myView Literacy Texas Grade 3

Evaluation for 2.1
Materials include systematic, year-long plans for phonics instruction.

The materials meet the criteria for this indicator. Materials include systematic, year-long plans for phonics instruction. 

Materials include a cohesive, TEKS-aligned scope and sequence that outlines the essential knowledge and skills that are taught throughout the year. Materials clearly demonstrate vertical alignment that shows the progression of skill development from year to year. Lessons follow a developmentally appropriate, systematic progression from simple to more complex concepts (e.g., CVC words before CCCVCC words and single-syllable words before multisyllabic words). 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Materials include a cohesive, TEKS aligned scope and sequence that outlines the essential knowledge and skills that are taught throughout the year. 

• The materials include a cohesive scope and sequence that outlines how phonics skills are taught throughout the units and/or year. For example, the grade 3 program material includes a yearlong scope and sequence in the “Getting Started” section of the table of contents in each of the five grade 3 units. 
• The materials provide a document on the digital platform called “English Foundational Skills and Word Study Scope and Sequence.” This document clearly outlines the phonics skills taught within each of the five units in grade 3. The materials begin with teaching syllable pattern VC/CV; inflected endings -s, -es, -ies; base words and endings -ing, -ed, -er, -est; vowel digraphs ee, ea, ai, ay, ow, oa; and diphthongs ou, ow, oi, oy. Unit 3 focuses on prefixes pre-, dis-, in-, im-, non; abbreviations; suffixes -ful, -y, -ness; vowel teams oo, ew, ue, ui, eu; and irregular plurals. Unit 5 teaches vowel patterns au, aw, al, augh, ough; vowel patterns ei, eigh; words with suffix en; schwa; and final stable syllables -le, -ture, -ive, -ize. 

Materials clearly demonstrate vertical alignment and that shows the progression of skill development from year to year. 

• The materials provide a document called “TEKS K-8 Vertical Alignment” that lists all of the TEKS for K–5 and notes the level of implementation in each grade level using the symbols I (“Introduced”), • (“Continued”), M (“Mastery”), and (“Maintained”). For example, “Decode multisyllabic words with multiple sound-spelling patterns” is introduced and mastered in grade 3 and maintained in grade 4 and beyond. “Decode words with prefixes” is introduced in grade 2, continued in grade 3 and grade 4, and mastered in grade 5. “Spell compound words, contractions, and abbreviations” is introduced in grade 2, mastered in grade 3, and maintained in grade 4 and beyond.

Lessons follow a developmentally appropriate, systematic progression from simple to more complex concepts (e.g., CVC words before CCCVCC words and single syllable words before multisyllabic words). 

• Grade 3 lessons follow a systematic progression from simple to more complex, as syllable pattern VC/CV is taught in Unit 1, syllable patterns VC/V and V/CV in Unit 2, syllable pattern VCCCV in Unit 4, and final stable syllables -le, -ture, -ive, -ize in Unit 5. 
• Vowel digraphs and diphthongs are reviewed in Unit 1, r-controlled vowels a and o in Unit 2, vowel teams in Unit 3, r-controlled vowels i and u in Unit 4, and vowel patterns in Unit 5. 
• Inflected endings and base words and endings are reviewed in Unit 1; common prefixes and suffixes are taught in Unit 3. Latin suffixes are taught in Unit 4, and words with suffix -en as well as schwa are taught in Unit 5. 

Evaluation for 2.2
Materials provide direct (explicit) and systematic instruction in developing grade-level phonics skills within and across lessons.

The materials meet the criteria for this indicator. The materials provide some direct (explicit) and systematic instruction in developing grade-level phonics skills within and across lessons. 

Lessons include detailed guidance for each component of the gradual release of responsibility model. Materials contain a teacher edition with some annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the student materials. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Lessons include detailed guidance for each component of the gradual release of responsibility model. 

• Each phonics lesson begins with a minilesson that contains a “Focus On Strategies” segment, which is teacher-directed; a “Model and Practice” segment, which contains modeled instruction and guided practice; and an “Apply” segment, which contains additional guided practice and provides independent practice. For example, in Unit 4, Week 2, there is a spiral review of r-controlled vowels ir, er, ur, and ear. The Focus On Strategies segment reads, “Review the strategies for decoding r-controlled vowels.” The Model and Practice segment reads: “Write the following words on the board: first, clerk, furnish, and hear. Have volunteers identify the r-controlled vowel sound in each word and identify how it is spelled.” The Apply segment reads: “Have students work independently to find r-controlled vowels in words in a story they recently read. Have them write the words and sort them into columns according to the spellings of the r-controlled vowels.” 
• In Unit 5, Week 4, the teacher reviews unstressed and stressed syllables. The teacher demonstrates the schwa vowel sound while decoding and encoding words. After student guidance on identifying unstressed syllables in words, the teacher has students pronounce words focusing on the uh sound, revealing the schwa using the words lemon and second. Then, students independently decode, write, and divide multisyllabic words. Students identify and underline the schwa sound. 

Materials contain a teacher edition with ample and useful annotations and suggestions on how to present the content in the student materials. 

• Materials include a limited number of annotations and suggestions to support how to present the content. In Unit 5, Week 5, the materials suggest that the teacher use the “Weekly Standards Practice” on the digital platform to assess student progress in word study. The teacher projects Powerpoint slides and notes the answer to each item in the speaker notes that accompany each slide. In this lesson, the academic vocabulary slide says: “Read this sentence: ‘Stefanie couldn’t hide her anticipation as she waited for her dad’s surprise party to begin. As the time drew near, her heart leapt, and she paced back and forth.’ In this sentence, anticipation means—A. interest, B. concern, C. excitement, or D. disappointment.” 
• Annotations within the lessons provide extensions, English learner support, and some tips for feedback. These do not support how to present the content. In Unit 5, Week 5, the margin “ELL Targeted Support” notes additional words with final stable syllables to help students at the beginning/intermediate and advanced/advanced high levels. The teacher displays the words purple, adventure, arrive, and apologize. The students identify the letters that make up the final stable syllable in each word. 
• Annotations within the lessons provide extensions and some tips for feedback. These do not support how to present the content. In the Language Awareness book, the lesson on sound-by-sound blending provides “Teaching Tips.” One tip tells students to watch the teacher’s mouth as letter sounds are emphasized. Another tip is on corrective feedback and says that when students mispronounce a sound, the teacher should show students the letter and pictures beginning with the same sound. Additionally, when students hesitate between sounds, the teacher should model the sounds without stopping and then have the students blend the sounds again. 

Evaluation for 2.3
Materials include detailed guidance that supports teacher’s delivery of instruction.

The materials partially meet the criteria for this indicator. Materials include some guidance that supports the teacher’s delivery of instruction. 

Guidance for teachers includes some information about common phonics pattern misconceptions and guiding principles related to specific phonics skills. Guidance for teachers provides detailed, specific instructional strategies with consistent routines for teaching each phonics skill. Materials include some guidance for providing students with immediate, corrective feedback. Materials provide detailed guidance for connecting previously taught phonics skills to new learning. Materials provide some guidance for lesson pacing, but they do not include clear guidance on how to pace each lesson, including specific time suggestions for each component of the gradual release model. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Guidance for teachers includes information about common phonics pattern misconceptions and guiding principles related to specific phonics skills. 

• In Unit 4, Week 4, Lesson 2, “Spelling Words That Are Homographs,” the teacher tells students that words that are spelled the same and have different meanings sometimes are pronounced differently. The teacher reminds students that such words should be memorized. Teacher direction includes writing the words transplant, content, minute, research, and incline. The teacher says each word aloud and defines it. The students repeat the words. Then, the students complete a page in the “Student Interactive.” 
• The “Reading Routines Companion” lists two common teacher misconceptions: 1. telling students to “guess” a word or “look at the picture” to figure out how to decode the word; and 2. assuming that there is a single right way to organize the sequence of phonics rules or a set amount of time that is needed” to ensure that students are effective and efficient word decoders. 
• The materials do not include information for teachers about common misconceptions related to specific phonics skills such as high-frequency words. In Unit 2, Week 1, the teacher explains that study patterns, students need to practice reading them. 
• The Reading Routines Companion shares some guiding principles related to specific skills. For example, each lesson has a step-by-step instructional routine with visual aids to enhance instruction. The “Model” section, Step 2, has clear modeling and explanation of tasks. Step 3 is the guided practice portion. Step 4, “On Their Own,” offers multiple practice opportunities. 

Guidance for teachers provides detailed, specific instructional strategies with consistent routines for teaching each phonics skill. 

