional assessments. The materials include a rubric that provides specific criteria for interpreting students’ metalinguistic awareness by categorizing student understanding as “Not aware,” “Partially aware,” or “Fully aware” of targeted language similarities and differences. Scored exemplars with educator rationales model appropriate documentation and support accurately scoring at the individual student level.

For example, the Set 2 “Phonology” lesson focuses on the hard c sound. The materials identify the criteria for describing a student as “Fully aware” of similarities or differences. The educator rationale explains that the student clearly understands that the hard c produces the /k/ sound in both English and Spanish.

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

The Early Biliteracy “Pacing Guide for Cross Linguistic Connections” includes ways for educators to teach lessons depending on student needs. The materials include guidance that helps educators follow a set that meets individual student needs after data is gathered from the rubric. The materials include an example demonstrating how, if a student is in need of three aspects of language, the educator can use the same set. The materials cover phonology, grammar, and syntax within the set.

The Early Biliteracy materials include the “Record of Biliteracy Behaviors” rubric to collect data on students’ metalinguistic awareness and evaluate whether students are “Not aware,” “Partially aware,” or “Fully aware” of targeted cross-linguistic connections. The materials include a pacing guide that provides flexibility for responding to student performance trends and instructional needs. The materials include guidance that helps educators select which language aspects to teach throughout the school year based on assessment data and observed student needs. The materials include an example where, if students demonstrate difficulty with phonology concepts, educators may adjust instruction by focusing on phonology lessons across multiple sets, such as Sets 1–4, over an extended instructional period to provide additional targeted support and practice.

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 Early Biliteracy materials include a rubric titled “Record of Biliteracy Behaviors” that supports educators in tracking student progress and growth over time. The materials explain that the purpose of the rubric is to “facilitate educators’ data collection about students’ metalinguistic awareness processes” and to monitor students’ developing understanding of language concepts across instruction. The materials also state that the rubric is intended for use after a series of minilessons targeting the same standard at varying levels of rigor and complexity. The materials include a rubric structure that helps educators monitor trends in student performance by documenting the date of observation, the language focus area being assessed, such as phonology, morphology, grammar, or syntax, and the specific focus of the minilesson. The materials include guidance for educators to evaluate students’ metalinguistic awareness by categorizing performance as “Not aware,” “Partially aware,” or “Fully aware” and recording observational evidence to document student growth over time.

In the Early Biliteracy Teacher Resource Book, under “Assessment,” the materials include a rubric for each aspect of language that educators can use to track students’ understanding of cross-linguistic connections. The materials include guidance for educators to track by date the level of language focus, including phonology, morphology, grammar, and syntax, aligned to the focus of the lesson. The materials include a structure for documenting whether students are “Not aware” or “Partially aware” of similarities or differences in language features. However, the materials do not include tools for students to track their progress and growth.

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

This guidance is not applicable to the program because the program has a stated purpose of additional instruction and/or practice, not targeted remediation or acceleration.

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.

In “Conexiones interlingüisticas: Gramática,” the material includes differentiated instruction by using grade-level readers. During “Investigación del estudiante,” students are asked to determine how the sentences end. The material includes an anchor chart as an additional resource. Using the anchor chart, the students resume what they have learned in English and Spanish with examples, such as “Todas las oraciones completas terminan con un punto.” Also, “Repaso” provides another opportunity for support that includes sentence frames such as “Las oraciones completas en español y en inglés terminan con un ____.”

The materials also provide instructional scaffolds such as sentence stems and CLC anchor charts to support students during academic conversations and cross-linguistic analysis activities. Sentence stems guide partner discussions and support students’ oral language development. The materials also include anchor charts that summarize language rules and provide visual examples to reinforce learning. “Educators and students co-construct responses using these supports to facilitate the development of students’ oracy and writing skills throughout instruction.” In addition, the materials include differentiated instruction by using grade-level readers. For example, during “Investigación del estudiante,” students notice the sound that the letter i makes in English and in Spanish. An anchor chart is also included as an additional resource. Using the anchor chart, the students resume what they have learned in English and Spanish with examples. “Repaso” is included as another opportunity for support that includes sentence stems. For example, “En español y en inglés, la letra i hace el sonido ____.”

