MindPlay Reading Studio

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

The Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual’s “Introduction” section states that MindPlay Reading Studio is a targeted remediation and acceleration program. The materials provide an “adaptive, research-backed literacy solution” designed to provide comprehensive reading intervention. The materials offer tiered instruction and intervention that address the language needs of both developing and struggling readers at the tier-one and tier-three levels. MindPlay Reading Studio supports a diverse range of learning needs through adaptive computer-based instruction and flexible supplemental resources.

The Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual provides layered instruction and interventions to meet the language needs of emerging and struggling readers. In particular, the program addresses tier-two and tier-three intervention requirements through structured, cumulative teaching, while also serving general education (tier-one) students.

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.

MindPlay Reading Studio includes guidance on integrating the program with a district’s core English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) program. The MindPlay program provides adaptive, computer-based instruction and flexible supplemental resources that combine direct and digital teaching. The resource manual offers educators a suggested pacing-and-dosage chart and explains that the program “accommodates flexible classroom models, allowing students to work independently, in small groups, or follow offline, scripted lessons.”

The Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual provides educators with guidance on navigating the Teacher Dashboard and its features. The dashboard offers data on individual students and classes and provides recommendations to support tailored instruction and student progress. The manual also explains the features of the Student Dashboard.

The materials support “flexible integration across instructional models” and align with Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and Response to Intervention (RTI) frameworks, flexible classroom groupings, and blended learning.

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 Scope and Sequence moves from simple to complex skills in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary and grammar. It also shows how these foundational skills appear in the individual student growth overview reports available through the Teacher Dashboard. MindPlay Reading Studio includes a list of the TEKS addressed in the program in the “TEKS Alignment” document for grades 3–5. Correlations identify the content type for each lesson as direct or digital instruction.

The Scope and Sequence table organizes instruction within a comprehensive, research-based framework and ensures that skills are introduced, reinforced, and mastered in a logical progression aligned with the Science of Reading and the Orton-Gillingham Foundation. The materials provide a rationale for each Scope and Sequence covering phonological awareness instruction, phonics and decoding, fluency progression, comprehension, and grammar progression.

The materials explain the rationale for the Scope and Sequence in the “Path to Grade-Level Growth” document. The Scope and Sequence builds individual skills across levels and connects them to overall reading development. The Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual explains that phonological awareness instruction responds to students’ phonics performance rather than to age or grade level, and it guides students through explicit instruction on the six syllable types, progressing from skill introduction to advanced application. It also outlines a five-step fluency sequence and describes the progression of comprehension and grammar instruction.

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

The Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual breaks down the desired usage into daily and weekly goals and sets a “20-hour milestone.” Students should use MindPlay for 30–45 minutes per day or 80–150 minutes per week, with a minimum of 60 minutes per week to demonstrate progress. Additionally, the materials state that at 20 hours, “Many students demonstrate up to a full year of reading growth.”

The “Suggested Pacing and Dosage” section of the Implementation Guide specifies frequency, session length, and goals for tier-two and tier-three students. For example, tier-two students should use the program four days per week, with 30-minute sessions, with the goal of Targeted Gap Closure.

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

The “MindPlay Knowledge Base” document provides resources for educators and administrators and covers topics like getting started, reading coaches, personalized libraries, assessments, student data and reports, technical support, and training and resource videos. These articles and videos go beyond the manual and provide in-depth resources on implementation, rationale, and instructional support for literacy.

The Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual supports educators in implementing the materials as designed. The manual explains that the Universal Screener determines each student’s initial independent reading level. When students first enter a story-reading activity, they are assigned four stories at the screener-determined level. Students then complete diagnostic assessments embedded in the program to identify skill gaps. These assessments place students precisely within individual learning pathways. The guidance and included charts help educators implement the assessments as designed.

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 include a Student Growth Overview Report and a printable version of key student data from the dashboard and “Skill” tabs. This formatted report helps educators share students’ progress with parents, families, and other stakeholders.

The Supporting Your Reader at Home Family Guide, available in English and Spanish, provides families with concrete, actionable suggestions to support their student’s reading progress across five key literacy skill areas: phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. These same skill areas are tracked in the MindPlay Student Dashboard in addition to grammar.

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 diagnostic assessments embedded within the program. These assessments identify skill gaps and strengths in phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The MindPlay Universal Screener includes seven tests that capture data on all aspects of foundational reading skills and use a variety of test formats. The materials use the Universal Screener to place students in individualized learning pathways, provide targeted instruction when skill gaps are identified, and accelerate instruction when students demonstrate mastery. The materials also administer benchmark assessments four times per year to monitor overall growth.

After assessing a student’s current knowledge, the MindPlay program develops targeted lessons and refines the learning path in real time, based on student performance. After assessing a student’s current knowledge, MindPlay develops targeted lessons and refines the learning path in real time based on student performance.

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

The Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual includes an “Assessment & Monitoring Frequency” table that identifies four assessment types, specifies how often the program administers each, and explains each assessment’s purpose. The materials use instructional assessments to place students in individualized learning pathways, provide targeted remediation when skill gaps are identified, and accelerate instruction when students demonstrate mastery.

The Implementation Guide lists each assessment and its purpose. The “Assessment & Monitoring Frequency” section defines the main assessments and their uses. Key assessment schedules include benchmark assessments four times a year—at the start of the year, in November, in February, and 30 days before the end of the school year—to track overall growth. The guide also defines the program’s other assessment types and their purposes.

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

This guidance does not apply because the program is student-driven. Assessments are administered by the program, not by an educator.

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

The MindPlay program includes seven tests, with items progressing from simple to complex. Early tasks target single skills (for example, sound–letter connections). Later tasks require applied skills such as multisyllabic decoding, fluent reading, and text comprehension. Item difficulty adapts to the student by raising accuracy standards, removing supports, and using more complex language.

Instructional assessments include items that evaluate varying levels of complexity. For example, the Comprehension Screener is adaptive and adjusts based on student responses. When using the Universal Screener, if a student does not pass any of the tests related to the four stories, the system automatically lowers the fluency level to match the student’s needs. The Universal Screener includes items at varying levels of complexity, progressing from foundational skills to the application of reading skills.

MindPlay Reading Studio offers instructional assessments featuring a variety of item types. For example, spelling activities appear in several formats. Students can place letters in Elkonin boxes, type words, select a correctly spelled syllable, or connect syllables to form words. For reading comprehension, students can use a variety of response types, such as multiple choice, hot text, inline choice, and arrange-sentence activities.

