The Writing Road to Reading – 2nd Grade

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 Writing Road to Reading “Purpose & Use Guidance for Texas Educators” document explains that the supplemental program is designed to strengthen foundational literacy skills for students in grades K–3. For example, it states that it may be implemented with any core English Language Arts (ELAR) program to strengthen foundational literacy instruction. The materials in this program are intended to be used alongside the core instructional program and can be integrated without interrupting any existing scope and sequence.

The program materials also state that it provides remediation, acceleration, and additional instructional support to meet students’ varying needs. The “Purpose & Use Guidance for Texas Educators” document explains that the materials are designed to provide additional instruction and practice in grade-level reading and writing skills for grade K–3 students. The program explains that the materials are aligned with the TEKS and are intended to support both intervention and enrichment opportunities for students. The program also supports both remediation and acceleration within foundational literacy skills aligned to the TEKS.

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.

The Spalding Education International “Purpose & Use Guidance for Texas Educators” document explains how the program functions alongside a Texas Education Agency (TEA)–approved core ELAR program to strengthen foundational literacy instruction. The guidance directs educators to use Spalding routines to reinforce phonemic awareness, phonics, encoding, decoding, handwriting, spelling, and vocabulary introduced within or alongside the core curriculum.

The “Use Within a Core ELAR Program” section identifies implementation options, including teaching Spalding lessons during a foundational skills block and providing targeted small-group instruction based on classroom assessment. Educators are directed to adjust instructional time according to student mastery while maintaining the district’s core ELAR pacing. These recommendations support the integration of supplemental instruction to address identified skill gaps while maintaining alignment with the core program’s sequence and expectations.

The updated “Purpose & Use Guidance for Texas Educators” directs educators to use Spalding routines to reinforce skills introduced within or alongside the core curriculum. The guidance identifies instruction in a foundational skills block and targeted small-group reinforcement based on classroom assessment. The same guidance directs educators to adjust instructional time based on student mastery while maintaining the district’s core ELAR pacing. These directions explain how supplemental instruction can address identified needs alongside the existing core program.

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 Second Grade Teacher’s Guide provides a scope and sequence outlining student expectations and the skills to be taught over the course of the year. The scope and sequence assists educators with pacing and instructional planning and is divided into two parts: “Scope and Sequence Part 1: Program Objectives” and “Scope and Sequence Part 2: Lesson Objectives.”

In the Second Grade Teacher’s Guide, “Scope and Sequence Part 1: Program Objectives” outlines the student expectations taught within the program and identifies the related instructional skills addressed throughout the lessons. This guidance establishes a coding system that indicates the instructional level to which grade-level skills should be taught and assessed, such as “I/P: Introduce/Practice, P: Practice, M: Mastery, R: Review/Reinforce, and C: Challenge.” The guidance also defines each instructional level for additional clarity by directing the educator to “review to reinforce: 1) previously introduced content and 2) application of skills to new, grade-appropriate content.”

The Writing Road to Reading outlines a rationale for the design of its overall scope and sequence. Chapter one, for example, articulates that design through the “Spalding’s Language Arts Circle” and contains three additional sections noting what educators should focus on when teaching spelling, reading, and writing.

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

The Spalding Education International “Purpose & Use Guidance for Texas Educators,” available in the Spalding Resource Center (SRC), provides time requirements and suggested pacing across three implementation tiers. Tier 1 supplemental reinforcement includes up to 45 minutes daily within a foundational skills block. Tier 2 targeted support includes 20–30 minutes of small-group instruction three to five times weekly. Tier 3 intensive support includes 30 minutes daily with individualized or very small group instruction.

The “Purpose & Use Guidance for Texas Educators” provides durations and frequency for supplemental instruction. Oral and written phonogram review, spelling dictation, and word analysis are scheduled daily. Tier 2 support is recommended for 20–30 minutes, three to five times weekly, with weekly progress monitoring as needed.

For Tier 3 support, the guidance recommends daily individualized or very small group instruction. Pacing is determined by ongoing diagnostic assessment. Educators provide additional guided practice and cumulative review until students demonstrate sufficient mastery to progress to new instruction. The guidance also directs educators to consult the weekly Skills Trace, Scope and Sequence, and Daily/Weekly Lesson Objectives.

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

The “Purpose & Use Guidance for Texas Educators” outlines the program’s comprehensive set of resources to help educators implement the materials as designed. The document notes the defined objective of each component, with the Second Grade Teacher’s Guide explaining the “structured lesson procedures.” The guidance goes on to state that these components work to “promote instructional consistency across grade levels and tiers” to support educators in responding to students’ individual needs.

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide features implementation support, outlining the specific educator and student behaviors expected throughout the lesson. The delivery section describes three educator behaviors: modeling, coaching, and scaffolding and fading. It also outlines three student behaviors: articulation, reflection, and exploration. The materials explain the expected educator and student behaviors in detail and include strategies and procedures for educators to follow, noting that the “use of the Spalding methodology makes this progression easier for students.”

Evaluation for 1.1f
Materials contain supports for families in both Spanish and English with suggestions on supporting the progress of their student.

