Handwriting Without Tears, English, Fifth Grade

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

The Teacher’s Guide clearly outlines the supplemental program’s purpose: offering additional practice to strengthen grade‑level handwriting instruction. It explains that with just 15 minutes of daily practice, educators can help students build strong cursive skills for writing letters, words, and sentences. Furthermore, the guide notes that these materials and teaching strategies are specifically designed to make learning a positive, successful experience that supports students as they become more skilled readers and writers. The text goes on to map out the explicit, step-by-step handwriting lessons that are designed to facilitate a smooth progression from manuscript to cursive writing.

The grade 5 level materials include an explanation of the stated purpose of the supplemental program: additional practice. The Teacher’s Guide describes how each skill is addressed in each unit through clearly defined student learning objectives. It also explains the reasoning and sequence behind the learning goals.

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

The materials include educator guidance on how to appropriately use the product to support existing core reading and language arts programs. The “Introduction” section of the grade 5 Teacher’s Guide states,” Our dedicated approach to handwriting instruction provides the most effective educator and student materials to connect to literacy skills taught in other programs.” The Teacher’s Guide includes the following advice: “Lessons can be implemented in 10–15 minutes” of daily instruction, supporting integration into whole-group, small-group, and independent learning settings without disrupting core reading and language arts instruction. The materials further describe the program’s flexible scope and sequence, which allows educators to align handwriting instruction with the phonics or letter-introduction sequence of their core curriculum, promoting seamless instructional integration.

The “Introduction” in the Teacher’s Guide highlights that its dedicated approach to handwriting instruction provides effective educator and student materials that connect to literacy skills taught. The materials state “By building handwriting fluency and automaticity, students grow as readers and writers. Teaching handwriting explicitly, alongside using digital technology, supports students’ cognitive development and efficiency with note-taking across subjects.”

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

The grade 5 materials include a scope and sequence that outlines student expectations and provides a rationale for the design of instruction. In the Teacher’s Guide section “Scope and Sequence,” the materials clearly define both the content and the order of instruction, helping educators understand the expectations for student learning across the program. The scope and sequence explains how instruction is intentionally organized to support the development of handwriting proficiency. Specifically, the materials describe how beginning with simpler letters allows students to internalize basic strokes before progressing to more complex handwriting forms.

The materials also clearly identify the skills taught throughout the program. The grade 5 Teacher’s Guide’s scope and sequence includes descriptions of the type of instruction, handwriting sequence, stages of learning, printing and cursive skills, and functional writing. These components provide educators with a clear understanding of the specific skills students are expected to develop and how those skills progress over time.

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

The materials provide clear guidance on time requirements for implementation. The grade 5 Teacher’s Guide includes pacing guidelines that recommend delivering instruction in short, manageable 15-minute lessons, allowing the program to be used alongside other curricula either within or outside the literacy block. Additionally, the guide outlines a 27-week instructional schedule and identifies the expected number of Student Edition pages to be completed each week, helping educators plan instructional time effectively.

The lessons are intentionally sequenced to align with the developmental progression of handwriting skills while reinforcing connections to reading, writing, and knowledge-building activities. In addition, the digital resources include brief multisensory warm-up activities that promote efficient lesson delivery, reinforce consistent instructional routines, and support the recommended pacing throughout the program.

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

The materials provide explicit guidance for implementing instruction across whole-group, small-group, and independent learning settings. In grade 5, educators are directed to use the Interactive Digital Teaching Tool (IDTT) to facilitate brief multisensory activities during whole-group instruction before introducing letter lessons. The materials also explain how handwriting instruction can be differentiated through small-group instruction, providing opportunities for remediation and enrichment using resources from both the Teacher’s Guide and the IDTT.

The materials further support implementation by providing detailed instructional guidance and resources that help educators deliver lessons as designed. In grade 5, the Teacher’s Guide explains how handwriting instruction can be integrated throughout the school day and adapted to different instructional contexts. Lesson plans include clearly defined components, which guide educators in modeling skills, facilitating guided practice, and supporting student application. Embedded differentiation strategies, correction guidance, instructional visuals, and digital resources such as the IDTT provide additional support for implementation, helping educators maintain consistent instructional routines and effectively monitor student progress.