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

MindPlay Reading Studio provides educators with tools to monitor and analyze students’ reading progress. The program includes real-time dashboards and reports that display student performance in phonics (decoding), phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and grammar. These reports help educators identify learning gaps, adjust instruction, assign targeted practice, and form strategic small groups based on students’ needs. The Teacher Dashboard also provides additional data, including Independent Reading Levels, comprehension performance, and risk categories, giving educators multiple ways to review and respond to students’ progress.

The materials also provide guidance on interpreting assessment results. MindPlay’s Universal Screener includes charts that report students’ performance in topics such as visual scanning, grammar for meaning, listening vocabulary, phonics, and spelling real words. Each chart includes grade-level norms and explanations of the skills measured. The program categorizes performance into four levels—Critical (C), Approaching (A), Meeting (M), and Exceeding (E)—to help educators determine appropriate instructional next steps. Color-coded reports on the Teacher Dashboard further support data interpretation and decision-making by presenting student performance trends in an accessible format.

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

MindPlay generates and saves actionable guidance for educators based on student performance until the educator approves or removes it. These suggestions make it easy to add targeted practice or plan small-group lessons. For example, when a student passes a phonics lesson, MindPlay recommends a matched decodable book and groups other students who need the same practice. If students struggle with phonemic awareness, phonics, grammar, or comprehension, MindPlay suggests a small-group lesson with a support sheet and groups students who share that need.

The materials provide educator guidance through dashboards that track assessment performance trends. In these dashboards, educators can access data on average class growth and usage, along with specific recommendations to support students’ progress. For more insight into foundational skills, the “Individual Skills” tab generates student reports featuring color‑coded charts that break down progress by category.

The materials include data-triggered recommendations (decodable-book assignments and Support Sheets) and four methods for responding to trends: tiered activities, small groups, targeted remediation, and scaffolding.

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.

MindPlay Reading Studio includes a digital Teacher Dashboard that allows educators to view progress by student and by class. They can also identify trends over time using graphs and charts that capture diagnostic, formative, and summative data. The dashboard updates every two weeks. Information provided in the dashboard through Growth Widgets helps educators intervene and adjust instruction as needed.

MindPlay Reading Studio features a digital Student Dashboard that helps students take ownership of their learning with interactive progress trackers and growth reports. Students can set personal learning goals, see which skills they have mastered, and identify areas for improvement.

Students can see their progress on the Student Dashboard, with data broken down into a detailed analysis of foundational skills. Students can also view their usage data, such as how many books they read, their current activity, and how many minutes they logged in the library.

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

MindPlay Reading Studio focuses on entry criteria and provides onboarding steps for diagnostic and embedded assessments. These assessments pinpoint gaps and strengths in phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Results are used to place students in personalized learning paths, prompt targeted remediation for foundational needs, and accelerate instruction when students demonstrate mastery. The program also offers embedded progress monitoring through the Teacher Dashboard. Exit criteria include benchmarks, pretests, and posttests across various levels, based on grade-level proficiency.

MindPlay Reading Studio provides built-in diagnostics and progress monitoring to guide placement within the program. The Universal Screener determines each student’s initial independent reading level and automatically adjusts the fluency level to match students’ needs. These diagnostics pinpoint gaps in foundational reading skills. Skill-specific data from nationally used assessments, such as Lexile, is also provided.

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 Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual includes a “Differentiation and Scaffolds” section that provides specific guidance for educators supporting students who perform below proficiency. Educators use report data and the Recommendations Widget to identify skill gaps and form small groups for targeted instruction. The materials provide tiered practice to reinforce foundational skills and include printable Supplemental Support Sheets for small-group or one-on-one remediation. The materials also offer scaffolds such as additional modeling, prompts, and guidance to support students as they progress toward grade-level skills.

The Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual includes a “What is the Recommendations Widget” section that guides educators in differentiating instruction. The system generates recommendations based on Reading Coach triggers and students’ current progress. These recommendations remain active until educators dismiss them, and the widget allows educators to adjust students’ learning paths, as needed. The “Resources” section provides printable Support Sheets, including instructional scripts and student handouts. The system also recommends decodable books aligned with students’ demonstrated mastery of phonics skills.

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.

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

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

The Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual includes a “Delivering SDI [specially designed instruction] with MindPlay Reading Studio” section that guides educators working with students in special education. It shows educators how to use MindPlay test results to write Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals and explains which scores align with each teaching target. This section also explains how to set instructional intensity, record changes in service logs, use educator modeling and specialist support, and track students’ progress over time.

The Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual identifies resources that support instructional adaptations. The materials direct educators to use the Recommendations Widget to identify students assigned to the “Reinforce Concept” pathway and to provide printable Support Sheets for small-group or one-on-one instruction, including instruction aligned with students’ IEPs. The system updates students’ Lexile levels every two weeks, and the materials recommend adjusting instructional strategies when student growth plateaus. The materials also provide Skills Mastery reports that educators can use when developing a Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) report or when participating in an Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) meeting.

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

The materials include Support Sheets that guide educators and recommend effective delivery and facilitation through a variety of instructional approaches. For lessons that target foundational skills, such as the lesson titled “2 syllable + K,” the Support Sheets provide educators with specific prompts to read during instruction, enabling them to model and explain the skills to be learned. In this lesson, the educator receives targeted “Suggestions and Tips,” such as “Provide clear demonstrations of individual sounds, sound combinations, and full-word production.” Support Sheets also include lesson-delivery scripts.

The materials provide brief, explicit prompts that help educators model and explain reading-comprehension skills. For example, the comprehension lesson “Characteristics of Children’s Literature” offers clear, actionable guidance, including a lesson introduction, direct instruction, an activity, guided practice, assessment components, grade-level discussion starters, and an answer key. The grade-level discussion-starter prompt reads, “To deepen the lesson based on the specific grade, ask these follow-up questions,” and then provides a list of questions differentiated for each grade.

In the educator-led portion of the MindPlay Reading Studio program, the prompts explicitly help educators model and explain the concepts students will learn. For example, the lesson “Consonant -le Support Sheet” directs educators in the “Strategies and Tips” section to “provide clear demonstrations of individual sounds, sound combinations, and full-word production.” Educators can print a Chant Card, cut it out, glue the pieces together, laminate it, and then use it for spiral review throughout the year. The “Coach” section provides educators with an explicit script to model and explain the consonant -le pattern.

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

In the educator-led portion of MindPlay Reading Studio, Supplemental Support Sheets provide a range of instructional approaches to guide educators. For example, in the lesson “Silent Letters,” the educator demonstrates sound production and uses Coach and Chant Cards to provide practice and repetition. Students build letter–sound correspondence through “Match It” and “Built It” activities. They then apply learned phonics skills in the “Spell It” activity to practice encoding. During the “Roll-and-Spell” activity, students work with a partner and roll dice to pick an activity from a choice board. These varied instructional approaches help students strengthen their knowledge of silent letters.

