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 deliver comprehensive reading intervention. The materials offer tiered instruction and intervention that address the language needs of developing and struggling readers at tier-two 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 instruction 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 Reading Studio 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 Reading Studio 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 product 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 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 MindPlay Reading Studio 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 Reading Studio 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, the program 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 Reading Studio 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 “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 print Chant Cards, cut them out, glue the pieces together, and laminate the cards, then use them 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-Read” activity, students work with a partner and roll dice to select 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 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.

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 grade 4 TEKS 2Aiii (“Decoding multisyllabic words with closed syllables; open syllables; VCe syllables; vowel teams, including digraphs and diphthongs; r-controlled syllables; and final stable syllables”), phonics activities, Support Sheets, and lessons are listed for nine spellings of vowel-r syllables, including syllables with two-, three-, and four-letter spelling patterns. Additionally, lessons on consonant -le, signal a, and diphthongs oi, oy, and oo are included.

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 in decoding and encoding words using sound–spelling patterns. In the lesson titled “Consonant -le,” the educator creates Coach and Chant Cards. Each card includes a scripted modeling routine in which the educator demonstrates how to decode a targeted sound–spelling pattern. The lesson plan guidance directs educators to ensure that students receive sufficient practice and repetition before moving to guided and independent practice. Students then practice decoding a targeted sound–spelling pattern in the “Roll-and-Read” activity. The educator also creates Coach and Chant Cards for encoding instruction and practice. Lessons include explicit instruction in producing individual sounds, sound combinations, and whole words. The educator then models blending sounds. Finally, students encode consonant -le words on a Recording Sheet for guided practice.

MindPlay Reading Studio includes educator-led Support Sheets for lessons such as “Root Words” for grades 3–5. This lesson provides explicit instruction in decoding and encoding key morphological patterns by showing how roots function in multisyllabic words. It begins with matching and sorting activities to build students’ confidence in decoding target root words such as auto, graph, and meter. In the “Root Word Detectives” activity, students highlight words containing those morphemes in a paragraph. The assessment prompts students to encode by accurately spelling target-root words and using them in sentences. Throughout the lesson and assessment, students practice decoding, encoding, and connecting meaning to the targeted root words.

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.

The 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 “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 4, students practice only the sound–spelling patterns explicitly taught. After a lesson on suffixes, students are given a correctly spelled part of a syllable. They must select the correctly spelled syllable to demonstrate understanding of the relationship between the base word and vowel suffixes. Students create words such as gummy, dated, scrubbing, swimmer, shining, and blabber. A speech-language pathologist (SLP) provides real-time feedback on mistakes to help students remember orthographic rules. 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 “Compound Word Spell” activity, the word anthill draws on previously taught skills, including closed syllables and the “Floss” rule. The word shellfish also draws on a previously taught skill, such as consonant digraphs. The words and task structure align with 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.

MindPlay Reading Studio follows a systematic sequence for introducing regular and irregular high-frequency words, using a research-based list aligned with grade-level TEKS. Instruction is explicitly aligned with the Science of Reading and the Orton-Gillingham method. The Scope and Sequence introduces high-frequency “heart words” after students learn related phonics patterns, ensuring a structured progression from decodable words to instruction on irregular words. Across Levels 1–4, instruction increases in complexity, with higher levels incorporating greater analysis and application of high-frequency words in reading and writing tasks.

The MindPlay Reading Studio program uses the Fry Instant Word List, organized into groups of 10 words to support systematic instruction. Students engage in “Word Mapping” activities to identify the phonetic and irregular components of high-frequency words and categorize them by spelling patterns. Instruction progresses from decoding and mapping words in isolation to applying high-frequency words in connected reading passages and in writing tasks such as paragraph-level responses and quick-writes using target words.

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 and guided practice to help students decode and encode regular and irregular high-frequency words drawn from a research-based list. Instructional content aligns with grade-level TEKS when relevant to the program’s stated goals of practice and remediation. For example, the on-screen Reading Coach models targeted word-reading strategies like articulating each sound, identifying whether a word conforms to regular phonics patterns, and signaling when a word contains an irregular “heart part” that students should memorize. Using paired comparisons like fend and friend, the Reading Coach shows that fend follows expected phonics patterns, while friend includes an irregular spelling (short /e/, spelled ie). This approach makes the irregular element explicit and supports student retention through clear explanation and guided practice.