The Spalding Resource Center (SRC) features a variety of resources in both Spanish and English to support families. These documents provide families with background information on the Spalding instructional approach as well as guidance on how to best support their students’ progress.The materials include a program overview, as well as activities and routines that align with the instructional program, such as “encouraging your child to explain why a word is spelled a certain way.”

The Spanish version of the “Parent’s Guide to Learning with Spalding” provides equivalent family-facing resources in Spanish, ensuring accessibility for Spanish-speaking families and supporting home-to-school connections. The Spanish guide also includes recommendations for activities that families can use to support their child’s literacy growth and reinforce the development of program skills at home.

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 “Grades K–3 Supplemental Program” resource document “Assessment and Progress Monitoring Guidance” explains how diagnostic and progress-monitoring assessments are used to identify students’ mastery of foundational literacy skills and support educators’ instructional decisions. Designed to serve as diagnostics and progress-monitors, the tools include various placement assessments, decoding assessments, daily and weekly formative assessments, and other progress tracking tools.

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide includes appropriate instructional assessments designed to support the supplemental program’s stated purpose through additional instruction, targeted intervention, and progress monitoring. The materials include spelling, reading, and writing assessments that help educators identify students’ skill levels, monitor growth, and adjust instruction for remediation or acceleration. The guide also provides explanations and rationales for the use of diagnostic, informal, formative, and summative assessments aligned to the lessons and literacy skills taught throughout the program. For instance, the reading assessments include a “Fluent and Expressive Reading Checklist” that supports the measure of reading fluency.

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

The “Assessment and Progress Monitoring Guidance” includes definitions and an overview of the intended purpose of the instructional assessments. The guidance states that instructional assessments are intended to monitor mastery of foundational literacy skills and to inform instructional decisions within supplemental implementation. The assessments are designed to identify specific skill needs in phonemic awareness, phonogram knowledge, decoding, encoding, spelling, and fluency. They also monitor growth over time and support instructional planning in conjunction with a core ELAR program.

Additionally, the Second Grade Teacher’s Guide includes the “Second Grade Assessing Skills Mastery” section, which provides an overview of the assessments for each program, spelling, writing, and reading, and explains their intended purposes. For example, the guidance for the spelling assessments states, “The Spalding Spelling Assessments consist of eight standardized, 50-word tests of equal difficulty [...] used to determine monthly progress as well as to provide one source of data by which teachers may refine instruction at the classroom and individual levels.”

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

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide includes guidance and instructional procedures to support the consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments. The “Second Grade Assessing Skills Mastery” section provides assessment routines and daily lesson procedures, which include step-by-step directions for administering spelling, dictation, phonogram, reading, and comprehension assessments. The guide includes educator scripts, correction procedures, and clearly defined routines to help ensure assessments are administered consistently across instructional settings. Additionally, the materials provide examples of educator and student actions and responsibilities during assessment administration to support reliable implementation.

The “Assessment Checklists, Forms, & Analyses” folder features a variety of assessment forms and tools to support the consistent and accurate administration of instructional assessments. For instance, the “Spelling Assistance Forms” include a scoring guide, a data analysis guide, and a variety of other standard assessment tools.

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

The “Second Grade Assessing Skills Mastery” includes both informal and formal assessments focused on foundational literacy skills, such as observing a student’s daily progress and measuring skill attainment through monthly or weekly progress assessments. For instance, the monthly Written Phonogram Assessments track students’ progress by requiring them to listen to the educator say a phonogram and then write the phonogram on an assessment form. The assessment measures “letter formation and accurate and automatic spelling of phonograms” through weekly or monthly progress checks.

Additionally, the “Fluent and Expressive Reading” assessment tools include assessment passages and fluency tasks that evaluate students’ fluency development through progressively complex literacy activities. The assessment sections include phonogram recognition, word decoding, spelling, and advanced word analysis activities that support the development of reading accuracy, automaticity, and fluency. The assessments are designed to increase in complexity from foundational sound–symbol recognition to advanced decoding and spelling application tasks, providing educators with opportunities to monitor student growth across multiple literacy domains and adjust instruction to meet individual student needs.

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

The “Second Grade Assessing Skills Mastery” section includes scoring information and directions for evaluating student mastery of spelling, reading, and writing skills. For example, the “Sentence/Paragraph Construction” assessment uses the “Sentence Writing Checklist” and directs educators to place an M beside each objective mastered. The “Assessment Checklists, Forms, & Analyses” resources include scoring guides, data analysis tools, and assessment forms to support identification of student strengths and instructional needs.

The “Interpreting Spalding Spelling Assessment Results: Instructional Decision Guide” explains how educators interpret assessment performance and select instructional responses. Strong mastery supports moving to the next Word List section while maintaining cumulative review. Partial mastery indicates a need for additional guided practice before introducing further sections. The guide also connects specific error patterns to instructional priorities. For example, errors in words containing ee and ea prompt review of vowel-team phonograms, targeted spelling practice, reinforcement of applicable rules, and monitoring during the next monthly assessment.

The “Interpreting Spalding Spelling Assessment Results: Instructional Decision Guide” explains how to interpret strong mastery, partial mastery, and difficulty across multiple words. Strong mastery supports moving to the next Word List section with cumulative review. Partial mastery calls for additional guided practice before introducing further sections. Section 3 links assessment error patterns to instructional priorities. For example, errors in words containing ee and ea prompt review of vowel-team phonograms, spelling practice with those patterns, reinforcement of applicable rules, and monitoring at the next monthly assessment. Sections 4–5 connect the interpretation to differentiation and instructional placement.

