IXL English Language Arts (IXL ELA): Grade 4

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.

This guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list phonological awareness skills.

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).

This guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list phonemic awareness skills.

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.

This guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list phonological or phonemic awareness skills.

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.

This guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list phonological or phonemic awareness skills.

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

This guidance is not applicable to the program because TEKS for the grade level do not list phonological or phonemic awareness skills.

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

The materials include a systematic sequence for introducing sound–spelling patterns aligned to the grade 4 TEKS. Instruction progresses from decoding multisyllabic words with common orthographic patterns to applying advanced syllable-division patterns and spelling words containing prefixes and suffixes. Students extend previously learned sound–spelling relationships through increasingly complex word analysis and spelling tasks.

The materials also include a TEKS-aligned skills plan that outlines a progression for developing foundational language skills through phonics and morphology. Students decode multisyllabic words, apply orthographic patterns and syllable-division rules, and analyze words containing prefixes and suffixes before applying those same sound–spelling patterns during spelling instruction. This sequence connects decoding, spelling, and structural analysis across increasingly complex word forms.

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,” instructional videos, guided practice, “Learn with an Example” activities, and immediate corrective feedback to teach students how to apply syllable patterns and vowel correspondences when reading multisyllabic words. For example, in the grade 4 lesson “Complete the Sentence with the Multisyllabic Word,” the “Key Idea” section explicitly teaches students to identify vowel sounds, divide words into syllables, and decode one syllable at a time. Students practice reading multisyllabic words by applying syllable division strategies, recognizing unusual vowel patterns such as ough and eigh, and selecting the word that correctly completes a sentence (e.g., lemonade). The “Solution” section explains why the selected word is correct while eliminating distractors that do not fit the sentence. An accompanying instructional video provides explicit modeling before students independently apply the decoding strategy to multisyllabic words.

The materials also include explicit instruction in encoding words using sound–spelling patterns. In the grade 4 lesson “Spell Multisyllabic Words,” the “Key Idea” section explicitly teaches students to divide multisyllabic words into syllables and use knowledge of syllable types (e.g., closed, open, consonant-le, and silent-e syllables) to determine correct spellings. Students analyze examples such as cupcake and table, identify syllable types within each word, and learn that recognizing syllable patterns supports accurate spelling. Additional instruction explains how schwa sounds may affect pronunciation while the spelling remains consistent, using examples such as daffodil and pentagon. During the “Learn with an Example” activity, students listen to a spoken multisyllabic word and spell it by applying syllable division and sound–spelling patterns. Instructional videos, guided modeling, immediate corrective feedback, and independent practice reinforce explicit encoding instruction aligned to the grade 4 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 repeatedly apply previously learned phonics and word-analysis skills while extending their understanding of multisyllabic words, syllable types, prefixes, suffixes, and base words. Instruction requires students to apply sound–spelling patterns across multiple skill types, including reading, spelling, segmenting, forming words, and applying word patterns in context. This cumulative progression supports increasingly accurate and automatic decoding and encoding.

The materials provide cumulative practice opportunities that gradually increase in complexity as students develop word-analysis skills. Students revisit previously learned sound–spelling patterns while applying new learning through identifying syllable types, decoding multisyllabic words, spelling multisyllabic words, completing words, and using prefixes and suffixes in context. Practice progresses from isolated word study to sentence-level and connected-text application, allowing students to apply previously taught sound–spelling patterns in meaningful reading contexts. Instruction is scaffolded from instructor-supported examples to independent application with immediate corrective feedback, providing repeated opportunities for students to strengthen decoding and encoding automaticity.

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

The materials ensure that students practice only sound–spelling patterns introduced through explicit instruction. Students learn syllable types, multisyllabic words, prefixes, suffixes, and spelling patterns involving affixes before applying these concepts during practice. For example, students learn prefixes such as dis-, mis-, and pre- and suffixes such as -able, -ish, and -ment before completing related decoding and spelling activities.