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

The materials provide supports in English and offer specific suggestions for reinforcing student progress at home. In the Teacher’s Guide, the “Home-School Connection” section includes recommendations found in “Tips for Handwriting Practice at Home,” such as guidance on proper pencil grip, name-writing practice, and explicit cursive letter-formation charts. In addition, family-facing resources available through the digital platform can be accessed in English, allowing families to view and download printable materials that reinforce handwriting skills. These resources provide families with practical strategies and tools to support their child’s handwriting development and continued progress beyond the classroom.

The materials also provide supports in Spanish including suggestions for supporting student progress at home. Through the IDTT, families can access Spanish-language resources, which provide printable materials designed to support handwriting practice outside of school. Additionally, the “Supporting Multilingual Learners” section offers guidance that helps families reinforce instructional strategies used in the classroom and support student learning at home. These resources enable Spanish-speaking families to actively participate in their student’s handwriting development and academic progress.

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

The Screener of Handwriting Proficiency: Assessments to Guide Instruction (Screener AGI) functions as a dual-purpose evaluation tool. To meet summative requirements, it establishes four-month testing windows at three milestone periods, the beginning, middle, and end of the school year, to chart longitudinal development. Educators use these standardized intervals to measure collective and individual student performance against rising grade-level benchmarks, generating detailed class, grade, and student reports that track compliance with Response to Intervention (RtI) tier-one standards. At the same time, the program leverages this data for immediate formative adjustments. When screening data uncovers classroom-wide or individual gaps, educators can access built-in “Remediation Options.” These embedded resources allow educators to restructure daily lessons into 15-minute instructional routines or plan targeted, small-group interventions that correct specific mechanical errors in letter memory, orientation, and line placement.

The materials include both formative and summative assessments that align with the goals of a supplemental program, as detailed in the “Assessment and Progress Monitoring” section of the Teacher’s Guide. Formative assessment is woven directly into daily instruction to provide immediate, ongoing feedback on critical mechanical skills through cumulative progress monitoring of similarly formed letters in My Printing Book and a student self-checking strategy for real-time analysis of words, sentences, and paragraphs. Summative assessment is established through the Screener of Handwriting Proficiency, a benchmark tool administered at the beginning, middle, and end of the year to evaluate overall handwriting growth and mastery over time. The Print Tool is also included to provide an in-depth, diagnostic summative analysis for students requiring intensive intervention.

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

The Assessment to Guide Instruction (Screener AGI) is a diagnostic assessment that supports educators and specialists in evaluating students’ handwriting development using measurable skills. It identifies strengths and areas for improvement in foundational handwriting performance. The materials explain that the purpose of Screener AGI is to provide whole-class data through formative and summative assessments to guide instruction. As a tier-one assessment tool, it supports core instruction by helping educators adjust teaching based on student needs. The materials also include reporting features and intervention strategies that help identify students who require additional support and guide targeted remediation to address skill gaps.

In the “Getting Started” section of the “Screener AGI User Guide,” the Screener AGI is defined as a whole-class evaluation tool designed for educators in grade K and up to assess both printing and cursive skills. The materials explain that its intended purpose is to provide whole-class data through formative and summative structures to identify struggling students early in the year, support instructional and intervention decisions, and remediate to close the achievement gap. Furthermore, the “Testing Periods” section details its practical use, explaining that the Screener AGI can be administered up to three times per year, at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year, to help educators track student handwriting skills and guide targeted instruction throughout the academic year.

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

For instructional assessments administered by educators, materials include comprehensive guidance to ensure consistent and accurate administration. For example, the Screener AGI explains the importance of understanding handwriting expectations and how those benchmarks progress systematically across the school year—beginning of year, midyear, and end-of-year windows—to support targeted instruction and track printing development. To support this implementation, the Screener of Handwriting Proficiency: Beginner Printing Assessment Package and the Screener AGI materials provide explicit, educator-facing guidance and standardized procedures. This includes clear directions such as “Make a copy of the assessment recording sheet for each student,” “Read the instructions out loud,” and “Wait for my signal before writing.” Furthermore, the materials establish protocols for maintaining consistent testing conditions, advising educators to “Arrange the desks so that the letter posters cannot be seen” and “Use privacy folders to prevent students from copying.” Finally, the administration guide outlines all required resources to support accurate scoring and implementation, including specific administration templates, answer keys, a placement tool, and a “Concerns Checklist.”