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

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide includes guidance for interpreting assessment data and using student performance results to inform targeted instructional planning and intervention. The materials support educators in analyzing assessment outcomes to identify student strengths, skill gaps, and areas requiring additional reinforcement. Through spelling, reading, dictation, and writing assessments, educators can monitor student mastery and make instructional adjustments to support differentiated learning needs. The guidance encourages the use of assessment data as an ongoing tool for instructional decision-making to improve student literacy development over time.

In addition, the Second Grade Teacher’s Guide provides guidance for using assessment results to address trends in student performance and determine the appropriate next steps for instruction. The materials recommend assessment procedures to help educators adjust reading, spelling, and writing instruction based on students’ mastery levels and performance patterns. The evaluation section specifically outlines how educators should respond when the majority of the class demonstrates difficulty with a skill by incorporating reteaching and additional practice opportunities into whole-group instruction. The materials also direct educators to address the needs of smaller groups of students who require targeted intervention by including additional supports during small-group instruction or individualized practice. The overall guidance empowers educators to use assessment data to differentiate instruction, provide timely remediation, and reinforce skill development based on student needs.

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

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide provides educators with progress-monitoring tools to systematically track student progress and academic growth. The materials include assessment records, instructional tracking tools, and progress-monitoring supports that help educators monitor student mastery of literacy skills over time. For example, educators can access tracking tools for spelling, comprehension, and writing through the “Spalding Spelling Assessment Class Progress Report,” “Comprehension Assessment Class Progress Report,” and “Sentence Writing Checklist.”

Additionally, the Oral Reading Fluency Assessment and Practice Manual includes tools for both educators and students to track progress and growth in oral reading fluency. The materials provide tracking forms, fluency recording tools, and progress-monitoring resources that support the collection and analysis of Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM) data. The tools help educators monitor student performance over time, identify growth trends, and make informed instructional decisions, while also allowing students to observe and reflect on their own fluency development. The inclusion of both educator and student tracking forms supports ongoing progress monitoring and promotes student ownership of learning.

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

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

Evaluation for 3.1a
If applicable for the stated purpose, materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction and activities for students who have not yet reached proficiency in grade-level skills.

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide provides educator guidance for differentiated instruction and activities for students who have not yet acquired proficiency in grade-level skills. The guidance emphasizes structured repetition, ongoing review of phonograms, high-utility spelling patterns, and spelling generalizations to achieve mastery. More specifically, the “Scope and Sequence” sections provide educators with suggestions for differentiated instruction and targeted activities for students who have not yet demonstrated proficiency with grade-level skills.

In addition, the Second Grade Teacher’s Guide features guidance for responding to student performance using assessment data, flexible grouping, additional practice opportunities, and differentiated instruction. The materials direct educators to evaluate student performance and adjust instruction using whole-group, small-group, and individual instructional formats to address varying levels of student need. For example, the “Analyzing Knowledge and Word Structure” guidance includes a list of skills to reteach and advises educators to provide flexible, small-group instruction for students who struggle with understanding word structure.

Evaluation for 3.1b
If applicable for the stated purpose, materials include educator guidance for differentiated instruction and activities for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level skills.

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide directs educators to promote four general strategies for expanding student learning when planning independent assignments. Educators are instructed to expand the day’s lesson objective to the next level of difficulty; integrate spelling, writing, reading, science, or social studies content within the lesson objective; encourage reflection; and encourage exploration aligned to the lesson objective. The recommendations are intended to support varied student learning needs and provide opportunities for acceleration and enrichment based on student performance.

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide also includes educator instructions for students who have demonstrated proficiency in grade-level skills through the use of independent assignments and activities. For example, the lesson guidance provides educators with independent assignments and activities for students who have mastered phonogram sounds and letter formation, such as opportunities to “manipulate first and last sounds of words to create new words.”

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

The “Guidance for Specially Designed Instruction (SDI)” document provides general recommendations for adapting the tier one program to support students receiving special education services. The document describes broad instructional practices, such as adjusting pacing, increasing guided practice, providing additional modeling, using small-group instruction, modifying lesson delivery, and incorporating intervention resources. It also explains that the Spalding Method’s systematic, cumulative, and diagnostic approach may allow educators to intensify instruction and adjust instructional groupings to address student needs and align with Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals.

The “Educator Guidance for Specially Designed Instruction (SDI)” document provides educator guidance for supporting students receiving special education supports and services. The guidance identifies specific disabilities and provides instructional strategies for adapting instruction to address students’ learning needs.

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 Second Grade Teacher’s Guide provides explicit prompts and structured directions to help educators model and explain targeted literacy skills. For example, the “Spelling Instructional Strategies and Procedures” section provides detailed, step-by-step guidance for teaching phonogram skills. This includes sample educator language, corrective feedback routines, knowledge-and-application questions, and procedures for checking students’ understanding. Educators are explicitly guided on how to respond to student errors, explain phonogram rules, model application of skills, and monitor mastery.