The materials provide educators with clear guidance and recommendations for delivering lessons through a variety of instructional approaches. Each lesson shows educators how to introduce concepts and model reading skills. Lessons combine paired practice, whole-class Q&A, and independent work so students can apply modeled comprehension skills. Every plan includes concise, explicit directions for facilitating these activities. The program offers a range of instructional activities and flexible levels of educator support. For example, in the lesson “Character Dynamics,” the educator assigns students roles such as major and minor characters. Students toss a ball of yarn from the major character to minor characters, then use academic language to explain the relationships among those characters.

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

The Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual provides educator-led lesson plans that outline recommended structures for each lesson component—whole group, small group, and individual work. For example, a grammar lesson on active and passive voice prompts educators to lead a whole-class review of the definitions, have students take turns completing a card-sorting activity, pair students for a matching activity, and give each student an activity sheet to complete.

The Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual guides educators on when to use small groups or individual lessons to support effective implementation. The manual states, “Implement MindPlay for self-paced student learning or within blended models that combine direct and digital instruction.” The Recommendations Widget groups struggling students and gives the educator a recommendation for in-class, small-group instruction, along with a corresponding Support Sheet.

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

The Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual provides general guidance on scaffolding with linguistic accommodations. However, it does not provide specific support for varying language proficiency levels. It also lacks sentence and paragraph stems, cognates, or targeted vocabulary instruction. The educator-led Supplemental Support Sheets do not mention linguistic accommodations or strategies to promote academic language development.

The materials offer general linguistic accommodations to help students use increasingly academic language. The Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual provides general strategies for supporting emergent bilingual (EB) students, such as using the program’s reports—the Foundational Skills Profile and the Error Report—to monitor growth in English proficiency. The Teacher Dashboard recommends actions and automatically groups students who struggle with the same concept. The Teacher Dashboard also prompts educators to use Support Sheets to deliver targeted small‑group instruction. The manual encourages educators to incorporate language activities to reinforce listening and speaking skills, but it does not specify particular activities.

The “Multilingual Learner Supports and Program Design” section of the Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual provides general guidance on academic language acquisition. However, these materials lack specific linguistic supports for the various ELPS levels.

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

The Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual includes a section titled “Implementation Guidance for Bilingual and ESL [English as a Second Language] Programs.” This guidance provides recommendations for small-group intervention structures, adaptive instructional pathways, targeted supports, and the use of Recommendations Widgets and Support Sheets.

The Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual explains how educators can use foundational skills profiles, error reports, Lexile growth data, and progress-monitoring tools to distinguish decoding difficulties of language-acquisition in EB students.

The “Multilingual Learner Supports and Program Design” section serves as a compliance and implementation roadmap, mapping MindPlay’s instructional features directly to the TEKS, the ELPS, and the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS). It validates program effectiveness by integrating adaptive, research-based literacy instruction, such as oral language modeling and bilingual reporting, into established bilingual and ESL program models. This ensures educators have the structure and evidence needed to support EB students and meet state documentation mandates.

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 does not apply 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.

MindPlay Reading Studio uses an adaptive, student-led design to place learners in a structured sequence of sound–spelling patterns based on Universal Screener results. The Universal Screener implements the program’s Scope and Sequence by first assessing phonemic awareness and then requiring students to spell nonsense words, identify rhyming words, and spell real words. While the system adapts to each student’s performance, students must demonstrate mastery of closed syllables, open syllables, and vowel teams before the program advances them to initial and final blends, digraphs, diphthongs, and final-stable syllables.

MindPlay Reading Studio includes a systematic sequence for introducing sound–spelling patterns that aligns with grade-level TEKS and the program’s instructional goals. Appendix A of the Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual, titled “Scope and Sequence,” organizes instruction so that learning proceeds in a clear, sequential manner. Instruction begins with consonant letters, short vowel sounds, and two-letter consonant digraphs. It then advances to vowel teams and diphthongs and concludes with r-controlled vowels, complex digraphs, and final-stable syllables. The “TEKS Alignment” document for grades 3–5 enables educators to map each lesson directly to the required Texas standards.

For example, for the grade 3 TEKS 2Ai (Decoding multisyllabic words with multiple sound-spelling patterns like eigh, ough, and en), MindPlay Reading Studio phonics activities, lessons, and Support Sheets are listed. The MindPlay activities for this standard cover spelling and associated sounds for seven multiple sound–spelling patterns. These patterns include: signal a, oi, oy, oo, ou, ow, au, aw, and ie for long i. Each pattern includes an activity, a lesson, and an educator-led Support Sheet.

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.

Educator-led materials include explicit instruction on decoding and encoding words using sound–spelling patterns. For example, after direct instruction on the -al suffix, students apply the “Three or More Syllables” rule to spell the final /l/ sound with -al. For the word abdominal, the student should identify the /l/ sound at the end of this four-syllable word and apply the -al spelling. If a student misspells the word functional, the Reading Coach gives immediate feedback (“Listen carefully to the suffix”) to remind the student to use -al for multisyllabic words. For the word chemical, the student should recognize the three syllables and select -al for the final sound. Students demonstrate mastery by accurately segmenting multisyllabic words and choosing -al for the final /l/ sound. To progress, they must spell each provided word correctly on their first attempt; if they spell a word incorrectly, the built-in Reading Coach offers a corrective hint based on syllable count to guide a second attempt.

MindPlay Reading Studio includes a Student Support Sheet with a lesson on affixes. The lesson provides explicit instructions for students in grades 3–5 on decoding and encoding words using common morphological patterns. A short mini-lesson first defines an affix and presents examples of prefixes and suffixes (mis‑, sub‑, -ment, and -ity/-ty). Students complete word-sum activities that show how these affixes combine with base words to form new words. Next, they practice decoding in a “Word Detective” exercise by locating and underlining affixes in full sentences. To support working memory, the lesson varies student output across activities and concludes with an assessment that measures applied understanding of affixes through a writing task.

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.

MindPlay Reading Studio includes cumulative student practice in decoding words using sound–spelling patterns in isolation to develop automaticity. Educator-led lessons include Coach and Chant Cards featuring words with the week’s sound–spelling pattern. Educators receive guidance on preparing and using the letter–sound cards as instructional tools to review and reinforce phonics chants throughout the year. This guidance and these resources enable students to apply the targeted pattern independently while reinforcing earlier decoding and encoding skills with automaticity.