The program provides administrative support to aid educators in delivering assessments uniformly and gathering reliable data. Within the “Screener AGI User Guide,” the “Administrator” section details how to prepare and use the “Assessment Recording Sheet,” advising educators to duplicate copies for every student to maintain a standardized setup. The digital platform notes that the evaluation spans roughly 10–15 minutes and offers the flexibility to be conducted with the entire class, small cohorts, or individual students. To facilitate this, the instructor packet contains tips and instructions adaptable to any of these grouping strategies. To ensure seamless progress tracking, the digital dashboard outlines a strategic three-part scheduling model across the academic year, specifically targeting the beginning, middle, and concluding terms. Aligning these intervals with standard performance indicators creates a predictable routine that yields uniform data collection for adjusting daily instruction. Additionally, the guide features procedures that walk educators through material preparation, script delivery, and proper environmental controls during whole-group testing. To finalize the process, the materials provide a dedicated tool kit consisting of scoring keys, placement protocols, a specialized “Concerns Checklist,” and an online scoring engine to keep evaluation practices objective and dependable.

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

The instructional materials include developmentally appropriate assessments that feature a variety of item types, such as isolated production of capital letters/numbers, personal identification of names, and contextual writing of four-word sentences. To support skill progression, the Teacher’s Guide incorporates embedded formative “Learn and Check” routines that guide students from simple letters to more complex words, sentences, and paragraphs. The Assessment to Guide Instruction (Screener AGI) “Handwriting Expectations” section reinforces this growth by explaining how grade-level expectations and independence gradually shift throughout the year to increase rigor. The Screener AGI provides essential tools for managing these varying levels of complexity and explicitly notes, “It takes about 10–15 minutes to administer Screener AGI.” This administration guidance is further supported by an “Assessment Recording Sheet,” a “Concerns Checklist,” and administration instructions.

The Handwriting Without Tears materials provide developmentally appropriate assessments that feature a variety of item types, such as isolated letter/number production, personal-identification tasks, and contextual application items such as three- and four-word sentences. To support skill progression, the Student Workbook incorporates structured “Learn and Check” self-check routines that intentionally guide students from simple individual letters to more complex words, sentences, and paragraphs. Educators use these routines and the Assessment to Guide Instruction (Screener AGI) “Handwriting Expectations” section to monitor performance, provide immediate feedback, and effectively modify teaching strategies. Furthermore, the materials outline clear grade-level benchmarks across beginning-, middle-, and end-of-year expectations as students transition from print proficiency to early cursive application. This deliberate alignment ensures that assessment tasks and expectations shift throughout the year to match students’ developing skills and increasing independence.

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

The instructional materials provide clear scoring guidance and comprehensive analytical tools that effectively support the interpretation of student performance. Specifically, the administration guide outlines explicit, step-by-step procedures for scoring the Screener AGI, ensuring a standardized, consistent evaluation of student responses.

The materials include formative and summative assessments that align with the goals of the supplemental handwriting program and build on the scoring guidance described in the administration guide. In the Teacher’s Guide, the “Assessment and Progress Monitoring” section embeds formative assessment into daily instruction through cumulative reviews of similarly formed letters in My Printing Book and a student self-checking routine that supports real-time analysis of words, sentences, and paragraphs. Summative assessment is provided through the Screener of Handwriting Proficiency, administered at the beginning, middle, and end of the year to measure overall handwriting growth, while the Screener Administration Package offers an in-depth diagnostic option for students who require more intensive intervention.

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

The materials include the definition and intended purpose of the instructional assessments included. In the online Assessment to Guide Instruction (Screener AGI) “Getting Started,” the guide states, “This guide provides complete instructions for administering the Screener AGI to your class and for using the Screener AGI Online Scoring and Reporting Tool.” The materials explain that the tool is designed for grades K–5 and can assess both print and cursive handwriting. The materials also provide guidance for educators on assessment implementation, stating that the Screener “may be used as a whole class” or as early intervention support. The assessment is administered three times per year at the beginning, middle, and end of the year, and the expectations for student performance increase over time.

The materials include the definitions and intended purposes of the instructional assessments. For example, the Assessment to Guide Instruction (Screener AGI) states that the “Screener AGI may be used as an assessment tool by educators and occupational therapists to support instructional planning for whole classes and to identify students who may require additional intervention and remediation.” The “Screener AGI User Guide” further explains that the assessment is designed for grades K–5 students to evaluate both printing and cursive skills and support early identification of handwriting difficulties.