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide also provides explicit prompts and structured guidance to help educators model and explain targeted literacy skills. For example, the “Reading Instructional Strategies and Procedures” section includes detailed, step-by-step guidance for teaching and developing fluent and expressive reading through explicit instructional strategies and procedures.

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

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide includes educator guidance and recommendations for effective delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional approaches. The lessons incorporate explicit modeling, guided and independent practice, oral language development, encoding and decoding activities, and ongoing progress monitoring. In addition, the lessons feature detailed educator actions, modeling procedures, guided practice routines, monitoring strategies, corrective feedback, and clearly defined expectations for student responses. The structured procedures outline step-by-step actions for educators and students, including modeling, dictation, guided application, accuracy checks, and independent practice.

The SRC resources include additional guidance to provide educators with recommendations for effective delivery and facilitation using a variety of instructional approaches. For example, the “Educator Guidance: Supports for All Learners” document identifies multiple instructional approaches and delivery structures, including oral language practice, guided dictation, written encoding, decoding practice, individual assessment, and flexible grouping. The materials also reference implementation across whole-group, small-group, and individualized settings, ensuring that educators have a range of strategies to support diverse learners.

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

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide provides direct recommendations for educators on the best structures to support effective implementation. Instructional delivery focuses on three specific educator behaviors to support fading: modeling, coaching, and scaffolding. The guidance recommends that educators begin instruction in a whole-group setting to introduce and model new concepts. Second, educators move to coaching with targeted small-group instruction. Finally, educators continue to individualized tasks with scaffolding with the intention to support fading based on student performance data. The materials note that “when the majority of children can accurately perform and independently apply all or part of a skill, teachers fade (withdraw support).”

The SRC resources provide additional guidance for educators regarding recommended structures. The “Differentiating Instruction to Meet the Needs of All Students” document outlines the use of flexible grouping informed by assessment data and observations. Educators are instructed to provide reteaching, preteaching, intervention, or enrichment through small-group instruction in response to specific learning needs. Additionally, the Spalding Intervention lesson plan resource booklets for levels 1–3 feature “Phonemic Awareness,” “Systematic Phonics,” and “High Frequency” sections with targeted activities for students still working on achieving mastery, further supporting differentiated small-group instruction in the process. The “Support for All Learners” document recommends additional structures for independent practice and individualized support throughout the lesson cycle. The embedded guidance empowers educators to adjust instructional intensity to provide additional practice or extension based on individual student needs.

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 “Sample Linguistic Accommodations Chart” provides educator guidance organized by language proficiency level. Examples include repeated exposure to phonograms and vocabulary, oral rehearsal before dictation and writing, sentence stems, multisentence explanations, and increasingly precise content-area vocabulary. These examples provide differentiated linguistic accommodations for students with varying levels of English proficiency.

The “Guidance for Bilingual and ESL Programs” includes implementation directions by program model and sample lessons incorporating linguistic accommodations. However, grade 2 instructional routines and lesson activities do not consistently include educator directions for extending supported responses into increasingly complex explanations using academic vocabulary.

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 “Guidance for Bilingual and ESL Programs” provides implementation directions organized by program model. The “Implementation Within Bilingual Program Contexts” section directs educators to use Spalding to support English literacy development while respecting the partner language of instruction. The resource also addresses integrating linguistic accommodations into daily instruction and provides sample lessons across bilingual and ESL program contexts. The accompanying “Sample Linguistic Accommodations” resource includes examples within a daily Spalding lesson. Together, these resources provide actionable guidance for implementing the materials within bilingual and ESL programs.

The accompanying “Sample Linguistic Accommodations” resource provides examples of incorporating language supports within a daily Spalding lesson. Educators receive guidance for using oral rehearsal, vocabulary clarification, modeling, and repetition within instructional routines. Together, these resources provide actionable implementation guidance to support educators in using the materials within state-approved bilingual and ESL programs.

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.

While the Second Grade Teacher’s Guide provides explicit instruction on prefixes, suffixes, base words, and derived words, the morphology instruction extends beyond the grade-level TEKS by including prefixes and suffixes that are not identified in the grade 2 TEKS 2.3(C). Additionally, the materials do not distinguish between grade-level expectations and additional content.

The “Procedure for Teaching Word Analysis” resource provides explicit instruction on base words, roots, prefixes, suffixes, and syllable types. However, the educator-facing guidance does not identify which morphemes align to the grade 2 TEKS, leaving educators to determine which instructional content is appropriate for grade-level instruction independently.

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

The “Phonological and Phonemic Awareness Pacing Guide” includes a sequence of phonemic awareness skills. However, the scope and sequence introduces multiple phonemic awareness skills concurrently, including segmenting, counting, blending, adding, substituting, and deleting sounds, rather than progressing from basic skills to more complex phonemic awareness skills.

The submitted guidance includes activities addressing long and short vowel sounds and adding, deleting, and substituting phonemes. However, the materials do not clearly establish how these activities fit within a systematic progression from basic to more complex 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.

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide includes direct instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS. The planning section provides “Phonemic Awareness Instructional Strategies” for educators to follow when modeling how to segment, count, or blend sounds for students. The guidance includes statements beginning with “The teacher will…” followed by explicit directions for explaining, modeling, and guided practice.

