IXL English Language Arts (IXL ELA): Grade 2

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

IXL English Language Arts (ELA) includes educator-facing program information that clearly explains the purpose of the supplemental program. The “Implementation Strategies” page states that IXL ELA is designed to provide daily instruction, additional practice, targeted remediation, personalized learning, standards preparation, and diagnostic-driven acceleration. The implementation guide further explains that “IXL is designed to be used daily to reinforce your lessons and help students retain the instruction.” The materials provide guidance for using IXL ELA to reinforce core instruction, provide skill-specific practice, monitor progress, and support learners at varying proficiency levels.

Additional resources further clarify the program’s purpose and instructional design. The blog post “What Is IXL?” describes IXL ELA as a personalized learning platform that supports a wide range of learners and automatically adjusts difficulty levels to provide an appropriate level of challenge. The “Implementation Strategies” page also highlights program features such as curriculum resources, analytics, diagnostics, personalized guidance, the Achievement Summary, and the Response to Intervention (RTI) tab.

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.

IXL ELA provides clear implementation guidance that shows educators how to use the supplemental program to support and extend tier-one reading and language arts instruction. Across K–5, the materials include implementation guides, instructional tools, and alignment resources that help educators integrate IXL ELA with an existing core reading and language arts program. The Supporting Core Curriculum guide directs educators to review lesson objectives, select supporting IXL skills aligned to current instruction, and use those skills during whole-class, small-group, independent, or homework practice. The materials also provide guidance for using performance data and reports to identify student needs and plan targeted intervention or reteaching aligned to the TEKS.

Additional resources, including the Personalized Practice guide, Recommendations Wall, Group Jam collaborative activities, aligned skill plans, and whole-class modeling, support individualized and group practice connected to current instruction. The Supporting Core Curriculum guide provides a three-step implementation process in which educators select aligned skills to support lesson objectives, assign adaptive practice to deepen understanding, and use the Skill Score Chart and Trouble Spots report to check for understanding and form reteaching groups. The materials also provide curriculum-aligned skill plans that map units and lessons to corresponding IXL skills in comprehension, foundational skills, language, grammar, and writing, enabling educators to reinforce current instruction and provide targeted practice that mirrors grade-level expectations.

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

The materials include a scope and sequence that outlines the foundational reading skills taught across K–5, the associated student expectations, and the rationale guiding the progression of skills. The “IXL Reading Foundations Scope and Sequence” details grade-by-grade development in word recognition, phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, morphology, vocabulary, and comprehension. It shows how instruction progresses from early skills such as syllable segmentation and letter-sound associations to more advanced decoding, encoding, and language comprehension. The scope and sequence is grounded in the science of reading and organized according to Scarborough’s Reading Rope, with skills presented through explicit instruction, scaffolding, and spaced practice.

Supporting resources, including the TEKS plan, Learn to Read skill plan, and textbook-aligned skill plans, identify grade-level expectations, aligned student practice, and targeted supports connected to core instruction. Additional educator guides and learning plans organize instruction into skills, modules, and weekly progressions with linked activities, TEKS connections, and descriptions of targeted student skills. For example, the Learn to Read skill plan provides a day-by-day sequence that progresses from phonological and phonemic awareness to phonics, word analysis, and sight-word development. It also identifies the corresponding grade-level TEKS addressed in each lesson.

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

The materials include guidance on pacing, frequency, and skill progression for implementation of the supplemental program. IXL ELA provides scope and sequence documents, TEKS-aligned skill plans, and educator resources that outline how foundational reading skills develop across K–5. The materials organize instruction according to Scarborough’s Reading Rope and provide a sequence that progresses from phonological and phonemic awareness to phonics, word analysis, morphology, and advanced decoding and spelling.

Implementation guidance within the IXL skill plans and IXL Effect research resources provides recommended usage expectations such as engaging with two to three skills per week, completing 10–15 questions per skill, and working toward proficiency (SmartScore 80). Publisher guidance further explains that students typically require 15–20 minutes to reach proficiency in a single skill and recommends approximately 30–40 minutes of IXL practice per week to achieve the goal of mastering two skills each week. Sequential pacing tools, including the Weekly Boost and Learn to Read skill plans, provide day-by-day and week-by-week progressions aligned to the TEKS. For example, the Learn to Read skill plan organizes instruction into a daily sequence moving from phonological awareness to phonics, sight-word development, and word analysis, with each lesson linked to aligned activities and standards. Additional curriculum-aligned skill plans organize instruction into skills, modules, and weekly progressions and map lessons and units to corresponding IXL skills to support implementation alongside existing reading instruction. The “Teacher Checklist: Benchmarking with the IXL LevelUp Diagnostic” provides suggested administration times for benchmark assessments, including 90 minutes for the Reading Benchmark and 120 minutes for the combined Reading and Writing & Language Benchmark, while noting that assessments may be administered in smaller sessions to support student stamina.