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

Through the digital platform and administration packets, educators have access to the “Intermediate Print Administration Guide,” “Evaluation to Guide Instruction” resources, and online scoring tools that generate individual and class-level reports. These reports provide detailed information about student performance relative to established benchmarks and handwriting expectations, allowing educators to identify strengths, monitor growth across screening periods, and make informed instructional decisions. Additional progress monitoring opportunities are embedded throughout the program through daily and weekly reviews, cumulative assessments, targeted skill checks, and observational routines focused on letter formation, spacing, placement, and connections.

The Teacher’s Guide details observational methods for tracking development through daily and weekly review activities, cumulative reviews, and targeted skill checks focusing on letter formation, spacing, connections, and placement. However, the materials do not include tools for students to track their growth. While the supplemental program contains instructional activities, digital “Microlearnings” that support reflection, and practice opportunities for students to review their daily work, there is no evidence of an embedded student data tracking system. Progress tracking is entirely educator facing, leaving students without any long-term charts, logs, or independent features to track their own growth and development over time.

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

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

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

The grade 5 materials include educator guidance on differentiating instruction for students who have not yet reached proficiency in grade‑level handwriting skills. In the Teacher’s Guide, the chart titled “Explicit Handwriting with the Intent to Prevent Cursive Issues” identifies the specific skills educators must teach intentionally, such as correct formation, pencil grip, and connectivity, to prevent habits that interfere with proper cursive technique. This resource explains the rationale behind each skill and describes how these foundational elements are reinforced throughout the curriculum, providing educators with clear direction for supporting students who require additional practice.

The grade 5 Teacher’s Guide provides structured, actionable guidance that enables educators to differentiate instruction for students who have not yet reached proficiency. The “Differentiation,” “Correction,” and “Tips for Correction and Review” sections outline specific educator actions for reinforcing handwriting skills, offering targeted strategies that help educators address persistent errors and support students’ progress toward mastery.

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

The program explains how to support students who have already reached proficiency during whole-group instruction and are included within the margins of lesson plans. Suggestions are aligned to the learning objective, with differentiation for higher levels of complexity embedded within lesson plans. For example, lessons include higher-order thinking tasks, advanced word study, and morphological analysis.

The section titled “Ways to Adapt Instruction” includes additional educator guidance prompting acceleration of the pacing guidelines for classes and/or students ready to move more quickly. An example of differentiation for supporting students who have already reached proficiency is found in the digital resources, with specific guidance to “Open the A+ Worksheet Maker. Use the Words/Spelling template to practice words that include s and ox endings.” Another example can be found in the lesson plans, in which the guidance offers educators a “contextual application activity,” instructing educators to “Have students write their names of animals they might find in a rainforest in cursive on double lines.”

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

The grade 5 materials include the digital resource “Strategies for Children with Special Needs” in the “Resources” section, which provides disability-specific instructional guidance for students receiving special education services. For students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the resource recommends that educators “Use as many multisensory experiences as possible,” and notes that students may struggle when educators use abstract instructional strategies because they “tend to take things literally.” For students with Down syndrome, it recommends “Use a modified pencil grasp” and “Work on extra fine-motor activities to strengthen the hands.”

The resource also provides accommodations for students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, poor vision, and cerebral palsy. For example, the “Dyslexia” section recommends, “Use the double lines to teach consistency in placement of letters on the lines” and “Provide many opportunities for review and mastery lessons.” For students with dysgraphia, the resource recommends, “Provide many practice sessions to develop patterns for letter formation” and “Teach the letters in the recommended groups of similar strokes.” These disability-specific supports provide educators with explicit guidance for adapting instructional materials and delivery to meet individual student needs.

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

The grade 5 educator‑led supplemental handwriting program includes explicit prompts and guidance that support educators in modeling and explaining the skills to be learned. In the Teacher’s Guide, each lesson contains an “Explicit Instruction” component with step‑by‑step modeling directions and scripted language for demonstrating each handwriting stroke. The guidance outlines how to deliver direct teaching, guide students through practice, and monitor their performance. For example, the lesson script for modeling the letter w provides precise educator language—“Down and up, down and up, end with a tow”—printed in blue in the lesson margins to cue educators on what to say during instruction.