Additionally, the “Phonological and Phonemic Awareness Pacing Guide” features detailed sample scripts and notes for educators that accompany each lesson to ensure appropriate delivery. This explicit guidance supports educators in modeling, coaching, and providing students with independent practice for word analysis.

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

The “Phonological and Phonemic Awareness Pacing Guide” provides cumulative practice in phonological and phonemic awareness skills. Across the six-week sequence, students practice segmenting, counting, and blending sounds before progressing to adding, deleting, and substituting sounds and word chaining. These activities integrate previously practiced skills into increasingly complex phoneme-manipulation tasks.

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide’s “Spelling Grade-Level Objectives” reinforces segmenting spoken words into sounds and syllables, counting sounds, and blending spoken sounds. Continued practice of foundational skills supports cumulative review as students apply those skills to more complex phonemic awareness tasks. A skill’s introduction or expected mastery in an earlier grade does not preclude its continued cumulative practice.

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

The “Phonological and Phonemic Awareness Pacing Guide” provides student practice and activities that require application of only the phonemic awareness skills that have been explicitly taught within the lesson. For example, Academic Week 1 guides educators in providing students with direct instruction and modeling of segmenting, counting, and blending sounds before having students complete guided and independent practice using those same skills. Students are also explicitly taught to identify beginning and ending sounds through educator explanation and modeled examples prior to independently identifying them in spoken words. As a result, student practice remains aligned to the skills introduced in the lesson and does not require them to apply untaught phonemic awareness skills.

Additionally, the “Integrated Language Arts Lesson Objectives” in the planning section include a phonemic awareness component in each academic week that features practice routines and activities that emphasize the skills explicitly taught in daily instruction.

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

The Writing Road to Reading program includes a systematic sequence for introducing sound–spelling patterns as relevant to the program’s own stated purpose. The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide presents 70 phonograms in a designated order of instruction, with guidance identifying when each phonogram is to be introduced for spelling and word study. The guide provides a phonogram table outlining the order of instruction for each phonogram, including sounds, sample words, and instructional tips. Though the program provides this guidance, the sequence does not align with the grade 2 sound–spelling patterns outlined in the grade-level TEKS.

The Spalding Reading Foundations Participant Workbook reinforces the program’s progression by introducing and reviewing phonograms in a structured order. Lessons build on previously taught sound–spelling relationships and provide repeated opportunities for students to apply and strengthen their understanding of phonograms and spelling patterns. Similarly, the Second Grade Teacher’s Guide follows the sequence, introducing one new phonogram at a time while continuously reviewing and reinforcing previously taught phonograms. Again, although the program provides explicit guidance, the sequence does not align with the grade 2 sound–spelling patterns outlined in the grade-level TEKS.

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.

The “Build, Sort, and Spell Open-Syllable Words” lesson provides explicit instruction in encoding words using sound–spelling patterns. In the educator modeling section, the educator segments paper into pa-per, builds the word with letter tiles, identifies the first syllable as open because it ends with a vowel, and writes the completed word. The lesson includes educator explanations and modeling before guided and independent practice.

The “Long or Short Vowel Sort” activity provides explicit instruction in identifying vowel sounds orally. The educator explains long and short vowel sounds and models listening for the vowel sound in spoken words. The directions specify that students do not need to look at the spelling. This activity addresses oral vowel discrimination rather than explicit instruction in decoding printed words.

The “Build, Sort, and Spell Open-Syllable Words” lesson includes opportunities for students to read words they build and write. However, the educator modeling focuses on segmenting spoken words, selecting letters, building words, and writing them. The lesson does not provide a separate explanation or model demonstrating how to examine an unfamiliar printed word, apply its sound–spelling patterns, and blend the sounds or syllables to decode it.

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.

The materials do provide opportunities for students to practice decoding and encoding sound–spelling patterns in isolation. Students read phonograms, read and write words in their spelling/vocabulary notebook, and analyze pronunciation, syllable types, and phonogram rules in words. However, students are required to apply multiple phonograms, syllable types, and language rules within a single lesson and the lessons themselves do not provide sustained opportunities to practice a focused set of previously taught patterns toward automaticity. Furthermore, the grade 2 TEKS emphasize applying phonetic knowledge to decode and encode words with short, long, and variant vowels; blends and trigraphs; silent letters; and multisyllabic words containing closed, open, VCe, vowel team, r-controlled, and final stable syllables. While students revisit previously introduced patterns and engage in both reading and writing tasks, the lessons do not clearly demonstrate the kind of cumulative practice that systematically reinforces previously taught sound–spelling patterns over time.

The Spalding Reader Crosswalk connects opening phonogram review with specific readers and provides later assessment-based reader selection. However, these connections do not establish the complete cumulative practice aligned with grade-level TEKS required by this guidance.

The Reader Crosswalk provides connections between phonogram review and reader selection. However, the reviewed materials do not establish the complete cumulative decoding and encoding practice in decodable connected text required by this guidance.

