Flying Start to Literacy: Phonics

Evaluation for 1.1a
Materials include a scope and sequence outlining the TEKS, ELPS, and concepts taught in the course.

The materials include a “Scope and Sequence” section organized by module and unit that outlines the phonics concepts taught in Flying Start to Literacy: Phonics Stage One. The module 2 “Phonics Teaching Units” table lists nine instructional units. Each unit specifies the focus sound/phoneme, letter/grapheme, high-utility words, and decodable text. For example, in module 2, units 1–9 progress systematically through the letter–sound correspondences /n/, /o/, /g/, /k/, /d/, /r/, /u/, /l/, and /f/. However, the materials do not include the TEKS and ELPS taught in the course.

The materials include a “Scope and Sequence” section organized by module and unit that outlines the phonics concepts taught in Flying Start to Literacy: Phonics Stage One. The module 3 “Phonics Teaching Units” table lists eight instructional units and a review unit. Each unit specifies the focus sound/phoneme, letter/grapheme, high-utility words, and decodable text. For example, in module 3, units 1–8 progress systematically through the letter–sound correspondences /b/, /j/, /kw/, /v/, /w/, /ks/, and /y/. However, the materials do not include the TEKS and ELPS taught in the course.

Evaluation for 1.1b
Materials include suggested pacing (pacing guide/calendar) to support effective implementation for various instructional calendars (e.g., varying numbers of instructional days-165, 180, 210)

The Stage One materials include a suggested daily pacing guide to support daily instruction. For example, the “Planning Your Literacy Instruction” section includes four 30-minute instructional blocks dedicated to specific skills and content areas. The first 30-minute block focuses on language development through whole-group instruction in oral language, vocabulary, and alphabet review. The materials do not include at least two instructional calendars to accommodate different instructional schedules.

The Stage One materials include suggestions and options for structuring the weekly literacy block. For example, in the Teacher Resource Book, the “Planning Your Literacy Instruction” section indicates “each unit should take about 120 minutes to complete.” The resource also states “each unit can be taught across four blocks, each taking approximately 30 minutes,” with one extra 30-minute block added as needed. The materials do not provide suggested pacing for various instructional calendars.

Evaluation for 1.1c
Materials include an explanation for the rationale of unit order as well as how concepts to be learned connect throughout the course.

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book explains the rationale for the unit order and how concepts to be learned connect throughout the course. For example, the materials explain the systematic progression of instruction, beginning with more common consonant and vowel sounds and advancing to less common letter–sound correspondences.

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book explains the rationale for the unit order and how concepts to be learned connect throughout the course. For example, each unit provides explicit instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, morphology, and high-utility words. The materials also include 30 decodable texts that align with and reinforce the letter–sound correspondences and high-utility words throughout the program.

Evaluation for 1.1d
Materials include protocols with corresponding guidance for unit and lesson internalization.

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book includes protocols with corresponding guidance for unit and lesson internalization. An overview for each unit provides educators with a structured, at-a-glance protocol to support unit internalization. For example, the “Phonological Awareness” section explains that activities develop auditory attention to sounds through work with beginning, middle, and final sounds, blending, and rhyming. In addition, the “Phonics” section includes activities that connect sounds to letters in uppercase and lowercase form. The “Consolidate Learning” section also includes directions for how educators can use the materials during instruction, including activities for pairs, small groups, or individuals, which supports planning for diverse student needs.

The Stage One materials include protocols with corresponding guidance for unit and lesson internalization. The beginning of the Teacher Resource Book includes steps and expectations for how educators should internalize each unit. For example, the Stage One “Scope and Sequence” includes a table detailing the phoneme, grapheme, and high-utility words for each unit, and a list of decodable texts for each module. For example, module 3, unit 2 includes the phoneme /j/, the grapheme j, the high-utility words put and off, and decodable texts “Ten books using 26 letters to practice letter sounds” and “Words with newly taught letter–sound correspondence.”

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

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book includes guidance to support educators in implementing lessons. For example, Stage One “Assessment Record 3” directs educators to “have the student say the name of each letter.” However, the materials do not include resources or guidance for instructional leaders to support educators.


The Stage One Teacher Resource Book includes guidance to assist educators in implementing the materials as designed. For example, Stage One “Assessment Record 4” instructs educators to have students produce the sound for each letter aloud. However, the materials do not provide resources or implementation guidance to help instructional leaders support educators in using the program.

Evaluation for 1.2a
Materials include comprehensive unit overviews that provide the background content knowledge and academic vocabulary necessary to effectively teach the concepts in the unit.

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book includes comprehensive unit overviews that provide the background content knowledge necessary to effectively teach the concepts in each unit. The “Program Content Section Overview” provides educators with background knowledge for the unit concepts, while the “Scope and Sequence” section outlines the progression of instruction across the program. The materials do not include the academic vocabulary necessary to teach the concepts in each unit.

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book includes comprehensive unit overviews that provide educators with the background content knowledge needed to teach the concepts in each unit. The “Program Content Section Overview” explains the instructional focus and provides the educator with foundational background knowledge about the concepts the unit addresses. The “Scope and Sequence” section illustrates how instruction is organized and progresses across the program. However, the unit overviews do not provide the academic vocabulary educators need to effectively teach the concepts in each unit.

Evaluation for 1.2b
Materials contain supports for families in both Spanish and English for each unit with suggestions on supporting the progress of their student.

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book includes supports for families in English for each unit, with suggestions to support their students’ progress. For example, the “Reading Decodable Text” section states that students can take the decodable books home for further practice.

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book includes supports for families in English for each unit, with suggestions to support their students’ progress. For example, the materials suggest that students take the practice sentences home to read to their families. The materials do not include supports for families in Spanish for each unit.

Evaluation for 1.3a
Materials include comprehensive, structured, detailed lesson plans that include daily objectives, questions, tasks, materials, and instructional assessments required to meet the content and language standards of the lesson (aligned with the TEKS and the ELPS).

The materials include comprehensive, structured, and detailed lesson plans that provide daily objectives, questions, tasks, materials, and instructional assessments required to support lesson implementation. For example, in module 3, unit 1, the “Oral Language Development: Say It” section includes the lesson objective of oral language development and phonological awareness. The materials instruct students to sing the “Alphabet Rhyming Song,” clap with emphasis on the focus letter b, and clap the syllables in each word. The materials include educator-directed tasks in which students listen to the beginning sound in a series of words and repeat the sound and the words that begin with the letter b. The materials include instructional assessments that require students to say words that begin with the /b/ sound and blend sounds to say words that begin with the /b/ sound. For example, the materials include the “Alphabet Rhyming Song,” the reproducible rhyme, The Big Book of Rhymes, and alphabet cards to support lesson implementation. The materials do not include information showing alignment to the TEKS or the ELPS.

The materials include comprehensive, structured, and detailed lesson plans that provide tasks to promote mastery of the lesson objective, necessary materials, and instructional assessments. For example, in module 2, unit 4 includes a lesson objective to identify and connect the letter k with the /k/ sound. The “Change a Sound” section includes tasks that assess student mastery of the lesson objective, where students repeat a word after the educator, change the first sound(s), and say the new word. The “Draw and Share” section includes an instructional assessment at the end of the lesson to measure mastery of the lesson objective. Students draw four objects that begin with the /k/ sound, share their drawings in small groups, and say a sentence about one of the objects they drew. The materials also include a list of necessary materials throughout the lesson plan to support lesson implementation. For example, in module 2, unit 4, the “Oral Language Development” section directs educators to use the corresponding reproducible rhyme as a lesson resource. The materials do not include information showing alignment to the TEKS or the ELPS.

Evaluation for 1.3b
Materials include a lesson overview listing the teacher and student materials necessary to effectively deliver the lesson, and the suggested timing for each lesson component.

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book does not include a lesson overview that identifies the educator and student materials required to effectively deliver the lesson. Instead, the lesson materials are embedded throughout each unit. For example, the materials in the module 1, unit 9, “Oral Language Development, Say It” section, include The Big Book of Rhymes and the unit 9 reproducible rhyme for students. The materials include the suggested timing for each lesson component. The “Planning Your Literacy Instruction” section provides a suggested time for each content block. For example, the suggested time for “Block 1 Language” is 30 minutes, including whole group, oral language, vocabulary, and alphabet components.


The Stage One Teacher Resource Book includes guidance and recommendations for the suggested timing of lesson components. The “Planning Your Literacy Instruction” section includes guidance on the suggested timing of each unit and its components. For example, the directions state that each unit should take about 120 minutes to complete, taught across four 30-minute blocks. If needed, educators can add another 30-minute block to review any content students missed, provide extra instruction, or complete additional consolidation activities. The materials also provide guidance and recommendations for adjusting the timing of lesson components in the “Planning Considerations” section. For example, “The structure of the weekly literacy block will depend upon students’ literacy learning needs. The pace of teaching should be guided by students.” The materials also include the educator and student materials necessary to effectively deliver the lesson, but are embedded within the sequence of instruction, rather than listed in the lesson overview. For example, in module 2, unit 4, the “Oral Language and Development” section states that to view materials educators should “See the Module 2, Unit 4 reproducible rhyme.”

Evaluation for 1.3c
Materials include guidance on the effective use of lesson materials for extended practice (e.g., homework, extension, enrichment).

The materials include guidance on using lesson materials for extended practice in a blue guidance box at the end of the “Write Words” section of each lesson. For example, module 1, unit 7, includes guidance for extending student practice after students demonstrate accuracy with the lowercase letter c. The materials direct educators to introduce the uppercase letter C using the same instructional sequence and activities from the unit. The guidance instructs educators to explain that both c and C represent the /k/ sound, and to provide students with opportunities to write the uppercase letter.

The materials include guidance for effectively using lesson materials to support extended practice. For example, module 1, unit 9, expects students to demonstrate mastery in writing the lowercase letter h. After students achieve mastery, the materials include an extension of the lesson by providing additional practice in writing the uppercase letter H. This extended practice supports students to continue applying previously taught letter-formation skills.

Evaluation for 2.1a
Materials include a variety of instructional assessments at the unit and lesson level (including diagnostic, formative, and summative) that vary in types of tasks and questions.