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 do not include differentiated enrichment opportunities specifically designed for students who have already demonstrated proficiency in grade-level skills. The materials provide examples of the program’s consistent whole-group structure rather than differentiated enrichment activities for proficient learners. The “Syntax” lesson in Set 9 uses the paired texts “I’m Hungry” and “Tengo hambre,” and all students participate in the same sequence of instructional activities throughout the lesson. During the minilesson, the educator models how to expand the sentence “I’m hungry” by adding the conjunction because. In the student investigation phase, all students apply the same skill to expand the sentence “The little spider smiled.” The materials include a review activity in which all students use the same sentence frame to summarize the language rule: “In English and Spanish, we expand complete simple sentences by adding the words ____ and another simple sentence.” Additional educator-generated examples are presented as whole-class instructional supports rather than differentiated enrichment activities for students who have already mastered the targeted skill.

Materials include independent reflection and journal writing during review, allowing students who demonstrate proficiency to extend and articulate their learning. However, the materials do not include separate acceleration tasks, advanced application activities, or alternative assignments specifically designed for students who have already demonstrated proficiency with the targeted skill.

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

The material does not include educator guidance for providing specially designed instruction (SDI) for students receiving special education services. The materials explain that the CLC program is designed for whole-class instruction and may be used with newcomers and bilingual learners in different program settings. The materials do not include guidance for adapting lesson content, instructional methods, or delivery to address individualized special education needs. The materials do not reference accommodations, modifications, or instructional supports specifically intended for students with disabilities.

The materials include instructional activities, bilingual pair discussions, and sentence stems for all students. However, the materials do not include guidance for modifying these activities or supports 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 Early Biliteracy materials include prompts and guidance to support educators in modeling and explaining the skills being taught. The materials include scripted guiding questions, labeled as “Say” and “Ask,” to support direct instruction and student meaning-making during cross-linguistic activities. The “Modeled Writing” component demonstrates how to summarize and apply the language concepts learned during instruction. In the Set 10 “Phonology” lesson, for instance, the materials provide scripted explanations focused on the letter v, modeling the differences between English and Spanish pronunciation patterns. The educator is directed to explain how the letter v is produced in English and how it differs from its pronunciation in Spanish. Additionally, during the review, educators use provided prompts to demonstrate how to write about the pronunciation of the letter v in English and Spanish: “To pronounce the letter v in English, we bring the bottom lip up to the top teeth. It makes a stronger sound. In Spanish, the letter v is pronounced exactly like the letter b. It makes a softer sound by pressing your lips together and pushing the air out of your mouth and moving your lips apart.” Explicit facilitation guidance and sentence frames also support modeled writing. The materials direct the educator to use specific sentence frames (e.g., “In the English words ____ and ____, the letter v is pronounced ____”) to model writing about the sound of the letter v in English and Spanish.

The “Minilección” section includes modeling prompts that explain the concept of the lesson. For example, “Diga: En español, la letra a tiene un solo sonido y siempre dice su nombre /a/.” Educators can guide students by using, “Pregunte: ¿Qué notan sobre el sonido de la letra a en español y en inglés?” Educator modeling of a new concept is also included in the introduction of each new student reader. For example, “Léales ‘En el jardín’ a sus estudiantes. Diga: Vamos a aprender sobre el único sonido de la letra a en español y el sonido corto de la letra a en inglés.”

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 Early Biliteracy materials include guidance for effective lesson delivery through visualization and connection-making strategies. In Set 3 “Syntax,” the materials direct the educator to review a “Syntax Anchor Chart” with students that visually compares language structures in English and Spanish and provides concrete examples of the targeted skill. The materials also include explicit support for a “Modeled Writing” activity in which the educator guides students in constructing the language rule using sentence frames. For example, students use the prompt “In English and Spanish, we can add ____ at the ____ of a ____ to add more ____ about a ____.”