The materials provide explicit decoding and encoding instruction for high-frequency words, organized in the embedded “High-Frequency Words” resources document with clear grade-level differentiation. For decoding instruction, the program builds fluency through an initial “Word Mapping” routine that groups high-frequency words by vowel patterns. In the follow-up “Sound Cipher Search” activity, students practice decoding by scanning word lists for specific syllable types (e.g., identifying words with a vowel-consonant-e pattern). Encoding tasks require students to use targeted high-frequency spellings in a persuasive quick write that incorporates at least eight targeted high-frequency words.

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.

Student practice includes only regular and irregular high-frequency words that were explicitly taught. On the Support Sheet for the lesson titled “Phonics 2.36: Heart Words, Set 2,” students practice previously introduced high-frequency words through structured activities such as guided reading, spelling practice, and matching tasks aligned with the same word set used in the “Coach Content” tab of the “Match” activity. Students apply decoding and encoding strategies to words that were already explicitly taught, and educator support is provided during practice.

Additional practice continues with previously taught “heart words” such as major, beggar, collar, drew, stew, and grew. These words are revisited across instructional activities and are not newly introduced during practice. Students practice only words that were explicitly taught, ensuring consistent reinforcement of previously learned word sets.

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. The Scope and Sequence includes targeted practice of advanced phoneme–grapheme correspondences in two-syllable words. For example, in Unit 33, students receive decoding and encoding instruction focused on the vowel teams ai and ay. The unit’s “Split” activity requires students to divide two-syllable words accurately, including compound words (e.g., railroad, raincoat, and paycheck). Additional two-syllable example words that contain the target vowel teams and morphological components include replay, dismay, faithful, ailment, and faintly. Practicing two-syllable words that include the target vowel team, whether compound or morphologically complex, reinforces previously taught patterns and scaffolds students’ development of automaticity, preparing them for the more complex phonics units that follow.

The materials include a progression for introducing syllable types, moving from simple to increasingly complex structures. According to the Phonics Scope and Sequence and the Texas MindPlay Reading Studio Manual, instruction begins with foundational consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words and gradually expands to consonant blends, digraphs, and more advanced phonics patterns. Students then receive explicit instruction in the six syllable types—closed, open, vowel-consonant-e (VCE), r-controlled, vowel team, and consonant-le—before progressing to multisyllabic decoding. In this sequence, students apply syllable division principles through structured lessons that build from single-syllable decoding to two- and three-syllable words, including patterns like open syllables, silent e, consonant-le endings, and other advanced structures. Each stage builds on prior mastery, ensuring students apply syllable-type knowledge systematically as they move from basic decoding to more complex multisyllabic word analysis.

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, systematic instruction in decoding and encoding for one-syllable and multisyllabic words. Lessons align with grade-level TEKS, when applicable, to support adaptive mastery and targeted remediation. For example, Unit 33 focuses on the vowel pattern ai/ay and the /ai/ sound using rule-based explanations, exceptions, comparisons, and application tasks (reading, spelling, joining, and identifying homophones/homonyms). Practice activities reinforce pattern recognition and pronunciation. The “Build” and “Spell” activities let students encode correct syllable types; the “Split” activity lets students divide multisyllabic words at correct breakpoints; and the “Join” activity lets students decode and spell multisyllabic words with a specific targeted vowel pattern. The sequence blends conceptual instruction with applied practice to support initial mastery and remediation.

“Coach Content” provides explicit instruction on syllable types and division. In Unit 28, titled “2 Syllables + K,” students learn and compare rules, then practice by splitting, joining, reading, and spelling multisyllabic words. The “Spell” activity reinforces encoding of syllable types; the “Split” activity helps students practice correct division; the “Join” activity reinforces decoding and spelling; and the “Read” activity provides decoding practice with words such as cubic, ethic, frantic, attic, plastic, and skeptic.