The materials include a variety of instructional assessments, including diagnostic assessments that vary in types of tasks and questions. For example, assessment tasks include identifying beginning letter sounds, phonological awareness skills, letter names and sounds, high-utility words, and reading and writing letters and words. The materials include questions such as, “What is the beginning sound of the words sun, sat, and sing?” in module 1, unit 1. The materials include a variety of instructional assessments at the unit level, including summative assessments that vary in the types of tasks and questions. For example, the end of module 1 includes a “Review Record” for conducting an individual review of module 1 content, including rhyming words, beginning sounds, and phonics skills. The materials include questions such as, “Do these words rhyme?” under the rhyming words section and “What is this word?” under the high-utility words section. The materials include a variety of instructional assessments at the lesson level, including formative assessments that vary in types of tasks and questions. For example, in the module 1, unit 9, “Phonics Write It” section, the educator models writing the letter h, followed by student practice writing the letter h while the educator checks for accuracy.

The materials include a variety of instructional assessments, including diagnostic assessments that vary in types of tasks and questions. The Stage One assessment includes seven tasks that assess distinct skills using different response modes. For example, in “Assessment Task 1: Beginning Sounds” students identify the beginning sound of pictured words, requiring auditory discrimination based on visual prompts. In assessment tasks 2 and 3 students name lowercase and uppercase letters presented in randomized print arrays. The materials include summative assessments that vary in task type and question format at the module level. For example, the module 1 review includes distinct sections that assess multiple skills using different response modes. In the “Phonological Awareness” section students complete rhyming discrimination, beginning-sound identification, final-sound identification, and syllable-segmentation tasks, all of which require oral responses. In the “High-Utility Words” section students read printed words aloud using the “Module 1 Review High-Utility Words” card. In the “Phonics” section students listen to a sound and write the corresponding letter. The “Match the Letter with the Sound” task uses a visual matching format where students connect printed letters to pictures whose names begin with that sound. The module 1 “Review Record” captures scores across all sections and supports data collection.

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

The materials include definitions and the intended purposes of the instructional assessment types included. The materials state that the program builds assessments into it, organizes students for learning, and monitors student progress. For example, the materials include Stage One assessments for high-utility words and provide examples of assessment types that monitor student learning and progress.

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book includes definitions of assessment types to support educator understanding of instructional assessment purposes. For example, the materials define diagnostic assessments as tools that provide baseline data on a student’s foundational knowledge or proficiency.

Evaluation for 2.1c
Materials include teacher guidance to ensure consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments.

The materials include educator guidance to ensure consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments. The Stage One assessment provides specific details about necessary materials and how to arrange the educator and student for the assessment. The assessment is designed to be conducted individually, with the educator and one student sitting side by side. The assessment includes seven tasks, each assessing distinct skills and knowledge. The materials include assessment task sheets for activities that require them, as well as assessment record sheets for all assessment tasks.

The materials include educator guidance to ensure consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments. The directions for individual assessment tasks specify the required materials and procedures. For example, task 2 directs educators to show students the “Reading Words” task sheet and use “Assessment Record 2,” while task 4 instructs educators to provide a blank piece of paper and a pencil with no task sheet required. In addition, each assessment record supports accurate scoring by pre-printing the correct answers for each item, such as yes, au-to-mo-bile, read, bridge, and boil, along with a check column and a total score out of five.

Evaluation for 2.1d
Diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments are aligned to the TEKS and objectives of the course, unit, or lesson.

The materials include diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments that are aligned with the TEKS and objectives of the course, unit, or lesson. For example, in module 1, unit 1, the diagnostic assessment measures the lesson objective of identifying beginning sounds. In addition, in the module 1, unit 9, “Phonics Write It” section, the educator models writing the letter h, then students write the letter while the educator checks for accuracy. This sequence aligns the formative assessment with the lesson objective of correctly forming and writing the letter. Also in module 1, the “Review Record” aligns assessment with the module objectives. The tool assesses students’ knowledge of skills taught in the module, including rhyming words, beginning sounds, phonics, and high-utility words.

The materials include diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments that are aligned with the TEKS and the objectives of the course, unit, or lesson. For example, in module 2, unit 7, the diagnostic assessment measures the lesson objective of identifying middle sounds such as /u/ in bun and shut. In addition, in the module 2, unit 7, “Phonics Write It” section, the educator models writing the letter u, then students write the letter while the educator checks for accuracy. This sequence aligns the formative assessment with the lesson objective of correctly forming and writing the letter. Also in module 2, the “Review Record” aligns assessment with the module objectives. The tool assesses students’ knowledge of skills taught in the module, including beginning sounds.

Evaluation for 2.1e
Instructional assessments include TEKS-aligned items at varying levels of complexity.

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book instructional assessments include TEKS-aligned items at varying levels of complexity. For example, the Stage One assessment requires students to identify lowercase and uppercase letter names, identify letter sounds and beginning sounds, read high-utility words, blend CVC words, and write letter sounds.

The Flying Start to Literacy: Phonics Stage One Resource Book includes a comprehensive stage one assessment that functions as a diagnostic tool with varying levels of complexity. The assessment contains seven distinct tasks, each targeting a specific and discrete skill area: beginning sounds, lowercase letter names, uppercase letter names, letter sounds, high-utility words, CVC words, and writing letter sounds. Each task increases in complexity, moving from identifying beginning sounds in pictures to decoding CVC words and writing letter sounds from memory. The assessment tools align with lesson and unit objectives, providing teachers with detailed data to establish what students know and identify gaps in phonological awareness prior to instruction.

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

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book includes information to ensure accurate scoring of instructional assessments. For example, each assessment record sheet provides space to record student responses and a section to document the total number of correct answers.

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book includes instructional assessments and scoring information to guide the interpretation of student performance. For example, the module review identifies whether students are ready to move on or need continued support for remediation, and provides suggested activities for additional practice.

Evaluation for 2.2b
Materials provide guidance for the use of included tasks and activities to respond to student trends in performance on assessments.

In the Stage One Teacher Resource Book, the “Assessment Overview” section explains that assessment data can inform further instruction for individuals or groups of students. The materials do not include guidance on using tasks and activities to respond to trends in student assessment performance.

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book states that students may have additional time to practice applying their knowledge and skills through small groups or one-on-one instruction with the educator. The materials do not include guidance on using tasks and activities to respond to trends in student assessment performance.

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

The materials include tools to help educators track student progress and growth. For example, in the Stage One Teacher Resource Book, “Assessment Record 4: Letter Sounds” instructs the educator to point to a letter and record whether the student produces the correct sound. The materials include educator-facing assessment tools that support ongoing monitoring of student performance. However, the materials do not include student-facing recording documents or tools for students to track their own progress and growth.

The materials include tools to help educators track individual student progress and growth. For example, in the Stage One Teacher Resource Book, the “Assessment Overview” section explains that educators can use reviews to collect specific data as needed, and that assessment data can inform instruction for individuals or groups of students. The module review is designed to identify students who are ready to progress and those who need additional support, and provides a record for tracking student performance as they complete each module. In addition, assessment records 1–7 provide individual record sheets for each assessment task, including spaces to record student responses, total correct answers, and notes on student performance.

Evaluation for 3.1a
Materials include teacher guidance for differentiated instruction, activities, and paired (scaffolded) lessons for students who have not yet reached proficiency on grade-level content and skills.

The Stage One materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction, activities, and paired lessons for students who have not yet reached proficiency on grade-level content and skills. For example, the Teacher Resource Book, “Assessment Overview” section, “Module Review” subsection, states, “Students who demonstrate that they need further assistance can be assessed individually, and a Review Record of each student’s results completed. These students can then be taught individually or in small groups, at their point of need.”

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book provides guidance for differentiated instruction for students who have not yet reached proficiency on grade-level content and skills. For example, the “Assessment Overview” section states that “students can be given extra time to practice applying their knowledge and skills. This intervention can be done in small groups or one-on-one with the teacher.” The materials state that “in the early units of Stage One, students may need more time on the phonological awareness activities before moving on to phonics instruction” and recommend that educators “plan one session each week for students who need reteaching” or “need further support.”

Evaluation for 3.1b
Materials include pre-teaching or embedded supports for unfamiliar vocabulary and references in text (e.g., figurative language, idioms, academic language). (T/S)

The Stage One materials include embedded supports for vocabulary development. In module 2, unit 7, the “Oral Language Development” section provides vocabulary instruction connected to the rhyme “Little Tommy Tucker.” The “Vocabulary” heading guides educators to explain unfamiliar words and concepts from the rhyme to support student understanding.

The Stage One materials include pre-teaching and embedded supports for unfamiliar vocabulary and references in text. In every unit, the “Oral Language Development” section includes an embedded vocabulary segment that directs educators to explain the meaning of unfamiliar words from the rhyme using student-friendly language and concrete examples. For example, module 5, unit 6, directs educators to explain that a baker is a person who bakes things. Educators write baker on a chart and discuss related words such as bakes, baked, and baking to deepen students’ understanding of the reference in context. The materials include embedded supports for both vocabulary and references in text across all units in Stage One.

Evaluation for 3.1c
Materials include teacher guidance for differentiated instruction, enrichment, and extension activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level content and skills.

The materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction, enrichment, and extension activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level content and skills. Guidance in module 1, unit 7, states, “When accuracy is achieved with the lowercase form of this letter, the letter c, teach the uppercase form using the sequence and activities in this unit.” The materials include directions for students who have demonstrated proficiency with writing the lowercase letter c to move on to writing the uppercase letter C. The materials include extension activities in which students apply letter–sound correspondence to write words containing the letter, such as cat.

The Stage One materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction, enrichment, and extension activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level content and skills. For example, in the “Assessment Overview” section, the “Module Review” subsection provides the guidance, “Students not involved in catch-up work can continue with the range of consolidation activities provided.”

Evaluation for 3.2a
Materials include explicit (direct) prompts and guidance to support the teacher in modeling and explaining the concept(s) to be learned.

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book includes direct prompts and guidance to support educators in modeling and explaining the concepts to be learned. For example, in module 3, unit 8, the “Phonics Write It” section includes a script and guidance for educators to teach the letter–sound correspondence for the letter z. The guidance instructs the educator to say, “The letter z makes the /z/ sound.” The educator then points to the picture card of a zebra and says, “The word zebra begins with the /z/ sound.” The materials also provide an explicit prompt for educator modeling by directing the educator to ask, “What picture can I draw that begins with the letter z?”

The materials include direct prompts to support educators in modeling and explaining the concepts to be learned. For example, in module 1, unit 1, the “Learn the Letter s” section provides the prompt, “Demonstrate writing the letter s. Say: We are going to learn to write the letter s. I will write the letter s for the /s/ sound. Talk about the action you make as you write. Say: ‘Pull back, across, around, and back again. This is the letter s, and it makes the /s/ sound.’ Repeat as a whole class. Have students write the letter s several times. Check for accuracy.”

Evaluation for 3.2b
Materials include teacher guidance and recommendations for effective lesson delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional approaches.