Instructional approaches include collaboration, student discourse, and structured language practice to support student engagement and understanding during lessons. For example, in Set 1 “Phonology,” the lesson focuses on the sound of the letter a. The materials direct educators to organize students into bilingual pairs to encourage collaborative learning and cross-linguistic discussion. To facilitate academic discourse, the lesson provides a scripted discussion prompt: “Ask: What do you notice about the sound the letter a makes in English and in Spanish?” Sentence stems support students as they articulate their observations during “Partner Talk” activities. Students respond using prompts such as “I notice that in English, the short sound of the letter a is /a/ and does not say its name. I notice that in Spanish, the sound of the letter a is /a/ and always says its name.”

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

The Early Biliteracy materials include guidance for implementing recommended structures that support effective implementation. The program overview explains that CLC lessons are “designed for whole-class work,” while also guiding educators to transition students between whole-group, partner, and individual learning structures during instruction. For example, in the Set 3 “Morphology” lesson using the paired texts “In the Forest” and “En el bosque,” the materials begin with a whole-group structure during the introduction. The educator directions say, “Read ‘In the Forest’ to your students” as a shared learning experience for the class. Following the whole-group introduction, the lesson shifts to a collaborative partner structure during the inilesson.” The materials include the explicit direction: “In bilingual pairs, have students look at the words insect, insects, insectos, insecto.”

The Set 6 lesson “Sintaxis” recommends guidance for educator structures such as whole-group and individual implementations included in the materials. Under “Repaso Modelo de escritura,” students are encouraged to write independently. For example, educators instruct students, “Use los siguientes marcos de oración para demostrar cómo escribir sobre el orden de los adjetivos/sustantivos en español y en inglés.”

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 materials include guidance for educators on how to provide linguistic accommodations for Emergent Bilinguals in order to engage students in academic and discipline-specific language. For example, in Set 5, under “Investigación del estudiante,” students are paired with another student for peer discussions.

The Early Biliteracy materials do not include explicit guidance for integrating instruction into specific state-approved bilingual or ESL program models. While the introductory materials explain that the lessons may be used in different educational contexts and with newcomers and other bilingual learners in various program settings, the materials do not provide targeted recommendations, alternative implementation plans, or differentiated instructional guidance for dual-language immersion, transitional bilingual, or ESL program models. Instead, the lessons follow a consistent instructional structure regardless of program type. For example, in Set 1 “Phonology,” the material focuses on the sound of the letter a using the paired texts “In the Garden” and “En el jardín”; instruction follows the same four-part sequence of introduction, minilesson, student investigation, and review. During the lesson, the educator is directed to organize students into bilingual pairs to discuss language patterns and cross-linguistic connections.The materials do not include sidebars, implementation notes, or program-specific recommendations that describe how instruction should be modified for different bilingual or ESL models. The materials include a uniform instructional approach for all settings rather than differentiated guidance aligned to specific state-approved bilingual or ESL program structures.

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 include information to build background knowledge on language acquisition in general, but not how this program would fit into different models. The materials do not state when or how they would be used in different bilingual programs. No examples are given showing how this program would be used in conjunction with any state-approved model. The materials include guidance for lesson scripts for educators, but this does not provide guidance on how this program would fit in different state-approved bilingual and ESL programs.

The materials do not include examples showing how this program would be used in conjunction with any state-approved model. The materials give specific guidance for lesson scripts for educators, but they do not provide guidance to educators on how this program would fit in different state-approved bilingual and ESL programs.

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.

In Set 8 “Fonología,” activities are included to support students in transferring the academic language learned to another language. For example, in “Investigación del estudiante,” students use the chart “Conexiones interlingüisticas” to study the sound of the letter h. In three columns students divide the uses of the letter h in Spanish, examples, and the use of the letter h in English.

In Set 9 “Fonología,” activities are included to support students in transferring the academic language learned to another language. For example, in “Investigación del estudiante,” using the chart “Conexiones interlingüisticas,” students chart the sound of the letter z. In three columns students divide the uses of the letter z in Spanish, examples, and the use of the letter z in English.