The grade 4 skills plan reinforces only the sound–spelling patterns introduced in each instructional video or “Learn With an Example” model. Students apply spelling knowledge using the target pattern presented during instruction before completing independent practice. For example, students practice spelling consonant-le words after learning final stable syllables and practice spelling multisyllabic words after completing instruction on multisyllabic word 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 Dolch words through “Reading Foundations” lessons that reinforce automatic recognition, spelling accuracy, and contextual application. Students engage in activities such as “Spell the Sight Word,” “Which Word Do You Hear?” and “Complete the Sentence with the Correct Sight Word,” providing multiple opportunities to read, spell, identify, and apply increasingly advanced high-frequency vocabulary. Immediate corrective feedback and cumulative practice support student mastery of previously introduced words while reinforcing newly taught vocabulary.

The materials also emphasize that rapid recognition of high-frequency words supports reading fluency. Instructional videos explicitly teach students how to decode each target word before independent practice begins and explain how to apply known phonics patterns while identifying irregular spelling elements. Read-along activities with synchronized audio highlighting allow students to practice fluent recognition of high-frequency words within authentic connected text.

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

The materials integrate decoding and encoding instruction within the same lesson. Lesson C.1 “Read and Spell Sight Words” prompts students, “Click on the button. Then, click on the word that you hear in the sentence below.” Students hear the dictated high-frequency word important; identify the word in the sentence “Mr. Connor has a very important job at the new technology company in town”; and then retype the word to practice spelling it. 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 “Solution” confirms, “This is the word important. It can be divided into syllables: im·por·tant,” and explains, “This word follows regular spelling patterns.” When a student enters an incorrect response, the program immediately displays the correct spelling, highlights the target word within the sentence, shows the student’s response for comparison, and returns the student to the practice activity to retype the word while continuing to display the “Key Idea.”

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 4 Learn to Read skill plan. On Day 31, students complete the activity “Read and Spell Sight Words.” On Day 41, students apply previously introduced words in the activity “Complete the Sentence with the Correct Sight Word.” The sequence then continues with “Learn to SpellCommon Words: Set 1,” “Learn to Spell Common Words: Set 2,” “Spell Common Words: Sets 1 and 2,” and “Learn to Spell Common Words: Set 3,” so previously introduced words continue appearing as new words are added.

Students practice high-frequency words first in isolation before applying them in connected reading. After completing the sight-word lessons, students encounter previously introduced words during comprehension activities including “Read Realistic Fiction with Illustrations,” “Read About Animals,” “Read Historical Fiction,” “Read About Science and Nature,” and “Read About Famous People.” These reading activities occur throughout the instructional sequence, while spelling lessons continue revisiting common words introduced earlier.

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

Students practice high-frequency words after explicit instruction introduces each target word. The grade 4 Learn to Read skill plan presents sight-word instruction through instructional videos before students complete guided reading and spelling activities using the same words. During practice, supports such as the “Remember and Solve” sections reinforce the previously introduced words and provide corrective feedback.

Students revisit those words through cumulative activities such as “Read and Spell Sight Words,” progressing from identifying a spoken word to spelling it with and without visual support. Within TEKS-aligned vocabulary, language, and reading skills, students continue to encounter those same high-frequency words while reading connected passages, completing sentence-level tasks, and analyzing increasingly complex text. Previously introduced words remain embedded throughout later activities rather than being replaced by unrelated word lists.

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.

Students begin by identifying syllable types before segmenting multisyllabic words, reading those words, applying them in context, and spelling them. Lessons include “Identify Syllable Types,” “Segment Multisyllabic Words,” “Read Multisyllabic Words,” “Complete the Sentence with the Multisyllabic Word,” and “Spell Multisyllabic Words.”

The sequence extends students’ application of open, closed, silent-e, vowel team, r-controlled, consonant-le, and diphthong syllables while introducing stressed and unstressed syllables during multisyllabic word reading. Students identify syllable types, apply syllable division principles, and use those patterns while decoding and encoding increasingly complex words.