The Stage One materials include educator guidance and recommendations for effective lesson delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional approaches. The Stage One Teacher Resource Book describes a four-block weekly instructional structure that guides educators through multiple delivery approaches within each unit. Block 1 directs whole-group instruction of language. Block 2 directs whole-group explicit teaching of phonological awareness and phonics. Block 3 directs whole-group explicit teaching of phonics and writing. Block 4 directs educators to consolidate learning by having students practice and apply new learning in small groups, with a partner, or individually. The Teacher Resource Book also recommends that educators schedule one optional session each week for catch-up, reteaching, and further consolidation, and notes that students’ learning needs should guide the pace of instruction. These recommendations guide educators in transitioning between whole-group, small-group, partner, and individual instructional approaches across the week.

The Stage One materials include educator guidance and recommendations for effective lesson delivery and facilitation, using a variety of instructional approaches, such as incorporating scaffolded instruction. For example, in the Teacher Resource Book, module 1, unit 6, the “High-Utility Words” section includes guidance just below the sound–letter chart. The guidance states, “Support students as they learn the word: say the letter names in the word; arm tap the word; and air write the word. Have students practice writing the words several times. Check for accuracy.”

Evaluation for 3.2c
Materials support multiple types of practice (e.g., guided, independent, collaborative) and include guidance for teachers and recommended structures (e.g., whole group, small group, individual) to support effective implementation.

The Stage One materials support multiple types of practice and include guidance for educators, as well as recommended structures to support effective implementation. The Teacher Resource Book describes a four-block weekly instructional structure that recommends whole-group instruction in Blocks 1–3 and guided, collaborative, and independent practice in Block 4. Block 4 directs educators to have students practice and apply new learning in small groups, with a partner, or individually. The Block 4, “Consolidate Learning” section includes guided practice through a variety of games and activities, collaborative practice through partner work, and independent practice through individual application of skills. The Teacher Resource Book also recommends an optional Friday session for additional guided practice, reteaching, and further consolidation. These recommendations provide educators with clear guidance on transitioning between whole-group, small-group, partner, and individual structures throughout the week.

The Stage One materials support multiple types of practice and include guidance for educators and recommended structures to support effective implementation. The “Assessment Overview” section directs educators to conduct module reviews with the whole group to identify students who are ready to progress and those who need further teaching and consolidation. Students that need further assistance participate in individual or small group instruction at their point of need. Students not involved in catch-up work continue with a range of consolidation activities that support both independent and collaborative practice. Educators administer stage assessments individually to students, providing structured guidance for individual practice and data collection. These recommended structures guide educators in moving between whole-group, small-group, and individual instructional contexts to support effective implementation.

Evaluation for 3.3a
Materials include teacher 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 Stage One materials do not include educator guidance on providing linguistic accommodations for various levels of language proficiency as defined by the ELPS. The Stage One Teacher Resource Book does not include dedicated sections, strategies, or guidance for supporting emergent bilingual (EB) students at any level of language proficiency. The materials do not include linguistic accommodations designed to engage students in using increasingly more academic language at beginning, intermediate, high Intermediate, or advanced proficiency levels.

Materials include activities in “Say it” to help increase oral language awareness, rhythm, rhyme, and vocabulary for all students. The “Practice Sentences” activities contain words with letter–sound correspondence and high-utility words the students have learned. However, these do not include teacher guidance on providing linguistic accommodations for various levels of language proficiency, as defined by the English Language Proficiency Standards.

Evaluation for 3.3b
Materials include implementation guidance to support teachers in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual/ESL programs.

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book provides a scope and sequence but does not include implementation guidance to support educators in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual/ESL programs.

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book includes Letter-Picture cards that support letter correspondence and high utility words students learned. Rhymes and alphabet songs are also provided; however, no implementation guidance exists to support educators in effectively using the materials in state-approved bilingual/ESL programs.

Evaluation for 3.3c
Materials include embedded guidance for teachers to support emergent bilingual students in developing academic vocabulary, increasing comprehension, building background knowledge, and making cross-linguistic connections through oral and written discourse.

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book does not include embedded guidance to support educators in supporting EB students in developing academic vocabulary, increasing comprehension, building background knowledge, and making cross-linguistic connections through oral and written discourse.

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book provides “Oral Language Development Vocabulary” activities where teachers receive guidance to support students in the meaning of unfamiliar words. Each module also includes decodable books to work on fluency and comprehension. However, materials do not include embedded guidance for teachers to support emergent bilingual students.

Evaluation for 3.3d
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 include systematic and sequenced instruction of phonics (sound-symbol correspondence) skills.

The materials include a systematic and sequenced introduction to sound–symbol correspondence skills. For example, module 6, unit 1 introduces the /ow/ sound spelled with the letters ou and ow. Throughout the lesson, the materials provide structured opportunities for students to hear the /ow/ sound in a rhyme, blend syllables, remove a syllable, identify rhyming words, and change a sound. The materials then guide students to connect the /ow/ sound to its corresponding letter spellings and to write words that contain the /ow/ sound. The materials also include cumulative review opportunities. For example, during the module review, students revisit previously taught double consonant letters, reinforcing earlier sound–symbol correspondence skills while building on newly introduced concepts.

The Stage One materials include systematic and sequenced instruction in sound–symbol correspondence skills. The materials include educator guidance to introduce each new phonics skill using a predictable routine. First, the educator introduces the sound and symbol using an alphabet card. Then, the students and educator collaborate to create a poster with pictures that begin with the focus sound. Next, the educator demonstrates how to form the letter and has students practice. Finally, the educator models how to segment sounds to write a word that begins with the lesson’s phonics focus. For example, in the module 1, unit 1, “Phonics” section, the lesson begins with the educator introducing the /s/ sound made by the letter s. The lesson instructs educators, “Say: “The letter s makes the /s/ sound. Point to the letter s and the picture of the sun on the Flying Start to Literacy: Phonics Alphabet Cards. Say: The word sun begins with the /s/ sound.” Next, the students and educator collaborate to create a poster with pictures that begin with the /s/ sound. The educator then asks, “What could I draw that begins with the /s/ sound?” Once the poster is complete, the educator demonstrates how to form the letter s and has students practice. The materials instruct the educator, “Say: We are going to learn to write the letter s. I will write the letter s for the /s/ sound. Talk about the action you make as you write.” Finally, the educator models how to segment sounds to write a word that begins with the /s/ sound while saying, “I am going to write the word sun. I will say the word slowly: /s/ /u/ /n/. I can hear the /s/ sound at the beginning, which is the letter s.”

Evaluation for 4.1b
Materials include explicit (direct) and intentional ongoing practice opportunities for phonics (sound-symbol correspondence) skills, both in isolation and through decodable texts.

The materials provide explicit and ongoing phonics practice in isolation and through decodable texts. For example, in module 5, unit 5, the “Phonics Write It” section explicitly teaches the long /ō/ vowel sound in isolation, directing students to connect the letters oa and ow to the sound, generate and write words containing those letters, and apply suffixes to a base word. The materials also pair decodable texts with each unit to extend practice into connected reading. For example, in the same unit, the “Consolidate Learning Read It” section directs students to the module 5 practice sentences and the decodable text “Tugboats,” providing explicit practice through connected text. The Stage One “Scope and Sequence” shows that each unit across modules four and five includes decodable texts with specific “Words with Phonic Focus.” The materials also include a planned review unit at the end of module 5 that consolidates all phonic focuses from the module before students advance, constituting intentional ongoing practice in isolation. The materials include a corresponding review unit decodable text that extends this cumulative practice into connected reading. For example, “What an Excuse” draws on all module 5 correspondences.

The materials include ongoing practice opportunities for sound–symbol correspondence skills, both in isolation and through decodable texts. The materials include games in the “Consolidate Learning” section of the lessons. For example, in the module 3, unit 7, “Consolidate Learning” section, the “Game: Wordo” activity states, “Provide students with the lowercase letter cards: y, l, w, e, f, k, a, m, o, and g. Have students work in pairs while using the letter cards to make words, then write down the words and discuss the meaning of each. Individual letters can be used more than once in a word.” The materials also include ongoing practice opportunities for phonics skills through the decodable books provided for each module. For example, in the module 3, unit 8, “Consolidate Learning” section, the “Books to Read” activity states, “Have students read the Flying Start to Literacy: Phonics Module 3 decodable texts.”

Evaluation for 4.2a
Daily lessons include explicit (direct) phonics instruction with teacher modeling.

The Stage One materials include explicit phonics instruction with educator modeling. For example, module 1, unit 2 includes educator guidance to introduce the letter–sound correspondence by stating, “The letter a makes the /a/ sound,” while pointing to the corresponding alphabet card and picture cue. The materials also include educator modeling to demonstrate how to identify the /a/ sound at the beginning of a familiar word, such as apple, and how words can be represented through pictures and print before students apply the new sound–symbol correspondence.

The Stage One materials include explicit phonics instruction with educator modeling throughout the daily lessons. For example, in the module 1, unit 6, “Phonics” section, the “Connect the Letter and Sound” subheading includes the educator guidance, “The letter p makes the /p/ sound. Point to the letter p and the picture of the panda on the Flying Start to Literacy: Phonics Alphabet Cards. Say: The word panda begins with the /p/ sound.” The materials then include additional educator modeling by directing the educator to ask, “What could I draw that begins with the /p/ sound? Yes, panda (pig, pan, pumpkin, penguin).” The materials further direct the educator to draw the object, write the letter p beside the picture, and create a class poster with words that begin with p making the /p/ sound.

Evaluation for 4.2b
Daily lessons include opportunities for explicit (direct) guided instruction with guidance for immediate and corrective feedback.

The materials include lessons with explicit, guided instruction in foundational phonics skills throughout Stage One. For example, in module 2, unit 5, the “Phonics Write It” activity focuses on learning the letter d and its corresponding /d/ sound. The activity directs students to contribute words beginning with d to a class poster, practice writing the letter d multiple times, and write the word dog on individual whiteboards. However, the materials do not include guidance for immediate and corrective feedback.

The Stage One daily lessons include opportunities for explicit guided instruction, but do not include corrective or immediate feedback. Module 2, unit 6 provides explicit guided instruction. The educator clearly explains the skill and directly teaches how to write the word rat. The educator segments the word and writes the letters that correspond with the letter sound. Students write the word rat several times.

Evaluation for 4.2c
Daily lessons include a variety of opportunities for students to practice phonics skills through collaborative learning and independent practice.