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

The materials provide implementation guidance that supports educators in using the program as designed across K–5. Resources such as the implementation guides, Getting Started materials, and the Teacher Toolkit provide guidance for identifying targeted skills, assigning practice, grouping students, administering assessments, and using data reports for progress monitoring and intervention planning. For example, the IXL for Daily Instruction Implementation Guide directs educators to identify TEKS-aligned skills that match lesson objectives by reviewing grade-level skill pages or standards-aligned skill plans and then assign those skills for whole-group, small-group, independent practice, or homework.

Onboarding and management resources guide educators in setting up class rosters, generating student logins, assigning skills and assessments, engaging families, and interpreting student data. The implementation guides also explain how to introduce skills during whole-group instruction, release students to adaptive practice, and support mastery through SmartScore goals. Data-use guidance shows educators how to use IXL Analytics, including the Skill Analysis report, to monitor completion and performance, identify skills that require additional support, and form groups for reteaching or intervention.

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 family supports in both English and Spanish that help caregivers understand the program and support their child’s progress. Family handouts, guides, and tip sheets explain how families can sign in, access personalized skill recommendations, and monitor learning through tools such as IXL Analytics, progress reports, and the Real-Time Diagnostic. The materials encourage families to review recommended skills, track growth, celebrate accomplishments, and use diagnostic data to identify areas of strength and need.

Spanish-language materials, including family guides, videos with Spanish subtitles, and resources highlighted in the “How IXL Supports Spanish-Speaking Learners” overview, provide parallel guidance for Spanish-speaking families. Additional bilingual tip sheets provide suggestions for supporting reading practice at home and reinforcing learning during the summer.

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 materials include assessments within the IXL Assessment Suite that align with the supplemental program’s purpose of providing targeted remediation, acceleration, and ongoing practice. The suite includes diagnostic, formative, and summative measures, including the LevelUp Diagnostic, Flex Diagnostic, quizzes, common assessments, checkpoints, performance tasks, Group Jams, and Takeoff tests. The LevelUp Diagnostic identifies students’ literacy strengths and learning needs and is available in Real-Time and Benchmark Administration modes. Assessment results generate personalized action plans, skill recommendations, and instructional next steps.

Educators can also create customizable assessments that provide instant, auto-graded feedback for checking understanding or using as exit tickets. Checkpoints measure proficiency across skills and standards throughout the year. Guidance within IXL ELA resources and blog posts explains how to use diagnostic data to assign targeted fluency practice and skill-based instruction. For example, the “How IXL Strengthens Reading Fluency” resource describes using Real-Time Diagnostic results to assign skills such as “Identify the main idea,” “Use context to confirm or self-correct,” and “Read multisyllabic words.” The “Meet the Suite” overview also includes examples of recommending foundational decoding skills for students who need additional phonics support and advanced comprehension tasks for students ready for acceleration.

Assessment resources also include administration and follow-up guidance. The “Teacher Checklist: Benchmarking with the IXL LevelUp Diagnostic” directs educators to review overall performance, strand-level proficiency, and at-risk indicators for reading difficulties following benchmark administration and recommends using Real-Time mode to establish ongoing progress-monitoring routines.

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

The materials define the assessment types included in the IXL Assessment Suite and explain the intended purpose of each. Resources such as the All-in-One Assessment Guide and the “What Assessment Offering Should I Use?” article describe diagnostic, formative, summative, interim/benchmark, and universal screening assessments and include information about their characteristics, administration guidance, recommended frequency, and related reporting tools. Diagnostic assessments, including the LevelUp Diagnostic and Flex Diagnostic, are described as tools that identify student strengths and learning needs. Formative assessments such as customizable quizzes and exit-ticket checks are described as assessments used during instruction and provide immediate, auto-graded feedback.

The materials also define the purpose of summative, interim, and universal screening assessments. Common assessments and performance tasks are described as summative assessments that measure mastery of unit or course content, while interim assessments are administered periodically to measure progress across standards and skills. Universal screening assessments are described as tools used to identify students who may require additional intervention and support. Associated reporting tools, including diagnostic reports, assessment analytics, and progress-monitoring reports, are identified within the assessment resources and support interpretation of assessment results. The materials also provide implementation guidance and associated reporting tools for each assessment type. The “Teacher Checklist: Benchmarking with the IXL LevelUp Diagnostic” references LevelUp Diagnostic Overview reports, Diagnostic Strand Analysis reports, and cut-point guides that support interpretation of benchmark results.

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

This guidance is not applicable to the program because the program is student driven. Assessments are administered by the program, not an educator.

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

The instructional assessments include items at varying levels of complexity that measure a continuum of literacy skills, progressing from foundational tasks to more advanced application. Assessment items begin with early phonological awareness skills such as identifying phonemes, isolating beginning sounds, and recognizing simple spelling patterns and progress to decoding and encoding words, analyzing phonics patterns, and applying long-vowel teams, consonant digraphs, and inflectional endings independently. The Flex Diagnostic demonstrates this progression through an adaptive assessment experience. As shown in the Flex Diagnostic “The Student Experience” video, the assessment adjusts in real time to each learner’s performance, presenting simpler items such as blending phonemes in consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words or identifying short-vowel sounds and increasingly complex items such as decoding multisyllabic words, distinguishing vowel teams, and applying suffixes such as -ed and -ing.