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 teaches students to segment multisyllabic words by locating vowels, identifying syllable types, and applying sound–spelling patterns before independently reading and spelling increasingly complex words. In the “Segment Multisyllabic Words” lesson, the “Learn with an Example” section teaches, “When you read a word with many syllables, it can help to divide the word up into syllables. To find where the syllable breaks are, start by finding the vowels. Then, think about each syllable type.” Students learn how vowel teams, open syllables, closed syllables, consonant-le, silent-e, and r-controlled syllables influence pronunciation before applying these strategies independently. In the “Read Multisyllabic Words” lesson, students decode words such as petal, while the lesson explains, “In this word, the second syllable has a schwa sound. Instead of being pronounced with a short a sound, it may be said with a short u sound.”

Encoding instruction mirrors the decoding progression. In the lesson “Spell Multisyllabic Words,” the “Key Idea” section states, “When you spell a long word, it can help to first break the word up into syllables. Then, spell the word one syllable at a time. Thinking about the different syllable types can help you figure out the correct spelling.” Students analyze syllable types while spelling words such as seaport. The lesson also explains, “Sometimes when we speak, we say words a little differently than they are spelled,” using daffodil to model how understanding the schwa sound supports accurate spelling. Guided examples, instructional videos, and immediate corrective feedback reinforce accurate application of sound–spelling patterns.

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.

Students revisit those words through cumulative activities such as “Read and Spell Sight Words,” progressing from identifying a spoken word to spelling it with and without visual support. Within TEKS-aligned vocabulary, language, and reading skills, students continue to encounter those same high-frequency words while reading connected passages, completing sentence-level tasks, and analyzing increasingly complex text. Previously introduced words remain embedded throughout later activities rather than being replaced by unrelated word lists.

Students continue to reinforce these skills through cumulative encoding practice by spelling multisyllabic words using previously learned syllable patterns and spelling conventions. Previously taught concepts continue to appear throughout later reading and spelling activities, allowing students to repeatedly apply familiar phonics knowledge while working with more complex words. “Learn with an Example” models, “Key Ideas,” “Explanation” boxes, and immediate corrective feedback reinforce accurate decoding and encoding, providing cumulative practice in both isolated word work and connected text that supports automaticity aligned to the grade 4 TEKS.

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

The grade 4 Learn to Read skill plan teaches syllable types and word-analysis strategies before students apply them independently. Each lesson begins with an instructional video that models the target concept and demonstrates how to decode and encode multisyllabic words using that syllable pattern. Students then practice only the syllable types presented in the lesson, including open, closed, vowel team, VCe, r-controlled, and consonant-le syllables. “Learn with an Example,” “Key Ideas,” “Explanation” boxes, and immediate corrective feedback reinforce those same concepts throughout practice.

The skill plan increases complexity by moving from isolated syllable work to increasingly sophisticated multisyllabic words. Students first decode and spell words using taught syllable types before extending those same patterns to words containing prefixes, suffixes, and base words. Activities such as “Spell Multisyllabic Words” and “Complete the Sentence with the Multisyllabic Word” continue reinforcing previously taught syllable patterns rather than introducing new ones. This sequence requires students to apply only syllable types and syllable division principles that instruction has already established.

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 introduce morphemes through a systematic sequence that aligns with grade 4 TEKS and extends the progression established in earlier grades. The grades 1–5 “Reading Foundations Scope and Sequence” outlines the morphemes introduced each year, while the grade 4 Learn to Read skill plan organizes instruction so that students first identify base words, prefixes, and suffixes before determining the meanings of words containing common prefixes such as pre-, re-, and mis-. Students then expand their understanding through instruction with suffixes including -ful, -less, -ly, -ness, -able, and -ment, followed by cumulative review and spelling activities that reinforce previously taught morphemes.