Evaluation for 5.1a
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction on specific vocabulary using multiple strategies for teaching word meaning (e.g., student-friendly definitions, synonyms and antonyms, examples and non-examples, categorization and classification, images).

The materials include explicit instruction on high-utility tier 3 academic vocabulary through direct teaching of discipline-specific metalinguistic terms. For example, in Set 8 “Phonology,” the materials include explicit instruction on the tier 3 term digraph (dígrafo). The materials direct the educator to define the concept by stating, “A digraph is a combination of two consonants that make one sound,” and in Spanish, “Un dígrafo es una combinación de dos consonantes que hacen un sonido.” The materials then guide the educator to model the concept by having students identify the digraph tr- in words such as traps and trampas. The materials also include explicit instruction on the tier 3 term prepositions (preposiciones) in Set 8 “Grammar.” For example, the materials direct the educator to explain, “We are going to learn about prepositions in English and in Spanish. Prepositions are words that connect other words in a sentence,” and in Spanish, “Las preposiciones son palabras que conectan otras palabras en una oración.” The materials extend this instruction by demonstrating how prepositions connect people, objects, time, and place before students identify examples within the text.

The Early Biliteracy materials include explicit instruction on specific vocabulary using multiple strategies for teaching word meaning. For example, in Set 7, an anchor chart is provided to help students identify verbs in third person. It includes the conjugations in English (“Verbs end in s in the third person”) examples such as eats/come, lives/vive, and conjugations in Spanish (“Verbs don’t end in s in the third person”). Another strategy is under “Modeled Writing.” Here, students receive instructions such as “Let’s think and write about what we have learned.” Students then use the following sentence frames to model writing about verbs in third person: “In English and in Spanish we use ____ in sentences. In English, verbs in the third person end in ____.”

Evaluation for 5.1b
Specific vocabulary selected for explicit (direct) instruction includes high-utility tier 2 and tier 3 academic vocabulary.

The materials include direct instruction in tier 3 specialized vocabulary but do not provide explicit direct instruction in tier 2 words that appear across multiple subject areas. The materials include direct teaching of discipline-specific academic vocabulary such as compound sentences, prefixes, and conjunctions, which are tier 3 terms connected to reading language arts concepts. For example, in Set 9 “Grammar,” the introduction directs the educator to explicitly teach the meaning of the word conjunction. The materials then provide multiple opportunities for students to engage with this term throughout the minilesson and student investigation, where students examine examples of conjunctions and discuss their function in sentences, building understanding of this tier 3 vocabulary within the context of the lesson. However, the materials do not include explicit instruction or practice for tier 2 academic vocabulary. While the educator may use instructional language such as identify, compare, and summarize to facilitate lesson delivery, these words are not explicitly taught, defined, or practiced as targeted vocabulary within the materials.

The materials provide direct instruction in tier 3 specialized vocabulary, but they do not provide direct instruction in tier 2 words that appear across many subjects. The materials directly teach the meaning of words such as prepositional phrases, verbs, nouns, adjectives, pronouns, syllables, and diphthongs, which are tier 3 subject-specific words. For example, in Set 8 “Grammar,” in the “Introduction” section, the educator is directed on how to explicitly teach the meaning of the word preposition. The students are given many opportunities in the minilesson and student investigation to see examples of prepositions and discuss what prepositions are. However, tier 2 words are not directly taught or practiced throughout the materials. While the educator may use words such as identify, compare, and summarize to move through the lesson, the meanings of these words are not explicitly taught, nor are they the main focus of the lesson.

Evaluation for 5.1c
Materials include repeated opportunities for students to practice using specific vocabulary in multiple contexts.

