The Writing Road to Reading – 3rd 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 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 to use the program alongside a TEA-approved core ELAR program to strengthen foundational literacy instruction without disrupting the core program’s scope and sequence. The guidance describes supplemental instructional routines and how to coordinate their use with core ELAR instruction.

Additionally, the “Purpose & Use Guidance for Texas Educators” provides suggested lesson components for tiered supplemental instruction. The guidance explains that students receiving tier 2 or tier 3 support continue participating in tier 1 core instruction. This helps educators provide additional foundational literacy instruction while maintaining students’ access to the existing core reading and language arts 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 Third Grade Teacher’s Guide provides a scope and sequence outlining student expectations and the skills to be taught. The scope and sequence assist educators with pacing and instructional planning and are divided into two parts: “Scope and Sequence Part 1: Program Objectives” and “Scope and Sequence Part 2: Lesson Objectives.”

In the Third Grade Teacher’s Guide, “Scope and Sequence Part 1: Program Objectives” describes the student expectations of the program and identifies the related instructional skills addressed throughout the lessons. The 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 an overall rationale for the general design of the scope and sequence of its program. Chapter 1, 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 for tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 implementation models. The guidance identifies instructional duration and suggested lesson components to support educators in planning supplemental instruction.

The implementation charts include suggested weekly lesson frequency, providing pacing guidance in addition to minutes per lesson. Educators can use these recommendations to plan how frequently supplemental instruction occurs and allocate instructional time across the identified lesson components.

The supplemental implementation guidance complements the planning resources in the Third Grade Teacher’s Guide and the SRC’s “Spalding Lesson Timing by Component.” Together, these resources provide direction for instructional duration, lesson frequency, and pacing appropriate to the program’s supplemental use.

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 for helping educators implement the materials as designed. The document notes the defined objective of each component, with the Third Grade Teacher’s Guide explaining the “structured lesson procedures.” The guidance explains that these components work to “promote instructional consistency across grade levels and tiers” to support educators in responding to students’ individual needs.

The Third Grade Teacher’s Guide includes implementation support, with the delivery section describing the specific educator and student behaviors expected throughout every lesson. Educators should be engaged in modeling, coaching, and scaffolding and fading; students should be engaged in 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 additional 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 the use of diagnostic and progress-monitoring assessments to identify students’ mastery of foundational literacy skills as a way of supporting 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 Third 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 lessons include spelling, reading, and writing assessments that help educators identify students’ skill levels, monitor their 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 an overview of the intended purpose of the instructional assessments. It 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.

The Third Grade Teacher’s Guide includes the “Third 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 Third Grade Teacher’s Guide includes instructional procedures to support the consistent and accurate administration of assessments. The “Third 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 that 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 SRC “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 “Third Grade Assessing Skills Mastery” section 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 checks. 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. Using the assessment, educators measure “letter formation and accurate and automatic spelling of phonograms” through weekly or monthly progress checks.

Additionally, the “Fluent and Expressive Reading” assessment tools feature 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 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 “Third Grade Assessing Skills Mastery” section provides scoring procedures and directions for evaluating student mastery of spelling, reading, and writing skills. For example, the “Sentence/Paragraph Construction” assessment uses the “Sentence Writing Checklist” to document mastered objectives. The “Interpreting Spalding Spelling Assessment Results” guidance complements these tools by explaining how educators interpret student performance and identify instructional needs.

On page 2, section 3, “Identifying Instructional Focus,” the guidance connects specific spelling errors to instructional responses. For example, when students misspell words containing ee and ea, educators are directed to reteach these vowel teams, provide spelling practice, and reinforce applicable spelling rules. Section 4 provides differentiation considerations based on assessment data. Together, these resources support educators in interpreting assessment results and selecting instruction that addresses identified student needs.

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

The Third 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 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 Third 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 student 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. Educators are also directed 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 Third 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 material provides 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. At the same time, students are afforded the agency 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 Third 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 Third 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 Third 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 Third 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.

In the SRC resources, the “Guidance for Specially Designed Instruction (SDI)” 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 supports SDI for students receiving special education supports and services. The guidance outlines specific disabilities and provides specific instructional strategies.

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 Third 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. The lessons include 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 Third 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 Third Grade Teacher’s Guide features guidance and recommendations for effective delivery and facilitation through 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 materials 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 includes additional recommendations to provide educators with resources for effective delivery and facilitation using different instructional approaches. For example, the “Educator Guidance: Supports for All Learners” document identifies multiple instructional methods 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 Third Grade Teacher’s Guide provides direct recommendations for educators regarding the best structures for 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.