Materials provide cumulative student practice in decoding words using sound–spelling patterns within decodable connected texts to build automaticity. MindPlay Reading Studio’s Digital Library includes 271 decodable books for concept review. Each book includes a word list at the end that offers isolated practice options—Focus Words, Sight Words, Advanced Sight Words, and Superstar Words—that appear in the text. In the decodable book Super Bowl Snow, students practice decoding long-vowel digraphs—specifically, oa, ow, and oe. The focus-word list for this book includes examples such as snow, Joe, slow, gloating, and goals, allowing students to apply previously taught skills in context. These decodable texts focus on targeted sound–spelling patterns to reinforce word analysis and decoding strategies. Books are assigned after students demonstrate mastery of a particular phonics skill; they also serve as a cumulative review to strengthen retention of earlier patterns.

The materials provide cumulative practice for encoding words using sound–spelling patterns to build automaticity and align with grade-level TEKS. MindPlay Reading Studio offers “Edit,” “Order,” and “Spell” activities that let students encode words in isolation. For example, the lesson titled “Suffix -tial/-cial” includes a “Spell” activity featuring words such as essential, sequential, confidential, interracial, noncommercial, and impartial. These words also recycle previously taught patterns, including r-controlled vowels, open and closed syllables, and prefixes, for continued cumulative practice.

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

In MindPlay Reading Studio for grade 3, students practice only the sound–spelling patterns explicitly taught. After a lesson on homophones, students complete six sentences by choosing the correct homophone from two options—for example, deciding between hair and hare, hey and hay, or one and won. Students rely on context clues in each sentence to identify the correct spelling and meaning. If a student selects the wrong option, the Reading Coach provides instant feedback explaining the correct word. This feedback helps students understand both the correct answer and why that spelling fits the sentence before they continue. In this activity, the words and task structure align with instruction, and students are not required to use any other spelling patterns.

Students complete encoding tasks using sound–spelling patterns explicitly taught in a specific lesson. For example, in the automated Reading Coach lesson on oi and oy, students move through carefully scaffolded instruction that explains the “Oi/Oy Spelling” rule. On‑screen, Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)‑led segments connect sounds to pictures, highlight exceptions, model sound production, and target the oi/oy diphthong in initial, medial, and final positions. After the on‑screen SLP lessons, students complete MindPlay activities—“Build,” “Edit,” “Split,” and “Spell.” All words and task structures align with the provided instruction.

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 present a systematic sequence for introducing regular and irregular high-frequency words from the research-based Fry Instant Word List, organized into sets of 10 words. Instruction follows the Heart Word method, prompting students to map sounds, map letters, and identify the “heart part” of irregular words. Students engage in word-mapping activities using sound boxes, fluency drills with partner reading, and sentence-level application through short writing tasks that incorporate target words.

The Scope and Sequence outlines the progression of high-frequency word instruction in grade 3, embedding both regular and irregular words within daily phonics instruction. For example, in lists 341–350, students learn words such as happened, products, and whole. Students apply decoding strategies to regular words and identify irregular “heart parts” in words that do not follow standard phonics patterns, ensuring a systematic introduction and practice throughout the sequence.

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.

MindPlay Reading Studio provides explicit instruction on decoding and encoding high‑frequency words in the “High‑Frequency Words” resources document, with grade‑level differentiation. All grades use the “Word Mapping” method to separate a word’s phonetically regular parts from its phonetically irregular portion. For example, decoding instruction focuses on building automaticity with high‑frequency words. During the “Sound Cipher Search” activity, students scan word lists for phonetic markers (for example, short o or when y sounds like i) to decode efficiently. During encoding practice, students map 5–10 new words using sound boxes in the “Word Mapping” activity. Correct spelling is reinforced through the “Sound Cipher Search” activity, then applied in a creative‑writing task.

In the lesson titled “Phonics 1.21 (Heart Words),” students build automaticity with “heart words” through educator modeling, guided practice, and assessment. The educator explicitly teaches high-frequency words and models decoding and encoding. In the “Roll-and-Read” activity, students roll dice, find the matching “heart word” (e.g., what, wants, of), trace it, and read it aloud. Educators prompt faster reading to build automatic recognition. Progress is tracked on a Skills Assessment Sheet as students read a high-frequency word list from left to right to assess fluency and accuracy. The lesson ends with an educator-led spelling check to assess encoding. This sequence provides explicit instruction, repeated practice, monitoring, and formative assessment to support decoding and encoding.

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.

The materials provide cumulative practice for students to decode both regular and irregular “heart words” from an Orton-Gillingham list, presented in isolation and aligned with grade-level TEKS. In the student-led component, explicit decoding instruction appears in the “Heart Words 1” sequence through the following lesson formats: Rule with Examples, Abbreviated Rule, Expanded Rule, and Compare Rule. The “Heart Words 1” Support Sheet includes a dice activity in which students roll and read the corresponding isolated word. Students also practice with a partner using a “heart words” matching game. During reading assessments, students point to each word as they read it aloud.

The MindPlay Reading Studio Digital Library assigns decodable books after students demonstrate mastery of a targeted phonics skill and uses cumulative review to reinforce earlier patterns. Word lists at the back of the books support authentic application of high-frequency words and help build automaticity with irregular spellings. For example, in the decodable book A Love for Gloves, students practice spelling high-frequency words previously taught in “Heart Words” units, such as come, some, done, much, rich, such, says, could, and is. Students apply encoding and decoding skills from the Orton-Gillingham Word Lists, in line with the program’s stated purpose of adaptive mastery and targeted remediation.

MindPlay Reading Studio provides cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words from the Orton-Gillingham Word Lists, which are aligned with appropriate grade-level skills. Practice occurs in isolation and within decodable connected texts to build automaticity. In “Heart Words” units 1 and 2, students decode and encode high-frequency words through the program’s SLP‑led “Rules With Examples” instruction and “Read” and “Spell” activities. In the “Read” activity (decoding practice), a high-frequency word appears on screen while the on-screen SLP speaks three different words; students then select the video that matches the target word. Example words include has, do, was, from, his, and friend. In “Heart Words” unit 2 (encoding practice), students spell words dictated by the on-screen SLP. Example words include say, some, done, have, and come.

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

MindPlay Reading Studio’s student-led practice focuses exclusively on regular and irregular high-frequency words that align with previously taught sound–spelling patterns. For example, the grade 3 “heart word” set includes few, crew, stew, cellar, and minor; these words reflect the previously taught /oo/ sound (spelled ew) that was introduced in the lesson “Show Exceptions.” Students also practiced r-controlled vowel sounds in lesson 41, which covers /or/ and /ar/ in both open- and closed-syllable contexts.

Student-led practice focuses exclusively on high-frequency regular and irregular words that reinforce previously taught sound–spelling patterns. For example, grade 3 “heart words” include much, done, could, says, love, and such. These words reinforce taught patterns like ch, plural s, and silent e.