Across literacy domains, assessment tasks progress from recognizing sounds and letters to applying phonics knowledge in decoding, encoding, and word analysis. The “Meet the Suite” overview and assessment resources describe how to use diagnostic results to recommend foundational decoding skills for students who need additional support and more advanced comprehension and language tasks for students who demonstrate readiness for acceleration. The Flex Diagnostic adapts in real time to student performance and presents simpler or more complex items based on students’ responses. The materials explain that the diagnostic provides up-to-the-minute information about students’ knowledge and continuously updates as students answer diagnostic questions and work on recommended skills.

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

The materials provide guidance for interpreting student performance through multiple reporting tools within IXL Analytics. Reports such as the Progress and Growth, LevelUp Diagnostic Overview, Diagnostic Strand Analysis, Skill Progress Summary, and Trouble Spots display student performance across skills, standards, and assessments. The reports provide information about proficiency levels, strand-level performance, skill mastery, growth, and areas requiring additional support. The Trouble Spots report also displays the exact questions students answered incorrectly and identifies skills in which students are experiencing difficulty.

The materials also provide guidance for interpreting assessment results and determining instructional next steps. The “Teacher Checklist: Benchmarking with the IXL LevelUp Diagnostic” directs educators to review overall performance, strand-level proficiency, and at-risk indicators for reading difficulties and references cut-point guides that provide additional scoring information. The IXL for Diagnostic Assessment Implementation Guide explains that diagnostic levels correspond to grade levels and states that a score of 360 indicates that a student understands approximately 60 percent of third-grade material. Diagnostic Action Plans, assessment analytics, and progress-monitoring reports provide recommendations for skill assignments, intervention, and continued progress monitoring.

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 provide guidance and reporting tools that support educators in analyzing student performance trends and responding to assessment results. Reports such as Trouble Spots, Standards Proficiency, Diagnostic Results, and Student Usage display patterns in student learning, including areas of difficulty, standards mastery, common misconceptions, and practice behaviors. The reports provide information about individual and group performance and identify skills that require additional support, reteaching, or enrichment. The LevelUp Diagnostic Overview report displays overall performance and strand-level proficiency, while the Diagnostic Strand Analysis report organizes student performance by standards-based skill groups and identifies strands that require reinforcement.

The materials also include instructional resources that provide guidance for responding to assessment results. Tools such as Diagnostic Action Plans, Group Jam, Instant Review, and implementation guides include recommendations based on assessment data. These recommendations include assigning targeted practice, planning reteaching opportunities, forming small groups, and providing intervention activities. The “Teacher Checklist: Benchmarking with the IXL LevelUp Diagnostic” recommends using Diagnostic Strand Analysis data to differentiate instruction, form small groups based on specific strands, and target standards needing reinforcement. The IXL for Live Assessment Implementation Guide also recommends pulling students into small groups for remediation when multiple students demonstrate difficulty during live assessment and using Live Message to provide immediate support when students struggle or go off task. The IXL for Diagnostic Assessment Implementation Guide further recommends using personalized action plans and recommended skills to address learning gaps and monitor progress over time.

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

The materials include tools that allow both educators and students to track progress and growth over time. Educator-facing dashboards, including the Progress report, Growth report, Skill Progress Summary, Standards Proficiency report, Students Quickview, and Student Usage report, provide information about class and individual performance. These reports display proficiency levels, skill mastery, average scores, monthly growth, assessment trends, and progress on diagnostic recommendations. The IXL for Diagnostic Assessment Implementation Guide explains that student work completed in IXL skills is automatically incorporated into diagnostic levels and that educators can monitor progress on action-plan skills through the Students Quickview, Student Usage report, and Live Classroom.

Students also have access to tools that allow them to monitor their own learning. The Flex Diagnostic and LevelUp Diagnostic trackers, available through the Printable Resources page, allow students to record diagnostic levels, track growth throughout the year, and monitor progress toward goals. The IXL for Diagnostic Assessment Implementation Guide also directs students to follow personalized action plans and recommended skills generated from diagnostic results and recommends answering 10–15 diagnostic questions each week to keep diagnostic levels up to date.

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 IXL ELA materials provide educator guidance for differentiating instruction for students who have not yet reached grade-level proficiency through a comprehensive set of diagnostic and reporting tools. Educators use the Real-Time Diagnostic, Score Grid, Trouble Spots report, and Students Quickview to identify unfinished learning, monitor student performance, and pinpoint specific skills requiring additional instruction. The implementation materials explicitly direct educators to review areas where students are struggling and plan individual or small-group reteaching based on Trouble Spots data. Educators also analyze individual student responses and diagnostic recommendations to assign targeted practice that addresses each student’s instructional needs, supporting ongoing instructional decisions based on current performance.

The materials further provide practical guidance for organizing differentiated instruction through flexible grouping, personalized recommendations, and targeted skill assignments. Educators can create custom groups using diagnostic results, state assessment data, classroom performance, or intervention needs to provide instruction matched to students’ current proficiency levels. The personalized Recommendations Wall directs students to appropriately leveled skills while educators work with individuals or small groups, making differentiation manageable during classroom instruction. As students demonstrate mastery, IXL updates recommendations and provides new practice opportunities, enabling educators to continually adjust instruction and support students as they progress toward grade-level expectations.