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

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide provides student practice that includes only sound–spelling patterns that have been explicitly taught. Phonograms are introduced in specific order, with each lesson introducing one new phonogram while systematically reviewing and reinforcing previously taught sound–spelling patterns. This structured sequence ensures that students build on prior knowledge and repeatedly apply learned sound–spelling patterns over time. Educators provide instruction using scripted lessons that outline explicit guidance while students create spelling notebooks to document their learning. They then practice new skills as educators check for understanding through activities such as “Word Builder” and phonogram cards.

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide “Integrated Language Arts Lesson Objectives” section provides student practice for explicitly taught sound–spelling patterns. The materials articulate how students engage in practice through reading, spelling, analysis, and writing activities that incorporate previously introduced phonograms, spelling words, syllable patterns, and morphological elements. Students are provided opportunities to apply taught sound–spelling relationships during phonogram, phonics, and spelling instruction before independently using those patterns in reading and writing tasks. As a result, student practice is consistently grounded in explicitly taught sound–spelling correspondences, supporting mastery through systematic review, application, and reinforcement of previously learned skills.

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 Writing Road to Reading program does not include an introduction to regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list that aligns with the grade-level TEKS. For example, the “Spelling Scope and Sequence” in the “SD Overview” states that grade 2 instruction follows “Sections A-G through Section I (I/P).” The “Instructional Materials” include “Syllable Division Patterns” in the “Morphology” section that are addressed within the grade level but are not identified in state standards. The first guidance listed states, “In a consonant + le pattern (c+le), the word is divided before the consonant plus le. little (A-G) apple (H).” The materials do not provide a systematic sequence for introducing regular and irregular words during direct instruction. The materials introduce words from different sound patterns and word families without a clear, logical progression.

In grade 2, materials lack a systematic sequence for introducing regular and irregular high-frequency words from a research-based list in alignment with the grade-level TEKS. The Spalding “Spelling/Vocabulary Word List” consists of over 2,300 words, including the Ayres High-Frequency Word List, a research-based source of high-frequency words. While the words are listed by order of instruction, regular and irregular words are mixed within a weekly unit, words are arranged in a varying order of complexity, and word lists do not differentiate between regular and irregular words. For example, the Second Grade Teacher’s Guide uses the words became and weak during a weekly lesson. Out of the 30 words on the list, 19 were regular high-frequency words and 11 were irregular high-frequency words. Twelve words had noted rules to follow and there were seven different rules. Additionally, the rule section was left blank for the remaining 18 words.

The materials do demonstrate a systematic schedule for introducing and reviewing high-frequency vocabulary across the instructional year. The “Spelling Skills Trace” identifies dedicated instructional windows for “Spelling Dictation of High-Frequency Vocabulary” and organizes instruction into sequential sections of A–G, H, and I, as distributed across multiple weeks rather than presenting words in isolation. The trace does not, however, identify which words are included in each section, distinguish regular and irregular high-frequency words, or provide evidence that the sequence is determined by grade-level appropriateness or frequency order. Therefore, while the materials provide evidence of a systematic schedule for word introduction, the evidence does not show that regular and irregular high-frequency words are introduced from a research-based, grade-appropriate list consistent with the grade-level TEKS.

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

The materials include a sample spelling dictation dialogue that features educator-led instruction for decoding and encoding words through educator modeling, explanation, and guided student practice. In the example, the educator says the word in normal speech, uses it in a sentence, segments and pronounces each sound precisely, explains phonogram selection, and models how to mark the word according to the spelling rule. Students then repeat sounds, observe the modeled process, write the word, apply marking procedures, and read the completed word. While this routine does demonstrate direct explanation and modeling for both reading and spelling, the materials identify this dialogue as a sample lesson provided for grade K–1 students, stating that the basic procedure is the same for students of any age. Consequently, grade-level-specific direct instruction is not provided for decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words in alignment with the grade-level TEKS.

In The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide “High-Frequency Vocabulary” section, educators are given directions to model new learning, check for understanding, and coach the students’ attempt at a task during certain parts of the lesson. For example, in the lesson containing the word list for “monkey-chain,” educators guide as students read (segment), write, and blend all words in spelling/vocabulary notebooks. Additionally, educators use M/CK/C as they explain syllabication, pronunciation, spelling, markings, and rules while students learn, analyze, and apply knowledge to lesson selected words. Although parts of the M/CK/C method appear throughout the lesson cycle, no direct instruction is given for decoding or encoding the regular and irregular high-frequency words. Furthermore, the provided word list is not solely composed of high-frequency words; words such as monkey, pencil, thunder, vein, and capture appear on the weekly list as well and are not considered high-frequency words. High-frequency words on the list do not have information pertaining to being regular or irregular.

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 include cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words in isolation through Spelling Dictation, Read for Spelling, and Read for Reading. These routines use the “Spalding Spelling/Vocabulary Word List” and provide repeated opportunities to read and spell previously taught words alongside newly introduced words, supporting automaticity.

The materials provide connected texts and recommended literature selections for reading and fluency practice. However, the materials do not include cumulative decoding and encoding practice with previously taught regular and irregular high-frequency words in decodable connected text. The accompanying phonogram-frequency information identifies phonogram occurrences rather than cumulative practice with previously taught high-frequency words.