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 practice in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words aligned with grade-level TEKS, supporting adaptive mastery and targeted remediation in both isolated and decodable connected texts to build automaticity. For example, Lesson 8 (about k/ck) teaches students that the /k/ sound is spelled ck at the end of one‑syllable words with a short vowel. In Lesson 27, titled “2 Syllables + K,” the SLP explains that multisyllabic words often use c for the /k/ sound at the end (e.g., words like frantic, attic, and shellac). The SLP also explains that compound words retain the original word’s ck spelling when applicable. After watching a series of videos, students practice encoding with “Join” and “Spell” activities. Coaches provide immediate, specific feedback and hints when errors occur.

MindPlay Reading Studio provides a decodable Personalized Library for targeted decoding practice. Students read one-syllable and multisyllable words to apply phonics skills and demonstrate fluency. Word lists include Focus Words, Sight Words, Advanced Sight Words, and Superstar Words. For example, the decodable text Bananas and Balloons supports the lesson “Three-Syllable, Schwa” and includes words like make, ago, drama, and important.

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

In MindPlay Reading Studio, student practice includes only syllable types and syllable-division principles explicitly taught. For example, the Support Sheet for the lesson titled “Three-Syllable, Schwa” provides targeted decoding and encoding practice that aligns with explicit instruction in the “Coach” section. Students complete Coach and Chant Cards, a “Word Search” activity, a “Roll-and-Read” activity, and encoding activities using three-syllable schwa words such as circumstance, parrot, bottom, travel, and particular. These activities reinforce only a specific, previously taught syllable pattern and division principle.

Additional student practice reinforces previously taught syllable-division principles. On the Support Sheet for the lesson “Three-Syllable, Schwa,” students participate in an educator-led Coach and Chant routine and practice dividing words into syllables after the skill is explicitly introduced. Using the word deducted, the educator models syllable division with a scripted routine before students apply the same division principle independently. Practice remains focused on syllable types and syllable-division principles already 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 follows a systematic sequence for introducing morphemes, aligned with grade-level TEKS, to support the program’s goals of adaptive mastery and targeted remediation. For example, the grade 4 Phonics curriculum integrates advanced morphemic structures directly into its decoding instruction. To reach the Level 10 benchmark for grade 4, students must learn to decode three-syllable words by identifying bound roots and complex suffixes such as -tion, -ed, and -tive. These morphemes are taught and reinforced through a cumulative Scope and Sequence, helping students develop the skills to analyze and read multisyllabic words in context.

MindPlay Reading Studio teaches morphemes in a systematic progression, moving from simpler forms to more complex ones. The Phonics Scope and Sequence begins with forming plurals by adding suffixes like -s and -es. It then progresses to consonant-based suffixes such as -tion, followed by vowel-initial suffixes like -ed. After students practice adding prefixes to base words, the sequence advances to more complex suffixes such as -ous, -cial, -tial, -ure, and -al, which are applied to Greek roots.

In grade 4, the TEKS cover many morphological units. The program begins with simple prefixes such as un-, sub-, re-, pre-, and mis-. Adding these prefixes does not change the spelling of either the prefix or the base word. Later, in Lessons 70 and 71, the program introduces more complex prefixes that require minor spelling changes to join a base word. These “chameleon prefixes” keep the same meaning even when their spelling adjusts to match the first letter of a base word. For example, the Reading Coach explains that these prefixes—in-, il-, and im—all mean not, but their forms change to fit the following letter.

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 instruction in morphological skills. For example, the Support Sheet for the lesson “Suffix -y” reinforces or reteaches skills students practiced during SLD-led instruction in the adaptive MindPlay Reading Studio program. An educator script provides clear coaching language. For example, the Coach says, “When a base word ends with a consonant plus the letter y, we use the Trade y rule before adding a suffix. Look: puppy, puppies. We trade y for i before adding the suffix -es. We also trade y before the letter r, even when r is part of a vowel sound.” The materials prompt educators to give clear demonstrations of sound(s), model sound blending and word production, and provide interactive teaching and monitoring as students perform tasks independently.