The materials include opportunities for collaborative and independent phonics practice. For example, the guidance for using practice sentences directs students to read the sentences with a partner or in a small group, providing opportunities to collaboratively practice decoding and fluency. The materials also include independent practice in the module 3, unit 5, “Consolidate Learning” section, which directs students to draw four objects beginning with /w/ and share their drawings in small groups while saying a sentence about each object. Additionally, the materials include independent writing practice that directs students to write the word wet on a whiteboard by segmenting each sound and then read the unit 5 practice sentences using the letters and sounds previously learned.

The materials include lessons that provide multiple opportunities for students to practice phonics skills independently throughout Stage One. For example, in the module 6, unit 3, “Consolidate Learning” section, the “Hear and Write” activity includes independent encoding practice. The activity educator guidance states, “Say: I am going to read a sentence to you. Listen to the words in the sentence as I read them. Think about the sounds you hear in each word and the letters that make these sounds. Read the decodable sentence: The car is in the barn on the farm. Repeat each word slowly and then have students write the sentence. Check for accuracy.” The materials include an additional opportunity for independent phonics practice through decoding in the “Read It” activity in the “Consolidate Learning” section of each lesson. For example, the module 6, unit 7, “Read It” activity states, “To practice reading words with the letters ear and eer making the r-controlled /ear/ vowel sound, have students read the Module 6, Unit 7 Practice Sentences on the decodable text, ‘Snakes That Hunt.’”

Evaluation for 4.3a
Materials include intentional cumulative phonics review and practice activities throughout the curriculum.

The Stage One materials include intentional phonics practice activities throughout the curriculum. The materials include “Change a Sound,” where students hear a word, then change the first sound and say the new word. For example, the module 7, unit 2 lesson states, “Have students repeat a word after you. Ask them to change the first sound, and then say the new word. Demonstrate this task first. Word: thistle. Change sound: /th/ to /w/. New word: whistle.”

The Stage One materials include intentional cumulative phonics review throughout the curriculum. Each decodable book includes a “Teaching Notes” section that guides educators to provide a phonics and high-utility word review prior to reading the text. For example, the decodable book, “Little Cub is Hungry,” includes a box that lists all high-utility words from the module. In addition, in the “Before Reading” section, the “High-Utility Words” subheading instructs educators to, “Write and say the newly introduced high-utility word friend. Review other high-utility words in the book as needed.”

Evaluation for 4.3b
Practice opportunities include only phonics skills that have been explicitly taught.

The materials include phonics practice opportunities that focus only on skills that have been explicitly taught. For example, module 1, unit 8 includes the letter–sound correspondence of the letter e. The educator introduces the /e/ sound and provides a visual representation by pointing to a picture of an egg. The unit also includes explicit instruction for writing the letter e and spelling words that begin with e. Additionally, the materials include “Consolidate Learning” activities in which students work in small groups to create an E poster by writing the letter in different sizes and drawing pictures of words that begin with the /e/ sound, allowing students to practice only the phonics skill that was explicitly taught.

The materials include phonics practice opportunities that focus only on skills that have been explicitly taught. For example, module 7, unit 1 directs educators to have students practice decoding the consonant digraph ph representing the /f/ sound by reading the decodable “Teaching Their Young.” Additionally, the materials include opportunities within the decodable for students to practice the current lesson’s focus skill and high-utility words, as well as previously taught phonics skills, including ou representing the /ow/ sound, r-controlled vowels representing the /er/ sound, and the long /ōō/ sound.

Evaluation for 4.3c
Decodable texts incorporate cumulative practice of taught phonics skills.

The materials ensure that decodable texts incorporate cumulative practice of taught phonics skills across Stage One by sequencing each text to build on previously introduced letter–sound correspondences. The module 1 decodable books page confirms this cumulative design by showing that each successive text adds newly taught letters to all previously taught correspondences. For example, the first text, “Pip, Sam, and Tim,” reflects the correspondences taught in the first units of module 1 by drawing on the six letters, s, a, t, i, m, and p. The next text, “Hit It, Sam,” uses content words drawing on those six letters, plus h. The final texts in the sequence draw on all nine module one letter–sound correspondences, s, a, t, i, m, p, c, e, and h. This sequence confirms that each decodable text is intentionally designed to provide cumulative phonics practice as new skills are introduced throughout Stage One.

The Stage One materials include decodable texts that incorporate the cumulative practice of taught phonics skills. The materials include decodable texts to review and practice the phonics skill of the current module, as well as previously addressed skills. For example, the module 3 decodable, “The Big Bad Fox,” includes all phonics skills for this module, /b/, /j/, /kw/, /v/, /w/, /ks/, /y/, and /z/. The decodable also includes the phonemes from modules 1 and 2, /s/, /a/, /t/, /i/, /m/, /p/, /k/, /e/, /h/, /n/, /o/, /g/, /d/, /r/, /u/, /l/, /f/.

Evaluation for 4.3d
Lessons include an instructional focus with opportunities for practice in isolation and decodable, connected text.

The Stage One lessons include an instructional focus with opportunities for practice in isolation and decodable, connected text. For example, in module 1, unit 9, students learn the letter–sound correspondence for h. In the “Write Words” section, students practice the target skill in isolation as they listen to the educator segment the word ham and then write the word ham several times. The lesson then progresses to students reading the decodable practice sentences, “Tim has a hat,” and “Get him a hat.” Students continue to apply the target phonics skill while reading module 1 decodable books such as, “Is It My Hat?” providing opportunities to practice the skill in decodable, connected text.

The materials provide lessons with an instructional focus that includes opportunities for practice in isolation and in decodable connected text across Stage One, using a consistent lesson structure that moves students from isolated skill practice to connected-text reading. The materials include a “Phonics Write It” section that directs students to practice the target correspondence in isolation before applying it in connected text. For example, in module 1, unit 8, the “Phonics Write It” section directs students to write the word egg on a whiteboard by segmenting each sound, practicing the /e/ sound spelled e in isolation. The “Consolidate Learning Read It” section then directs students to practice reading words with the letters and sounds they have already learned using the module 1, unit 8 practice sentences, providing decodable connected text practice with the same correspondence. This evidence confirms that lessons consistently include both isolated phonics practice and connected text reading throughout Stage One.

Evaluation for 4.4a
Materials include a variety of assessment tools that are developmentally appropriate.

The materials include a variety of developmentally appropriate assessment tools. For example, in the module 1 review the “Phonological Awareness Hear It” section assesses students on rhyming words, beginning sounds, final sounds, and syllables through oral response tasks that progress from simpler to more complex skills. The materials also include a “Phonics Write It” section that assesses students by directing them to write a letter for each sound that the educator dictates. The section covers all nine module 1 letter–sound correspondences from /s/ to /h/, providing a second distinct assessment tool that measures phonics knowledge at the grapheme level. Additionally, the materials include the individual “Review Record,” a formal tool for conducting individual student reviews of all module 1 skills.

The materials include a variety of developmentally appropriate assessment tools. For example, the materials include the “Beginning Sounds” task, in which students listen to a word while viewing a picture and identify the beginning sound. The materials also include the “Letter Sounds” task, which requires students to look at rows of letters and say the sound of each letter. Additionally, the materials include the “Consonant-Vowel-Consonant Words” task, in which students decode words with short vowels.

Evaluation for 4.4b
Materials include progress monitoring tools that systematically and accurately measure students' acquisition of grade-level phonics skills.

The materials include progress monitoring tools that systematically and accurately measure students’ acquisition of grade-level phonics skills. For example, the Stage One assessment systematically tracks student progress on skills such as beginning sounds, lowercase letter names, uppercase letter names, letter sounds, high-utility words, CVC words, and writing letter sounds. Additionally, the materials include an assessment summary tool to track student progress on each assessed skill.

The materials include progress monitoring tools that systematically and accurately measure students’ acquisition of grade-level phonics skills. For example, the review for each module provides a structured recording sheet for documenting student performance on taught phonics concepts. The materials also include a scripted administration guide, skill-specific checklists for recording correct responses, and scoring sections that enable educators to track students’ mastery of individual phonics skills over time.

Evaluation for 4.4c
Materials include assessment opportunities across the span of the school year aligned to progress monitoring tools.

The materials include assessment opportunities across the span of the school year that align with progress monitoring tools. For example, the materials include a module review administered at the end of each module to assess the phonological awareness, phonics, high-utility word, and letter–sound correspondence skills taught during instruction. The materials also include a recording sheet, educator guidance, skill-specific scoring indicators, and overall performance measures within each review, enabling educators to document student mastery consistently over time.

The materials include Stage One assessment tasks that are directly aligned with the phonics skills taught across all modules, providing a comprehensive end-of-stage progress-monitoring tool that measures skill acquisition across the full span of instruction. For example, in the Stage One assessment, task 1 assesses beginning sounds by presenting 26 pictures and directing students to identify the beginning sound of each pictured word. This task aligns to the phonological awareness skills that were introduced in module 1 and practiced throughout all modules. Task 2 assesses lowercase letter names by displaying all 26 lowercase letters in randomized order and directing students to name each letter.

Evaluation for 4.5a
Materials include data-management tools for tracking individual student progress to make appropriate instructional decisions to accelerate instruction.

The materials include data-management tools for tracking individual student progress, supporting instructional decision-making and accelerating instruction. For example, the materials include module review record-tracking sheets that provide educator guidance, skill-specific checklists, and scoring sections for documenting student performance. The materials also include an “Assessment Overview” section indicating that the module review identifies students who are ready to progress to the next module in the program.

The materials include data-management tools for tracking individual student progress to support instructional decision-making and accelerate instruction. For example, the materials include a Stage One assessment summary that allows educators to record student performance across specific phonological awareness and phonics skills. The materials also include assessment categories such as beginning sounds, lowercase letter names, uppercase letter names, letter sounds, high-utility words, CVC words, and writing letter sounds. Additionally, the materials include score columns for each skill that document the points earned and points possible, as well as a section for recording the student’s total Stage One assessment score.

Evaluation for 4.5b
Materials include data-management tools for tracking whole-class student progress to analyze patterns and needs of students.

The materials do not include data-management tools to track whole-class student progress and analyze patterns and instructional needs. For example, the Stage One assessment tools enable educators to track individual student results for specific phonological awareness and phonics skills.

The materials include an individual student assessment system that supports instructional planning for reteaching, but do not extend this system to whole-class data management. For example, the Stage One assessment summary consolidates scores from five assessment tasks, totaling 68 points, for a single student and includes name, age, and date fields. These details confirm the summary is designed for individual use. Additionally, the materials include guidance that supports planning for small-group or individual reteaching based on these results.