The Weekly Boost skill plan reinforces the systematic sequence because it provides week‑by‑week morphological practice aligned to grade 4 TEKS. Morphological skills appear consistently in the “Vocabulary and Grammar and Mechanics” sections, progressing from identifying word parts to applying more complex morphological patterns, including plural formation and affixes such as ‑ness, ‑ful, re‑, and mis‑. The program intentionally scaffolds skills so students first recognize and analyze morphemes, then they apply them in increasingly complex word structures and contexts. Together, the scope and sequence, TEKS skill plan, and Weekly Boost ensure that grade 4 students receive a coherent, cumulative progression of morpheme instruction that develops morphological awareness in alignment with grade‑level expectations.

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 3 TEKS by teaching students to analyze increasingly complex words through prefixes, suffixes, and root words before independent practice. The lesson “Segment and Read Words with Prefixes or Suffixes” begins by explaining, “When you read a long word, it can be helpful to break it up into meaningful parts—like prefixes or suffixes.” The lesson explicitly models how to identify each morpheme within a word. For example, students examine unafraid by identifying “the prefix un-” and “the root word afraid” before blending the parts together. Students then analyze a more complex example, overexcitement, by identifying “the prefix over-,” “the root word excite,” and “the suffix -ment,” followed by the modeled blend, “over + excite + ment → overexcitement.”

Students immediately apply this instruction by sorting words according to their prefixes. Corrective feedback reinforces the targeted concepts with explicit explanations such as “The words nonfat starts with the prefix non-” and “The words undercooked, underground, and undercoat start with the prefix under-.” By explicitly teaching each morpheme, modeling how word parts combine to create meaning, and reinforcing learning through guided practice and feedback, the materials provide direct instruction in morphological skills aligned to grade 4 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 materials provide cumulative practice with morphological skills through a sequenced set of TEKS-aligned activities that require students to work with prefixes, suffixes, roots, and multisyllabic words in both isolation and connected text. The grade 4 TEKS skill plan revisits morphology across multiple instructional strands, including decoding, spelling, vocabulary, and word analysis. Students begin by decoding and segmenting words through skills such as “Segment and read words with affixes,” “Complete the sentence with the affixed word,” and “Use words with roots and affixes.” They then apply those same morphological patterns through vocabulary skills such as “Determine the Meaning of a Word with pre-, re-, or mis-,” “Determine the Meaning of a Word with -able or -ment,” “Determine the Meanings of Words with Prefixes and Suffixes: Review,” and “Use Words with Roots and Affixes.” The skill plan also includes repeated spelling practice with prefixes and suffixes, including review activities, providing multiple opportunities for students to revisit previously taught morphemes while building automaticity.

The materials also provide cumulative opportunities for students to apply morphological knowledge in connected text and meaningful contexts. Students move from isolated word-analysis tasks to sentence-level applications such as “Complete the Sentence with the Affixed Word,” “Word Pattern Sentences,” and “Use Words with Roots and Affixes,” requiring them to use previously learned affixes to determine meaning within context. Review skills further reinforce morphological understanding by asking students to determine meanings of words with prefixes and suffixes, sort words with shared prefixes and suffixes by meaning, and apply Greek and Latin roots across vocabulary tasks. IXL’s adaptive technology increases question complexity as students demonstrate mastery and recommends prerequisite morphology skills when students need additional support, providing repeated exposure to previously learned morphemes in both isolated word study and contextualized application to develop automaticity.

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

Student practice includes only morphemes that have been explicitly taught. In grade 4, 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 “Use the Meanings of Words as Clues to the Meanings of Greek and Latin Roots” explicitly teaches, “A root is a part of a word that has a certain meaning. Words that share the same root often have similar meanings that are related to the meaning of the root.” The lesson defines individual roots by stating, “The root phon means sound,” “The root cyclo means circle or wheel,” and “The root meter means measure.” It then models additional roots by explaining, “The root auto means own or self. So, the root graph means write or draw.” Students receive this explicit instruction before beginning independent practice.