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.

MindPlay Reading Studio provides a systematic sequence for introducing syllable types and syllable-division principles, aligned with grade-level TEKS where appropriate for a supplemental program. For example, the Scope and Sequence focuses on the long i and long o syllable patterns, which appear in closed syllables when an i or an o is followed by two consonants (commonly referred to as the “Wild Old Words” rule). Students receive explicit instruction through SLP-led instructional videos, then apply those skills in unit activities. In Unit 30’s “Split” activity, students determine syllable division for two-syllable words that demonstrate the “Wild Old Words” pattern (e.g., wildcat, behind, billfold, moldy, and unsold). The set includes compound words and items that illustrate common prefix and suffix usage (for example, un- and -y) to support recognition and automaticity across a range of multisyllabic word forms.

This sequence is reinforced through instructional support materials that accompany each phonics unit. For example, the “Phonics 2.29: Rule-Breaker Long i/Long o” Support Sheet provides educator-guided activities that reinforce the targeted syllable pattern through word sorting, decoding, spelling, and educator-led assessment. Coach and Chant Cards, sorting activities, and “Spin” and “Read” games provide multiple opportunities for students to practice the targeted syllable pattern after it is introduced, supporting a systematic progression from instruction to application.

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.

MindPlay Reading Studio provides explicit instruction for decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words, aligned with grade-level TEKS when appropriate for the program’s adaptive mastery and targeted remediation goals. Educator resources offer a variety of lessons that extend the explicit instruction delivered by the virtual Reading Coach and reinforce targeted skills. The “Open Syllable: y as /i/ or /e/” lesson Support Sheet includes guidance for educator-led instruction, including Coach and Chant Cards with explicit directions. In an example Reading Coach script, the Coach says, “Vowels can have more than one sound. We already know the short vowel sounds: /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, /u/. These are usually spelled with a single vowel letter. Vowels can also make a long vowel sound. When I say the alphabet, the vowel letters say their names. Listen: /A/, /E/, /I/, /O/, /U/. A syllable that ends in a single vowel is an open syllable and usually has a long vowel sound. Examples: o | pen and co | hort.”

The Reading Coach provides additional explicit instruction through modeled decoding and encoding of multisyllabic words. In Unit 30, titled “Rule Breaker Long i,” SLP-led lessons introduce the targeted pattern through direct explanations, modeled examples, and comparisons with words that do not follow a specific pattern. The “Read Between the Lines” instructional video demonstrates how to decode multisyllabic words containing the target pattern before students apply the skill in guided practice. Students then complete “Build” and “Spell” activities to encode words, “Split” activities to decode and divide multisyllabic words into syllables, and “Edit” activities that reinforce accurate decoding and spelling of targeted words.

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.

MindPlay Reading Studio provides cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding one‑syllable and multisyllabic words, aligned with grade‑level TEKS when appropriate to the program’s adaptive‑mastery and targeted‑remediation goals. Practice occurs both in isolation and within decodable connected texts to build automaticity. For example, Unit 43’s SLP‑led instruction and practice for the syllable pattern or guides students to master the /or/ sound through rule‑based examples; picture‑supported word study; exploration of homophones and homonyms; and systematic practice in sound formation, production, and spelling across positions in words. These activities are designed to strengthen reading fluency and word recognition. “Edit” and “Read” activities target decoding of a specific pattern, while “Build” and “Spell” activities reinforce encoding. Example words for this pattern include acorn, barnstorm, cordless, horn, north, and scorch.

The program extends cumulative practice through its decodable Digital Library, where students can apply previously taught decoding skills in connected texts. For example, the decodable text titled Connor’s Healing Nectar reinforces the /or/ phonics pattern and incorporates one-syllable and multisyllabic words such as for, doctor, and sailor. Each decodable text includes accompanying word lists featuring focus words, sight words, advanced sight words, and superstar words, allowing students to review previously learned patterns in isolation before applying them in connected text to build reading automaticity.

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

Student practice in MindPlay Reading Studio includes only syllable types and syllable-division principles that were explicitly taught. For example, the “Phonics 3.41: Phonics -or/ar” Support Sheet extends previously taught instruction through decoding and encoding activities that reinforce targeted syllable patterns. Students complete a “Word Search,” a “Roll-and-Read,” and an encoding challenge using words such as fork, hornet, resort, sword, shark, part, and card. Each activity reinforces only the or and ar patterns that were already explicitly introduced.

Additional practice remains focused on previously taught syllable types and syllable-division principles. After direct instruction on two-syllable compound words, students complete a “Spell” activity with words such as benchmark and grandstand to apply the taught syllable-division strategy. Similarly, after learning the silent-e syllable type in lesson 30, students practice decoding words like rate, ride, cube, and Pete. Then, students apply both the previously taught closed-syllable pattern and the newly taught silent-e pattern to decode multisyllabic words like invade. These activities ensure that students practice only the syllable types and syllable-division principles explicitly taught.

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.

MindPlay Reading Studio presents a clear, systematic sequence for teaching morphemes aligned with grade-level TEKS, supporting adaptive mastery and targeted remediation. In grade 3, instruction begins with foundational affixes such as the suffixes “-ed” and “-y,” and then progresses to lessons on prefixes, including regular prefixes and “chameleon prefixes.” Suffix instruction starts with straightforward consonant-based endings and then covers -ed and -y in focused lessons.

The Scope and Sequence uses an Orton-Gillingham approach to provide explicit instruction on the six syllable types alongside morphological elements. Morphemes are introduced gradually and woven into lessons on syllable and vowel patterns. The first morpheme, the plural s/es, appears in Level 2 of the phonics scope. Level 3 begins with a lesson on two-syllable words ending in -tion (pronounced “shun”) and includes several morpheme-focused units on con-, other suffixes, past-tense -ed, vowel suffixes, prefixes, and the suffix -y. Level 4 centers on advanced morphemes, including Greek roots, “chameleon prefixes,” and a range of suffixes such as -tive, -sive, -tion, -sion, -able, -ible, -ous, -tious, -cious, -tial, -cial, -ure, and -al.

MindPlay Reading Studio’s grade 3 Phonics program weaves morphemic instruction into systematic decoding lessons to strengthen advanced word recognition. As outlined in the Phonics goals, students receive targeted instruction in prefixes, plurals, and structural endings, such as the suffix -ic, as they move through Level 9. These morphemes are taught and practiced within lessons on decoding two-syllable and compound words, so students learn to read and understand words by their structure in meaningful contexts.

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.