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 IXL ELA materials provide educator guidance for differentiating instruction for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level skills through personalized recommendations, flexible grouping, and targeted skill assignments. Based on diagnostic results, classroom performance, or assessment data, educators can create custom groups of students demonstrating grade-level proficiency and assign appropriately challenging, standards-aligned skills using the Suggest This Skill feature. The implementation materials explain that personalized recommendations are hand-picked to help students continue growing and encourage educators to have students work toward proficiency on recommended skills that match their current readiness.

The materials also provide differentiated activities that extend learning beyond grade-level mastery. Personalized recommendations adjust automatically as students demonstrate proficiency, directing learners to increasingly challenging skills, including skills from higher grade levels when appropriate. For example, students who excel on a grade K standard may receive recommendations for grade 1 comprehension skills, while students demonstrating proficiency in grade-level grammar receive opportunities to “try something new” through additional recommended practice. Educators can further extend learning by assigning IXL quizzes, facilitating collaborative Group Jams, and using leveled leaderboards to maintain engagement while providing continued academic challenges. Together, these features help educators ensure that students who have mastered grade-level expectations continue progressing through appropriately rigorous learning experiences.

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

IXL ELA includes educator guidance for providing specially designed instruction (SDI) through the IXL for IEP Progress Monitoring Implementation Guide. The guide explains how educators can use Real-Time Diagnostic data to identify students’ present levels of performance, establish measurable goals aligned to individualized education program (IEP) objectives, and develop individualized learning plans. Materials direct educators to focus IEP goals around a student’s lowest strand(s) and the recommended skills associated with those strands and to set individualized SmartScore goals based on student readiness. The guide also recommends assigning personalized skills and using diagnostic recommendations to address identified literacy needs and monitor progress over time.

The resource “How IXL Supports Special Education” provides educator-facing guidance for adapting instruction to meet individual student needs. The materials explain how educators can assign skills above or below grade level, provide audio-supported and multisensory learning opportunities, and use adaptive learning pathways that adjust based on student performance. The Questions Log is recommended for monitoring individual student work on specific skills and identifying patterns or misconceptions that may require reteaching, while the Progress and Improvement report is used to review skill growth, identify strengths and weaknesses, and establish new instructional goals during annual IEP reviews. These resources provide program-specific guidance for delivering individualized instruction and monitoring student progress.

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.

This criterion is not applicable because IXL ELA is a student-driven program in which the platform, rather than the educator, provides direct modeling, explanations, and instructional guidance for the skills being learned.

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

This criterion is not applicable because IXL ELA is a student-driven program in which the platform, rather than the educator, provides direct modeling, explanations, and instructional guidance for the skills being learned.

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

IXL ELA provides educator guidance on recommended instructional structures through the Daily ELA Instruction Implementation Guide. The guide recommends beginning instruction in a whole-group setting before transitioning students to independent practice and providing additional support through small-group instruction as needed. For example, during a lesson, educators may introduce a skill in a whole-group setting, assign independent practice on the targeted skill, and then provide small-group instruction for students who require reteaching or additional support. The guide also includes recommendations for intervention, remediation, acceleration, station rotations, Group Jams, homework, and individualized practice.

The blog post “How IXL Supports Small-Group Instruction” provides additional guidance for organizing instruction across whole-group, small-group, and individual learning environments. The resource highlights the Skills Analysis report, which allows educators to group students according to their performance on a targeted skill and provides suggested questions to support small-group instruction. Diagnostic and analytics tools, including Skill Analysis, Trouble Spots, and real-time progress monitoring reports, provide information that educators can use to identify student needs, form instructional groups, and determine when reteaching, intervention, enrichment, or individualized support is appropriate.

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.

IXL ELA includes resources intended to support multilingual learners. The materials provide audio features, visuals, image-rich activities, vocabulary supports, sentence stems, video tutorials, skill plans, and translation features in more than 120 languages. The program also includes Spanish-language supports and Rosetta Stone learning pathways. Students can access audio and visual supports while completing literacy activities, and educators can use Group Jams and discussion activities that include sentence stems and opportunities for oral language practice.

However, the materials do not consistently provide accommodations aligned to the ELPS proficiency descriptors of beginning, intermediate, advanced, and advanced high across all instructional resources. While the guide includes recommendations for students at pre-production and beginning, intermediate, and high intermediate and advanced proficiency levels, the materials do not systematically identify accommodations within individual lessons or consistently guide educators in selecting specific supports based on ELPS proficiency levels. As a result, guidance for intentionally developing increasingly sophisticated academic language remains limited.

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.

IXL ELA includes implementation guidance to support educators working with emergent bilingual (EB) students through ELPS-aligned resources and skill plans. The materials include skill plans aligned to the ELPS and the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) that identify targeted language-development skills and connect students to instructional practice. Educators can select ELPS-aligned Reading and Writing skill plans to provide students with practice that supports both language development and grade-level literacy instruction. These resources provide guidance for integrating language-development goals with academic content and for selecting skills that align to students’ language proficiency needs.