Students apply only the morphemes introduced during instruction while completing independent practice. In the lesson, students use the explicitly taught root graph to determine the meaning of the word autograph, answering the question, “What does the root graph mean?” Immediate corrective feedback reinforces the targeted roots before students progress to additional items. This instructional sequence ensures that grade 4 students practice only explicitly taught Greek and Latin roots in alignment with the grade 4 TEKS.

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

The materials provide explicit vocabulary instruction through a consistent instructional sequence that introduces a vocabulary concept, directly teaches the underlying principle, models the strategy, and then provides guided practice with immediate feedback. Each vocabulary lesson follows a predictable instructional cycle consisting of “Learn with an Example,” explicit “Key Idea” instruction, guided “Solution” explanations, instructional videos, and independent practice with immediate feedback. This structure ensures students receive direct instruction before they apply vocabulary knowledge independently.

Grade 4 vocabulary instruction teaches word meaning through multiple research-based strategies, including categorization, synonyms, antonyms, homophones, context clues, morphology, and figurative language. In the “Select the Members of a Group” lesson, students classify vocabulary while learning that “Halloween and New Year’s Day are words for holidays. Holidays are days of special celebration” and that “Friday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Monday are words for days of the week, but not for holidays.” In the “Determine the Meaning of a Word with -able or -ment” lesson, the materials explicitly teach that “a suffix can be added to the end of a word. It changes the meaning of the word” before learning that “-able means able to be” and “-ment means the action or result of.” Figurative language instruction is equally explicit. In the “Determine the Meaning of Idioms from Context” lesson, students learn that “an idiom is a phrase that means something different than what the words in the phrase mean on their own,” before applying that understanding to determine the meaning of back to square one.

Additional grade 4 vocabulary lessons provide explicit instruction through synonyms, antonyms, homophones, homonyms, Greek and Latin roots, prefixes, suffixes, context clues, shades of meaning, and academic vocabulary in context. Student-friendly definitions, worked examples, examples and non-examples, categorization activities, and embedded instructional videos model vocabulary strategies before students engage in independent practice, providing repeated opportunities to develop and apply word knowledge across multiple contexts.

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

The materials provide explicit instruction with high-utility tier-two academic vocabulary through lessons that teach synonyms, antonyms, homophones, context clues, figurative language, and word relationships. Students learn the meanings of broadly applicable academic words such as immediately, champion, winner, fragile, awful, terrible, behold, and transporting, which appear across multiple texts and content areas. In the “Learn with an Example” instruction, students receive explicit explanations such as “The synonym of immediately is now. Both words mean ‘at the present moment, right away,’” and “The synonym see helps you understand the meaning of behold.” These examples provide direct instruction before students independently apply the vocabulary in context.

The materials also include explicit instruction in tier-three domain-specific vocabulary, teaching specialized language related to language arts concepts and morphology. Students learn academic terminology such as synonym, antonym, homophone, idiom, prefix, suffix, root, and Greek and Latin roots along with morphology-specific terms including -able, -ment, phon, cyclo, meter, and graph. For example, the materials explicitly state, “A suffix can be added to the end of a word. It changes the meaning of the word” and “The suffix -ment means the action or result of.” Students also learn that “an idiom is a phrase that means something different than what the words in the phrase mean on their own.” These lessons provide direct instruction in specialized academic vocabulary that supports reading, vocabulary acquisition, and word analysis.

Instruction throughout grade 4 intentionally combines tier-two and tier-three vocabulary within authentic reading tasks, allowing students to encounter, discuss, and apply both general academic language and discipline-specific terminology during guided instruction, instructional videos, and independent practice.

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

The materials provide repeated opportunities for students to practice specific vocabulary in multiple contexts through a carefully sequenced progression of related vocabulary skills. Students first develop an understanding of words and word parts through focused instruction before applying that knowledge across additional lessons. For example, in the “Word Pattern Analogies” lesson, students use familiar word patterns to determine the meanings of new words. The lesson explicitly teaches, “Words with suffixes follow patterns. Noticing these patterns can help you recognize words that act the same way and help you figure out their meanings.” Students then apply this understanding by extending patterns (e.g., “farm : farmer :: research : researcher”), reinforcing vocabulary through both word analysis and application.