Educators can use the “Root Words” Support Sheet to teach how common root words like auto (self), graph (to write or draw), and meter (to measure) help reveal the meanings of new words. By showing examples like auto + graph = autograph and speed + ometer = speedometer, educators help students learn that spotting a familiar root within a new word is a reliable way to determine its meaning.

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 cumulative student practice of morphological skills aligned with grade-level TEKS. The program supports adaptive mastery and targeted remediation through isolated exercises and connected texts that build automaticity. For example, SLP-led lessons on multisyllabic words ending in -tion and -sion teach rules with examples, compare and expand patterns, highlight exceptions, and provide practice through matching, editing, ordering, splitting, and spelling activities to improve accuracy. “Edit,” “Order,” and “Split” tasks target decoding, while “Spell” tasks reinforce encoding of suffixes. Example words include addition, application, conservation, expectation, impression, and expression. Varied multisyllabic examples ensure continued growth in syllable division and morphological awareness.

The materials give students repeated practice with morphological skills to build automaticity through decodable texts. After explicit instruction in the student-led portion of the program, students read a decodable text titled A History of Television and practice using the suffixes -tion and -sion with words such as invention, adoption, devotion, billions, collision, and reaction. The book offers word-list options for Focus Words and Superstar Words that highlight the target skill. Repeated use of -tion and -sion across multiple pages reinforces students’ automaticity and supports cumulative practice of morphological skills.

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

Student practice includes only morphemes that were explicitly taught. For example, the Supplemental Support Sheets for the lesson “Phonics 5.59: Multi-Syllable tion/sion” provides decoding and encoding practice that reinforces SLP-led instruction and adaptive MindPlay Reading Studio activities. These Support Sheets are intended for additional student practice after a pattern is explicitly taught, and they use the same words found in the Coach Content “Spell” activity. Activities include Coach and Chant Cards, Bingo for decoding practice, and a “Word Hunt” activity. In the latter activity, students break each word into its morphemes on a T-chart to reinforce word structure. The mix of oral-language, decoding, and encoding tasks helps students build automaticity with morphological patterns. Reading and spelling assessments monitor progress on morphemes in isolation and on whole words.

Student practice uses only morphemes that were explicitly taught. For example, when adding a suffix to a base word ending in y, the Reading Coach reminds students to think first. If the y follows a consonant, drop the y, change it to i, then add the suffix. If the y follows a vowel—or if you are adding -ing—keep the y. In the “Rules with Examples” video, the Reading Coach models these words: happy → happiness, worry → worried, play → played, and cry → crying. Then, during “Split,” “Order,” “Add,” and “Spell” activities, students practice changing or keeping y with previously taught morphemes.

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

MindPlay Reading Studio models reading fluency with grade 4 texts, aligned with the program’s goals of adaptive mastery and targeted remediation. For example, the materials include an educator-led “Oral Reading Fluency” routine. Step 2 asks the educator to model fluent reading by pausing at commas and periods, using expression, and maintaining a smooth, steady pace. Educators are also encouraged to track words with a finger while reading before students complete the first reading.

In the student-led portion of the program, the materials consistently model fluent reading across many comprehension lessons. For example, during a main-idea lesson, the Reading Coach reads a passage fluently before posing comprehension questions. In Levels A and B instructional passages, the Reading Coach begins reading automatically, modeling appropriate rate, accuracy, and prosody. These examples show how MindPlay Reading Studio supports reading fluency development using grade-level texts aligned with the program’s goals of adaptive mastery and targeted remediation.

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

The materials give students opportunities to practice fluent reading using word lists, sentences, and connected texts. For example, each decodable text in the Library includes word lists at the back of the book. In Apollo 11: The Moon Landing, a decodable text that focuses on the suffixes -ed and -ing, word lists cover Sight Words, Advanced Sight Words, and Superstar Words.

The materials include an “Oral Reading Fluency” lesson that gives students opportunities to read grade‑level passages aloud. After a Quick Feedback discussion that highlights errors such as mispronounced words or missed punctuation, students correct those mistakes before the second reading. Students then complete an accuracy reflection in the self‑assessment and compare their perceptions with their recorded Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM) data to show growth in word‑level precision.