The materials also include guidance for individual learning opportunities. The “Support for All Learners” document recommends structures for independent practice and individualized support throughout the lesson cycle. These supports allow educators to adjust instructional intensity and incorporate additional practice or extension based on individual student needs. The Writing Road to Reading program’s Teacher’s Guides further support individual instruction by directing educators in how to best use assessment data to monitor progress and adjust instruction accordingly.

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 “Educator Guidance for Linguistic Accommodations” provides differentiated supports organized by language proficiency level. Pages 2–3 describe how educators can pair oral directions with pictures, gestures, demonstrations, and realia to support students requiring substantial language scaffolding. These examples guide educators in making instructional content accessible according to students’ English proficiency.

The linguistic accommodations and bilingual/ESL implementation resources connect language supports to daily instruction through implementation guidance and scaffolded examples. Educators receive direction for selecting accommodations that address students’ language-acquisition needs and adjusting language demands as proficiency develops.

The guidance supports increasingly academic language through oral rehearsal, sentence stems, multisentence explanations, and precise content-area vocabulary. These supports provide structured opportunities for students to communicate their understanding through oral and written responses while developing greater independence.

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 “Educator Guidance for Implementation in Bilingual and ESL Programs” provides implementation directions for dual-language, transitional bilingual, ESL push-in, and ESL pull-out settings. The guidance identifies how educators coordinate Spalding instruction and language supports within these program models.

In the ESL push-in model, the classroom educator delivers the spelling lesson while the ESL educator preteaches vocabulary, provides language supports, checks understanding, and supports oral rehearsal. These directions explain how educators incorporate language-development supports into Spalding instruction.

Evaluation for 3.3c
If designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs, materials include resources that outline opportunities to address metalinguistic transfer from English to the partner language.

This guidance is not applicable because the program is not designed for dual language immersion (DLI) programs.

Evaluation for 4.1a
Materials do not include the three-cueing method as defined in Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.0062. TEC, §28.0062 defines three-cueing as a method of reading instruction for the identification of words in which a student is encouraged to draw on context and sentence structure to read words without sounding the words out or using a phonics-based approach.

No evidence of three-cueing as defined in Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.0062 was found in this program.

Evaluation for 4.2a
Materials include a systematic sequence of phonological awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose that progresses from basic skills and larger units of sound to more complex skills and smaller units of sound.

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

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

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

Evaluation for 4.2c
Materials include explicit (direct) instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness skills in alignment with grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program's stated purpose.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Writing Road to Reading program provides a systematic sequence for introducing sound–spelling patterns in alignment with the grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose. The Third Grade Teacher’s Guide presents 70 phonograms in a designated order of instruction, with directions for identifying when each phonogram is introduced for spelling and word study. The guide provides a phonogram table outlining the order of instruction for each, including sounds, sample words, and instructional tips for educators.

Additionally, the Spalding Reading Foundations Participant Workbook reinforces the 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. The Third Grade Teacher’s Guide follows the sequence, introducing one new phonogram at a time while continuously reviewing and reinforcing previously taught phonograms.

The “Syllable Division Pacing Guide” further demonstrates a systematic progression of phonics instruction. Students are first introduced to foundational syllable types, including closed and open syllables, using previously taught spelling and vocabulary words. Instruction then progresses to additional syllable types and increasingly complex patterns of syllable division. The sequence builds from foundational concepts to more advanced word analysis skills, allowing students to apply previously learned knowledge as they develop greater proficiency in decoding and spelling multisyllabic words.

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 Third Grade Teacher’s Guide features explicit instruction and practice in applying sound–spelling patterns to support decoding and encoding. Across each academic week, students learn to use syllable division patterns, phonograms, and spelling rules to pronounce, decode, and spell unfamiliar words. Educators model how sound–spelling patterns and language rules support word analysis and guide students in applying these concepts to reading and spelling tasks. This instructional routine aligns with the grade 3 TEKS because students have already received explicit instruction and practice in grades K–2 in sound–spelling patterns. Therefore, the grade 3 TEKS for foundational skills align with an integrated model of reading language arts (RLA).


The Writing Road to Reading promotes explicit instruction and practice in applying sound–spelling patterns to support decoding and encoding through an integrated language arts model. The Daily Language Arts Objectives are organized around the “Spalding Language Arts Circle,” which provides cumulative, routine-based instruction. The guidance reinforces these skills through structured opportunities to read, segment, blend, spell, and write words containing previously taught phonograms and spelling patterns using daily and weekly spelling lists. Students apply sound–spelling relationships during decoding and encoding activities while educator guidance provides modeled, guided, and independent practice to support ongoing mastery of sound–spelling patterns. The program’s cumulative approach to language arts content in grade 3 aligns with the grade-level TEKS.