MindPlay Reading Studio provides explicit, grade-level-appropriate instruction on morphological skills. For example, Unit 46 on prefixes features SLP-led instructional videos that present both examples and non-examples (e.g., comparing redo with relish to show that not every word beginning with re contains the prefix). The “Rules With Examples” section introduces the prefixes un-, sub-, re-, mis-, and pre-. Student practice activities let learners apply their knowledge by building, editing, splitting, and spelling words to reinforce pattern recognition and pronunciation. Further instruction is provided based on students’ responses.

The “Phonics 3.44: Prefixes” Support Sheet reinforces and reteaches skills students practiced during SLP-led instruction in the adaptive MindPlay Reading Studio program. The instructions provide demonstrations for sound production, interactive sound modeling, sound blending, and word reading, with ongoing monitoring as students work independently. Chant Cards model educator language (e.g., “Coach: I know a base word like kind is a real word. A prefix is a word part that I put before a real word to change its meaning. For example, the prefix U‑N, un, means not. Unkind means not kind.”)

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.

MindPlay Reading Studio provides students with regular, cumulative practice in morphological skills aligned with grade-level TEKS, supporting adaptive mastery and targeted remediation in both isolated and connected text. For example, SLP-led lessons on the inflectional endings -s and -es teach students to form plurals using rules and examples, explore exceptions, and apply their learning through reading, editing, splitting, and spelling activities to improve accuracy and fluency. “Edit,” “Read,” and “Split” tasks focus on decoding a specific pattern, while “Spell” tasks strengthen encoding of a specific suffix. Example words include albums, bandits, brushes, peaches, and dishes. Including compound words helps students develop automaticity across syllable divisions and morphological elements.

The MindPlay Reading Studio Personalized Digital Library provides additional cumulative practice with morphological patterns in connected texts. In the book The Smelliest, Ugliest Fruit in the World: Durian, students repeatedly encounter the suffix -y in context and apply previously taught knowledge to decode words in connected texts. Students use morphological patterns to support reading accuracy and fluency as they encounter words with the same suffix across sentences and passages.

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

MindPlay Reading Studio practice uses only morphemes students were explicitly taught. For example, the “Phonics 2.34: Plural s/es” Support Sheet provides extra decoding and encoding practice to reinforce SLP-led lessons and adaptive MindPlay Reading Studio activities. This Support Sheet provides practice after the pattern is taught; the words match those in the “Spell” activity. Activities include Coach and Chant Cards, “Sort It,” “Spin It,” “Spell It,” and a skills assessment. The mix of oral language, decoding, and encoding helps students build automatic recognition of morphological patterns. “Reading” and “Spelling” assessments monitor students’ progress in syllable review, both in isolation and within whole words.

Student practice includes only morphemes explicitly taught in a specific lesson. For example, in the “Vowel Suffix” lesson, the instructional “Compare” rule video shows the Reading Coach adding the vowel suffix -ing to words such as swim, think, and read. In the “Rule Addition” video, students review previously taught consonant suffixes (like -ful) and compare them with vowel suffixes (such as -er, -ed, and -ing). Students apply the “Doubling” rule when adding vowel suffixes (e.g., run → running and fun → funny) and use these words in “Edit,” “Split,” “Spell,” and “Add” activities.

Evaluation for 6.1a
Materials include modeling of fluent reading (including rate, accuracy, and prosody).

MindPlay Reading Studio builds reading fluency through grade-level texts aligned with its goals of adaptive mastery and targeted remediation. The program includes an “Oral Reading Fluency Instruction” Support Sheet for grade 3 that provides additional practice to reinforce or reteach skills introduced during SLD-led instruction and adaptive MindPlay Reading Studio activities. In this oral reading fluency lesson, educator guidance includes modeling fluent reading of both isolated words and words in context. The educator selects a short passage (one to two paragraphs, decodes any unfamiliar words as needed, then reads the passage aloud with expression and appropriate pacing. The educator also gestures with a finger along the text to model word tracking. These prompts ensure that students see an explicit model of fluent reading using a text at the correct level.

MindPlay Reading Studio also models fluent reading through recorded audio of connected decodable texts. Students listen to grade-level stories such as “Sara’s World of Books” and “Space Rock,” with narrated models demonstrating appropriate rate, accuracy, and prosody before or during independent reading. As students follow along, they hear natural phrasing, expression, and pacing while accessing embedded vocabulary support for highlighted words. This work reinforces accurate and expressive oral reading.

Evaluation for 6.1b
Materials include opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with word lists, phrases/sentences, and connected texts.

MindPlay Reading Studio provides several fluency-practice formats, including word lists, phrases and sentences, and connected texts. Materials include the “Oral Reading Fluency Instruction” Support Sheet, which reinforces or reteaches skills introduced during SLD-led instruction and in adaptive MindPlay Reading Studio activities. After the educator models fluent reading, they choose an appropriate text for each student. Students read the passage repeatedly, focusing on accuracy, phrasing, and expression. The educator reads a word or phrase first, and the student repeats it. On the second read, the educator and the student work together to identify words, phrases, or sentences that need extra, targeted practice. These steps provide students with multiple opportunities to build fluency with individual words, short phrases, and longer connected texts.

Students build fluency by practicing a “Story Word Match” activity with Fry Sight Words before moving on to “Multi-Line Reading” of connected texts. Additionally, Pause-Assisted Fluency Practice materials offer repeated opportunities for students to read phrases, sentences, and complete connected passages, using pause points to support fluent reading.

Materials include Coach Content: Fluency Reading, in which students practice reading single- and multi-line passages using MindPlay Reading Studio technology that makes lines disappear. This disappearing-line feature encourages students to read smoothly at an appropriate pace without repeatedly looking back at previously read text. While previewing this content, students can adjust the Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM) metric to control how quickly the text vanishes. After reading, students answer multiple-choice questions to check comprehension. At the grade 3 level, multi-line texts include stories such as “Look Before You Dive,” “Detective,” and “Stormy Night.” This work provides students with multiple opportunities to build fluency with individual words, short phrases, and longer connected texts.

Evaluation for 6.1c
Materials include opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with a variety of grade-level texts as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

MindPlay Reading Studio includes opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with a variety of grade-level texts aligned with the program’s goals of adaptive mastery and targeted remediation. For example, the program’s Personalized Library offers an extensive catalog of books to support each student’s skill level. Educators and students can filter titles by Lexile, grade level, genre, subject, and language (English or Spanish). Titles can also be filtered by teaching units such as African American Culture, American Revolution, Ancient Civilization, Earth & Space Science, Mythology, and Physical Science. The decodable Digital Library is organized by phonics components and includes multiple titles with varying complexity across all categories of the Phonics Scope and Sequence.