• The materials include a variety of instructional strategies with consistent routines for each phonics skill. In Unit 2, Week 1, the “Focus” is related words that share the same roots or word parts. The information for the teacher explains that when affixes are added to root words, they change the parts of speech of the words and create new words. It also shares that some roots require spelling changes when an affix is added. The strategies include: when adding affixes to a root word that ends in e, one may need to drop the e before adding the affix; also, materials suggest using a print or digital dictionary to help confirm the spelling of related words. During “Model and Practice,” the teacher says: “The first root is associate. To create a related word, I will add the affix -tion to the end of the word. This will create the noun association. But since associate ends in an e, I have to drop the e before adding the affix.” 
• The materials and lesson plans provide sufficient details for teaching each strategy. In Unit 2, Week 1, the teacher tells the students that knowing where to divide syllables in words is important to be able to decode them correctly. The teacher further explains that multisyllabic words with the syllable pattern VCV can be divided either after the first vowel or after the consonant. In the word label, the syllables are divided after the first vowel: la-bel. The teacher guidelines state that the first syllable is open because it ends in a vowel sound. In the word given, the syllables are divided after the consonant: giv-en. The first syllable is closed because it ends in a consonant sound. During Model and Practice, the teacher uses the words paper, linen, and slogan as examples. Student volunteers help identify the VCV pattern in each word (pa-per, V/CV; lin-en, VC/V; slo-gan, V/CV). The teacher guides students to use the strategy to decode the words lemon and later. 
• The materials include explanations of instructional routines for phonics. The routine in the “Teacher’s Edition” is framed with a model that reflects the gradual release of responsibility (“I do, we do, you do”). In Unit 2, Week 1, the teacher tells the students that they can use knowledge of syllable patterns and syllable division to help them spell words correctly. The first strategy is that words with the V/CV pattern, such as to-tal, end with a vowel sound in the first syllable, making it an open syllable. The second strategy is that words with the VC/V pattern, such as the word sal-ad, end with a consonant sound in the first syllable, which makes it a closed syllable. During Model and Practice, the teacher says equal and digit aloud, emphasizing the syllable divide and the sound of the initial vowel. The students spell the words with a partner. During “Apply/My Turn,” students complete the “Spell Syllable Patterns” segment independently. 

Materials include specific guidance for providing students with immediate, corrective feedback. 

• The materials provide limited specific guidance on providing immediate, corrective feedback within the lesson in the Teacher’s Edition. Corrective feedback examples are provided in the Reading Routines Companion. In the Reading Routines Companion, the “Word Study Syllable Pattern VC/CV” lesson provides the following guidance for teachers: “IF students cannot divide a word with the VC/CV pattern into syllables, THEN the teacher should model identifying the pattern and dividing words using Steps 2 and 3.” Next, the teacher works through the “Make It Easier” activity. 
• The Teacher’s Edition provides limited guidance on how teachers should provide students with immediate, corrective feedback. No evidence for correcting as needed was found in the phonics lessons. For example, in Unit 2, Week 1, during Model and Practice, the teacher has the volunteers help identify the VCV pattern in each word (pa-per, V/CV; lin-en, VC/V; slo-gan, V/CV). Students then decode each word. The teacher guides students to use the strategy to decode words lemon and later. 
• In the Language Awareness book, the lesson on sound-by-sound blending provides “Teaching Tips.” One tip is telling students to watch the teacher’s mouth as letter sounds are emphasized. Another tip is on corrective feedback and says that when students mispronounce a sound, the teacher should show students the letter and pictures beginning with the same sound. Additionally, when students hesitate between sounds, the teacher should model the sounds without stopping and then have the students blend the sounds again. 

Materials provide detailed guidance for connecting previously taught phonics skills to new learning.   

• In Unit 4, Week 1, students read and decode words with the r-controlled vowels in ir, er, ur, ear. The lesson objective includes spelling a different r sound by combining vowels with the letter r. The teacher displays words including firm, term, burn, earn. The teacher and students read the words and identify the letters forming the r-controlled vowels. Then the teacher directs the students to decode words including confirm, early, searchable, curbing. Lesson 3 includes students identifying and reading multisyllabic r-controlled words, including sturdy, perfect, firmly, learning. 

• In Unit 5, Week 1, there is a “Spiral Review” lesson on homophones. The “Focus On Strategies” section has the teacher review the strategies from the previous week about identifying and spelling homophones. During Model and Practice, the teacher writes the following words on the board: one, won, our, and hour. The teacher points out the different spellings for each word. The teacher then reads the words aloud. The students identify which words sound alike and discuss the different meanings of the homophones. In the “Apply” component, students work independently to write two sentences that use the homophones whose and who’s. The teacher tells the students to look up the meaning of the words as needed to confirm their meaning. The teacher has students exchange their completed sentences with a partner. The partner identifies the homophone in each sentence and confirms that the homophones have been correctly used. 
• The materials provide sufficient opportunity to review previously taught phonics skills before learning new skills. In Unit 2, Week 1, the Focus segment has the teachers remind students that understanding syllable patterns, such as open-syllable V/CV and closed-syllable VC/V, can help them read words. During Model and Practice, the teacher shows students the words punish, radar, and major. The teacher guides students to identify the syllable pattern in each word. Next, the teacher has the students determine whether the first syllable in each word is open or closed. The students then read the words. In the Apply section, the students complete “Word Study: Syllable Patterns VC/V and V/CV” in the Student Interactive.

Materials include clear guidance on how to pace each lesson, including specific time suggestions for each component of the gradual release model. 

• The materials include guidance on the recommended length for each lesson. The Teacher’s Edition provides a “Suggested Weekly Plan” that includes recommended blocks of time for each lesson. In Unit 2, Week 1, the following time slots are suggested for lessons: “Reading Workshop” 10–20 minutes; “Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge” 5–10 minutes; “Small Group/Independent” 20–30 minutes; “Writing Workshop” 5–10 minutes; “Independent Time” (conferences with the teacher) 30–40 minutes; and Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge 5–10 minutes. 
• The materials do not include specific pacing suggestions for the lesson, including pacing for each component (stage) of the gradual release of responsibility. In Unit 2, Week 2, the teacher reminds students that understanding syllable patterns, such as open-syllable V/CV and closed-syllable VC/V, can help them read words. 

Evaluation for 2.4
Materials include frequent and distributed review of phonics skills with cumulative practice opportunities with decodable text.

The materials meet the criteria for this indicator. The materials include frequent and distributed review of phonics skills with cumulative practice opportunities with decodable text. 

Materials include intentional cumulative review and practice activities throughout the span of the curriculum. Practice opportunities include only phonics skills that have been explicitly taught. Decodable texts incorporate cumulative practice of taught phonics skills. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Materials include intentional cumulative review and practice activities throughout the span of the curriculum. 

• Previously taught phonics skills are intentionally practiced and maintained over the course of the year. In Unit 2, Week 1, the teacher reviews the strategies from the previous week for reading the diphthongs ou, ow, oi, and oy. The teacher writes the following words on the board: couch, powder, boiling, loyal. Student volunteers identify the diphthongs in each word. The teacher asks the volunteers to use their knowledge of the diphthongs to pronounce the words. In the “Apply” component, the teacher has students work independently to find words that have the diphthongs ou, ow, oi, and oy in a story they recently read. Then, using a four-column chart, the students sort the words according to the diphthongs. As a challenge, the teacher has students add new words with diphthongs to their charts. 
• Routines for introducing new phonics skills and reviewing previously taught skills are consistently practiced throughout the materials. In Unit 2, Week 1, the teacher tells the students that they can use knowledge of syllable patterns and syllable division to help them spell words correctly. The first strategy is that words with the V/CV pattern, such as to-tal, have a first syllable that ends with a vowel sound, making it an open syllable. The second strategy is that words with the VC/V pattern, such as the word sal-ad, have a first syllable that ends with a consonant sound, which makes it a closed syllable. During “Model and Practice,” the teacher says equal and digit aloud, emphasizing the syllable divide and the sound of the initial vowel. The students spell the words with a partner. 
• In Unit 2, Week 1, the teacher reminds the students that identifying whether a word has a V/CV or a VC/V syllable pattern can help them spell the words correctly. In the Model and Practice component, the teacher says the following words aloud and has the students use knowledge of syllable division to spell them: human, minus, digit, finish. The teacher then has the students work with a partner to divide each word into syllables. During the “Apply” section, students complete the “Spell Syllable Patterns VC/V and V/CV” worksheet from the “Resource Download Center.”

Practice opportunities include only phonics skills that have been explicitly taught. 