The resource “Supporting Success for Your Emergent Bilingual Students with IXL” provides implementation guidance for supporting students at different stages of English language development, including pre-production and beginning, intermediate, and high-intermediate and advanced proficiency levels. The guide recommends instructional supports aligned to students’ language-development needs such as using audio support and image-rich activities to build vocabulary and comprehension for beginning learners and using sentence stems and structured discussions during Group Jams for intermediate learners. It also encourages advanced learners to summarize concepts using academic vocabulary and engage in increasingly complex writing tasks. The materials also recommend video tutorials to model academic language, support listening development, and provide opportunities for students to practice speaking, reading, and writing using content-area vocabulary.

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

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

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

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

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

The materials include a systematic sequence of phonological awareness instruction that progresses from larger sound units to more advanced sound analysis skills. The grade 2 “Reading Foundations Scope and Sequence” includes syllable-awareness activities such as sorting words by the number of syllables and rhyme activities before progressing to increasingly complex phonemic awareness skills. Students engage in activities involving syllables and rhyme as part of the progression from larger units of sound to individual phonemes.

The materials provide opportunities for students to apply phonological awareness skills through activities involving syllables and rhyme. In the “Sort by the Number of Syllables” lesson, students listen to words such as dentist, king, and triangle and sort pictures according to whether the words contain one, two, or three syllables. In “Complete the Poem with a Word That Rhymes” lesson, students complete the sentence “The tree has lots of yellow sap. It drips onto my cap and __” by selecting the rhyming word map from choices that include coat, map, and feet.

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

The materials provide a systematic sequence of phonemic awareness skills aligned to grade 2 TEKS that progresses from sound discrimination to advanced phoneme manipulation. Students begin by distinguishing sound patterns and identifying phonemes within words before advancing to phoneme substitution and deletion activities. Instruction culminates with students manipulating and removing phonemes within words, including sounds in consonant blends.

The materials provide opportunities for students to engage in advanced phonemic awareness tasks through systematic instruction and practice. In the “Change the Sound in a Word” lesson, students hear the prompt “Say the word grain. Do you hear the /n/ at the end? Now say grain, but change the /n/ to /d/” and select the picture representing grade from picture choices that include grade, date, and gate. In “Delete the Sound in a Word” lesson, students hear the prompt “Say the word flap. Now say flap, but take away the /f/” and select the picture representing lap from picture choices that include fast, lap, and clap.

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

The materials include explicit instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness skills aligned to grade 2 TEKS through instructional videos and modeled examples. Videos and examples provide direct instruction in advanced phonemic awareness skills, including sound discrimination, phoneme substitution, and phoneme deletion. Instructional videos and the “Learn with an Example” feature provide direct explanations of how changing or deleting a phoneme creates a new word and include step-by-step modeling before students engage in independent practice.

The materials provide explicit instruction through instructional videos, modeled examples, guided practice, and corrective feedback. For example, in “Delete the Sound in a Word” lesson, the “Learn with an Example” feature explains that words are made up of individual sounds and that removing one sound creates a new word. The lesson models the word snap, identifying the sounds /s/ /n/ /a/ /p/, and demonstrates that removing the /s/ produces the word nap. A second example shows that removing the /b/ from brake creates the word rake. Students then apply the skill independently after viewing the modeled examples or watching an optional instructional video that directly teaches the concept.

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

The materials include cumulative student practice of phonological and phonemic awareness skills aligned to grade 2 TEKS through the Learn to Read skill plan. The skill plan begins with phonological awareness activities, including rhyming and syllable awareness, progresses to phonemic awareness skills such as vowel discrimination, changing sounds, and deleting sounds, and then extends those skills into increasingly complex phonics instruction. Students continue applying previously learned sound-analysis skills as instruction advances through multisyllabic word reading, spelling patterns, and connected reading activities.

The materials provide cumulative practice by requiring students to apply previously introduced phonological and phonemic awareness skills during later instruction. For example, students distinguish syllables and rhyming words before progressing to changing and deleting phonemes within words. These skills are then applied during later phonics lessons involving consonant blends, digraphs, vowel teams, and multisyllabic words. The instructional sequence reinforces earlier learning while extending students’ application of sound analysis to increasingly complex reading tasks.

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

The materials ensure that student practice includes only phonological and phonemic awareness skills that have been explicitly introduced through the Learn to Read skill plan. Students first practice rhyming, syllable awareness, vowel discrimination, and changing sounds before progressing to more advanced phoneme deletion and later phonics instruction. The sequence introduces prerequisite skills before students engage in more complex applications.

The materials require students to apply skills only after explicit instruction. For example, in the “Delete the Sound in a Word” lesson, students first complete the “Learn with an Example” activity, which explains that removing one sound creates a new word and models the process with examples before students independently delete phonemes during the lesson.

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

The materials include a systematic sequence for introducing sound–spelling patterns aligned to grade 2 TEKS. Instruction begins by reviewing previously learned patterns, including consonant blends, digraphs, short vowels, long vowels, and CVCe words, before progressing to vowel teams, r-controlled vowels, variant vowels, soft c and g, multisyllabic words, and advanced syllable types. This sequence extends students’ understanding of sound–spelling relationships through increasingly complex orthographic patterns.