In the student-led comprehension portion of the program, students practice reading fluency with informational, fiction, persuasive, poetry, and literary nonfiction texts. Students can read independently or use the read-aloud feature to hear fluent models while reading grade-level selections. “Reading Comprehension Expert” Support Sheets in the educator-led portion of the program include a variety of genres at different levels of text complexity, specifically designed for fluency practice. Students use “Fluency Practice” passages to improve prosody and fluency.

Evaluation for 6.1d
Materials include a variety of texts at different levels of complexity.

MindPlay Reading Studio provides students with texts at varying levels of complexity during regular assessment windows. The “Multi-Line Reading” activity evaluates a student’s ability “to read connected texts at an appropriate rate while maintaining comprehension.” In these fluency assessments, students read a multi-line story as words fade at a controlled pace. Passages are assigned to match each student’s functional reading level; after reading, students answer comprehension questions. As students improve, texts gradually become more complex over time. Educators can view any text by opening a student’s “Fluency” tab on the Teacher Dashboard and clicking the text’s title.

The decodable Digital Library also offers texts that increase in complexity and align with the program’s Scope and Sequence. In the “Consonant +ie” series, Jostle & Nettle primarily uses simple sentence structures and shorter target words to support the initial application of a specific pattern. However, the “Waffle Town Waffle Raffle” increases text complexity through longer passages, dialogue, compound and complex sentences, and more challenging two- and three-syllable words. This progression provides students with increasingly complex texts while reinforcing the same phonics pattern.

Evaluation for 6.1e
Materials include guidance for educators to provide feedback to students on reading fluency (including rate, accuracy, and prosody).

MindPlay Reading Studio includes guidance and feedback that educators can give students on reading fluency—covering rate, accuracy, and prosody. For example, educators can assign an oral reading fluency assessment to individual students and receive an automatic report when a student finishes. The report includes a recording of the student’s reading and an annotated passage highlighting additions, omissions, and substitutions (accuracy), along with the student’s WCPM score (rate). Educators can use these results to focus instruction on specific aspects of fluency that need improvement (prosody).

The materials include “Reading Comprehension Expert” Supplemental Support Sheets to help educators provide feedback on students’ reading fluency. The “Accuracy Skill” overview advises educators to listen for accuracy, prompt students to correct errors, and ask them to reread until the passage is read accurately. Lesson instructions reinforce this guidance: “If a student misreads a word, prompt self-correction or intervene and have the student reread the text.”

Evaluation for 8.1a
[English reading language arts] Materials include opportunities for students to read high-quality, grade-level, complex texts as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, in a variety of text types (e.g., literary, informational). [Spanish reading language arts] Materials include opportunities for students to read high-quality, grade-level, complex authentic or transadapted Spanish texts as appropriate for the program's stated purpose, in a variety of text types (e.g., literary, informational).

MindPlay Reading Studio includes a Personalized Library that provides students with access to more than 10,000 high-quality, grade-level texts across multiple genres and subjects, supporting the program’s goals of adaptive mastery and targeted remediation. Educators and students can filter titles by Lexile, grade level, genre, subject, and language (English or Spanish). They can also narrow selections by thematic units such as African American Culture, the American Revolution, Ancient Civilizations, Earth and Space Science, Mythology, and Physical Science. The program adapts text options to each student’s functional reading level and gradually increases text-complexity offerings as students improve their rate, accuracy, prosody, and comprehension.

MindPlay Reading Studio provides students with access to high-quality, complex texts. Literary nonfiction (e.g., Nathan Hale: Revolutionary War Hero) is paired with informational titles such as The Battles of Lexington and Concord. The Digital Library also features diverse fiction at all levels, with filters to tailor searches by skill or interest. Humorous “Silly Stories,” including “The Hare-Brained Crocodiles,” “How the Cow Jumped Over the Moon,” and “The Blind Men and the Elephant,” engage students while providing independent practice with challenging texts.

Evaluation for 8.1b
Materials include a variety of high-quality texts at different levels of complexity.

MindPlay Reading Studio’s Personalized Library offers a variety of high-quality texts across a wide range of grade and Lexile levels. Students can choose independent-reading materials that match their current abilities, while the subject-based search filter locates multiple texts on the same concept at different reading levels to support differentiation and ensure access for each student. The adaptive program provides text passages appropriate to students’ current skills and gradually increases text complexity as students improve in rate, accuracy, prosody, and comprehension, ensuring consistent, personalized growth.

The materials include a range of high-quality texts at multiple levels of complexity to support diverse readers. For example, The Wildlife Series includes several titles on similar topics at various Lexile levels, so students at all levels can access and learn about wildlife. Jane Goodall: A Friend of the Chimpanzees (Lexile 410) is a biography featuring complex sentence structures, while Wildlife of the Great Basins (Lexile 870) is a nonfiction volume that incorporates charts and photographs.

Evaluation for 8.1c
Texts include content that is relevant, engaging, and authentically reflects students' diverse backgrounds and experiences.

MindPlay Reading Studio offers relevant, engaging texts that reflect students’ diverse backgrounds. Educators and students can filter titles by Lexile, grade, genre, subject, language (English or Spanish), and thematic units such as African American Culture, the American Revolution, Ancient Civilizations, Earth and Space Science, Mythology, and Physical Science. The program consistently features stories and themes that appeal to young readers, including unicorns, animals, and artificial intelligence. The materials also include cross-curricular texts such as science books on earthquakes and guides to careers in art. Many titles authentically represent diverse experiences, featuring figures such as Chadwick Boseman, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Frida Kahlo.

MindPlay Reading Studio’s Personalized Library texts are relevant and engaging, authentically reflecting students’ diverse backgrounds and experiences. For example, Milo on Wheels features Milo, a boy who uses crutches because of a disability and loves drawing nature scenes that remind him of his childhood in the country. In Javi Takes a Bow, Javi Morales is a shy boy who is not confident speaking English in front of classmates because it is not his first language. Throughout the story, Javi makes new friends and finds a sense of belonging.

Evaluation for 8.2a
Materials activate or supply background knowledge.

MindPlay Reading Studio does not activate or provide background knowledge. It includes isolated, educator-led lessons such as “Making Connections,” “Making Predictions,” and a “Questioning to Deepen Understanding” prereading routine that uses titles, headings, and illustrations to prompt questions and connect to prior knowledge. However, these supports are not consistently integrated into students’ work. Students are not routinely prompted to activate relevant prior knowledge or given background information before engaging with texts.