• In Unit 2, Week 1, the “Focus” is related words that share the same roots or words parts. The teacher explains that when affixes are added to root words, they change the words’ parts of speech and create new words. The teacher also shares that some roots require spelling changes when an affix is added. Strategies include: When adding affixes to a root word that ends in e, you may need to drop the e before adding the affix. Use a print or digital dictionary to help confirm the spelling of related words. During Model and Practice, the teacher says: “The first root is associate. To create a related word, I will add the affix -tion to the end of the word. This will create the noun association. But since associate ends in an e, I have to drop the e before adding the affix.” 
• In Unit 2, Week 1, the teacher reminds students that understanding syllable patterns, such as open syllable V/CV and closed syllable VC/V, can help them read words. During Model and Practice, the teacher shows students the words punish, radar, and major. The teacher guides students to identify the syllable pattern in each word. Next, the teacher has the students determine whether the first syllable in each word is open or closed. Students then read the words. 
• In the materials, students apply the focus skill for the lesson or skills from previous lessons during guided and independent practice. In Unit 2, Week 1, there is a lesson segment called “Spiral Review: Diphthongs ou, ow, oi, oy.” Here, the teacher reviews the strategies from the previous week for reading the diphthongs ou, ow, oi, and oy. During Model and Practice, the teacher writes the words couch, powder, boiling, and loyal on the board. Student volunteers identify the diphthongs in each word. The teacher asks the volunteers to use their knowledge of the diphthongs to pronounce the words. In the Apply component, the teacher has students work independently to find words that have the diphthongs ou, ow, oi, and oy in a story they recently read. Then, using a four-column chart, the students sort the words according to the diphthongs. As a challenge, the teacher has students add new words with diphthongs to their charts. 

Decodable texts incorporate cumulative practice of taught phonics skills. 

• Materials include leveled readers supporting the scope and sequence of the program. For example, Unit 2, Week 1, includes practice with V/CV open-syllable words and VC/V closed-syllable words. Lesson 4 includes a spiral review of diphthongs ou, ow, oi, and oy. Decodable readers reinforce vowel diphthongs /ou/ spelled ou and ow as well as /oi/ spelled oi and oy as students read Clint’s Clam Chowder and Roy, Dad, and Scout. Examples of words within the texts are Roy, outside, ground, voice, and power. 
• The decodable texts increase in complexity, allowing students to practice previously taught skills while applying new ones. For example, the students read the decodable reader Whirling Girl, which reviews r-controlled vowels spelled ir, er, ur, ear, or and ar, or, ore, oar. 

Evaluation for 3.A.1
Materials provide systematic and direct (explicit) instruction, practice, and review related to alphabet knowledge.

Evaluation for 3.A.2
Materials provide systematic and direct (explicit) instruction, practice, and review related to the alphabetic principle.

Evaluation for 3.B.1
Materials provide systematic and direct (explicit) instruction, practice, and review to support the development of oral syllable awareness skills, as outlined in the TEKS.

Evaluation for 3.B.2
Materials provide systematic and direct (explicit) instruction, practice, and review to support the development of phonemic awareness skills, as outlined in the TEKS.

Evaluation for 3.C.1
Materials provide systematic and direct (explicit) instruction, practice, and review to develop students’ knowledge of grade-level sound-spelling patterns, as outlined in the TEKS.

The materials meet the criteria for this indicator. Materials provide systematic and direct (explicit) instruction, practice, and review to develop students’ knowledge of grade-level sound-spelling patterns, as outlined in the TEKS. 

Materials provide a systematic sequence for introducing grade-level sound-spelling patterns, as outlined in the TEKS. Materials provide scripted direct (explicit) instruction for grade-level sound-spelling patterns. Materials incorporate a variety of activities and resources for students to develop, practice, and reinforce skills (through cumulative review). Materials provide a variety of activities and resources to decode and encode words that include taught sound-spelling patterns in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text that builds on previous instruction (e.g., within sentences or decodable texts). 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Materials provide a systematic sequence for introducing grade level sound spelling patterns, as outlined in the TEKS. 

• The “Unit Skills Overview” and “Unit at a Glance” within the teacher’s guide for each unit outline the phonics focus for each week. For example, in Unit 3, students learn about the prefixes pre-, dis-, in-, im-, non-; suffixes -ful, -y, -ness; vowel teams oo, ew, ue, ui, eu; and irregular plurals. 
• The materials provide a document called “Correlations of Texas MyView Literacy Grade 3, Print + Online to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading (TEKS) and the Teacher English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS).” This document lists each of the specific grade-level spelling patterns and provides at least one example from the materials that illustrate how that sound-spelling pattern is covered. 

Materials provide scripted direct (explicit) instruction for grade level sound spelling patterns. 

• The teacher’s guide demonstrates steps of the gradual release model by highlighting sections titled “Focus On Strategies,” “Model and Practice,” and “Apply” in each lesson. Each section provides a detailed script for teachers to say while instructing learners. 
• In Unit 1, Week 1, the teacher models dividing words with the VC/CV syllable division pattern. The students turn to the specified page in the “Student Interactive” and apply their learning in the “My Turn” section. The teacher explains that the VC/CV syllable pattern is a closed-syllable pattern. Students divide the VC/CV words between the two consonants (e.g., pen/cil). The students complete the My Turn section by decoding each VC/CV word. 
• In Unit 3, Week 4, Lesson 2, the teacher explains that one sound can be made by two letters working together such as oo in tool and ue in cue. The teacher writes words including choose, threw, and feud on the board. Student volunteers identify the vowel teams and then spell each word orally. Students then complete the Student Interactive page by sorting single-syllable and multisyllabic words with vowel teams oo, ew, ue, ui, and eu independently. 

Materials incorporate a variety of activities and resources for students to develop, practice, and reinforce skills (through cumulative review).

• In Unit 1, Week 3, the word study segment focuses on base words and endings, specifically -ed, ing, -er, and -est. Students read words with these endings and then discuss the changes the suffix made to the original word meaning. Students practice this skill on a Student Interactive page, where they form new words using base words and the endings -ed, -ing, -er, and -est. 
• Later in Unit 1, students apply previously taught and recently introduced sound-spelling patterns; the teacher reviews the inflected endings -s, -es, -ies when reminding students that the final letters in words control the applicable ending and whether letters are dropped or changed accordingly. The teacher asks students to spell and note changes to the words bikes, glasses, and cities. Students work in pairs or independently to create plural words with inflected endings in nouns and share learned information with classmates. 
• In Unit 3, Week 4, students review vowel teams oo, ew, ue, ui, and eu. The teacher reminds students that these vowel teams can make the same sound as in the word tool or the word cue. The teacher displays the words fool, blew, suit, glue, pew, and argue. Students read the words aloud, and then sort the words into categories—words with the vowel sound in tool and words with the vowel sound in cue. Finally, students complete a word study worksheet that the teacher downloads from the “Resource Download Center.” 

Materials provide a variety of activities and resources to decode and encode words that include taught sound spelling patterns in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text that builds on previous instruction (e.g., within sentences or decodable texts). 

• In the Unit 1, Week 1 teacher’s guide, there is a segment called “Possible Teaching Point” during the shared read of the text Grandma and the Great Gourd by C. Divakaruni. This minilesson reviews the VCCV pattern; the teacher guides students to use their knowledge of this syllable pattern to decode and read words like pronounce and adventure. 
• In Unit 3, Week 4, the teacher assesses understanding by writing the words argue and clue on the board. The teacher underlies the ue in each word and says the word aloud, guiding students 

  to see that the words have the same vowel team but different vowel sounds. Then, the teacher provides the following word pairs for the students to determine if the words have the same or different vowel sounds: fool, home (different); fruit, suit (same); pew, blew (different); true, tissue (different); neutral, sleuth (same). 

• In Unit 5, Week 4, students study the vowel patterns ei and eigh. The teacher leads the lesson by explaining that the vowel patterns ei and eigh can be pronounced as long a or long e. The teacher displays the words eighty, weight, neighbor, height, and freight and works with the students to determine the vowel sound in each word. Then, students independently complete a page in the Student Interactive to sort words in the word bank by vowel pattern and by the sound of the vowel. Later in the week, the students complete a worksheet from the Resource Download Center on spelling vowel patterns ei, eigh. On this worksheet, students sort the words in the word bank into categories by vowel sound (long a sound, long e sound, and long i sound). 
• The “Reading Routines Companion Grade 3,” provided on the digital platform, provides routines for decoding and encoding words with the vowel patterns ei and eigh. The teacher explains that a vowel pattern is a combination of letters that spells one vowel sound, and that different vowel patterns can spell the same sound. The teacher uses the words veil, seize, weight, and height to illustrate the differences in sound that the vowel patterns ei and eigh represent. The teacher displays the words reins, protein, sleigh, and heighten, and the students underline the vowel pattern in each word and read the words aloud. Then, students independently read the word cards freight, neither, eight, reindeer, receive, neighbor, and beige and sort them into categories by the vowel sound (long a, long e, or long i). 

Evaluation for 3.C.2
Materials provide systematic and direct (explicit) instruction, practice, and review related to accurately identifying, reading, and writing regular and irregular high-frequency words.