Evaluation for 4.5c
Materials include specific guidance on determining frequency of progress monitoring based on students' strengths and needs.

The materials do not include specific guidance for determining the frequency of progress monitoring based on students’ strengths and needs. The “Assessment Overview” section describes how the module review can alert educators to content that needs further teaching, practice, and consolidation. The section also states that students who need additional support can be assessed individually using a “Review Record.”

The Stage One materials do not include specific guidance on determining frequency of progress monitoring based on students’ strengths and needs. The materials measure progress for all students at the same fixed intervals, without guidance on adjusting frequency based on student performance. For example, stage assessments measure student progress, but there is no guidance to adjust the frequency of monitoring based on students’ strengths or needs.

Evaluation for 4.5d
Materials include guidance on how to accelerate learning based on the progress monitoring data to reach mastery of specific concepts.

The materials include guidance on accelerating learning using progress-monitoring data to support mastery of specific concepts. For example, the Teacher Resource Book specifies which activities to assign when students have demonstrated mastery of a skill or concept. In addition, the Stage One "Assessment Record 6 Student Record" provides direction for advancing instruction based on student performance, stating, “After recording eight or more correct answers, go to Module 4,”

The materials include guidance on how to accelerate learning based on progress-monitoring data to support mastery of specific concepts. For example, the Stage One "Assessment Record 1" assesses students on five phonological awareness skills: rhyming words, segmenting into syllables, removing a sound, adding a sound, and changing a sound. The record includes a check column and total score out of five. In addition, the Stage One “Assessment Overview” section states that the assessment summary is designed to support planning for small-group or individual reteaching. The section also includes a discontinue rule directing educators to stop the assessment if a student misses five or more answers. Additionally, the materials include guidance that uses these results to identify students who need targeted instruction.

Evaluation for 5.B.1a
Materials include explicit (direct) and systematic instructional guidance on developing oral language and oracy through a variety of methods (e.g., modeling, guided practice, coaching, feedback, and independent practice). (T)

The materials include explicit, systematic instructional guidance for developing oral language and oracy through a variety of methods. For example, in module 3, unit 7, the lesson begins with the educator explicitly modeling the /y/ sound at the beginning of words such as yes, yet, and yell, while students listen and develop oral language skills. Students then independently repeat the words after the educator, providing guided opportunities to practice accurate pronunciation. The lesson continues with additional educator modeling as students identify and orally name classmates whose names begin with the /y/ sound, reinforcing sound identification and oral language through structured listening, educator modeling, and independent oral production.

The materials include systematic instructional guidance for developing oral language and oracy through a variety of methods. For example, in module 3, unit 8, the lesson begins with the educator explicitly modeling the initial /z/ sound in words such as zebra, zip, and zero while students listen, providing systematic instruction in oral language development. The lesson then progresses as the educator models how to identify the target sound by naming students whose names begin with the letter z, while students listen and identify the sound. Next, the educator models blending the sounds in words such as zoo and zip, and students repeat the blended words during guided practice. The lesson continues with the educator modeling how to segment spoken words into individual sounds, followed by student practice in segmenting the same words. Finally, the lesson progresses to phoneme manipulation as the educator models changing the initial sound in zip to form dip and in zoom to form boom, after which students orally produce the new words.

Evaluation for 5.B.1b
Materials include opportunities for students to engage in social and academic communication for different purposes and audiences. (S)

The materials include opportunities for students to engage in social communication for different purposes and audiences. For example, in the module 2, unit 4, “Oral Language Development: Say It” section, students repeat the meaning of an unfamiliar vocabulary word after the educator and then turn to a partner to take turns using the word in a sentence. In the module 2, unit 5, “Oral Language Development: Say It” section, students follow the same routine with new vocabulary words, again practicing oral communication by sharing sentences with a partner. Additionally, in the module 2, unit 4, “Consolidate Learning: Draw and Share” section, students draw four objects that begin with the target sound and share their drawings with a small group, explaining one of the objects by using it in a complete sentence.

The materials include opportunities for students to engage in social communication for different purposes and audiences. For example, in the module 1, unit 7, “Consolidate Learning: Sound Shopping” section, students take turns completing the phrase, “I went shopping and I bought a…” by naming an object that begins with the target sound and sharing their responses with the class. In the module 1, unit 8, “Oral Language Development: Say It” section, students repeat the meaning of an unfamiliar vocabulary word after the educator to demonstrate understanding and build oral language. Additionally, in the module 1, unit 8, “Consolidate Learning: Make a Poster” section, students work collaboratively in small groups to create a poster by writing letters in different sizes and colors and drawing objects that begin with the target sound.

Evaluation for 5.B.1c
Materials include authentic opportunities for students to listen actively, ask questions, engage in discussion to understand information, and share information and ideas. (S)

The materials include authentic opportunities for students to listen actively, ask questions, engage in discussion, and share information and ideas. For example, in the module 3 decodable text, “Yum, Yum,” the educator notes guide the educator to establish a purpose for listening before reading by stating, “You can read all the words in this book.” During the reading, students actively listen and respond to educator prompts that focus on identifying and blending sounds in target words, such as “Can you find the word bat?” and “What sound is in the middle of the word bat?” After reading, the “Comprehension” section includes literal, inferential, and evaluative questions, such as “Who makes the noise G-r-r-r?” “Why was the bat looking at the bug?” and “Why do you think the dog scared the animals away?”

The materials include authentic opportunities for students to listen actively, ask questions, engage in discussion, and share information and ideas. For example, in the module 3, unit 6, “Oral Language Development: Say It” section, the educator directs students to sing “X is for X-ray” while emphasizing the /ks/ sound. This activity provides students with a focused listening opportunity before participating in oral language practice. Additionally, in the module 3 decodable text, “The Box,” the educator notes guide the educator to establish a purpose for reading by stating, “You can read all the words in this book.” During reading, students respond to educator questions that require them to identify target sounds, such as finding the word Liz and identifying its final sound. After reading, the “Comprehension” section includes literal, inferential, and evaluative questions, including “What did Liz find in the box?” “Why did Ben and Max want to come into the playroom?” and “Who do you like to dress up as?”

Evaluation for 5.C.1a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing letter names and their corresponding sounds. (PR 2.A.1)

The Stage One materials include a systematic sequence for introducing letter names and their corresponding sounds. The Stage One “Scope and Sequence” outlines how instruction progresses across module 1, units 1–9, with each unit introducing a new letter name and its corresponding sound. For example, in module 1, unit 4, students learn the letter i and its corresponding /i/ sound. The educator states, “The letter i makes the /i/ sound,” while pointing to the letter i and the picture of an igloo on the alphabet card. The lesson continues with the educator explaining that the word igloo begins with the /i/ sound, reinforcing the connection between the letter name and its corresponding sound.

The materials include a systematic sequence for introducing letter names and their corresponding sounds. The Stage One “Scope and Sequence” outlines a deliberate, nonalphabetical order for introducing letters across modules 1–3. In module 1, the materials introduce the letters s, a, t, i, m, p, c, e, and h, allowing students to decode words such as sat, tip, and cap using only the letters taught so far. In module 2, the materials introduce the letters n, o, g, k, d, r, u, l, and f, building on letters previously taught to expand students’ decoding ability. In module 3, the materials introduce the letters b, j, qu, v, w, x, y, and z, completing instruction of all 26 letters. The materials introduce letters with similar visual features, such as b and d or p and q, in separate modules rather than together. For each letter, the materials explicitly connect the letter name to its corresponding sound, such as teaching that the letter s makes the /s/ sound, following the same systematic sequence used for introducing letter names.

Evaluation for 5.C.1b
Materials include teacher guidance to provide explicit (direct) instruction for teaching and developing student automaticity in the identification of the 26 letters of the alphabet (upper and lowercase) and their corresponding sounds. (PR 2.A.1) (T)

The materials include educator guidance to provide explicit instruction for teaching and developing student automaticity in the identification of the 26 letters of the alphabet and their corresponding sounds. In the Stage One Teacher Resource Book, module 1, unit 5, “Connect the Letter and Sound” section, the educator explicitly teaches the letter m and its corresponding /m/ sound, stating “The letter m makes the /m/ sound.” In the “Learn the Letter m” section the educator demonstrates how to write the lowercase letter m, then students write the letter several times to build automaticity in identifying lowercase letters. Once students achieve lowercase accuracy, the materials direct the educator to teach the uppercase form using the same sequence and activities, providing a separate opportunity to build automaticity in uppercase identification. In the “Consolidate Learning: M Rhyme” section students return to the unit rhyme and raise a hand each time they hear a word beginning with the /m/ sound, reinforcing automaticity in sound identification. In the “Game: Memory” section students use letter-picture cards to play a matching game, building automaticity in connecting letters to their corresponding sounds through repeated, timed practice.

The materials include educator guidance to provide explicit instruction for teaching and developing students’ automaticity in identifying the 26 letters of the alphabet and their corresponding sounds. In the Stage One Teacher Resource Book, module 1, unit 4, “Connect the Letter and Sound” section, the educator explicitly teaches the letter i and its corresponding /i/ sound, pointing to the letter on the alphabet card and stating, “The letter i makes the /i/ sound.” In the “Learn the Letter i” section, the educator demonstrates writing the lowercase letter i, then students write the letter several times while the educator checks for accuracy, building automaticity in lowercase identification. Once students achieve lowercase accuracy, the materials direct the educator to explicitly teach the uppercase form using the same sequence and activities, providing a separate and dedicated opportunity to build automaticity in uppercase identification. In the “Consolidate Learning: Find the Letter i” section, students return to the unit rhyme and locate the letter i, tracing it with a finger to reinforce identification. In the “Make a Poster” section, students write the letter in different sizes and colors and draw objects that begin with the corresponding sound, providing additional practice that builds automaticity in both letter identification and sound recognition.

Evaluation for 5.C.1c
Materials include teacher guidance to provide explicit (direct) and systematic instruction for letter formation for the 26 letters of the alphabet (upper and lowercase). (PR 2.A & 2.A.3) (T)

The materials include guidance to provide direct and systematic instruction for letter formation for the 26 letters of the alphabet. In module 1, unit 7, after students learn about the letter c and the sound it makes, the educator says, “We are going to learn to write the letter c. I will write the letter c for the /k/ sound . . . pull back and around. This is the letter c, and it makes the /k/ sound.” The blue box in the unit states, “When accuracy is achieved with the lowercase form of this letter, teach the uppercase form using the sequence and activities in this unit. Guidance is provided on how to teach students how to write an uppercase C.”