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

The Spalding Reading Foundations Participant Workbook includes cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding words using sound–spelling patterns in alignment with the grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose. Primarily, the workbook provides ongoing opportunities for students to read and spell words using previously taught phonograms and sound–spelling patterns in isolation. Students engage in cumulative practice through word-level activities that reinforce previously learned patterns and support the development of automaticity in both decoding and encoding.

Additionally, the Third Grade Teachers’ Guide also includes lessons in decoding and encoding words using sound–spelling patterns through both explicit instruction and cumulative practice in isolation. Students apply newly introduced and previously taught sound–spelling patterns through structured activities and spelling/vocabulary notebooks, allowing for repeated application and reinforcement of foundational literacy skills over time.

The program does not, however, use decodable connected texts alongside cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding words with sound–spelling patterns to develop automaticity. The Oral Reading Fluency Assessment and Practice Manual, for example, primarily serves as a fluency assessment and practice resource. The material emphasizes the development of reading accuracy, automaticity, and word decoding through repeated reading of grade-level passages selected according to students’ instructional reading levels. While the resource provides opportunities for students to practice connected-text reading and develop fluency, the passages are independent of previously taught sound–spelling patterns and do not include opportunities for encoding practice. Furthermore, the materials do not explicitly identify whether the passages are cumulative of previously taught phonograms or sound–spelling patterns.

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

The Third 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 Third 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 includes 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 Third Grade Teacher’s Guide outlines the systematic introduction of high-frequency words in grade 3 through explicit instruction in phonograms, spelling rules, pronunciation, and word analysis. The sequence is designed to align with the program’s stated purpose and supports students in building vocabulary, spelling knowledge, and word recognition skills by applying previously taught phonograms, spelling generalizations, and word meanings. The guide also provides instructional support and a clearly defined progression of word study to ensure that students engage with high-frequency words in a cumulative and purposeful manner as they advance through the program.

Additionally, the “Spalding Spelling/Vocabulary Word List” resource clarifies the systematic sequence for introducing regular and irregular high-frequency words. The list contains more than 2,300 high-frequency words derived from the Ayres High-Frequency Word List and includes both regular and irregular words introduced through a structured instructional sequence. Through their overview of the word list, the Third Grade Teacher’s Guide and the accompanying SRC spelling resources provide educator tips, instructional guidance, information regarding grade-level placement, and a presentation of the words in the order in which they are to be taught throughout the program.

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 Third Grade Teacher’s Guide includes explicit 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 “Spelling Instructional Strategies and Procedures” section, for example, included the Spelling Dictation process, in which the educator models how to pronounce a word, use it in context, segment its sounds, write the word, identify and mark phonograms, apply spelling rules, and ultimately read the word. This process provides students with systematic opportunities to engage in encoding through writing and spelling while simultaneously developing decoding skills through word analysis and reading.

In addition, the “Integrated Language Arts Lesson Objectives” also include explicit instruction in decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. The section outlines the explicit instructions educators need to deliver to guide students through identifying phonetic elements, applying phonetic and spelling rules, and marking words before reading them. Educators are directed to provide direct modeling, guided practice, immediate corrective feedback, and repeated opportunities to apply previously taught spelling patterns and sound–spelling correspondences.

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 Oral Reading Fluency Assessment and Practice Manual includes cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. The manual provides fluency assessments and instructional procedures designed to develop reading accuracy, automaticity, and prosody through repeated reading practice with decodable connected text. The guidance emphasizes that automatic word recognition supports comprehension by allowing students to focus on meaning rather than word identification. As a result, students develop automaticity through repeated practice with high-frequency vocabulary for both spelling and reading, reinforcing word recognition and decoding skills over time.

The Third Grade Teacher’s Guide also includes cumulative student practice in decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. The Spelling Dictation “Read for Spelling” and “Read for Reading” routines outlined in the guide provide opportunities for students to repeatedly read and spell words from the “Spalding Spelling/Vocabulary Word List.” These routines require students to review both previously taught and newly introduced words, supporting cumulative practice with decoding and encoding words in isolation.

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

The Third Grade Teacher’s Guide provides student practice with only explicitly taught regular and irregular high-frequency words. The “Spelling Instructional Strategies and Procedures” section features detailed procedures, such as the Spelling Dictation process, in support. For instance, the daily or weekly lessons prompt students to complete a spelling dictation activity to “segment, write, and blend sounds in S/V words” and a word analysis task to “explain syllable division, pronunciation, spelling, or markings of S/V” for new and previously taught words.