The materials do not meet the criteria for this indicator. Materials do not provide systematic and direct (explicit) instruction, practice, and review related to accurately identifying, reading, and writing regular and irregular high-frequency words. 

Materials do not provide a systematic sequence for introducing regular and irregular high-frequency words. Materials do not provide scripted direct (explicit) instruction for decoding and encoding regular and irregular high-frequency words. Materials do not incorporate a variety of activities and resources for students to develop, practice, and reinforce skills (through cumulative review). Materials do not provide activities and resources for students to recognize, read, and write high-frequency words in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in connected text (e.g., within sentences or decodable texts). 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Materials provide a systematic sequence for introducing regular and irregular high frequency words. 

• The materials for grade 3 do not provide a systematic sequence for introducing regular and irregular high-frequency words, and the TEKS for grade 3 do not specify a specific number of high-frequency words students must know. The materials for grades K, 1, and 2 specify the high-frequency words taught at each grade level in the materials (330 high-frequency words are taught within those grade levels). 
• The materials mention two sight words per week, during each of the six weeks within the five units, for a total of 50 words. There is no discussion of why these words were selected or why they are presented in this order. 
  • Unit 1: table, north, story, draw, notice, slowly, voice, south, unit, figure 
  • Unit 2: certain, half, finally, money, minutes, decided, fact, course, contain, front 
  • Unit 3: surface, produce, building, ocean, nothing, scientists, island, machine, ago, stood 
  • Unit 4: system, brought, common, though, language, clear, equation, among, government, material 
  • Unit 5: special, heavy, built, square, syllables, direction, ready, anything, love, developed 

Materials provide scripted direct (explicit) instruction for decoding and encoding regular and irregular high frequency words.

• The materials do not provide scripted, direct instruction for reading and writing high-frequency words. Instead, they provide general statements about the necessity of memorizing and recognizing high-frequency words. In Unit 1, Week 3, Lesson 2, students complete a page in the “Student Interactive” on base words and endings. At the bottom of the page, there is a segment called “High-Frequency Words” that explains that high-frequency words appear often in texts. The teacher says, “Because high-frequency words are words that appear often in speech and in written language, their forms and usage should already be familiar.” The teacher and students read two high-frequency words together: notice and slowly. 
• In Unit 4, Week 1, Lesson 3, “Word Study” intertwines decoding and encoding two high-frequency words (system and brought). The teacher says: “High-frequency words appear often in text. Memorize them to help you identify them as you read.” The teacher makes flashcards of the high-frequency words system and brought. Then, students practice saying the words aloud with a partner. Later in the lesson, students write each word in the space provided in the Student Interactive. 

Materials incorporate a variety of activities and resources for students to develop, practice, and reinforce skills (through cumulative review).

• The materials only provide one activity/resource related to teaching high-frequency words through cumulative review—a game on the digital platform. The game “Word Island” is provided on the digital platform to support students’ development of high-frequency word knowledge. This game provides opportunities for students to identify and read select high-frequency words, progressing from Level 1 to Level 3 in each island, which provides a cumulative review of previously learned high-frequency words. For example, “Cod Island” includes words like as, is, to, my, and a. The Word Island introduction states that there are “lots of words” included on the 40 islands, and that students will practice and review high-frequency words. 

Materials provide a variety of activities and resources for students to recognize, read, and write high frequency words in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in connected text (e.g., within sentences or decodable texts). 

• There is only one activity for working with high-frequency words in these materials. It is provided on the bottom of two pages in the Student Interactive, during Lesson 2 in each of the in six weeks within each of the five units. In Unit 3, Week 1, Lesson 2, in the “Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge—Word Study” section, at the bottom of the Student Interactive page, there is a small “High-Frequency Words” section that reads: “High-frequency words appear often in texts. Practice reading them during independent reading. Read these high-frequency words: surface, produce.” The corresponding page in the “Teacher’s Edition” has a small section that reads, “Explain that since high-frequency words are ones that appear often in texts but do not follow regular word study patterns, students need to practice reading them.” Additionally, during Lesson 2 in “Reading-Writing Workshop Bridge—Spelling,” there is a High-Frequency Word section at the bottom of the Student Interactive page that reads, “Learn to spell high-frequency words. Write each high-frequency word on the line.” The word surface is listed first, with a blank line following the word. The word produce is listed below that, with a line beside it. 

• In Unit 5, Week 4, Lesson 2, Word Study, the teacher tells students that high-frequency words often appear in texts but do not follow regular word study patterns, and students need to practice reading them. The small High-Frequency Words section in the Student Interactive states: “High-frequency words appear often in text, so they are important to memorize. Read these high-frequency words: ready, anything. Practice to recognize them in your independent reading.” This page also provides an opportunity to write each of the high-frequency words. 

Evaluation for 3.C.3
Materials include systematic and direct (explicit) instruction, practice, and review related to using knowledge and application of syllabication to decode and encode one-syllable or multisyllabic words.

The materials meet the criteria for this indicator. Materials include systematic and direct (explicit) instruction, practice, and review related to using knowledge and application of syllabication to decode and encode one-syllable or multisyllabic words. 

Materials provide a systematic sequence for introducing grade-level syllable types and syllable division principles, as outlined in the TEKS. Materials provide scripted direct (explicit) instruction for applying knowledge of syllable types and syllable division principles to decode and encode one-syllable or multisyllabic words. Materials incorporate a variety of activities and resources for students to develop, practice, and reinforce skills (through cumulative review). Materials provide a variety of activities and resources for students to practice decoding and encoding one-syllable or multisyllabic words, using knowledge of syllable types and syllable division principles, in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text that builds on previous instruction (e.g., within sentences or decodable texts). 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Materials provide a systematic sequence for introducing grade level syllable types and syllable division principles, as outlined in the TEKS. 

• The “English Foundational Skills and Word Study Scope and Sequence” provides a list of phonics skills and syllable patterns taught in each unit; these skills and patterns fully address the grade-level TEKS. Unit 1 teaches syllable pattern VC/CV, vowel digraphs, and diphthongs. Unit 2 teaches syllable patterns VC/V and V/CV, r-controlled vowel patterns, and syllable pattern CVCe. Unit 3 teaches vowel teams; Unit 4 teaches the VCCCV pattern; Unit 5 focuses on final stable syllables -le, -ture, -ive, -ize. 

Materials provide scripted direct (explicit) instruction for applying knowledge of syllable types and syllable division principles to decode and encode one syllable or multisyllabic words.

• In Unit 2, Week 1, students learn the syllable patterns VC/V and V/CV. The teacher tells students that knowing where to divide syllables in words is important to be able to decode them correctly. The script reads: “Multisyllabic words with the syllable pattern VCV can be divided either after the first vowel or after the consonant. In the word label, the syllables are divided after the first vowel: la -bel. The first syllable is open because it ends in a vowel sound. In the word given, the syllables are divided after the consonant: giv -en. The first syllable is closed because it ends in a consonant sound.” The teacher models and demonstrates how to decode multisyllabic words with open and closed syllables (V/CV and VC/V syllable patterns) by writing the words paper, linen, and slogan on the board. The script reads: “Have volunteers help you identify the VCV pattern in each word (pa -per, V/CV; lin -en, VC/V; slo -gan, V/CV), and then have students decode each word. Guide students to use the strategy to decode the words lemon and later.” 
• Unit 5, Week 5, teaches the final stable syllables -le, -ture, -ive, -ize. The teacher says: “The syllables -le, -ture, -ive, and -ize are called final stable syllables because they always appear at the end of a word. Learn to identify these syllables to be able to decode words that end with them. The teacher displays the words rattle, picture, and realize and reads them aloud, emphasizing the final sound. Then, the teacher has volunteers identify the final stable syllable in each word. The teacher guides students to think of additional words that include the final stable syllables -le, -ture, -ive, and -ize. 

Materials incorporate a variety of activities and resources for students to develop, practice, and reinforce skills (through cumulative review).

• In Unit 4, Week 3, students review the VCCCV pattern learned the previous week. The teacher writes hundred, contract, hamster, pumpkin, and kitchen on the board. Student volunteers identify the VCCCV pattern and divide the words into syllables (e.g., hun/dred, con/tract, ham/ster, pump/kin, and kit/chen). Opportunities for practice with partners include students writing sentences using words with the VCCCV pattern. Then students trade papers, and their partner decodes the word and shows where to divide the word into syllables. 
• In Unit 5, Week 5, the teacher reminds students that syllables are word parts or words that contain a vowel sound. Then the teacher says: “Where does the final stable syllable come in a word? (at the end) Which word in paragraph 38 contains a final stable syllable? (spectacle) What is the final stable syllable? (-le).” There are additional opportunities for applying and practicing reading and writing words with final stable syllables -le, -ture, -ive, -ize in other lessons during this week. 