The materials include guidance on providing explicit direct and systematic instruction in letter formation for the 26 letters of the alphabet. In module 1, unit 4, after students learn about the letter i and the sound it makes, the educator says, “We are going to learn to write the letter i. I will write the letter i for the /i/ sound...pull down and dot above. This is the letter i, and it makes the /i/ sound.” The blue box in the unit states, “When accuracy is achieved with the lowercase form of this letter, teach the uppercase form using the sequence and activities in this unit. Guidance is provided on teaching students to write the uppercase I.”

Evaluation for 5.C.1d
Materials include a variety of activities and/or resources (including the use of memory-building strategies) for students to develop, practice, and reinforce (through cumulative review) alphabet knowledge both in isolation and in the context of meaningful print. (PR 2.A & 2.A.3) (S).

The materials include a variety of activities and resources for students to develop, practice, and reinforce alphabet knowledge through cumulative review, both in isolation and in the context of meaningful print. The Stage One “Scope and Sequence” outlines how the program introduces letter names and corresponding sounds across the modules. Students develop and practice alphabet knowledge in isolation as the educator introduces individual letters and sounds and provides opportunities for students to identify the corresponding letter for a given sound. For example, students identify the letter z and its corresponding /z/ sound. Students then develop and practice alphabet knowledge in the context of meaningful print by reading The Big Book of Rhymes, including “Zoom Blast,” which contains multiple words beginning with the initial /z/ sound. In addition, the end-of-module review provides cumulative opportunities to reinforce alphabet knowledge in isolation as the educator says a letter sound and students write the corresponding letter.

The materials include activities for students to develop, practice, and reinforce alphabet knowledge in the context of meaningful print through a sequenced set of decodable books spanning all the Stage One modules. Each module’s books build on the consonants and vowels taught in the prior module, progressing from s, a, t, i, m, p, c, e, and h in module 1; to n, o, g, k, d, r, u, l, and f in module 2; to b, q, j, v, w, x, y, and z in module three. Students apply this growing letter–sound knowledge to decode real words and read connected sentences within an authentic story, rather than practicing letters in isolation. The educator notes for the decodable book “Can We Go?” direct educators to return to the text after reading and ask students to locate specific decodable words.

Evaluation for 5.C.2a
Materials explicitly (directl), and systematically introduce letter-sound relationships in an order that allows for application to basic decoding and encoding. (PR 2.A.1)

The materials systematically introduce letter–sound relationships in an order that allows for application to basic decoding and encoding. The “Scope and Sequence” shows the order in which the materials introduce letter–sound relationships, including which phoneme and grapheme each unit in the module addresses. For example, the Teacher Resource Book, module 1, “Scope and Sequence” section includes a “Phonics Teaching Units” table that states, “Unit 1 Phoneme /s/, Grapheme Ss; Unit 2 Phoneme /a/, Grapheme Aa; Unit 3 Phoneme /t/, Grapheme Tt; Unit 4 Phoneme /i/, Grapheme Ii; Unit 5 Phoneme /m/, Grapheme Mm.” In the “Ten Decodable Texts” table, the “Words with Newly Taught Letter–Sound Correspondences” section includes words that students can decode and encode based on the phonics skills from the module, such as am, at, cap, cat, and hat.

The materials explicitly introduce letter–sound relationships in an order that allows for application to basic decoding and encoding. The “Connect the Letter and Sound” section of each lesson provides a script in which the educator explicitly introduces each letter–sound relationship that can be applied to basic decoding. For example, the module 1, unit 5 lesson states, “Say: The letter m makes the /m/ sound. Point to the letter m and the picture of the monkey on the Flying Start to Literacy: Phonics Alphabet Cards. Say: The word monkey begins with the /m/ sound.” The “Write Words” section of each lesson provides a script in which the educator explicitly introduces letter–sound relationships that can be applied to encoding. For example, the module 1, unit 5 lesson states, “Teach how to segment sounds to write a word beginning with the /m/ sound. Say the word slowly so students can clearly hear the sounds in the word. Say: I am going to write the word mat. I will say the word slowly: /m/ /a/ /t/. I can hear the /m/ sound at the beginning, which is the letter m. Then I hear the /a/ sound, which is the letter a, and the /t/ sound, which is the letter t. Those are the sounds for the word mat.”

Evaluation for 5.C.2b
Materials include teacher guidance to provide explicit (direct) instruction focused on connecting phonemes to letters within words with recommended explanatory feedback for students based on common errors and misconceptions. (PR 2.A & 2.A.2) (T)

The materials do not include educator guidance to provide direct instruction focused on connecting phonemes to letters within words with recommended explanatory feedback for students based on common errors or misconceptions. For example, in module 2, unit 2, the last sentence of the “Learn the Letter o” section, “Check for accuracy.” There is no further guidance for feedback.

The materials do not include educator guidance to provide direct instruction focused on connecting phonemes to letters within words with recommended explanatory feedback for students based on common errors or misconceptions. For example, in module 2, unit 2, the last paragraph in the “See It, Say It” section states, “Support students as they learn the word: say the letter names in the word; and air write the word. Have students say the letters in the word. Check for accuracy.” There is no further guidance for feedback.

Evaluation for 5.C.2c
Materials include a variety of activities and/or resources for students to develop, practice, and reinforce (through cumulative review) their understanding of applying letter-sound correspondence to decode one syllable and multisyllable words in isolation and decodable connected text. (PR 2.A & 2.A.3) (S)

The materials include a variety of activities and/or resources for students to develop and practice their understanding of applying letter–sound correspondence to decode one-syllable words in isolation and decodable connected text. For example, the “Write Words” activity states, “Teach how to segment sounds to write a word beginning with the /g/ sound. Say the word slowly so students can clearly hear the sounds in the word. Say: I am going to write the word get. I will say the word slowly: /g/ /e/ /t/. I can hear the /g/ sound at the beginning, which is the letter g. Now I hear the /e/ sound, which is the letter e, and the /t/ sound, which is the letter t. Those are the sounds for the word get.” In the “Consolidate Learning” section of each lesson, the “Read It” activity includes practice opportunities. For example, “Have students practice reading words with the letters and sounds they have already learned. See the Module 2, Unit 3 practice sentences.” On the last page of “The Cap” decodable in the “Teaching Notes” section, the “Before Reading: Phonic Review” activity states, “Point to each of the letters and say the sounds: s, a, t, i, m, p, c, e, h, T, P, S. Use clear letter sounds without emphasis (t is pronounced /t/, not /t-uh/).” After that, students have the opportunity to practice in decodable connected text as they read the book.

The materials include a variety of activities and/or resources for students to reinforce their understanding of applying letter–sound correspondence to decode one-syllable and multisyllable words in isolation and decodable connected text. For example, the module 2, unit 7 practice sentences include the lesson’s phonics focus, /u/, as well as cumulative skills from previous lessons, such as o making the short /o/ vowel sound. Each of the Stage One decodable connected texts includes cumulative review. For example, the module 2, unit 7 decodable text, “The Pup,” includes the focus of the current lesson, /u/, as well as cumulative skills from previous lessons, such as a making the short /a/ vowel sound and i making the short /i/ vowel sound.

Evaluation for 5.D.1a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing phonological awareness activities in accordance with grade-level TEKS that begins with simple skills and larger units of sound (e.g., identifying and producing rhyming words, recognizing spoken alliteration, identifying the individual words in spoken sentences) and gradually transitions to more complex skills and smaller units of sound (e.g., adding, deleting, and substituting syllables). (PR 2.A.1)

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book includes a systematic sequence for introducing phonological awareness activities. For example, in module 2, unit 3, the lesson begins with students developing oral language through the rhyme, “Galumpa.” The educator first sings the rhyme, then guides students to join in. Students also clap, tap, or snap their fingers to count the syllables as they sing, providing practice with larger units of sound. The lesson continues as students identify words that rhyme with a word spoken by the educator. For example, the educator asks, “What word rhymes with bag, map, or rag?” The lesson then gradually progresses to more complex phonological awareness skills in the “Hear It” section, where students listen as the educator says words such as got, get, and bag and identify whether the /g/ sound occurs at the beginning or end of each word. The lesson continues by blending the sounds /p/, /e/, and /g/ to form the word peg.

The materials include a systematic sequence for introducing phonological awareness activities aligned with grade-level TEKS, beginning with simple skills and larger units of sound and gradually progressing to more complex skills and smaller units of sound. In module 3, unit 3 the lesson has a systematic sequence. Students identify the beginning sound in spoken words to build phonemic awareness, then blend individual phonemes to form spoken words. Next, students advance to phoneme manipulation activities where they change a sound to create a new word and remove a sound to form another word.

Evaluation for 5.D.1b
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction for teaching phonological awareness skills with recommended explanatory feedback for students based on common errors and misconceptions. (PR 2.A & 2.A.2) (T)

The materials do not include direct instruction for teaching phonological awareness skills with recommended feedback for students based on common errors or misconceptions. The materials only provide general instructions for phonological awareness without addressing specific errors or misconceptions. There is no guidance on how to correct mistakes students make during phoneme identification or blending. For example, in module 2, unit 1, the “Blend Sounds” activity states, “Say the sounds in a word. Ask students to repeat the sounds and then blend the sounds to say the word: /n/ /a/ /p/ nap.”

The materials do not include direct instruction for teaching phonological awareness skills with recommended feedback for students based on common errors or misconceptions. The materials only provide general instructions for phonological awareness without addressing specific errors or misconceptions. There is no guidance on how to correct mistakes students make during phoneme identification or blending. For example, in module 3, unit 6, the “Segment Into Sounds” activity states, “Say a word and ask students to segment it into sounds. Use sound–letter charts (one per student) and have students place a token in a box for each sound: box /b/ /o/ /ks/.”

Evaluation for 5.D.1c
Materials include a variety of activities and/or resources (including the use of memory-building strategies) for students to develop, practice, and reinforce phonological awareness skills connected to grade-level TEKS (through cumulative review). (PR 2.A & 2.A.3) (S)

The materials include a variety of activities and resources to help students develop and practice phonological awareness skills aligned with grade-level TEKS, including memory-building strategies. Each unit includes a dedicated rhyme or song in the “Oral Language Development” section, such as “Sally Go Round the Sun” in module 1, unit 1 and “Big, Tall Apple Tree” in module 1, unit 2. Module 1 includes a systematic collection of unit-specific songs and rhymes. Within each unit, the “Phonological Awareness” section includes multiple activities to help students develop and practice grade-level skills. For example, in module 3, unit 6, students identify rhyming words, blend phonemes to form words such as fox and tax, and segment words such as box and wax into individual sounds. In module 3, unit 8, students blend phonemes to form words like zoo and zip, segment words like jazz and zebra into individual sounds, and change a sound to create new words, such as turning fizz into whiz.