The materials continue this repeated practice by revisiting Greek and Latin roots across multiple lessons and contexts. Students first learn that “a root is a part of a word that has a certain meaning. Words that share the same root often have similar meanings that are related to the meaning of the root.” They then use that knowledge to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words such as learning that “the word automatic contains the root auto, which means own or self. So, the word automatic means working on its own, without outside help.” Students revisit vocabulary knowledge through additional skills that ask students to identify roots, determine meanings, analyze affixes, complete analogies, and apply morphology to new words, ensuring repeated exposure across increasingly complex tasks.

IXL ELA further reinforces vocabulary by providing multiple opportunities to encounter the same concepts through related lessons, instructional examples, videos, and independent practice. Students repeatedly analyze synonyms, antonyms, homophones, multiple-meaning words, context clues, roots, affixes, and word patterns throughout the grade 4 vocabulary progression. When students require additional support, linked lessons and instructional videos extend practice with the same vocabulary concepts in new contexts, allowing students to repeatedly interpret, apply, and transfer word knowledge across a variety of reading and word-study activities.

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

The materials include explicit instruction on using morphemic analysis to determine word meaning in alignment with the grade-level TEKS. In lessons such as “Determine the Meaning of Words with Prefixes and Suffixes,” students analyze common affixes including un-, re-, pre-, -ful, -less, and -ment to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words. Instruction guides students to break words into base words and affixes to construct meaning. For example, students learn that unhappy means “not happy” by identifying un- as meaning “not” and that careless means “without care” by recognizing the suffix -less. The “Learn with an Example” section provides direct instruction, explaining, “A suffix can be added to the end of a word. It changes the meaning of the word,” before explicitly teaching that “the suffix -ment means the action or result of.” This instruction helps students understand how meaningful word parts contribute to overall word meaning rather than relying solely on context clues.

The materials continue this explicit instruction throughout the Prefixes and Suffixes and Greek and Latin Roots strands. Lessons such as “Identify Base Words, Prefixes, and Suffixes” introduce key morphological terminology, model how to analyze word parts, and demonstrate how to determine word meaning using morphemes. The materials explain, “A root is a part of a word that has a certain meaning. Words that share the same root often have similar meanings that are related to the meaning of the root,” before modeling how students can determine the meaning of preview by identifying pre- as meaning “before” and -view as meaning “see.” The lesson “Sort Words with Shared Suffixes by Part of Speech” further explains, “Words with suffixes follow patterns. Noticing these patterns can help you recognize words that act the same way and help you figure out their meanings,” helping students recognize how suffixes consistently influence both meaning and function.

The materials reinforce morphemic analysis through instructional videos, worked examples, and guided practice that model how prefixes, suffixes, and roots combine to create word meaning. For example, the materials state, “The word automatic contains the root auto, which means own or self. So, the word automatic means working on its own, without outside help.” The grade 4 skills plan systematically develops students’ morphological knowledge through instruction on prefixes (pre-, re-, sub-, mis-), suffixes (-ful, -less, -able, -ment), Greek and Latin roots, and word pattern analogies, equipping students with transferable strategies for determining the meanings of unfamiliar words through morphemic analysis.

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

Students apply their understanding of Greek and Latin roots, prefixes, suffixes, and base words across multiple connected vocabulary skills. For example, in the lesson “Use Greek and Latin Roots as Clues to the Meanings of Words,” students use the meanings of familiar roots to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words. Students analyze words such as telegraph by combining tele- (“far”) and -graph (“write”) to determine that the word refers to “writing from far away.” In the lesson “Match Words with Greek and Latin Roots to Their Meanings,” students continue practicing by matching words that share common roots with their correct definitions, reinforcing the relationship between meaningful word parts and overall word meaning.