Materials provide a variety of activities and resources for students to practice decoding and encoding one syllable or multisyllabic words, using knowledge of syllable types and syllable division principles, in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text that builds on previous instruction (e.g., within sentences or decodable texts). 

• Students use the “Student Interactive” to practice dividing words with VC/CV syllable patterns. For example, in Unit 1, Week 1, Lesson 2, students decode and read closed-syllable VC/CV words. In Lesson 4, the teacher writes the words zigzag, cannon, and object on the board. Students volunteer to identify the syllable pattern in the words and divide accordingly. Then, the students find VC/CV words in recently read texts. Students use independent reading selections to make connections to the VC/CV syllable pattern when decoding words. The teacher directs students to write found words down and divide them into syllable patterns VC/CV. 

• Additionally, in Unit 1, Week 1, students decode VCCCV pattern words in text. For example, in the decodable text Spreading the Message, students recognize words like children and note the VCCCV pattern. The teacher tells students that the word children contains two syllables. The teacher notes that dr is blended together as chil and dren. The students use the same format to divide the word completely in the sentence “He began subscribing to abolitionist newspapers. In them, he read about the ways people were working to end slavery completely.” 

Evaluation for 3.C.4
Materials connect phonics instruction to meaning by providing systematic and direct (explicit) instruction, practice, and review related to developing morphological awareness.

The materials meet the criteria for this indicator. Materials connect phonics instruction to meaning by providing systematic and direct (explicit) instruction, practice, and review related to developing morphological awareness. 

Materials provide a systematic sequence for introducing grade-level morphemes, as outlined in the TEKS. Materials provide direct (explicit) instruction for supporting recognition of common morphemes. Materials provide direct (explicit) instruction for using the meanings of morphemes (e.g., affixes and base words) to support decoding, encoding, and reading comprehension. Materials incorporate a variety of activities and resources for students to develop, practice, and reinforce skills (through cumulative review). Materials provide a variety of activities and resources for students to decode and encode words with morphemes in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text that builds on previous instruction (e.g., within sentences or decodable texts). 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Materials provide a systematic sequence for introducing grade level morphemes, as outlined in the TEKS. 

• The materials provide a systematic sequence for introducing grade-level morphemes. Specifically, the TEKS for grade 3 specify that students must be able to decode and spell compound words and contractions; decode words using knowledge of prefixes; decode and spell words using knowledge of suffixes; and know how to change base words such as by dropping the e, changing y to i, and doubling final consonants. In Unit 1, the materials review inflected endings -s, -es, -ies and base words and endings -ing, -ed, -er, -est. Unit 2 reviews contractions and compound words. The materials go beyond the grade 3 TEKS for decoding and encoding by also teaching the meaning, use, and spelling (3C) of the affixes im-, non-, dis-, in, pre-, -ness, -y, -ful as well as teaching irregular plurals in Unit 3; Latin suffixes -able, ible, -ation in Unit 4; and words with suffix -en and schwa /ə/ in Unit 5.

Materials provide direct (explicit) instruction for supporting recognition of common morphemes. 

• In Unit 3, Week 2, the materials teach inflected endings -s, -es, and -ies. In the “Focus on Strategies” segment, the teacher says: “Inflected endings are added to nouns, verbs, and adjectives. In this lesson, the inflected endings -s, -es, and -ies are added to nouns to change singular nouns to their plural forms.” The teacher explains to students that the letters at the end of a singular noun determine which inflected ending will change the noun to its plural form. Next, the teacher directs students’ attention to the chart in the “Student Interactive.” The teacher reviews the examples, pointing out the ending letters of each singular noun, and helps students identify that the last letters of the singular noun tell them what to do to change the noun to its plural form. Then, the teacher guides students in using the information in the first column on the page to change the singular nouns street, class, and country to their plural forms (streets, classes, countries). 
• In Unit 5, Week 2, the teacher reminds students that words describing an action are adverbs. The lesson teaches the distinct differences between comparative adverbs comparing two actions using the ending -er and superlative adverbs comparing three or more actions using ending -est. Materials direct the teacher to remind students that adverbs ending in y must change the y to an i before adding suffixes -er or -est. 
• In Unit 5, Week 2, the teacher displays the following sentence: “Jonell played harder than Wanda, and Becky played hard of all.” Students select the revision that compares the actions in the sentence correctly [answer choice C: “Change hard to hardest”]. 

Materials provide direct (explicit) instruction for using the meanings of morphemes (e.g., affixes and base words) to support decoding, encoding, and reading comprehension. 

• In Unit 3, Week 1, in the spelling segment, the teacher reminds students that an affix added to the beginning of a word is a prefix. The teacher further tells the students that identifying prefixes assists students in understanding the meaning of the word. The teacher displays the words pay, agee, perfect, direct, and stop. Student volunteers add prefixes to the base words displayed, forming the week’s spelling words. Students then demonstrate the words’ meaning by using them in sentences. 
• In Unit 4, Week 3, the word study section provides direct explicit instruction in Latin suffixes able, -ible, and -ation. The lesson strategy states that Latin is the language of Ancient Rome and details that word parts, including suffixes -able, -ible, and -ation, are English word parts that have a Latin origin. The materials further state: “Adding -able or -ible to a verb changes it into an adjective. Adding -ation to a verb changes it into a noun.” Students then decode and say words with Latin suffixes aloud, including civilization, movable, and flexible. Next, students identify the suffix and base word as well as identify each word’s part of speech. 

Materials incorporate a variety of activities and resources for students to develop, practice, and reinforce skills (through cumulative review).

• In Unit 5, Week 2, students have opportunities to practice and reinforce prefixes, suffixes, and comparing and contrasting through cumulative review in the leveled reader Earth’s Power. Words in the text include rivers, oceans, forests, slowly, and deadly warning as well as the compound words landslide and earthquakes. 
• Additional activities for students to practice skills through cumulative review occur in Unit 5, Week 4. The teacher selects volunteers to tell the meaning of the suffix -en. The teacher discusses how knowing a word ending aids in understanding the meaning of words with that ending, such as brighten. Students volunteer to underline base words in words written on the board, including harden, flatten, driven, and point out that the final consonant in certain words was doubled before the -en suffix was added. Students work independently to use base word meanings and -en to understand the words. Students exchange papers and check each other’s work. 

Materials provide a variety of activities and resources for students to decode and encode words with morphemes in isolation (e.g., word lists) and in decodable connected text that builds on previous instruction (e.g., within sentences or decodable texts). 

• In Unit 1, Week 4, spelling activities include students creating flashcards for the week’s spelling words. Students write the base word on the back of each card. Students then use their flashcards to identify the spelling rule applied when suffixes were added to the base word. 
• Additional activities for students to decode morphemes in isolation are included in the word study segment of Unit 2, Week 5, where students complete the contractions activity page in the Student Interactive. Students combine provided words to make contractions (e.g., do + not = don’t). 

Evaluation for 3.D.1
Materials provide frequent opportunities for students to practice and develop word reading fluency, by using knowledge of grade-level phonics skills to read decodable connected texts with accuracy and automaticity.

The materials meet the criteria for this indicator. Materials provide frequent opportunities for students to practice and develop word reading fluency, by using knowledge of grade-level phonics skills to read decodable connected texts with accuracy and automaticity. 

Materials include embedded modeling and practice with word lists, decodable phrases/sentences, and decodable connected texts in the lesson. Materials provide practice activities for word reading fluency in a variety of settings (e.g., independently, in partners, in guided small groups, etc.). Materials provide a variety of grade-level decodable connected texts that are aligned to the phonics scope and sequence. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Materials include embedded modeling and practice with word lists, decodable phrases/sentences, and decodable connected texts in the lesson. 

• In Unit 1, Week 1, the teacher models identifying words with the same roots or base words. The teacher says: “If I encountered the words compete and competition in a text, I would notice that these two words look similar, which means they are probably related words. I could identify that they have the same base word: compete. I know that to compete means ‘to fight for or try to win something.’ I would then recognize that the suffix -ed added to compete would make the word past tense. The suffix -tion would make the word a noun.” The teacher guides the students to apply this strategy to other words from the chart. The teacher discusses responses and corrects misunderstandings as they work through this process. 
• In Unit 5, Week 2, the teacher reviews words with endings -er and -est. The teacher helps students identify nouns with -er and -est. Next, the students identify the ending used to compare two lines (-er) and the ending used to compare multiple lines (-est). 
• In the word study segment of Unit 5, Week 4, students practice reading word lists that emphasize the schwa vowel sound /uh/, including the words telephone, soda, alone. The teacher writes the words telephone, soda, and alone on the board and demonstrates how to use the schwa vowel sound in decoding and spelling words. The teacher guides the students in locating syllables that are unstressed in each word. Then, the teacher asks students to pronounce each word, to focus on the syllable that is unstressed in each word, and to identify the schwa sound /uh/. The teacher further guides students to decode additional words using the same strategy, specifically the words lemon and second.