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

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.

The materials give students opportunities to build reading fluency with a range of grade-level texts. In the student-led comprehension section, students encounter diverse genres, including informational texts, fiction, persuasive texts, poetry, and literary nonfiction. They can read silently or use the read-aloud option. In the educator-led portion of the program, “Reading Comprehension Expert” Support Sheets present multiple genres at varying levels of text complexity, specifically designed for fluency practice. Students can also use numerous “Fluency Practice” passages, which provide a variety of grade-level texts to support adaptive mastery or targeted remediation.

The materials provide opportunities for students to practice reading fluency with a variety of grade 4 texts, aligned with the program’s stated purpose of adaptive mastery and targeted remediation. In the student-led portion of the program, students explore topics across nonfiction (e.g., Drones for Photography and a profile of Brie Larson), fiction (e.g., Myths and Legends of India), and persuasive poetry—content chosen to connect with students’ current interests. The Digital Library offers a wide selection of decodable texts and audiobooks; students can read these texts silently or use the read-aloud feature.

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

MindPlay Reading Studio offers a range of texts that increase in complexity. For example, Pause-Assisted Fluency Practice materials provide leveled passages edited to include visual cues that signal correct phrasing and support better prosody. Passages begin at a 2.0 grade level and progress to 7.8, and educators can choose texts that match their students’ instructional levels. Each passage is available in two formats: one with pause lines that provide visual cues and another with those pause points removed. After reading, students retell the story in their own words. This research-based process monitors reading growth because strong retellings show the reader is processing meaning, not just decoding words.

Materials include a decodable Digital Library with 12 r-controlled vowel titles that progress in difficulty to align with the MindPlay Reading Studio’s Scope and Sequence. The book Will Mark’s Car Start? contains short, simple sentences and focus words that are no longer than two syllables. The book Silverware Hair & a Caring Hare features more advanced r-controlled patterns (e.g., air, are, and ear). The book also includes dialogue and compound and complex sentence structures, focusing on two- and three-syllable words. These titles offer a range of texts at varying levels of complexity.

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

“Reading Comprehension Expert” Supplemental Support Sheets provide educators with clear, actionable feedback strategies to build students’ reading fluency. Each Supplemental Support Sheet pairs with a student text and one of 64 educator-led lessons aligned with specific points in the SLP-led Phonics program. “Teacher Instructions” Expert Sheets guide educators to model appropriate pause points and highlight which fluency skills to reinforce. For lessons tied to Level 1 of the Scope and Sequence, guidance emphasizes chunking text and using voice inflection on one-syllable, short-vowel words. Level 2 lessons advise maintaining a neutral tone for sentences that end in periods, changing pitch up or down for questions, and showing strong feeling before exclamation points. Level 3 lessons focus on pausing at commas and adding expressive delivery for interjections.

The materials offer clear, structured guidance for educators to support and provide feedback on students’ oral reading fluency. Educator-led sections include scripted prompts in the “Oral Reading Fluency Instruction” Support Supplemental Sheets. For example, Step 3 (Teacher Actions) directs educators to “prompt gently for mispronounced words or skipped punctuation” and recommends echo reading—the educator models a phrase, and students repeat it—when needed. In Step 4, educators are prompted to ask students for a brief reflection on their reading. Step 5 emphasizes offering positive reinforcement. Daily Routine Tips reinforce the following practices: praise effort and progress; alternate between echo reading, modeling, and independent reading; and use sticky notes or highlighters to mark words that need attention for pronunciation.

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’s Personalized Library offers a broad selection of texts at varying skill levels, tailored for grade 4 students. Its user-friendly interface and filtering tools help educators and students efficiently find texts that match both ability and interest. For example, the “Colonial America” teaching-unit filter aggregates nonfiction titles that examine different facets of colonial life. Example grade 4 informational texts include The Real Story Behind the 13 Colonies, Immigration to Colonial America, and 20 Fun Facts About Women in Colonial America. Together, these resources present multiple perspectives on the same topic and provide students with authentic, publishable-quality informational texts suitable for classroom use.