The materials also include explicit guidance within the digital Assessment to Guide Instruction (Screener AGI) that directs educators to model and explain handwriting skills based on identified student needs. The Screener prompts educators to use assessment data to plan instruction, deliver targeted explanations, and model skills during one‑on‑one or small‑group lessons. It provides directions for monitoring progress, adjusting instruction, and collaborating with support staff and families, ensuring that educator actions remain aligned to modeling and explaining skills through data‑informed, targeted support.

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

The materials include guidance for educators on recommended instructional structures (e.g., whole group, small group, individual) to support effective implementation. For example, the IDTT in Handwriting Without Tears provides “Microlearning” resources that support multisensory learning opportunities, such as air writing and proper pencil grip, to reinforce skill development across instructional settings.

The materials include educator guidance and recommendations for effective delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional approaches. For example, the IDTT provides support materials. The “Microlearning” activities provide supports that guide educators in implementing multisensory instructional strategies, including “Wet-Dry-Try” for uppercase and lowercase letter formation.

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

The materials also include explicit guidance within the digital Screener AGI that directs educators to model and explain handwriting skills based on identified student needs. The Screener prompts educators to use assessment data to plan instruction, deliver targeted explanations, and model skills during one‑on‑one or small‑group lessons. It provides directions for monitoring progress, adjusting instruction, and collaborating with support staff and families, ensuring that educator actions remain aligned to modeling and explaining skills through data‑informed, targeted support.

In the Teacher’s Guide, the section titled “When and How to Use Handwriting Without Tears” identifies small-group instruction as a structure for targeted support and differentiated learning. It states educators may work with one group at a time to provide explicit instruction, facilitate guided practice, and address specific student needs through remediation when appropriate. In addition, the materials recommend opportunities for independent practice during classroom rotations. Students may complete multisensory activities to reinforce handwriting concepts or engage in additional writing tasks at their own pace. Together, these recommendations provide educators with flexible implementation options that support whole-class instruction, targeted intervention, and independent skill development.

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

The Handwriting Without Tears IDTT provides “Microlearning” supports to help students use academic language during instruction. The materials offer best-practice tips for supporting emergent bilingual (EB) students via visual supports, modeling, and building oral language through conversation. Educators are encouraged to introduce key vocabulary through demonstration and to connect formation language to students’ daily lives and home languages. However, the program provides general, not detailed guidance.

The materials do not provide detailed, ELPS-aligned guidance differentiated by specific English language proficiency levels (Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, or Advanced High), nor do they systematically guide educators in adapting accommodations or supporting the progressive use of academic language. The program includes generic tips to support EB students within the materials. These tips do not address multiple levels of language proficiency, nor do the materials include references or objectives aligned to the ELPS.

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

The grade 5 materials provide educators with implementation guidance for using Handwriting Without Tears in state‑approved bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. The digital guide “Handwriting Without Tears for Emergent Bilingual Students” outlines how handwriting instruction can support biliteracy, academic vocabulary, and cross-linguistic connections across Dual Language Immersion (DLI), Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE), and ESL models. The guide states that handwriting instruction can “be implemented within the language allocation established by DLI, TBE, and ESL program models,” giving educators clear direction for program-aligned implementation.

Guidance in the digital platform supports grade 5 educators in applying the program within EB models. The resource includes specific guidance such as using multisensory materials, reinforcing directional vocabulary, facilitating crosslinguistic connections, and modeling academic language during handwriting routines. The guide also notes that educators can “create opportunities for students to practice listening, speaking, reading, and writing during meaningful handwriting activities,” which helps educators integrate handwriting instruction into EB settings.

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

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

Evaluation for 7.1a
Materials include explicit (direct) and systematic handwriting instruction (e.g., sequenced from lowercase letters to uppercase letters) in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The grade 5 materials provide a consistent routine for direct instruction, as detailed in the Teacher’s Guide lesson plan “Teach and Model” section. The lessons begin with a stated learning objective and a warm-up activity, followed by educator modeling that uses provided scripted language and exact verbal cues for letters such as f and w. During the “Guided Practice” phase, students finger trace and copy letters while the educator monitors their work. Educators then direct students to the “Check Letter and Word” section to independently self-monitor their letter formation, size, and alignment. Lessons conclude with a “Read and Discuss” activity that incorporates student dialogue and literacy connections, including homophones. Across the program, this instructional structure requires educators to review previously taught skills, model new formations, guide supported practice, and assign independent or targeted remediation activities, such as having students trace words before copying them independently.