The materials provide a clearly sequenced progression of sound–spelling instruction that builds from review of foundational patterns to more advanced decoding and spelling concepts. Students revisit short- and long-vowel patterns, consonant blends, and digraphs before progressing to silent letters, vowel teams, variant vowels, r-controlled vowels, diphthongs, soft c and g, and multisyllabic word decoding. Students apply these sound–spelling patterns in words, sentences, and decodable texts while continuing to use previously introduced spelling patterns.

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

Instruction combines “Key Ideas,” “Learn with an Example” activities, instructional videos, and guided practice to explicitly teach how vowel patterns influence pronunciation. For example, in the grade 2 lesson “Complete Words with Variant Vowels,” the “Key Idea” section explains that vowel digraphs are two letters that represent one vowel sound and that some vowel digraphs can represent more than one sound. The lesson explicitly teaches multiple spellings and pronunciations for patterns such as oo, ou, ow, and ea, using examples including moon/book, house/soup, snow/cow, and leaf/bread. During the “Learn with an Example” activity, students apply these sound–spelling patterns by selecting the correct vowel team to complete words such as smooth, while the “Solution” section reinforces that oo represents the long u sound in the completed word. An instructional video provides additional direct instruction before students practice independently.

The materials also include explicit instruction in encoding words using sound–spelling patterns. In the grade 2 lesson “Spell the Long u Word: Silent e, ue, oo, ew,” the “Key Idea” section explicitly teaches that the long u sound can be spelled using oo, u-consonant-silent e, ew, and ue, while explaining common spelling patterns for each. The “Learn with an Example” activity models how students apply these sound–spelling patterns while spelling words such as pool. The “Solution” section reinforces that the long u sound in pool is represented by oo before students independently apply the pattern in spelling activities. Instructional videos, guided examples, immediate corrective feedback, and independent practice reinforce accurate application of sound–spelling patterns aligned to grade 2 TEKS.

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

Students apply newly introduced phonics concepts while continuing to practice previously learned sound–spelling patterns in isolation and connected text. Instruction includes opportunities to decode and encode words containing r-controlled vowels, diphthongs, vowel teams, soft c and g patterns, multisyllabic words, and advanced syllable types. This systematic progression allows students to strengthen previously learned skills while developing more advanced decoding and spelling abilities.

The materials provide cumulative practice opportunities that require students to apply previously learned sound–spelling patterns while learning increasingly complex phonics concepts. For example, students progress from completing words with targeted r-controlled vowels or diphthongs to independently spelling entire words containing those patterns. Students also apply both newly introduced and previously taught sound–spelling patterns while decoding and encoding multisyllabic words and reading decodable texts and connected reading activities. These repeated opportunities for application and review support mastery of sound–spelling patterns and the development of automaticity in decoding and encoding.

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

Instructional videos and guided examples teach concepts such as silent e, soft c and g, consonant-le syllables, vowel teams, r-controlled vowels, and multisyllabic words before students begin independent practice. Each activity reinforces current or previously taught sound–spelling patterns and does not require students to apply untaught phonics concepts.

The materials provide opportunities for students to practice newly taught sound–spelling patterns after explicit instruction and guided practice. For example, students receive instruction on consonant-le syllables and soft c and g patterns before independently applying those concepts in spelling and word-analysis activities. Students complete encoding tasks, word sorts, decodable text reading, and educator-assigned skills review that reinforce previously taught sound–spelling patterns. These activities provide repeated practice with taught concepts while avoiding untaught sound–spelling patterns.

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

The materials continue explicit instruction in high-frequency and irregular words through three “Reading Foundations” lessons. Students first practice spelling high-frequency words they hear in “Spell the Sight Word,” then apply word knowledge by selecting the correct word in context during “Complete the Sentence with the Correct Sight Word,” and finally reinforce automatic recognition in “Read Sight Words” lessons. Lessons include audio support, immediate corrective feedback, and repeated opportunities to read, spell, and apply previously learned high-frequency words in meaningful contexts.

The materials also provide instructional support explaining that automatic recognition of high-frequency words contributes to reading fluency. Embedded instructional videos explicitly teach students how to decode each target word before independent practice. Students learn that while many high-frequency words follow regular spelling patterns, others contain irregular spellings that require additional instruction. Read-along activities with synchronized audio highlighting provide additional opportunities for students to recognize high-frequency words within connected text while observing fluent reading modeled by a narrator.

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

Lesson F.2 “Read Sight Words” prompts students, “Click on the button. Which word do you hear?” Students hear the dictated word answer and choose from the words above, answer, and around. The “Solution” confirms, “The word is answer.” The “Key Idea” explains, “When you read, you might know some words just by looking at them, or by sight. The more words you know by sight, the faster you can read.” It continues, “High-frequency words are words we see a lot in books. It helps to learn these words by sight.” The lesson explains, “To learn words by sight, look at the letters in the word and try to sound them out. Many common words follow regular spelling patterns. Sound out each part and blend the sounds together.” It also distinguishes irregular words by explaining, “Some words have irregular patterns or patterns you haven’t learned yet. Practicing these words can help you learn new spelling patterns,” and models the word could, explaining that the letter pattern oul represents the /oo/ sound. The lesson concludes, “The more you practice, the more words you will know without sounding them out.”