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

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide features student practice that includes only regular and irregular sound–spelling patterns that have been explicitly taught. Phonograms are introduced in a specific order with each lesson introducing one new phonogram while systematically reviewing and reinforcing previously taught sound–spelling patterns. This structured sequence ensures that students build on prior knowledge and repeatedly apply learned sound–spelling patterns over time. Educators provide instruction using scripted lessons that outline explicit guidance. Students create spelling notebooks to document their learning of sound–spelling patterns, then practice new learning as educators check for understanding through activities such as word builder and phonogram cards.

The “Integrated Language Arts Lesson Objectives: Daily Lessons” section in the Second Grade Teacher’s Guide provides student practice that includes only regular and irregular sound–spelling patterns explicitly taught. This section articulates how students engage in student practice through reading, spelling, analysis, and writing activities that incorporate previously introduced phonograms, spelling words, syllable patterns, and morphological elements. Students are provided opportunities to apply taught sound–spelling relationships during phonogram, phonics, and spelling instruction before independently using those patterns in reading and writing tasks. As a result, student practice is consistently grounded in explicitly taught sound–spelling correspondences, supporting mastery through systematic review, application, and reinforcement of previously learned skills.

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

The “Second Grade Pacing Guide” outlines a program-specific systematic sequence for teaching syllable division patterns. For example, vowel-vowel (VV) patterns are introduced in Week 13, after simpler syllable division patterns such as VCCV and VCCCV. However, decoding words using knowledge of suffixes is introduced in Week 15, reflecting misalignment with grade-level decoding and encoding expectations.


The program materials do not include a systematic sequence for introducing syllable types and principles of syllable division aligned with the grade-level TEKS. The “Syllable Division Pacing Guide” names only four syllable types, which are open syllable, closed syllable, silent final e syllable, and consonant + le syllable. From there, the guide refers to twelve syllable patterns, which explain the principles of syllable division. The guide does not explicitly name the remaining grade-level syllable types using TEKS-aligned language, such as vowel teams and r-controlled syllables, which are required for grade 1. For example, words such as street and over are classified as closed syllables, which is inconsistent with the TEKS expectations. Street is not typically classified as a closed syllable. It is a one-syllable word containing the vowel team ee (pronounced /ē/). The syllable ends with consonants (t), but the vowel sound is long because of the vowel team, not because it is a closed syllable. Therefore, it is better classified as a vowel team syllable. Over has two syllables: /o/ = open syllable and /ver/ = r-controlled syllable. Because the vowel is followed by r, changing its sound, it is better classified as an open + r-controlled syllable.

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.

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide includes direct instruction in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words. The “Integrated Language Arts Lesson Objectives” provide explicit instruction in phonograms, word analysis, syllable types, syllable division patterns, and the decoding and encoding of one-syllable and multisyllabic words. The “Spelling Instructional Strategies and Procedures” guide educators to introduce spelling and syllable division rules, model application of the skill, provide guided practice, and then move students toward independent application. Additionally, the “Word Analysis Instructional Strategies” routine features explicit direction for teaching syllable types, syllable division patterns, and spelling dictation routines that support word analysis and the reading and writing of increasingly complex words.

Although the program provides direct instruction, the syllable types and word analysis categories do not align with the way decoding and encoding skills are defined within the grade-level TEKS. For example, the Spalding framework combines vowel teams, digraphs, diphthongs, and r-controlled vowels into a single instructional category, whereas the TEKS identify and address these concepts as distinct decoding and encoding skills. As a result, the materials do not clearly demonstrate alignment with the specific TEKS expectations related to decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words. Because the instructional sequence, terminology, and skill categorization are based on the Spalding approach rather than TEKS-specific progressions, it is difficult to determine whether all grade-level foundational language standards are addressed with the specificity required by the TEKS.

To highlight the discrepancy further, it is critical to note that the sequence contradicts the academic language within the grade-level TEKS for both decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words. It is difficult to confirm grade-level alignment when there is a discrepancy in the language. For instance, The Writing Road to Reading states that there are four syllable types but does not identify and explicitly name vowel teams (including vowel digraphs and diphthongs) or r-controlled syllables as required by the TEKS. For example, the word street is not typically classified as a closed syllable. It is a one-syllable word containing the vowel team /ee/. The syllable ends with a consonant (t) but the vowel sound is long because of the vowel team, not because it is a closed syllable. The word over has two syllables: /o/ = open syllable, /ver/ = r-controlled syllable. Though the materials do provide explicit instruction, the score is not earned since the material does not align with the grade-level TEKS.

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

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide provides cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words in isolation. Students engage in reading, spelling, and word-analysis activities each academic week for one-syllable and multisyllable words introduced in previous weeks. As noted in the “Integrated Language Arts Lesson Objectives,” students practice with specific words from the spelling word list and regularly revisit previously taught one-syllable and multisyllable words through spelling dictation routines. Though the program provides this student practice, the spelling objectives do not align with the grade-level TEKS.

The program materials provide ongoing practice with isolated words, however, the program does not provide practice with decodable connected texts that explicitly target one-syllable and multisyllable words that have been explicitly taught and in a cumulative manner. Leveled readers from series one, Book 17, through series two, Book 24, state that students will “practice a variety of single and multiletter phonograms from Books 1–16” but do not identify the specific phonograms, syllable types, or high-frequency words included, nor do they connect the text to specific phonics lessons. Many of the level readers include a phonogram chart but it does not include guidance that aligns it with the skills trace documents or any specific lessons. The educator has to determine the connections independently. The lack of overt supports implies that the connected texts cannot provide cumulative practice with explicitly taught grade-level syllable types to encourage automaticity.