Additionally, the SRC resources for spelling also provide student practice that include only explicitly taught regular and irregular high-frequency words. The spelling dictation guidance asks students to segment whole words into sounds to spell, to decode unfamiliar words, and to blend the sounds into whole words to increase the speed of word recognition. Students then enter these dictations in their spelling notebooks, which build with each new lesson.

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 Third Grade Teacher’s Guide provides a systematic sequence for introducing syllable types and syllable division principles in alignment with the grade-level TEKS as appropriate for the program’s stated purpose. The “Scope and Sequence Part 1: Program Objectives” section outlines the progression of syllable types and syllable division skills taught throughout the year. This sequence supports students’ ability to decode and encode multisyllabic words, analyze spelling patterns, and apply word analysis skills, which are reflected in TEKS-aligned expectations related to foundational language skills, spelling, vocabulary development, and reading fluency.

The “Syllable Division Pacing Guide” also sets up a systematic sequence for introducing syllable types and principles of syllable division aligned with the grade-level TEKS. The guide provides a specific structure for when certain syllable types and division patterns are introduced, practiced, and reinforced throughout the instructional year. Additionally, it includes word-analysis activities that connect syllable patterns to decoding and spelling instruction, helping students apply their understanding of phonics and morphology as they read and write increasingly complex words. Instruction then progresses from foundational syllable types, including closed, open, silent final e, and consonant-le syllables, to more sophisticated syllable division patterns and 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.

The Third Grade Teacher’s Guide includes direct instruction in decoding and encoding one-syllable and multisyllabic words. The “Integrated Language Arts Lesson Objectives” address phonograms, word analysis, syllable types, and syllable-division patterns. The “Spelling Instructional Strategies and Procedures” direct educators to introduce spelling and syllable-division rules, model their application, provide guided practice, and move students toward independent application.

The educator-guide routines provide educator modeling, guided practice, and independent application through phonogram instruction, syllable analysis, spelling dictation, and word analysis. Educators demonstrate how students apply spelling and syllable-division rules when reading and writing words.

The “Morphology Instruction and Cumulative Practice Guide: Grades 1–5,” parts 1–4 and 8, direct educators to prioritize applicable grade-level TEKS. The guide includes modeled reading and encoding routines followed by guided and independent practice. Educators identify word parts, analyze applicable spelling changes, read completed words, and model writing them.

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 Third Grade Teacher’s Guide provides cumulative decoding and encoding practice with one-syllable and multisyllabic words in isolation. Through the “Integrated Language Arts Lesson Objectives,” students revisit previously introduced words during reading, spelling, word-analysis, and spelling-dictation activities. These routines provide repeated opportunities to apply previously taught skills.

Part 5 of the “Morphology Instruction and Cumulative Practice Guide: Grades 1–5” explains that previously taught skills remain in practice as new skills are introduced. Practice includes Word Builder Cards, Spelling/Vocabulary Word Lists, word analysis, spelling dictation, and spelling/vocabulary notebooks. Students repeatedly read, spell, and analyze previously taught word forms alongside new learning.

Part 6 provides routines for applying previously taught morphological knowledge before, during, and after reading connected text. However, the materials do not include cumulative decoding and encoding practice with one-syllable and multisyllabic words in decodable connected texts that reinforce previously taught syllable types and syllable-division principles.

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

The Third 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 “Third 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 Third Grade Teacher’s Guide includes a systematic sequence for introducing morphemes in alignment with the grade-level TEKS. The sequence notes in the planning section provide a progression of prefixes and suffixes which identifies when each morphology skill is to be introduced, practiced, reviewed, reinforced, mastered, and extended.

The Third Grade Reading Foundations Supplemental Teacher’s Guide provides additional instructions for a systematic sequence for introducing morphemes. The guide includes an Affix Trace resource, which identifies the instructional weeks in which specific prefixes and suffixes are to be introduced and revisited. The resource outlines individual morphemes, their meanings, and the order in which they are to be taught, ensuring that new affixes are systematically introduced and reinforced through repeated practice.

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 Third Grade Teacher’s Guide contains explicit instruction on morphological skills in alignment with the grade-level TEKS. The direct guidance on prefixes and suffixes articulates their meanings, functions, and how they change the meaning and structure of words. The “Integrated Language Arts Lesson Objectives” section explicitly teaches students to examine relationships among base words, prefixes, suffixes, and derived words, directing them to understand how the addition of morphemes affects both word meaning and, when applicable, parts of speech. Instruction includes educator modeling, guided analysis, and opportunities for students to apply morphological knowledge to word study.

In addition, the “Procedure for Teaching Word Analysis” section provides explicit instruction on morphological skills in alignment with the grade-level TEKS. The section directly defines terms such as base word, word root, prefix, and suffix, while also connecting prefixes and suffixes to syllable types.

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 Third 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 6, 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.