Materials provide practice activities for word reading fluency in a variety of settings (e.g., independently, in partners, in guided small groups, etc.) 

• In Unit 3, Week 1, students work in small groups with letter tiles to practice making words with long i spelled i, ie, i_e, igh, and y. Students write each word they create on a notecard. Then, students take turns showing their card and having other students in the group say the word on the card. Students also reinforce long /i/ skills by reading the decodable reader Earth Every Day. 
• In the word study segment of Unit 3, Week 1, students apply knowledge of the prefixes pre-, dis, in-, im-, non-as they read the base words provided and add a prefix to create a new word. Students decode the new words and write the definition for each new word. Potential new words include preheat, dislike, ineffective, impolite, and nonliving. 
• In Unit 5, Week 2, students apply their ei, eigh vowel-pattern knowledge by writing the words the teacher reads aloud and underlining the vowel pattern in each word. Words include weight, either, height, and eighteen. The students trade papers with their partners, check each other’s work, and read the words aloud to each other. 

Materials provide a variety of grade level decodable connected texts that are aligned to the phonics scope and sequence. 

• The materials provide digital and hard-copy decodable texts that emphasize specific phonics patterns. During each week of instruction, students read one new decodable story as well as an additional decodable reader for additional practice with the skills learned. 
• In Unit 3, Week 4, students read Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya by Mama Miti. As they are reading, the materials embed a word study teaching point that applies the phonics focus of vowel teams oo, ew, ue, ui, eu to the text “Her children peeked out from behind her at the smiling woman in bright blue cloth with squiggles all through it, like tadpoles squirming in a pool.” Here, the teacher checks students’ ability to read aloud and pronounce squiggles and squirming. The materials prompt the teacher to use the vowel team lesson (described above) to help students decode and recognize these words. 

Evaluation for 4.1
Materials include developmentally appropriate diagnostic tools (e.g., formative and summative) and guidance for teachers to measure and monitor student progress.

The materials meet the criteria for this indicator. Materials include developmentally appropriate diagnostic tools (e.g., formative and summative) and guidance for teachers to measure and monitor student progress. 

Materials include a variety of diagnostic tools that are developmentally appropriate. Materials provide clear, consistent directions for accurate administration of diagnostic tools. Materials include data management tools for tracking individual and whole class student progress. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Materials include a variety of diagnostic tools that are developmentally appropriate. 

• The “Baseline Test,” “Middle-Of-Year Test,” and “End-Of-Year Test” are the diagnostic tools in these materials. They are provided in the document “Texas Summative Assessments—Teacher’s Manual with Student Reproducibles—3.” 
• The Baseline Test is used to determine each student’s starting profile to help guide and inform instruction. It features a group-administered assessment for “Phonics, Vocabulary, and Reading Comprehension,” an individually administered “Phonemic Awareness Test,” and an optional individually administered “Fluency Test.” The materials state that the Baseline Test is aligned to the TEKS, with approximately half of the items testing the previous grade’s TEKS to determine if students have retained what they learned and the other half testing the current grade level’s TEKS. 
• The Middle-Of-Year Test is used to monitor student progress on skills and standards taught in Units 1–3. The skills assessed are “Reading Comprehension, Word Study, Conventions, and Writing.” 
• The End-Of-Year Test is used to monitor student progress on skills and standards taught throughout the course of the year. The skills assessed are “Reading Comprehension, Word Study, Conventions, and Writing.” 

Materials provide clear, consistent directions for accurate administration of diagnostic tools. 

• The “Texas Summative Assessments—Teacher’s Manual with Student Reproducibles—3” document contains a section on how to administer the Baseline Test, which contains prompts for the teacher to introduce the assessment and its purpose. For example, the directions state: “Prior to administering the assessment, review test-taking procedures with students. Explain to students that the purpose of the test is to understand more about the words they know and how well they understand what they read.” Additionally, the guidelines tell the teacher to explain to students that they will take some parts of the test independently and that they will follow the directions and then circle answers to the questions on the test. 
• The materials include notes for the teacher about how to administer each of the sub-assessments. For example, part of the directions read: “Phonics, Vocabulary, and Reading Comprehension subtests of the Baseline Test can be administered to the entire group in one sitting. Modify the directions as needed based on how you decide to administer the test. The Phonemic Awareness subtest is administered individually. Follow the procedures for administering a fluency test (page T5) to administer an optional fluency test to an individual.” 
• The directions and script, if necessary for administering each sub-assessment in the Baseline Test, are provided with each sub-test. For example, the Phonics directions read: “Questions 1–5 test a student’s understanding of phonics. In this portion of the test, students will be answering questions about word sounds and parts. Have students turn to page 1. Explain to students that for each item, they will choose the best answer to each question. They will circle the letter for the answer they choose. Have students read the directions and answer items 1–5 on their own.” 

Materials include data management tools for tracking individual and whole class student progress. 

• “Texas Summative Assessments—Teacher’s Manual with Student Reproducibles—3” contains tools for tracking individual and whole class student progress. The “Baseline Assessment Student Record Chart” is one tool for tracing individual student performance, where the teacher records the student’s score on each sub-assessment and writes notes and observations about student performance. There is also a “Baseline Assessment Item Analysis Chart” that shows each section of the Baseline Test, the item numbers for each section, item focus/skill, DOK level, and TEKS covered. The materials also provide guidelines for interpreting the assessment results, including guidance for instruction based on student scores. 
• The “DATA” tab of the platform offers class and student progress data charts that allow teachers to see the time it took to complete a task. Information can be viewed as a class average and for the individual student. In addition, the materials offer a data view representing how the class and/or individuals performed on standards across assessments over time. 
• Materials include guidelines to help the teacher determine how best to help improve students’ areas of need and build upon students’ areas of strength. For students who score more than 90%, the materials suggest options for advanced learners during small group time, independent investigative work, and challenging content and activities. There are suggestions for students who score between 60% and 89%, such as using “myFOCUS” readers and decodable readers to practice word reading skills. For students who score below 60%, recommendations are to provide intervention activities during small group time, more scaffolding, more practice with critical skills, more opportunities to respond, and more frequent additional support and intensive instruction. 

Evaluation for 4.2
Materials include integrated progress monitoring tools, with specific guidance on frequency of use.

The materials partially meet the criteria for this indicator. Materials include some integrated progress monitoring tools, with specific guidance on frequency of use. 

Materials include progress monitoring tools that systematically and accurately measure students’ acquisition of grade-level skills in word reading fluency. Materials include some guidance on determining frequency of progress monitoring, but it is not based on students’ strengths and needs. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to: Materials include progress monitoring tools that systematically and accurately measure students’ acquisition of grade level skills. 

• The materials list “Unit Tests” and “Progress Checkups” as progress monitoring tools. These tools, however, are curriculum specific to units and weeks of study and do not systematically and accurately measure students’ acquisition of grade-level skills in phonemic awareness, phonics, or morphological awareness over the course of the school year. The materials do provide a booklet called “Cold Reads for Fluency and Comprehension” which is designed to provide differentiated reading practice using selections that students have not seen previously. Across each unit’s “Cold Read” selections, high-frequency words are strategically placed within the text to give students an additional opportunity to practice reading these words in context for meaning and fluency. 
• The Progress Checkups are designed to measure students’ progress based on the vocabulary, word study, comprehension, and writing taught in each week of instruction. Some items in these assessments are formatted to help students gain experience with the item format and stem language they will experience in the state test. 
• In grade 3, there are 25 check-ups—one for each instructional week in the “myView Literacy” program. Each Progress Checkup contains four sections: 
  • The “Vocabulary” section consists of five multiple-choice questions that assess students’ knowledge of the week’s vocabulary words. 
  • The “Word Study” section consists of five multiple-choice questions that assess students’ knowledge of the week’s word study skills. 
  • The “Reading Comprehension” section consists of a selection students read and three multiple-choice questions and one short-response question that assess students’ knowledge of the week’s comprehension focus. 

  • The “Writing” section consists of a writing prompt that asks students to write in a particular writing mode. 

• The “Cold Reads Teacher’s Manual” includes the following: (1) notes on how to use the Cold Read tests, (2) instructions on how to administer and score a fluency test, (3) a chart on which the teacher may record student progress, (4) item analysis charts that provide teachers the opportunity to track students’ strengths and areas of need, and (5) annotated copies of all the Cold Read tests indicating the answers to all questions. 

Materials include specific guidance on determining frequency of progress monitoring based on students’ strengths and needs. 