The materials include activities and resources to help students reinforce phonological awareness skills through cumulative review. The module 3 review revisits the phonological awareness skills students developed and practiced throughout the module, including blending sounds, removing a sound from the beginning of a word, identifying where a sound occurs in a word, and changing a sound to form a new word. For example, students blend phonemes to identify words like jump and zebra, remove the /kw/ sound from queen to say een, identify where the /w/ sound is heard in water, and change the /v/ sound in vest to /z/ to say zest. The module 3 “Review Record” provides a structured, individual review tool that assesses the same set of cumulative phonological awareness skills, allowing educators to track student mastery across the module.

Evaluation for 5.D.2a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing phonemic awareness activities that begins with identifying, blending, and segmenting phonemes, and gradually transitions to more complex manipulation practices such as adding, deleting, and substituting phonemes. (PR 2.A.1)

The materials include a systematic sequence for introducing phonemic awareness activities, in which identifying and blending phonemes gradually progress to more complex manipulation tasks. In module 1, unit 1, students identify the beginning and final sounds in words, representing the simplest phoneme-level skill introduced in the stage. In module 1, unit 3, students blend individual phonemes to form words like tap, tip, and tug, building on phoneme identification before introducing more complex tasks. By module 2, unit 6, the materials progress to phoneme manipulation, asking students to divide words into onset and rime, add the /r/ sound to rimes to form words such as rid and rust, and remove the /r/ sound from words such as rat and ran.

The materials include a systematic sequence for introducing phonemic awareness activities that begins with identifying, blending, and segmenting phonemes, and gradually transitions to more complex manipulation practices such as adding, deleting, and substituting phonemes. In module 1, unit 1, students identify beginning and final sounds in spoken words while also developing awareness of rhyming, syllables, and compound words. As the units progress, students blend individual phonemes to form words, segment words into individual sounds, and manipulate phonemes by adding (module 2, unit 4), deleting (module 2, unit 6), and substituting sounds (module 3, unit 7) to create new words.

Evaluation for 5.D.2b
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction for teaching phonemic awareness with recommended explanatory feedback for students based on common errors and misconceptions. (PR 2.A & 2.A.2) (T)

The materials do not include direct instruction for teaching phonemic awareness with recommended explanatory feedback for students based on common errors and misconceptions. For example, in module 1, unit 5, the “Syllables” activity states, “Say these words and clap the syllables. Ask students to repeat after you.” There are no feedback suggestions to support educators’ instruction on specific topics or to provide guidance for common errors.

The materials do not include direct instruction for teaching phonemic awareness with recommended explanatory feedback for students based on common errors and misconceptions. For example, in module 1, unit 9, the “Blend Sounds” activity states, “Say the sounds in a word. Ask students to repeat the sounds and then blend the sounds to say the word.” There are no feedback suggestions to support educators’ instruction on specific topics or to provide guidance for misconceptions.

Evaluation for 5.D.2c
Materials include explicit (direct) guidance for connecting phonemic awareness skills to the alphabetic principle, to support students in the transition from oral language activities to basic decoding and encoding. (PR 2.A.1) (T)

The materials include direct guidance on connecting phonemic awareness skills to the alphabetic principle to support students in the transition from oral language activities to basic encoding. The materials do not include decoding in this transition. For example, in module 3, unit 8, the educator models the connection between phonemes and graphemes. The educator provides a direct think-aloud and models the process. Students hear the phonemes /z/, /i/, and /p/ and connect each to the corresponding letters z, i, and p. Then students write the word. Students do not read the word after writing it. Therefore, the material does not include decoding in the transition from oral language activities.

The materials include direct guidance for connecting phonemic awareness skills to the alphabetic principle to support students in the transition from oral language activities to basic encoding. The materials do not include decoding in this transition. For example, in module 3, unit 7, the educator models the connection between phonemes and graphemes. The educator provides a direct think-aloud and models the process. Students hear the phonemes /y/, /a/, and /k/ and connect each to the corresponding letters y, a, and k. Then students write the word. However, the material does not ask students to read the word after writing it. There is no evidence of decoding in the transition from oral language activities.

Evaluation for 5.D.2d
Materials include a variety of activities and/or resources for students to develop, practice, and reinforce phonemic awareness skills (through cumulative review). (PR 2.A & 2.A.3) (S)

The materials include a variety of activities and resources for students to develop and practice phonemic awareness skills. Students develop phonemic awareness in “Rhyming Words” activities by listening to the educator say a series of words, then indicating which two words rhyme. For example, in module 3, unit 6, the “Rhyming Words” activity states, “Say a series of words. Ask students to identify the words that rhyme: box, fox, fit (box, fox).” Additionally, students use tokens and sound–letter charts in the “Segment into Sounds” activity to indicate how many sounds are in a word. For example, the module 3, unit 6 lesson states, “Say a word and ask students to segment it into sounds. Use sound–letter charts (one per student) and have students place a token in a box for each sound: box /b/ /o/ /x/.” Students practice phonemic awareness in the activities at the end of each decodable book. For example, in the decodable text, “The Vet,” the “Teaching Notes” section includes a “Phonological Awareness” activity that states, “Close the book. Say: Listen to the words vet and van. Can you hear the /v/ sound in these words? Listen to these words: vegetable, fox, vase, and sad. Which words start with the /v/ sound? Provide more examples if needed.”

The materials include a variety of activities and resources for students to develop, practice, and reinforce phonemic awareness skills through cumulative review. In module 7, unit 1, students develop phonemic awareness skills by listening and repeating the educator’s instruction in the “Blend Sounds” activity. Under the “Consolidate Learning” section educators can have students practice by having them read decodable books. In the back of “Teaching Their Young” there are phonological awareness activities that help students practice phonemic awareness skills. The educator says, “Listen carefully as I say the word dolphin /d/ /o/ /l/ /f/ /i/ /n/. How many sounds can you hear?” The materials continue phonemic awareness at the end of the module, where the review has students change a sound.

Evaluation for 5.E.1a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing grade-level sound-spelling patterns, as outlined in the TEKS. (PR 2.A.1)

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book includes a systematic sequence for introducing grade-level sound–spelling patterns, progressing from easier to more complex patterns. For example, the materials first introduce simple CVC words with consistent letter–sound correspondences before progressing to CVCC words with consonant blends and more complex word structures. As instruction continues, the materials introduce students to more advanced vowel spelling patterns, such as ai, through decodable words and connected text.

The materials demonstrate this systematic sequence at the individual lesson level, with each unit building cumulatively on prior instruction. In module 1, unit 1, students learn the letter s and the /s/ sound. Unit 2 introduces the letter a and the /a/ sound, and unit 3 introduces the letter t and the /t/ sound. Each unit’s high-utility word list builds on words students already learned in previous units, such as the and a. In unit 5 students learn the letter m and the /m/ sound, and the “Review” section directs educators to revisit sounds from units 1–4 before introducing the new pattern.

Evaluation for 5.E.1b
Materials include teacher guidance to provide explicit (direct) instruction for grade-level sound-spelling patterns. (PR 2.A.1) (T)

The materials include educator guidance to provide direct instruction for grade-level sound–spelling patterns. For example, in the Teacher Resource Book, “Activities in Each Teaching Unit” section, the “Phonological Awareness” call-out box states, “Develop phonological awareness through auditory activities that focus on the sound of the letters introduced in the unit. Students learn to hear the beginning, middle, and final sounds in words, how to change the sounds in words to create new words, and how to identify syllables in words.” Additionally, the “Phonics” call-out box states, “Encourage students to connect a sound to a letter and to write the letter in uppercase and lowercase.”

The materials include educator guidance to deliver explicit direct instruction on additional grade-level sound–spelling patterns. In module 1, unit 9, the educator guide directs educators to point to the letter h and the picture of the hamburger on the alphabet card and state that the word hamburger begins with the /h/ sound. Educators then ask students what they could draw that begins with the /h/ sound, generating examples such as heart, house, and helicopter. The guide also directs educators to demonstrate writing the letter h while explaining the motion aloud—pulling down, up, over, and down—and to repeat the sound as a whole class. A note further explains to educators that there are not many words that end with h, giving educators explicit language to convey the pattern’s limits to students.

Evaluation for 5.E.1c
Materials include a variety of activities and/or resources for students to develop, practice, and reinforce grade-level sound-spelling patterns (through cumulative review). (PR 2.A.1) (T)

The Stage One Teacher Resource Book includes a variety of activities and resources for students to develop, practice, and reinforce grade-level sound–spelling patterns. For example, in module 1, unit 5, students develop grade-level sound–spelling patterns by practicing writing CVC words with the beginning /m/ sound, such as mat. Students practice reading and writing CVC words containing the taught sound–spelling pattern. Students reinforce previously taught CVC sound–spelling patterns through decodable books and practice sentences, providing cumulative review of previously taught skills.

The materials include a variety of activities and resources for students to develop, practice, and reinforce grade-level sound–spelling patterns through cumulative review. In module 6, unit 5, students develop grade-level sound–spelling patterns under the “Words with er, ur, and ir” section of the lesson. In the “Consolidate Learning” section students practice grade-level sound–spelling patterns. The module 6 review reinforces grade-level sound–spelling patterns through cumulative review.

Evaluation for 5.E.1d
Materials provide a variety of activities and/or resources to support students in decoding and encoding words that include taught sound-spelling patterns, both in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text that builds on previous instruction (e.g., within sentences or decodable texts). (PR 2.A.1 & 2.A.3) (S)

The materials include a variety of activities and resources to support students in decoding and encoding words that include taught sound–spelling patterns in decodable connected text that builds on previous instruction. For example, each unit has decodable books for the students to practice decoding sound–spelling patterns taught in the unit, as well as sound–spelling patterns taught in previous units within that same module. The module 6, unit 5 decodable, “Caves,” provides practice decoding the current skill, the r-controlled /er/ vowel sound made with er, ur, and ir. The decodable also includes skills from previous units such as /ow/ made with ow and ou from unit 1. The materials include support for encoding words in connected text in the “Hear and Write” activity in each lesson. For example, in the module 6, unit 6, “Consolidate Learning” section, the “Hear and Write” activity states, “Say: I am going to read a sentence to you. Listen to the words in the sentence as I read them. Think about the sounds you hear in each word and the letters that make these sounds. Read the decodable sentence: Is it fair to cut her hair? Repeat each word slowly and then have students write the sentence. Check for accuracy.”