The Digital Library provides students with access to grade 4 complex texts. These texts incorporate a variety of text features such as text boxes, bulleted lists, illustrations, and diagrams, to support comprehension. Science and Social Studies selections include discipline-specific terminology and complex sentence structures. For example, the informational text Prickly Protection uses varied text structures across its sections, employs complex sentences, and contains low-frequency vocabulary.

The Digital Library offers a diverse selection of fiction titles for students across reading levels. Advanced filtering options allow educators to tailor search results by skill or interest. The “We Are the Weirdos” collection, featuring titles such as Amy Price for President!, What’s the Matter with Jayden Jackson, and Maci Masaki Makes Her Mark, provides authentic, engaging texts well-suited to grade 4 readers as they develop independent practice with complex, high-quality literature.

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

MindPlay Reading Studio’s Personalized Library offers high-quality texts spanning Lexile levels from 520 to 2000. Titles such as The Real Story Behind the Founding Fathers, Understanding the Constitution, and What Do Presidents Do? align with the Social Studies TEKS. Science-focused texts such as Food Chains in the Forest and Electricity support background knowledge for the Science TEKS. These resources incorporate challenging vocabulary and complex sentence structures to stretch students’ reading and content comprehension.

The Digital Library offers a curated selection of high-quality texts across a range of complexity levels, including both fiction and nonfiction. The collection features numerous series that help students discover and continue reading titles that match their interests. It also includes many public-domain works from Project Gutenberg, such as A Primary Reader: Old-Time Stories, Fairy Tales and Myths Retold by Children, and The Chronology of Ancient Kingdoms Amended. Select Project Gutenberg titles include embedded cloze activities to support and assess sentence-level comprehension while reading.

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

MindPlay Reading Studio texts are relevant, engaging, and authentically reflect students’ diverse backgrounds and experiences. For example, in the text In My Class Campaign, a group of students forms the Stop Bullying Club after one student is shoved into a bathroom sink. Working with their educator, Mr. Roth, they brainstorm ways to prevent bullying. As they create the club, students practice listening to one another and learn about student government. The narrative emphasizes empathy and builds an inclusive culture. Other texts cover a variety of topics, including surprising animal facts, simple science experiments, technology, riddles and jokes, biographies of contemporary figures (such as celebrities, athletes, and political leaders), relatable fiction stories, and mysteries.

MindPlay Reading Studio’s Personalized Library is personalized and offers students opportunities to read a variety of engaging, authentic texts. Because every title is tagged with a Lexile level and a grade-level range, educators and students can easily find books that match their independent reading levels and interests. For example, Adventurers and Athletes is a title in the “Women Who Made History” series. This book tells the stories of women who overcame great hurdles to succeed as athletes and adventurers. Another example is Frida Kahlo: My Own Reality, a title in the “Disabilities” series that centers on the story of the Mexican painter who endured chronic pain after surviving polio as a child. The text features photos of Kahlo and reproductions of her paintings.

Evaluation for 8.2a
Materials activate or supply background knowledge.

MindPlay Reading Studio does not activate or supply background knowledge. It includes isolated, educator-led lessons such as “Making Connections” and “Making Predictions,” along with 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.

Support Sheets for the “Questioning to Build Understanding” routine prompt students to ask questions before, during, and after reading. Students record 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 provides one example of activating prior knowledge, the instructional materials do not integrate similar opportunities throughout. As a result, the materials do not give students opportunities 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 the story’s terms. Digital Library books do not include explicit vocabulary preteaching. Words sometimes appear at the end of decodable texts or in nonfiction glossaries. However, while student-led modules introduce comprehension, phonics, and grammar skills, they do not preteach story vocabulary.