• The materials list Unit Tests and Progress Checkups as progress monitoring tools. The frequency of administration is tied to the instructional pacing of content, not based on student need. There are no additional tools for progress monitoring based on students’ strengths and needs in phonemic awareness, phonics, or morphological awareness. 
• The materials provide Cold Reads as progress monitoring tools for fluency. Each week, the materials provide three passages that are written to assess varying levels of proficiency— “Developing (D),” “On-Level (OL),” and “Advanced (A).” The materials specify that these Cold Reads are used weekly regardless of student need. 
• In Grade 3, there are 25 Progress Checkups—one for each instructional week in the myView Literacy program. The Progress Checkups are administered at the end of the instruction for each week. 
• The “Teacher’s Manual” includes the following: (1) a description of the Progress Checkups, (2) instructions for administering the check-ups, (3) instructions for scoring and recording assessment results, (4) reproducible charts on which to track students’ progress, (5) item analysis charts with alignments to assessment items’ skills and standards, (6) a scoring rubric for writing, (7) top-level responses for the Writing portion of each Progress Checkup, (8) an answer key, and (9) reproducible student assessment pages. 
• The Unit Tests are designed to assess students’ progress in “Reading Comprehension, Word Study, Conventions, and Writing” at the end of each unit. All items test content that has been taught within the unit, and all items are aligned to the TEKS. Some items provide TEKS by using formats and language similar to formats and language students may encounter on the state test. There are also some items that will help prepare students for technology-enhanced items they may encounter on computer-based tests. Selections and questions on the Unit Tests become progressively more difficult from Unit 1 to Unit 5 to reflect the increasing sophistication of materials students are able to handle. 
• The materials do provide weekly Cold Reads for monitoring student reading fluency and comprehension. According to the materials, the purpose of the Cold Read test is to give weekly opportunities for students to practice the comprehension focus and high-frequency words covered in myView Literacy. There are three leveled Cold Read tests for each week, which assess the weekly comprehension focus, associated TEKS, and previously learned skills. 

Evaluation for 4.3
Materials include guidance for teachers to analyze and respond to data from diagnostic tools.

The materials meet the criteria for this indicator. Materials include guidance for teachers to analyze and respond to data from diagnostic tools. 

Materials support teachers’ analysis of diagnostic data to inform response to individual students’ strengths and needs. Diagnostic tools provide teachers with guidance on how to plan and differentiate instruction based on student data. Materials include a variety of resources that align to data, allowing teachers to plan different activities in response to student data. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Materials support teachers’ analysis of diagnostic data to inform response to individual students’ strengths and needs. 

• The materials guide the teacher to analyze the assessment data. In the “Summative Assessment” booklet, the directions tell the teacher to score by sub-assessment and by total assessment because both types of scores will be useful in interpreting assessment results and informing instruction for each student. 
• The Summative Assessment booklet states that specific literacy skills are assessed during the course of the assessment and that those are the skills that students should use and master. It also explains that assessment results can help teachers identify which core skills students understand and which will require additional practice or reteaching. Further, the Summative Assessment booklet explains that by using the “Item Analysis Charts,” the teacher can determine specific areas in which students need additional help. For example, if the student answers six questions incorrectly on a skill, the teacher needs to plan additional instruction of this skill for the student. 
• The materials support the teacher’s interpretation of the data. In the Summative Assessment booklet, “Interpreting Baseline Test Results,” it states that the initial baseline for a student should not be based exclusively on the “Baseline Test,” but instead the teacher should use all available information about a student. Additionally, the materials recommend that the teacher compare the Baseline Test results for each student only with other students in their class to allow the teacher to inform future instruction by examining general trends in their students’ grade-level knowledge and abilities. 
• The “DATA” tab of the digital platform shows teachers how to view the results of assessments taken online by class and by student. For assessments aligned to standards, teachers can also view the score results by question and standard. The materials note that the report data is cumulative, so students’ scores will change as new tests are completed.

Materials tools provide teachers with guidance on how to plan and differentiate instruction based on student data. 

• The materials support teachers in their efforts to analyze data and determine paths for meeting student needs. For example, materials suggest students who score below 60% on the Baseline Test may benefit from “regular instruction during whole-class time, intervention activities during small-group time, more scaffolding, more practice with critical skills and more opportunities to respond, decodable books to practice word-reading skills, being matched with text appropriate for developing learners through leveled readers, receiving more frequent additional support, and intensive instruction.” For students who score between 60% and 89% on the Baseline Test, a suggested strategy is being matched with text appropriate for on-level learners through leveled readers. The materials also advise the teacher to have these students use “myFocus Readers” to practice word reading skills. If students score more than 90% on the Baseline Test, differentiated instruction includes but is not limited to students beginning “regular instruction during whole-class time and being matched with text appropriate for advanced learners through leveled readers.” 
• The teacher’s manual for Summative Assessment provides teachers with remediation suggestions in the “myFOCUS Intervention Guide.” The teacher uses the results from assessment questions to place students in remediation lessons corresponding to items missed. For example, Baseline item 16 (TEKS 2.2Bi) corresponds to remediation opportunities in separate lessons in the “myFOCUS Intervention” section of materials. “Unit Tests” and “Progress Checkups” also suggest remediation opportunities in the myFOCUS Intervention Guide according to the item and TEKS missed. 
• The information gathered from the diagnostic tools helps teachers plan their core phonics instruction. In the Summative Assessment booklet, guidelines help the teacher determine how best to help improve students’ areas of need and build upon students’ areas of strength. Ultimately, for all students, the materials state that teachers should use flexible grouping options and formative assessment, such as “Quick Checks,” to monitor progress and inform and differentiate instruction throughout the year. 

Materials include a variety of resources that align to data, allowing teachers to plan different activities in response to student data. 

• The myFOCUS Intervention teacher’s guide includes resources aligned to student assessment data. This resource includes scaffolded lessons, including reproducible student pages and checkpoint assessments. Lessons address foundational skills, reading literature, reading informational text, writing, language and conventions, and inquiry and research. The grade-level skills lessons align with the assessments and include guided and independent practice and progress monitoring on a step-by-step basis, ensuring mastery; this helps teachers assess student proficiency and determine next steps. The materials state: “The goal is to make intervention as quick and efficient as possible. Pacing should be adapted as students’ skill level increases.” 

• Materials do include digital games and decodables that align to student data. For example, decodable books correspond to unit objectives, providing an opportunity to practice objectives that require reinforcement as well as extending opportunities to practice on-level and extension opportunities for students who have mastered skills. Digital games such as “Word Island” include opportunities for teachers to reinforce objectives as needed by assigning lessons according to student need. Online games may also be used at school or at home and progress according to student need. 

Evaluation for 5.1
Materials include guidance, scaffolds, supports, and extensions that maximize student learning potential.

The materials meet the criteria for this indicator. Materials include guidance, scaffolds, supports, and extensions that maximize student learning potential. 

Materials provide targeted instruction and activities to scaffold learning for students who have not yet mastered grade-level foundational phonics skills. Materials provide targeted instruction and activities to accelerate learning for students who have achieved grade-level mastery of foundational phonics skills. Materials provide enrichment activities for all levels of learners. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Materials provide targeted instruction and activities to scaffold learning for students who have not yet mastered grade level foundational phonics skills. 

• The materials include the “myFocus Intervention Teacher’s Guide” with scaffolded lessons addressing “Foundational Skills, Reading Literature, Reading Informational Text, Writing, Language and Conventions, and Inquiry and Research.” The guide states that instructional focus strategies include the development of skills and strategies to help students achieve on-grade level expectations. Materials further state, “Discrete skills are scaffolded into small, manageable minilessons for thorough coverage, focused practice, and built-in progress monitoring.” 
• In the myFocus Intervention Teacher’s Guide, specific lessons addressing foundational skills needs can be found in the table of contents. For example, in the “Contractions” lesson, the teacher tells students that words may be combined to form shorter words and that an apostrophe takes the place of letters that are removed. Students look for word combinations that have apostrophes, while the teacher models reading text with contractions. The teacher further shows a chart with words that form contractions. The practice opportunities include students recognizing words formed with n’t and ‘m. Then, students repeat contractions with the teacher, followed by writing contractions to complete sentences. 
• Each lesson in the “Reading Routines Companion” offers a strategy to differentiate the instruction to make the skill easier to learn in the “Make It Easier” segment. For example, in the lesson called “Word Study Syllable VC/CV,” the materials state that struggling students may benefit from revisiting one-syllable CVC words. First, the teacher displays the word sun and says: “This word has one syllable. What is the vowel in the middle (u)?” The teacher points to each letter and says, “Consonant vowel consonant.” Next, the teacher writes CVC above sun. The teacher then says: “Listen: sun. Say it with me: sun.” The teacher continues with the words set, kit, and ten. The teacher says: “Now let’s look at a two-syllable word. (Displays sunset.) Reading a word one syllable at a time helps us know how to say each part.” The teacher underlines unse and says: “This word has a vowel, consonant, consonant, vowel pattern. We divide words with this pattern between the two consonants: sun/set. The teacher repeats the steps with the words kitten, sunlit, and mitten. 
• The Make It Easier segment of the lesson “Word Study Inflected Endings -s, -es, -ies” tells the teacher that students who struggle to form plural nouns correctly may benefit from a tactile approach using cards or tiles. The teacher distributes cards for the ending -s and the following words: hill, cake, window. The teacher says: “Hill is singular. How do we make it plural (by adding -s)?” The teacher has the students slide the s in place at the end of the word. The teacher asks, “What is the plural form of hill (hills)?” The steps are repeated for -es and -ies words. 