Lesson S.3 “Spell the Sight Word” prompts students, “Click on the button. Spell the word that you hear.” Students hear the dictated high-frequency word why and type the spelling. The “Key Idea” explains, “Sight words are words you should know. They are used a lot.” It distinguishes regularly spelled sight words (by, has, stop, made, sit, best) from words that “don’t always follow spelling rules. So, you can’t always sound them out,” using once, could, wash, and many as examples. The “Solution” confirms, “The word is why,” and reinforces meaning with the sentence, “I wonder why the sky is blue.” When a student enters an incorrect response, the program immediately displays the correct spelling, highlights the student’s response for comparison, and returns the student to the practice activity while continuing to display the “Key Idea” so students can review the explanation as they correct the spelling.

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

Students practice high-frequency words through a sequence of reading and spelling activities in the grade 2 Learn to Read skill plan. Students first read words in “Read Sight Words” and then apply those same words in “Complete the Sentence with the Correct Sight Word” before spelling them in “Spell the Sight Word.” Between these lessons, the skill plan introduces additional phonics concepts, including silent-e words, vowel teams, r-controlled vowels, diphthongs, soft c and soft g, open and closed syllables, consonant-le patterns, and multisyllabic words. Later activities continue incorporating previously practiced high-frequency words alongside newly introduced phonics patterns.

Students first practice high-frequency words in isolation before applying them in connected reading. The skill plan moves from word- and sentence-level practice into selections such as “Read Silent e Stories,” “Read Along About Famous People,” “Read Along with Historical Fiction,” “Read Along About Art, Music, and Traditions,” and “Read About Sports and Hobbies.” These reading activities follow the earlier sight-word lessons and continue incorporating previously introduced words throughout the sequence.

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

In the grade 2 Learn to Read skill plan, the “Read Sight Words” lessons introduce each sight-word set before students complete related activities such as lesson S.3 “Spell the Sight Word,” in which students spell previously taught words such as why.

Students continue practicing those same words through cumulative review activities before applying them in connected reading. For example, lesson S.2 “Complete the Sentence with the Correct Sight Word” requires students to select previously introduced words such as another to complete sentences using contextual meaning. Students then encounter familiar high-frequency words while reading connected text in “Read Long Vowel Stories: Long a, e, o” (T.3), in which previously taught words such as the, to, she, and they appear throughout the passage before students answer comprehension questions.

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

The materials introduce syllable types and syllable division through a sequence that aligns with grade 2 TEKS. Students begin by combining syllables to read words before identifying open and closed syllables and then applying those syllable types while decoding and spelling multisyllabic words. Lessons include “Put Two Syllables Together to Create a Word,” “Is the Syllable Open or Closed?” “Read Two-Syllable Words: Open and Closed Syllables,” “Spell Words with Open and Closed Syllables,” and “Complete the Consonant-l-e Words.”

The sequence moves from recognizing syllable types to applying those patterns in increasingly complex words. Students first identify open, closed, and consonant-le syllables and then read and spell two-syllable words before applying those same syllable patterns in multisyllabic words containing more advanced vowel patterns.

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

Instruction develops students’ understanding of open and closed syllable patterns through direct explanations, modeled examples, and guided practice before students apply these patterns while reading and spelling increasingly complex words. In the “Complete the Vowel Team Words” lesson, the “Remember” box explains that two vowels sometimes work together, with the first vowel making the long-vowel sound while the second vowel remains silent. Audio modeling, worked examples, and corrective feedback guide students as they decode and encode one-syllable words containing vowel teams.

Students apply these concepts to multisyllabic words in “Read Two-Syllable Words: Open and Closed Syllables.” The “Key Idea” section states, “Words are made up of syllables. Two kinds of syllables are closed and open.” Students learn that “a closed syllable has one vowel and ends with a consonant. It usually has a short vowel sound” and “an open syllable ends with one vowel. It usually has a long vowel sound.” Lessons model syllable division using words such as kitten, hero, wagon, and limbo while explaining why each syllable is open or closed. In the “Spell Words with Open and Closed Syllables” lesson, students apply these same patterns while encoding multisyllabic words. The lesson further teaches, “When a word with more than one syllable ends with the long e sound, it is usually spelled with a y.” Instructional videos, guided practice, and immediate feedback reinforce accurate decoding and spelling.

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

The grade 2 Learn to Read skill plan builds automaticity by continually revisiting previously taught phonics patterns through coordinated decoding and encoding activities. Students repeatedly decode one-syllable and multisyllabic words in isolation before applying the same sound–spelling relationships during spelling activities. For example, students decode words in “Choose the Silent e Word That Matches the Picture” and then apply the same pattern in “Spell the Silent e Word”. Throughout the year, students continue practicing previously learned short-vowel, silent-e, vowel-team, and r-controlled vowel patterns while adding increasingly complex multisyllabic word structures.