The Early Biliteracy materials include explicit instruction on using morphemic analysis to determine word meaning. Throughout the morphology lessons, instruction follows a gradual progression in which the educator models how prefixes, suffixes, roots, and inflectional endings affect word meaning; students practice the skill collaboratively during student investigations; and then students apply the strategy independently during review activities. For example, in Set 10 “Morphology: Prefixes,” the materials include explicit instruction in which the educator explains that prefixes are added to the beginning of words and that they change word meaning. The educator models with examples such as submarine/submarino and explains that sub- means “under” and un-, des-, and in- mean “not.” The materials also include student practice analyzing words such as unknown/desconocido and incredible/increíble to determine how prefixes change meaning before summarizing the rule in writing. Additionally, in Set 5 “Morphology: Inflectional Endings for Plural and Gender,” the materials include educator modeling of how word endings communicate meaning, such as explaining that the -s in grapes indicates more than one and the -as in uvas indicates a plural feminine noun. The instruction is followed by a student application using words such as insects/insectos. Furthermore, in Set 9 “Morphology: Root Words and Continuous Verb Endings,” the materials include educator modeling of how to separate verbs into roots and endings, explaining that -ing and -ando indicate continuous action, followed by student analysis of words such as learning/aprendiendo and independent summarization of the rule.

The materials include opportunities for students to practice and use vocabulary words multiple times and in varied contexts. The organization of each lesson includes opportunities for students to hear, see, and use vocabulary words across listening, reading, speaking, and writing. For example, in Set 8 “Grammar,” students learn the tier 3 vocabulary word preposition. The materials include an “Introduction” section in which students hear the definition of preposition. The materials also include opportunities for students to see prepositions in context in previously read texts. Additionally, the “Mini-Lesson” section includes partner discussions using sentence stems to explain how prepositions function. The “Student Investigation” section includes opportunities for students to identify prepositions in English and Spanish texts and discuss how they connect ideas. Furthermore, the “Modeled Writing” section includes opportunities for students to use and define the word preposition using sentence stems.

Evaluation for 5.2a
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction on using morphemic analysis to determine word meaning in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The materials provide explicit and direct instruction in morphemic analysis and show students how to use word parts to understand the meaning of words. For example, in Set 2 “Morphology,” the educator explicitly teaches students that in English and Spanish most singular nouns are made plural by adding -s or -es to the end of words. In the minilesson, the educator provides multiple examples from the texts read in class to show students that we add an -s or -es at the end of words to make them plural. The instruction then guides students in practicing this same skill by identifying singular and plural nouns in sentences from the texts and discussing how to add an -s or -es at the end of words to make them plural.

The materials provide explicit and direct instruction in morphemic analysis and show students how to use word parts to understand the meaning of words. For example, in Set 5 “Morphology,” the educator explicitly explains to students that using the ending of a verb can tell you if a verb is in the past or present. The educator explains that -ed verbs in English and -ó/ía verbs in Spanish are in the past tense. The educator provides multiple examples from the texts read in class. Students then practice this same skill by discussing the endings of verbs that they find in the texts. In the student investigation, students identify the past-tense verbs in sentences and discuss them with a partner.

Evaluation for 5.2b
Materials include opportunities for students to practice using morphemic analysis to determine word meaning in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Early Biliteracy materials include opportunities for students to practice using morphemic analysis to determine word meaning. For example, in Set 9 “Morphology: Root Words and Past Tense Verb Endings,” students analyze the sentences “Rory wanted to be like the other lions in her pride” and “Rory quería ser igual a los otros leones de su manada.” During “Partner Talk,” students break the verbs into their morphemes by explaining, “I notice that in the English verb (wanted), the root word is (want) and the ending is (-ed). But in the Spanish verb (quería), the root word is (quer-) and the ending is (-ía).” Similarly, in Set 5 “Morphology: Inflectional Endings for Number and Gender,” students analyze words such as wings and alas by separating the inflectional endings from the base words. During “Partner Talk,” students state, “I notice the inflectional ending (-s) in the English word (wings), and the inflectional ending (-as) in the Spanish word (alas).” Students then use this analysis to infer that both endings indicate plurality, while the Spanish -as ending also indicates feminine gender.

The materials provide multiple opportunities for students to use morphemic analysis, or word parts, to understand the meaning of words. For example, in Set 10 “Morphology,” students learn what a prefix is and the meaning of the prefixes sub- and un/in-. In the “Student Investigation” section, students are given sentences from the texts they have read in English and Spanish. They are asked to analyze these sentences to find the words with prefixes and discuss with a partner what these words mean based on the prefix. In the same lesson, the “Modeled Writing” section asks students to write about how we use prefixes and what they mean.