In “The Test,” vocabulary words appear in the margin and are highlighted during read-alouds. However, students are not prompted to engage with those words before or during reading, and lessons do 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 prereading 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 delivers explicit, scripted instruction on using contextual analysis to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. The lessons align with grade-level TEKS and support the program’s objectives of adaptive mastery and targeted remediation. The lesson “Using Context Beyond a Sentence to Determine Word Meaning” provides the following educator directions: “Read the sentence containing the unfamiliar word; read the preceding and following sentences; identify contextual clues related to actions, feelings, or details; and select the meaning that best fits the passage.” Educator guidance includes modeling two examples—an unfamiliar emotional vocabulary word (e.g., anxious) and a multiple-meaning word (e.g., trunk)—followed by guided practice and criteria for assigning independent activities.

Additionally, “Use Context Clues to Determine Meaning” explicitly teaches the IDEAS strategy for determining the meaning of unfamiliar words through contextual analysis. The lesson explains that authors provide five types of context clues to support word meaning and includes scripted educator modeling, guided examples, and opportunities for educators to demonstrate how to apply the strategy before students practice 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 students opportunities to practice contextual analysis to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words, aligned with grade-level TEKS and the program’s goals of adaptive mastery and targeted remediation. In the lesson “Derive Word Meaning,” students predict the meaning of an unfamiliar word, revise their thinking after hearing it used in context, and explain which context clues support their final answer. Students practice applying contextual analysis collaboratively by discussing word meanings with a partner before independently determining them in connected texts.

Students continue practicing contextual analysis by determining the meanings of multiple-meaning words using information from surrounding sentences and details throughout the passage. Guided and independent practice activities require students to identify context clues, select the meaning that best fits the passage, and explain how textual evidence supports their reasoning.

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 provides 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. For example, in the SLP-led coaching module, students receive direct instruction in evaluating an author’s assertion in multi-paragraph texts. The SLP identifies specific textual evidence and models how those details support the author’s claim. Throughout the program, students are progressively introduced to increasingly complex levels of questioning. After explicit instruction, students practice with guided support and receive immediate feedback, including corrective redirection when responses are incorrect. The materials also include educator-led resources for reteaching and facilitating small-group instruction, as needed.

MindPlay Reading Studio delivers systematic, explicit instruction on reading comprehension across multiple levels, aligned with grade-level TEKS when applicable to the program’s goals of adaptive mastery and targeted remediation. For example, during a student-led lesson on identifying reasons, the Reading Coach uses on-screen visuals to model how to analyze key ideas and character motivations in a text. Through guided practice, students determine why characters think, feel, and act as they do, citing textual details to explain how events and motivations shape a story’s meaning. The program progressively introduces students to increasingly complex levels of questioning, and the Reading Coach provides immediate, specific feedback when errors occur.

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.

MindPlay Reading Studio provides tiered reading-comprehension practice using grade-level texts aligned with relevant TEKS for adaptive mastery and targeted remediation. In the SLP-led “Coach” module, students receive explicit instruction in evaluating an author’s claim, followed by guided and independent practice. In Level A, texts are read aloud, and students evaluate claims such as “Cows have a very good life in India.” In Level B, students read a diary entry independently and select two sentences that support the claim “receiving the best gift ever.” In Level C, students read a multi-paragraph passage claiming “Yellowstone is one of the greatest vacation spots in the United States” and choose two supporting sentences. During independent practice, students read texts at approximately 2.5-, 5.5-, or 7.5-grade levels and answer inferential and evaluative questions (e.g., identifying sentences that indicate protection by clouds, evaluating the author’s support for a claim about being “upside down” in space, or judging factual statements about animals’ sizes).

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. In a main-idea lesson, students answer multiple-choice inferential questions that reinforce comprehension, with placement-based texts set at approximately 2.5-, 4.5-, 5.5-, or 7.5-grade levels. Level A items ask questions such as “Why did the hummingbird get its name?” “Why did Cory feel so proud?” and “How do apples help you eat less?” Level B focuses on inferential prompts such as “Why can frying food be dangerous?” and “Why did some people make mistakes when they identified dinosaur bones?” Level C presents more complex questions such as “What causes the fur of some harbor seals to have a reddish color?” “Why does the author think that the Jurassic Coast may help the local economy?” and “Why can’t we see dark matter?” Texts and questions increase in conceptual complexity across the levels to support the development of TEKS-aligned skills in making inferences, identifying main ideas, and using textual evidence.