Materials provide targeted instruction and activities to accelerate learning for students who have achieved grade level mastery of foundational phonics skills.

• The materials include guidance for enrichment activities for students who have mastered grade-level foundational phonics skills. In Unit 2, Week 1, an activity is included for students who are on level and advanced. The activity is an “Inquiry,” where students use an infographic in the “Student Interactive” to generate questions about the ways plants and animals depend on each other for survival. Throughout the week, the teacher has the students conduct research about one of the questions. 
• The lessons include recommendations for upward scaffolds to support extension and application of learning. In the Reading Routines Companion, “Word Study Syllable VC/CV,” the “Make It Harder” segment is for students who can divide words with the VC/CV pattern into syllables. The teacher has students list VC/CV words that they find in classroom texts. Partners then exchange lists and divide the words into syllables. The teacher then has the partners check each other’s divisions and read aloud the words. 
• In the Reading Routines Companion, in the lesson on “Word Study Inflected Endings -s, -es, -ies,” the Make It Harder segment suggests a game for students who can form plural nouns correctly. The first student writes a word and says, for example, “I have one bunny. Please give me two.” The partner responds by writing the plural form: bunnies. Then, both partners approve the plural word form. Students switch roles and continue. The teacher provides words for students to practice, including hand, bicycle, library, ash, pony, bush, latch, arch, and ostrich. 

Materials provide enrichment activities for all levels of learners. 

• Publisher materials include enrichment activities for all levels of learners. Resources supporting students’ development of high-frequency word knowledge include “Word Island.” This game provides opportunities for students to identify and select high-frequency words. Students progress from Level 1 to Level 3 in each island, which provides a cumulative review of previously learned high-frequency words. For example, Cod Island includes Level 1 words to collect, such as is, to, my, and a. The Word Island introduction states that there are “lots of words” included on the 40 islands, and that students will practice and review high-frequency words. This game progresses at students’ ability level. 
• The materials include enrichment activities for all levels of learners that provide students with opportunities to explore and apply new learning in a variety of ways. In Unit 2, Week 1, there are additional activities to apply new learning in a variety of ways. The activities include: 1. read a self-selected trade book; 2. continue reading the “Book Club” text or one of the books from a suggested list; 3. write about reading in a reading notebook; 4. retell a story for a partner; 5. play the “myView” games; and 6. complete an activity in the “Resource Download Center.” 
• In Unit 5, Week 1, there are additional activities for students to explore and apply new learning. The activities include: 1. read a self-selected trade book; 2. read a Book Club text or a book from a suggested list; 3. write about reading in a reading notebook; 4. play the myView games; and 5. work on an activity from the Resource Download Center. 

Evaluation for 5.2
Materials include a variety of instructional methods that appeal to a variety of learning interests and needs.

The materials meet the criteria for this indicator. Materials include a variety of instructional methods that appeal to a variety of learning interests and needs. 

Materials include a variety of developmentally appropriate instructional approaches to engage students in mastery of the content. Materials support a variety of instructional settings (e.g., whole group, small group, one-on-one). 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Materials include a variety of developmentally appropriate instructional approaches to engage students in mastery of the content. 

• In Unit 1, Week 4, the lesson focuses on vowel digraphs. The teacher writes shadow, needy, and Friday on the board, and then guides students in identifying the vowel digraphs in the words. The teacher tells students to use the pattern to identify the vowel sound and pronounce each word (shadow, ow, long o; needy, ee, long e; Friday, ay, long a). Then, the teacher leads students in identifying vowel digraphs and decoding the words painter and easy. 
• In the “Reading Routines Companion” lesson on “Base Words and Endings -ing, -ed, -er, -est,” the teacher models sliding word-ending cards to word cards. On their own, students add -ing and -ed to the verbs and -er and -est to the adjectives. The students then spell the new words and use them in a sentence. 
• Each lesson incorporates a “Model and Practice” component for each skill taught. In Unit 2, Week 1, under the subheading Model and Practice, the teacher demonstrates how to decode multisyllabic words with open and closed syllables (V/CV and VC/V syllable patterns). The teacher writes the words paper, linen, and slogan on the board. The teacher then has volunteers help identify the VCV pattern in each word (pa-per, V/CV; lin-en, VC/V; slo -gan, V/CV); students decode each word. 

Materials support a variety of instructional settings (e.g., whole group, small group, one on one). 

• In Unit 3 “Glossary Support,” the teacher models how to use a glossary with the whole group. The teacher points out how the word is bolded and has black dots that show syllable division. The teacher also addresses pronunciation and syllable stress: “In parentheses, I see how abandon is pronounced, and I also see that the second syllable is stressed.” Lastly, the teacher shows how to find the word’s part of speech, sentence function, and definition. Then, the teacher has student partners find different words in the glossary, explain details of the word, and use it in a sentence. 

• Each lesson begins as whole group instruction; the instructional settings vary during the rest of the lesson. In Unit 5, Week 1, the “Focus” and Model and Practice components are done in a whole group setting. During “Apply/My Turn,” students independently complete an activity in the “Student Interactive.” 

Evaluation for 5.3
Materials include supports for Emergent Bilinguals to meet grade-level learning expectations.

The materials meet the criteria for this indicator. Materials include supports for Emergent Bilinguals to meet grade-level learning expectations. 

Materials include linguistic accommodations (communicated, sequenced, and scaffolded) commensurate with various levels of English language proficiency as defined by the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS). Materials encourage strategic use of students’ first language as a means to linguistic, affective, cognitive, and academic development in English. 

Evidence includes but is not limited to:

Materials include linguistic accommodations (communicated, sequenced, and scaffolded) commensurate with various levels of English language proficiency as defined by the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS). 

• In Unit 1, Week 1, “ELL Targeted Support” includes the teacher supporting beginning/intermediate English learners in learning sound-letter relationships. Beginning/intermediate student supports include the teacher saying words one syllable at a time while sorting the words in two columns. The teacher script reads: “Point to a syllable and ask: What letters are in this syllable? Then point to each letter and ask: Is this letter a consonant or a vowel? Have students copy the syllables and the words.” 
• In the lessons, ELL Targeted Support sections give differentiated support for beginning/intermediate and advanced/advanced high English learner proficiencies. In Unit 2, Week 1, for students at the beginning level, ELL Targeted Support in the margin has the teacher write the words later and lemon on the board. The teacher says the words aloud, emphasizing the syllables. The teacher has students repeat the words and models how to divide the words into syllables. For the Intermediate level, the teacher has students work in pairs to write and pronounce the words lemon and later and make a slash where the syllables in the words should be divided. Students at the advanced level identify open and closed syllables and divide the words. ELPS 4.C.iv is referenced: “Comprehend English language structures used routinely in written classroom materials.” 
• In Unit 5, Week 1, in the ELL Targeted Support section for beginning/intermediate levels, the teacher is directed to display the following words: fault, jaw, caught, talk, and bought. The teacher has the students read the words aloud and identify the letters that spell the vowel sound heard in the word saw (fault; jaw; caught; talk; bought). For students at the 

  advanced/advanced high level, the teacher displays the words fault, jaw, caught, talk, and bought, and students read the words aloud and identify the sound that is the same in each word. Then, students identify the letters that spell the vowel sound heard in the word saw (fault; jaw; caught; talk; bought). ELPS 5.A.i is referenced: “Learn relationships between sound and letters of the English language to represent sound when writing in English.”

Materials encourage strategic use of students’ first language as a means to linguistic, affective, cognitive, and academic development in English. 

• Unit 1, Week 4, includes “English Language Transfer” support with cognates within the text. Teacher direction includes using Spanish cognates in relation to English words. Cognate examples include desert/desierto, temperatures/temperatura, and descendents/descendientes. 
• “Family-School Connection” letters are provided in both English and Spanish. These letters explain the theme of each unit and the reading and writing skills being studied. The letters also provide examples of how parents can help their child with those skills and the students’ project-based inquiry. 
• In the “Dual Language Toolkit,” in the “Articles” section, there is an article about “Cognate Analysis and Classifying Cognates.” The article suggests that teachers have students keep, and regularly update, a list of cognates in their writing journals. If appropriate, the teacher should encourage students to apply what they know about language patterns in Spanish and English to generate additional cognate pairs.