Evaluation for 5.C.1a
Materials include a systematic sequence for introducing letter names and their corresponding sounds. (PR 2.A.1)
The program is a sequential approach to Phonemic Awareness. The materials present the phonemic awareness skills in a specific order, a gradual progression from earliest developed to latest developed. The program provides directions that guide students how to complete each activity within the eight units. The directions are written in the "Scope and Sequence" and delivered to students by computer-generated audio. For example, in the activity Hear the Phoneme in Unit 2: Consonant Phonemes, students are directed to “Click on the phoneme that you hear.” Students click on the letters that represent the sound they are given. The provided directions are not considered daily lessons with explicit instruction for letter names and sounds. In Unit 2: Consonant Phonemes activities, students are exposed to letters and letter sounds or letter-sound correspondence in the three following sets: b, p, f, v, m, r; n, d, t, h, j, l; and w, k, qu, x, and z. The activities do not intentionally sequence the letters for alphabet knowledge and letter-sound correspondence instruction. The first set contains letters with similar features, b and p, which is visually confusing for students. The third set of letters contains letters with similar auditory features, k and qu, which is also confusing for students. The units and lessons in the program cover phonological awareness, the ability to hear and manipulate sounds in words, and not letter names and sounds, or phoneme-grapheme correspondence.