Connected reading reinforces previously learned phonics skills through decodable stories and sentence-level activities. Students apply newly learned patterns while reading passages such as “Read Silent e Stories” and continue strengthening multisyllabic word reading in activities, including “Put Two Syllables Together to Create a Word,” “Read Two-Syllable Words: Open and Closed Syllables,” and “Complete the Two-Syllable Words.” Immediate corrective feedback and repeated application across isolated word work and connected text provide cumulative practice that develops decoding and encoding automaticity aligned to grade 2 TEKS.

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

The grade 2 Learn to Read skill plan introduces each syllable pattern before asking students to practice it independently. Every lesson opens with an instructional video that models the targeted phonics concept and demonstrates its application in reading and spelling. For example, the lesson “Choose the R-Controlled Word That Matches the Picture” teaches the targeted r-controlled vowel pattern before students practice reading words containing that pattern. Independent practice focuses only on the concepts presented in the lesson.

The skill plan expands students’ phonics knowledge through a carefully sequenced progression. Students learn open and closed syllables before reading and spelling two-syllable words in activities such as “Read Two-Syllable Words: Open and Closed Syllables” and “Spell Words with Open and Closed Syllables.” Students also transfer previously learned one-syllable patterns, including silent-e words, to multisyllabic reading and spelling activities. This progression introduces every syllable type and syllable division principle before students apply it independently.

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

The materials include a systematic sequence for introducing morphemes aligned to grade 2 TEKS. The “Reading Foundations Scope and Sequence” builds on the morphological concepts introduced in grade 1 through an organized word analysis strand. Students review previously taught prefixes and suffixes before expanding their understanding of additional affixes and spelling changes associated with word formation.

The grade 2 word analysis sequence expands morphology instruction by introducing additional prefixes, suffixes, and structural word changes. Students study prefixes such as dis-, mis-, pre-, re-, and un- and work with inflectional suffixes, including -ed, -er, -es, -est, and -ing. Instruction also includes derivational suffixes such as -er, -ful, -less, -ly, and -y. Students then apply these morphemes while learning spelling changes associated with word formation, including final e deletion, consonant doubling, and changing y to i. This progression supports increasingly complex morphological analysis aligned to grade 2 TEKS.

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

The materials provide explicit, direct instruction in morphological skills aligned to grade 2 TEKS through systematic modeling of how prefixes, suffixes, and base words work together to form words. The lesson “Segment and Read Words with Prefixes or Suffixes” begins with the explicit explanation “When you read a long word, it can be helpful to break it up into meaningful parts—like prefixes or suffixes.” The lesson then models word analysis by identifying each meaningful part. For example, the lesson instructs, “It has the prefix un- and the root word afraid,” followed by “To read, blend the parts together: un + afraid → unafraid.” The lesson repeats this process with wishful, explaining, “It has the suffix -ful and the root word wish.”

After explicit modeling, students apply the skill by identifying prefixes in words such as recycle, remodel, inside, and inform. Immediate feedback reinforces the instruction with explanations including “The words recycle and remodel both start with the prefix re-” and “The words inside and inform both start with the prefix in-.” This instructional sequence consistently introduces, models, and reinforces morphological concepts before students practice independently, providing explicit instruction aligned to grade 2 TEKS.

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

The grade 2 TEKS-aligned skill plan and Weekly Boost revisit prefixes, suffixes, plurals, and spelling changes across multiple lessons, allowing students to apply previously learned morphemes in increasingly sophisticated ways. Students first practice morphology through isolated word-study activities such as “Identify Base Words, Prefixes, and Suffixes,” “Use the Prefixes pre-, re-, and mis-,” “Use Regular Plurals with -s and -es,” and “Form and Use Irregular Plurals.” Later lessons require students to apply those same prefixes and suffixes while working with more complex vocabulary and word-analysis tasks, reinforcing previously taught morphological concepts through repeated practice.

The materials also provide cumulative practice in connected text. Students move from identifying morphemes in isolated words to applying them in contextualized sentence activities. For example, students first analyze affixed words in “Identify Base Words, Prefixes, and Suffixes” before completing sentence-based activities such as “Complete the Sentence with the Affixed Word.” Students also apply previously learned prefixes in context through “Use the Prefixes pre-, re-, and mis-,” selecting words that best complete meaningful sentences. This progression from isolated word analysis to connected text reinforces previously taught morphemes while developing automaticity with grade 2 word-analysis skills.

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

In grade 2, each morphology skill begins with explicit instruction through “Learn with an Example,” instructional audio, and guided explanations before students complete independent practice. For example, the lesson “Segment and Read Words with Prefixes or Suffixes” states, “When you read a long word, it can be helpful to break it up into meaningful parts, like prefixes or suffixes.” Students learn that unafraid contains “the prefix un- and the root word afraid” before blending the parts together to read the complete word. The lesson also models words such as wishful, demonstrating how suffixes combine with base words.

Students then practice only the morphemes introduced during instruction by identifying prefixes, suffixes, and base words in new examples and applying those same patterns during independent practice. Immediate corrective feedback reinforces the targeted morphemes and directs students back to the taught concepts, ensuring that students apply only explicitly taught prefixes, suffixes, and base words throughout grade 2 morphology instruction.