The materials include a variety of activities and resources to support students in decoding and encoding words that include taught sound–spelling patterns in isolation. The decodable books include a “Teaching Notes” section with “Before Reading” activities to support students in decoding words in isolation. For example, in the Stage One decodable, “The Snake Games,” the “Decodable Words with Phonics Focus” activity states, “Ask students to blend the sounds in words with the phonic focus. Say: Say each sound and blend them together. For example: /n/ /oy/ /z/ noise, /b/ /oy/ boy.” The materials include support for encoding words in isolation in the “Write It” activity in each module review. For example, in the module 6 review, “Dictation” section, the “Write It” activity states, “Say each of the following words, put it in a sentence that students can relate to, and then repeat the word. For example, say: chair. You can sit on a chair. Chair. Then ask students to write the word.”

Evaluation for 5.E.2a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing regular and irregular high-frequency words. (PR 2.A.1)

The materials include a systematic sequence for introducing both regular and irregular high-frequency words. The “Scope and Sequence” introduces regular high-frequency words through a planned progression across the modules. Module 1, unit 1 introduces an initial set of high-utility words. Module 1, unit 3 reviews previously taught words while introducing additional high-utility words. Module 1, unit 7 continues the sequence by revisiting previously learned words and introducing new high-utility words. The materials introduce irregular high-frequency words as students prepare for more complex orthographic patterns. For example, module 3, unit 2 introduces the irregular high-frequency word off, extending students’ understanding of words containing irregular letter–sound relationships while continuing the systematic review of previously taught high-frequency words.

The materials include a systematic sequence for introducing regular and irregular high-frequency words. Module 1 begins by introducing regular high-frequency words in the “High-Utility Words” section of the lesson. For example, in unit 1, the “See It, Say It” activity states, “Say: We are going to learn a new word. Show the word the and say it slowly. Write the word the and say: I can hear the sounds /th/ /e/. Draw a sound–letter chart to show the sounds in the word. Say: I will put a dot in a box for each sound that I hear. Then I will write the letter or letters that represent each sound.” In module 1, unit 9, the “See It, Say It” activity states, “Review the words already learned: The/the, a, and, I, me, My/my, This/this, and get. Say: We are going to learn a new word. Show the word has and say it slowly. Write the word has and say: I can hear the sounds /h/ /a/ /z/. Draw a sound–letter chart to show the sounds in the word. Say: I will put a dot in a box for each sound that I hear. Then I will write the letter or letters that represent each sound. Point out the letter–sound correspondence that students already know: h making /h/ and a making /a/. Support students as they learn the word: say the letter names in the word; arm tap the word; and air write the word. Have students practice writing the word several times. Check for accuracy.”

Evaluation for 5.E.2b
Materials include teacher guidance to provide explicit (direct) instruction for decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. (PR 2.A.1) (T)

The materials include guidance for the educator to provide direct instruction for decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. In the Teacher Resource Book, “Activities in Each Teaching Unit” section, the “High-Utility Words” call-out box states, “High-utility words are useful, and many of these need to be taught explicitly.” Additionally, the Teacher Resource Book, “Overview of Program Content” page includes a “How are High-Utility Words Taught?” section that states, “High-utility words need to be explicitly taught. Sound–letter charts are used for this explicit instruction. Consider the word this; it is a word that students need to know for reading and writing, yet it is not decodable in Stage One. It can be taught as follows: draw a sound–letter chart on the whiteboard; have students tap the three sounds in the word: /th/ /i/ /s/; place a dot in a box on the top row of the chart to indicate each sound; write the letter(s) that represent each sound on the bottom row of the chart. Point out any letter–sound correspondences that the students have already learned. For example, at this stage of the program, in the word this, students know that i makes the /i/ sound and s makes the /s/ sound, so they can decode those parts of the word. You can then tell them the letters that make the /th/ sound.”

The materials include explicit educator guidance for encoding irregular high-frequency words. In module 2, unit 1, the “High-Utility Words” section introduces come, a word with an irregular vowel sound. The educator script has students say the word slowly, segment it into sounds, and use a sound–letter chart to represent each sound, including the newly taught irregular correspondence for the letter o. Students then write the word multiple times while the educator checks for accuracy.

Evaluation for 5.E.2c
Materials include a variety of activities and/or resources for students to develop, practice, and reinforce skills to decode and encode regular and irregular high-frequency words (through cumulative review). (PR 2.A.1 & 2.A.3) (S)

The materials include a variety of activities and resources for students to practice and reinforce skills to decode regular high-frequency words through cumulative review. Students practice skills to decode regular high-frequency words in the practice sentences included with each unit. For example, the module 2, unit 3 practice sentences include the regular high-frequency words and, it, and can. Students reinforce skills to decode regular high-frequency words through cumulative review in the decodable books included with each unit. For example, the module 2 decodable text, “It Is Hot,” includes the regular high-frequency words the, and, and we. Additionally, the materials include a variety of activities and resources for students to develop and practice skills to encode regular high-frequency words. Students develop skills to encode regular high-frequency words in the “See It, Say It” section of each lesson. For example, the module 2, unit 3 lesson states, “Review the high-utility words already learned: come and are. Say: We are going to learn two new words. Show the words no and go, and say them slowly. Write the word no and say: I can hear the sounds /n/ /ō/. Draw a sound–letter chart to show the sounds in the word. Say: I will put a dot in a box for each sound that I hear. Then I will write the letter or letters that represent each sound. Point out the letter–sound correspondence that students already know: n making /n/. Support students as they learn the word: say the letter names in the word; arm tap the word; and air write the word. Have students practice writing the word several times. Check for accuracy.” The materials do not include opportunities for students to reinforce skills to encode regular high-frequency words through cumulative review.

The materials include a variety of activities and resources for students to practice and reinforce skills to decode irregular high-frequency words through cumulative review. Students practice skills to decode irregular high-frequency words in the practice sentences included with each unit. For example, the module 3, unit 5 practice sentences include the irregular high-frequency words what and is. Students reinforce skills to decode irregular high-frequency words through cumulative review in the decodable books included with each unit. For example, the module 3 decodable, “Can We Go?” includes the irregular high-frequency words what, said, and you. Additionally, the materials include a variety of activities and resources for students to develop skills to encode irregular high-frequency words. Students develop skills to encode irregular high-frequency words in the “See It, Say It” section of each lesson. For example, the module 3, unit 5 lesson states, “Review the high-utility words already learned: you, your, put, off, like, and went. Say: We are going to learn a new word. Show the word what and say it slowly. Write the word what and say: I can hear the sounds /w/ /o/ /t/. Draw a sound–letter chart to show the sounds in the word. Say: I will put a dot in a box for each sound that I hear. Then I will write the letter or letters that represent each sound. Support students as they learn the word: say the letter names in the word; arm tap the word; and air write the word. Have students practice writing the word several times. Check for accuracy.” The materials do not include opportunities for students to reinforce skills to encode irregular high-frequency words through cumulative review.

Evaluation for 5.E.2d
Materials include a variety of activities and/or resources (including the use of memory-building strategies) for students to read, and write high-frequency words in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in connected text (e.g., within sentences or decodable texts). (PR 2.A.1) (S)

The materials include a variety of activities and resources, including the use of memory-building strategies, for students to read high-frequency words in isolation and in connected text. In the “See It, Say It” section of the lesson students practice a consistent routine, although the materials do not explicitly define the practice as memory building. Students learn about a new high-frequency word, listen to the sounds, and see the sounds represented by dots on the corresponding letters. Educators “say the letter names in the word; arm tap the word; and air write the word.” Students read these high-frequency words in isolation during the module review and before reading decodable texts that contain the words. The materials do not include opportunities to write the high-frequency words in connected text.

The materials include a variety of activities and resources for students to write high-frequency words in isolation. Students write high-frequency words in isolation in the “See It, Say It” section of each lesson. For example, in module 2, unit 3, the “See It, Say It” activity states, “Review the high-utility words already learned: come and are. Say: We are going to learn two new words. Show the words no and go, and say them slowly. Write the word no and say: I can hear the sounds /n/ /ō/. Draw a sound–letter chart to show the sounds in the word. Say: I will put a dot in a box for each sound that I hear. Then I will write the letter or letters that represent each sound. Point out the letter–sound correspondence that students already know: n making /n/. Support students as they learn the word: say the letter names in the word; arm tap the word; and air write the word. Have students practice writing the word several times. Check for accuracy.” The materials do not include activities or resources for students to write high-frequency words in connected text.

Evaluation for 5.E.3a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing grade-level syllable types and syllable division principles, as outlined in the TEKS. (PR 2.A.1)

This guidance is not applicable to kindergarten because it only applies to grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3.

Evaluation for 5.E.3b
Materials include teacher guidance to provide explicit (direct) instruction for applying knowledge of syllable types and syllable division principles to decode and encode one-syllable or multisyllabic words. (PR 2.A.1) (T)

This guidance is not applicable to kindergarten because it only applies to grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3.

Evaluation for 5.E.3c
Materials include a variety of activities and/or resources for students to develop, practice and reinforce skills to decode and encode one-syllable or multisyllabic words (through cumulative review). (PR 2.A.1 & 2.A.3) (S)

This guidance is not applicable to kindergarten because it only applies to grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3.

Evaluation for 5.E.3d
Materials include a variety of activities and/or resources for students to practice decoding and encoding one-syllable or multisyllabic words, using knowledge of syllable types and syllable division principles, in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text that builds on previous instruction (e.g., within sentences or decodable texts). (PR 2.A & 2.A.3) (S)

This guidance is not applicable to kindergarten because it only applies to grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3.

Evaluation for 5.E.4a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing grade-level morphemes, as outlined in the TEKS. (PR 2.A.1)

This guidance is not applicable to kindergarten because it only applies to grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3.

Evaluation for 5.E.4b
Materials include teacher guidance to provide explicit (direct) instruction for supporting recognition of common morphemes and using their meanings (e.g., affixes, roots, and base words) to support decoding, encoding, and reading comprehension. (PR 2.A.1) (T)

This guidance is not applicable to kindergarten because it only applies to grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3.

Evaluation for 5.E.4c
Materials include a variety of activities and/or resources for students to develop, practice, and reinforce grade-level morphological skills (through cumulative review). (PR 2.A.1 & 2.A.3) (S)

This guidance is not applicable to kindergarten because it only applies to grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3.

Evaluation for 5.E.4d
Materials include a variety of activities and/or resources for students to decode and encode words with morphemes in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text that builds on previous instruction (e.g., within sentences or decodable texts). (PR 2.A.1 & 2.A.3) (S)

This guidance is not applicable to kindergarten because it only applies to grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3.