Evaluation for 5.2c
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction on using contextual analysis to determine word meaning in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The materials do not provide explicit instruction on how to use contextual analysis to determine word meaning. No opportunities are provided for the educator to explain or model how to use the surrounding context within or beyond a sentence to determine the meaning of an unknown word. Set 4, “Syntax,” mentions opposites (or antonyms), but students are never explicitly taught how to use them to understand the meaning of a different unknown word within the text. While the materials often teach the morphology of individual words, there is no direct instruction on how to use nearby clues, such as words, phrases, or sentence structure, to help determine the meaning of unknown words.

The Early Biliteracy materials do not include explicit instruction on using contextual analysis to determine word meaning. Although students regularly read words within sentences and short passages, the lessons focus on analyzing linguistic features such as phonology, morphology, grammar, and syntax rather than teaching students how to use surrounding context to infer the meanings of unfamiliar words. The materials do not provide educator modeling, think-alouds, or guided practice for using context clues as a vocabulary strategy. For example, in Set 4 “Syntax: Adjectives and Opposites,” students read sentences such as “—Voy al estanque a jugar —dijo el pequeño murciélago” and “—Cuidado con los murciélagos grandes —dijo su madre” to identify adjectives and antonyms. The instruction emphasizes the grammatical concept that adjectives describe nouns and may have opposites, but it does not teach students to use the surrounding text to determine the meanings of pequeño or grandes. Similarly, in Set 8 “Grammar: Prepositions,” students read sentences such as “Cuando un insecto queda atrapado en el hoyo, no puede salir” and “When an insect is trapped in the hole, it can’t get out” to identify prepositions. The lesson explicitly defines prepositions as “words that connect other words in a sentence,” focusing on their grammatical function rather than teaching students to use the surrounding context to infer the meanings of unfamiliar vocabulary.

Evaluation for 5.2d
Materials include opportunities for students to practice using contextual analysis to determine word meaning in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Early Biliteracy materials do not include opportunities for students to practice using contextual analysis to determine the meanings of unfamiliar vocabulary. Although students regularly read words embedded within sentences and connected text, the student investigations and “Partner Talk” activities focus on analyzing phonology, morphology, grammar, and syntax rather than using surrounding context to infer word meanings. The materials do not include practice activities that require students to use context clues to determine unfamiliar vocabulary. For example, in Set 6 “Grammar,” students read sentences such as “Some caterpillars taste bad” and “Algunas orugas tienen mal sabor.” Rather than using the sentence to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words, students identify the grammatical function of the indefinite adjectives some/algunas, recognizing that they describe quantity without indicating a specific number. Similarly, in Set 8 “Phonology,” students read sentences such as “This spider makes a trap too” and “Esta araña pone una trampa también.” Instead of using context to determine the meaning of trap/trampa, students focus on phonological analysis by identifying the tr- digraph and comparing its pronunciation in English and Spanish. These activities reinforce language structures but do not provide practice in using contextual analysis as a vocabulary strategy.

The Early Biliteracy materials do not include opportunities for students to practice using contextual analysis to determine the meanings of unfamiliar vocabulary. Although students regularly read words embedded within sentences and connected text, the student investigations and “Partner Talk” activities focus on analyzing phonology, morphology, grammar, and syntax rather than using surrounding context to infer word meanings. The materials do not include practice activities that require students to identify context clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words. For example, in Set 3 “Syntax,” students read sentences such as “There are frogs in this forest too” and “Hay ranas también en este bosque.” Rather than using the sentence to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary, students analyze how prepositional phrases add details about a place at the end of a sentence. Similarly, in Set 4 “Morphology,” students read dialogue such as “‘I do not eat rats,’ said Big Bat” and “—No como ratas —dijo el gran murciélago.” Instead of using context to determine the meaning of rat/rata, students analyze the words morphologically by identifying how adding -s changes the noun from singular to plural.