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

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide provides student practice that includes only syllable types and syllable division principles that have been explicitly taught. Students engage in reading, spelling, and word analysis activities only after the targeted syllable type or syllable division pattern that has been introduced or reviewed across each academic week. As noted in the “Integrated Language Arts Lesson Objectives,” for example, students will practice closed-syllable words after receiving explicit instruction on the closed syllable type during a particular stage of the instructional sequence. Additionally, students regularly revisit previously taught syllable types and division principles through spelling dictation routines.

The SRC resources provide students with practice activities and routines that include only syllable types and syllable division principles that have been explicitly taught. The “Second Grade Weekly Word Analysis Syllabication Objectives” introduce new syllable types and divisions using previously taught words. For example, Academic Week 5 introduces the silent final-e syllable type using words from academic weeks 1–4. Students then use the spelling dictation routine to practice these words along with new words from the spelling word list.

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

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide includes a systematic sequence for introducing morphemes in its planning section. This progression identifies when morphology skills are introduced, practiced, reviewed, reinforced, mastered, and extended. The “Recommended Grade-Level Morphology Progression” provides a grade-specific sequence that supports educators in introducing morphemes in alignment with grade 2 TEKS as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose.

The Second Grade Reading Foundations Supplemental Teacher’s Guide organizes morphology instruction by week and revisits prefixes and suffixes throughout the instructional year. The sequence includes repeated instruction and practice with inflectional endings and affixes, including -er, -ing, and re-. The grade-level progression complements this instructional sequence by identifying the morphological skills designated for grade 2, supporting systematic introduction and continued review of grade-level skills.

The updated morphology guidance includes a “Recommended Grade-Level Morphology Progression” on page 3. This resource identifies a grade-level progression for introducing morphological skills and provides educators with a planned sequence for instruction. The grade 2 progression supports introducing morphemes in alignment with grade-level expectations as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose.

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

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide includes explicit instruction on morphological skills through educator explanations and modeling of prefixes and suffixes. The morphology resource strengthens this guidance through “Part 4: Grade-Level Explicit Instruction Examples,” which includes grade 2 examples demonstrating how educators introduce and explain morphological skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose.

The “Procedure for Teaching Word Analysis” provides educator-facing explanations of morphological concepts to support direct instruction. The grade 2 instructional examples on page 7 complement these procedures by demonstrating how educators explicitly teach prefixes and suffixes and explain their effect on word meaning. Together, these resources support explicit instruction in grade-level morphological skills.

The updated morphology resource includes grade 2 instructional guidance on page 7 in “Part 4: Grade-Level Explicit Instruction Examples.” This section provides educator-facing explanations and modeling for teaching morphological skills, including prefixes and suffixes. The examples demonstrate how educators can explicitly introduce and explain these skills within grade 2 instruction, supporting alignment with grade-level expectations as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose.

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

The SRC level two resource “Word Builder” cards include cumulative student practice of morphological skills in isolation. The materials require students to apply prefixes and suffixes to base words to form and analyze derived words while reading, spelling, and stating the associated affix rules. New “Word Builder” cards are introduced as morphology concepts are taught, allowing students to build automaticity through repeated application of previously learned affixes. Additionally, students have opportunities to apply morphological knowledge in oral and written sentences, reinforcing vocabulary development and word analysis at the sentence level.

The SRC resource “Word Fluency for Series 2 Leveled Readers” includes cumulative student practice of morphological skills in alignment with the grade-level TEKS in isolation. The resource provides word lists that correspond to the series two Leveled Readers and supports the development of fluency and automaticity with previously taught words.

The “Morphology Instruction and Cumulative Practice Guide: Grades 1–5” provides explicit guidance for cumulative student practice of grade-level morphological skills in both isolation and connected text. The “Cumulative Morphology Practice for Automaticity” section directs educators to retain previously taught morphemes in later practice as new morphemes are introduced and identifies specific Spalding lessons and activities for cumulative practice, including: “Word Builder” cards, spelling/vocabulary word lists, word analysis, spelling dictation, spelling/vocabulary notebooks, oral word-building activities, and written sentence application.

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

The Second Grade Teacher’s Guide emphasizes student practice that features only morphemes that have been explicitly taught through structured “Word Builder” and other morphology activities. In Academic Week 11, the “Sentence Construction with Vocabulary Development” lesson directs educators to explicitly introduce and explain new morphemes before students apply them in word analysis, spelling, reading, and sentence construction activities. For example, students are explicitly taught the prefix re- and then apply their understanding by analyzing and forming derived words. Throughout the instructional sequence, students continue to practice previously taught prefixes and suffixes while new morphemes are introduced, providing cumulative reinforcement of morphological knowledge.

Additional SRC resources provide students with practice using previously taught morphemes. The “Word Analysis: Part 2 - Rule/Word Sort” activity includes a template where the educator targets words with morphemes and rules that students may still be struggling to learn after the spelling dictation activity. The students associate the rules with specific words to help them gain mastery.