“Questioning to Build Understanding” Support Sheets encourage students to ask questions before, during, and after reading. Students record their predictions and questions on green sticky notes before reading, identify clues and clarifications on yellow sticky notes during reading, and generate wonder and “what if” questions after reading. Although this lesson offers one example of activating prior knowledge, similar opportunities are not integrated throughout the instructional materials. As a result, the materials do not provide regular opportunities for students to activate or build background knowledge before engaging with texts.

Evaluation for 8.2b
Materials include pre-teaching of unfamiliar vocabulary in texts.

MindPlay Reading Studio often lists vocabulary words at the start or end of lessons, but the program does not provide a dedicated preteaching list or guidance. Some lessons suggest that educators should preteach unfamiliar words, but they do not offer specific strategies or materials to do so. In “The Test,” vocabulary words appear in the margin and are highlighted during read‑alouds. However, students are not prompted to click those words, and vocabulary questions are not linked to story terms. None of the Digital Library books include explicit vocabulary preteaching. Words sometimes appear at the end of decodable texts or in nonfiction glossaries. While student‑led modules introduce comprehension, phonics, and grammar skills, story vocabulary is not pretaught.

In “The Test,” vocabulary words appear in the margin and are highlighted during a read-aloud section. However, students are not prompted to engage with those words before or during reading, and the lesson does not include vocabulary instruction or questions connected to the identified terms. As a result, the materials identify potentially unfamiliar vocabulary but do not provide explicit pre-reading instruction to prepare students for the text.

Evaluation for 8.2c
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction on using contextual analysis to determine the word meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in texts in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

MindPlay Reading Studio provides explicit instruction on using contextual analysis to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words, aligned with grade-level TEKS for adaptive mastery and targeted remediation. Lessons are aligned with grade-level TEKS, where appropriate, to support the program’s goals of adaptive mastery and targeted remediation. For example, “Determining the Meaning of Multiple-Meaning Words” introduces a step-by-step strategy: “Read the whole sentence. Look for clue words. Think about which meaning makes sense. Reread to check.” Educators model this strategy with multiple examples before guiding students through shared practice. The lesson also includes differentiated instructional supports, such as pairing images with words, highlighting clue words, providing answer choices, and extending learning by having students generate sentences using multiple-meaning words.

The materials provide additional explicit instruction on “Using Context Beyond a Sentence.” Educators model how to determine a word’s meaning by examining the sentences before and after an unfamiliar word and by thinking aloud about the context clues that support the correct meaning. Guided examples demonstrate how to analyze unfamiliar vocabulary and multiple-meaning words before students apply the strategy independently.

Evaluation for 8.2d
Materials include opportunities for students to practice using contextual analysis to determine word meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary in texts in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

MindPlay Reading Studio offers practice in contextual analysis to determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary, aligned with grade-level TEKS and appropriate for the program’s goals of adaptive mastery and targeted remediation. In “Derive Meaning,” students apply context-clue strategies after explicit instruction by reading single- and multi-paragraph texts and responding to comprehension and vocabulary questions. Practice is organized into three instructional levels with progressively more challenging vocabulary. At Level A, students determine the meanings of words such as muddy, careful, shiny, treat, and trunks using context from passages, including the multi-paragraph text “Making Bread,” which requires students to distinguish between the homophones knead and need.

As students progress through lesson levels, they continue practicing contextual analysis with increasingly complex vocabulary. At Level C, students complete cloze passages and analyze single- and multi-paragraph texts to determine the meanings of multisyllabic words such as allergic, frightened, inspired, company, and permission. In “Using Context Beyond a Sentence,” students determine the meanings of unfamiliar and multiple-meaning words by analyzing clues across surrounding sentences and explaining which details in the text support their answers.

Evaluation for 8.3a
Materials include systematic and explicit (direct) instruction on reading comprehension skills at multiple levels (i.e., literal, inferential, evaluative) in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

MindPlay Reading Studio delivers systematic, explicit instruction on reading comprehension across multiple levels, aligned with grade-level TEKS, when appropriate to the program’s goals of adaptive mastery and targeted remediation. The Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual outlines comprehension learning objectives and includes a “Coach Content” tab that presents a sequenced progression of comprehension instruction, from understanding characters and basic story structure to describing an author’s style. Educators can monitor individual students’ performance via the Teacher Dashboard, which reports progress in discrete comprehension domains such as author’s purpose, author’s style, character analysis, drawing conclusions, analyzing text, main idea and details, paraphrasing, making predictions, and distinguishing fact from opinion. The system notifies educators when students might benefit from small-group instruction and provides explicit guidance for implementing educator-led lessons.

The program provides structured reading comprehension practice across multiple difficulty levels, using a range of grade-appropriate texts, including multiple text types aligned with the TEKS to support its goals of adaptive mastery and targeted remediation. For example, the SLP-led coaching module delivers direct instruction on evaluating an author’s assertion in multi-paragraph texts. In this module, the SLP identifies specific textual evidence and models how that evidence supports the author’s claim. Throughout the program, students are progressively exposed to increasingly complex levels of questioning. After explicit instruction, students practice with guided support and receive immediate feedback, including corrective redirection for incorrect responses. Educator-led materials support reteaching and small-group instruction when students need additional support.

Evaluation for 8.3b
Materials include opportunities for students to practice reading comprehension skills at multiple levels (i.e., literal, inferential, evaluative) with a variety of grade-level texts in alignment with the grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

The Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual describes how the program provides structured opportunities for students to practice reading-comprehension skills across multiple levels, using a variety of grade-appropriate texts aligned with grade-level TEKS, when applicable to the program’s adaptive-mastery and targeted-remediation goals. At lower Lexile levels, students begin with literal comprehension questions. As students progress through the adaptive program, comprehension questions increasingly include inferential and evaluative thinking. Targeted practice addresses comprehension domains, including author’s purpose and style, character analysis, drawing conclusions, text analysis, main idea and supporting details, paraphrasing, making predictions, and distinguishing fact from opinion.

MindPlay Reading Studio provides students with multi-level reading-comprehension practice using a range of grade-level texts aligned with grade-level TEKS, when appropriate to the program’s goals of adaptive mastery and targeted remediation. For example, in SLP-led coaching sessions following direct instruction on “Understanding Characters,” students read program-selected passages appropriate to their instructional reading level and respond to literal questions (e.g., “Who told Mouse about the problem?” and “What did Jen do at the beginning of the story?”) that ask for factual details explicitly stated in the text. Students also respond to inferential questions (e.g., “How did Allie feel when she answered the phone?” and “What can you conclude about the two girls?”) that require interpreting emotions or drawing conclusions from textual clues, and to evaluative questions (e.g., “Which word is best used to describe Mr. Perry?” and “In which of these would Ken Burns probably be most interested?”) that prompt judgment, analysis of character traits, or prediction of character actions in novel contexts.