The materials provide additional opportunities for students to apply morphemic analysis through lessons focused on prefixes, suffixes, and word patterns. In the lesson “Determine the Meaning of Words with Prefixes and Suffixes,” students repeatedly break words into meaningful parts, including un-, re-, -ful, -less, and -able, before determining each word’s meaning in isolation and in context. Students also complete activities such as “Sort Words with Shared Suffixes by Part of Speech” and “Word Pattern Analogies,” in which they analyze recurring suffix patterns and apply those patterns to unfamiliar words. For example, students determine that explainable means “able to be explained” by applying their understanding of the suffix -able, and they extend word patterns such as “farm : farmer :: research : researcher” to reinforce how suffixes affect both meaning and function.

The materials strengthen this practice through adaptive learning pathways that revisit previously taught morphemes in increasingly complex contexts. As students progress through the grade 4 skills plan, they repeatedly identify prefixes, suffixes, and roots, compare related words, determine the meanings of unfamiliar vocabulary, and apply morphological reasoning across connected lessons. Instructional videos, guided examples, and linked practice opportunities further reinforce these skills, ensuring students repeatedly apply morphemic analysis to determine word meaning throughout the vocabulary progression.

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

In the “Context Clues” subcategory, each skill begins with a “Learn with an Example” section that explicitly teaches students how to use surrounding words and phrases to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words. For example, the lesson “Find Words Using Context” states, “If you don’t know the meaning of a word, you can look for context clues. Context clues are nearby words and phrases that help you figure out the meaning of an unknown word.” The lesson models this strategy with examples such as punctured, navigator, and monitored, showing students exactly which nearby clues reveal each word’s meaning before they begin independent practice. Similarly, the lesson “Determine the Meaning of Words Using Synonyms in Context” explicitly teaches students that “synonyms are words that mean the same thing or almost the same thing,” demonstrating how the synonym love helps readers determine the meaning of adore.

IXL ELA strengthens contextual analysis through instructional videos, guided modeling, and immediate application. In the lesson “Use Context to Identify the Meaning of a Word,” students analyze an informational passage about the Amazon River and use surrounding details to determine that meanders means “follows a winding course.” The solution explains how evidence from the passage supports the definition, modeling the reasoning readers use to confirm word meaning. In another lesson, students use context to determine that ban means “not allow,” relying on clues such as “did not permit pinball games” and “laws against pinball games.” These worked examples make the thinking process visible by showing students how to gather evidence, evaluate possible meanings, and select the definition that best fits the passage.

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

Students apply context-clue strategies across a variety of literary and informational texts through the “Context Clues” subcategory. In the “Find Words Using Context” lesson, students identify vocabulary that matches a given definition by using clues within a passage. For example, students determine that contagious means “easily spread to others” by analyzing surrounding details about people yawning after seeing someone else yawn. In the lesson “Determine the Meaning of Words Using Synonyms in Context,” students use synonyms embedded in the text to determine word meaning, such as identifying love as the clue that reveals the meaning of adore. In the lesson “Use Context to Identify the Meaning of a Word,” students analyze literary and informational passages to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words such as meanders, ban, and sensitive, using surrounding details and textual evidence to support their interpretations.

IXL ELA extends contextual analysis practice through a wide range of TEKS-aligned vocabulary activities that require students to apply the strategy in multiple formats. In the lesson “Determine the Meaning of Domain-Specific Words with Pictures,” students combine textual descriptions with visual representations to determine the meanings of science vocabulary such as migration and hibernation. In the lesson “Use Academic Vocabulary in Context,” students determine the meanings of academic vocabulary by analyzing sentence- and paragraph-level clues before selecting the correct definition. Students also encounter contextual analysis in related vocabulary skills involving synonyms, antonyms, multiple-meaning words, figurative language, and idioms. IXL’s adaptive pathways increase the complexity of passages and vocabulary while recommending connected skills that revisit contextual analysis in new settings, ensuring students repeatedly practice and strengthen TEKS-aligned word-learning strategies across diverse reading contexts.