The materials organize handwriting instruction into a specific sequence, starting with capital letters because they are uniform in height and begin at the top. These uppercase letters are divided into three structural categories: Frog Jump, Starting Corner, and Center Starting (which uses a “Magic C” stroke). Lowercase letters follow and are organized into five distinct groups to address variations in size, starting position, and vertical placement. Additionally, the Teacher’s Guide’s “Teaching with Handwriting Without Tears” section and the yearlong scope and sequence outline a structured cursive progression. This sequence begins with a review of print handwriting, introduces foundational lowercase cursive letters such as c, a, d, and g, groups subsequent letters by shared formation patterns, and concludes with more complex “challenging letters.” The curriculum progresses from foundational strokes to early cursive forms and, ultimately, complex connections.

Evaluation for 7.1b
Materials include frequent opportunities for students to develop and refine handwriting skills through guided practice and independent practice in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The grade 5 materials structure guided practice to take place with continuous educator monitoring. Educators direct students through a physical tracing activity in which learners use their fingers to follow letter models and verbally recite the corresponding formation cues. The program specifies that instructional visual aids and language cues are formatted to remain fully visible for both right- and left-handed participants. When practicing new cursive formations, students write words that consist exclusively of previously mastered letters. In “Lesson i,” for example, the educator introduces the lowercase i on double lines with precise verbal directions (“Go along the line, go up, bump, come back down, bump, continue along the line, dot”) and specifies that dots should be added only after the full word is written. Students then replicate the finger tracing, vocalize the steps, and write the letters under observation. The sequence closes with a targeted review in which the educator checks the students’ starting points, stroke order, letter sizing, placement on the lines, and cursive connections.

The materials provide a task in which students apply newly introduced cursive letters within brief words or sentences, offering an opportunity to also maintain previously learned skills. To evaluate their unassisted work, students use a self-assessment routine called “Check the Letter and the Word.” This evaluation process prompts learners to verify their own handwriting against specific criteria, including accurate starting points, correct formation steps, proper line contact, overall size, placement, and letter connections. The instructions also prompt educators to remind students about standard writing conventions during this independent phase, specifically instructing them to write out the complete word before going back to add dots to the letters i and j.

Evaluation for 7.1c
Materials include guidance for educators to provide feedback to students to develop and refine their handwriting skills (e.g., writing position, writing grip, letter spacing, size, slant, directionality) in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The grade 5 materials organize handwriting assessment into daily, weekly, and periodic intervals, as outlined in the print and cursive versions of “Microlearning: Progress Monitoring Options.” For daily assessment, the program features a “Learn and Check” routine in the student workbooks, which uses checkboxes to prompt learners to self-evaluate their final attempt at forming a letter, word, or sentence. Educators are instructed to use the Student Edition review pages to guide students through this self-checking process. On a weekly basis, the curriculum schedules “Review Activities” and “Pause and Practice” tasks. During these sessions, students write words and sentences using previously acquired letters, providing a designated time for educators to evaluate letter formation, line placement, size, and word spacing. Furthermore, a Screener of Handwriting Proficiency is intended to be administered three times a year, generating both individual and class-wide data reports to identify current handwriting capabilities and specific areas requiring further remediation.

Additionally, in the grade 5 Teacher’s Guide educators can access observation checkpoints, instructional scripts, and targeted correction strategies. Lesson sidebars provide specific directives, such as prompting educators to “Ensure children are writing words with correct letter size, placement, and closeness” alongside exact verbal cues such as “Say: ... remember that letter placement does not change even though the lines are different.” The materials also offer guidance for addressing specific mechanical challenges, providing precise verbal instructions for “tricky” cursive connections (e.g., variable connection strokes for the letter x or the distinct forms of the letter k). Additional differentiation strategies instruct educators to have students trace slowly to prevent unwanted loops or gaps, and to use hand gestures to demonstrate stroke movements. Checkpoints such as “Check Words” and “Check Letter and Sentence” direct educators to evaluate students’ spacing, alignment, and punctuation, especially during independent writing tasks such as memory exercises or “Silly Spelling Tests.”