Kindergarten - Gateway 1

The letter names and sounds instruction in IMSE's OG+ meet the expectations for Indicator 1a.i. The materials provide a defined, yearlong sequence for letter recognition instruction that is completed within a reasonable timeframe. The Kindergarten Scope and Sequence outlines an ordered progression across Concepts 1–26, introducing one letter–sound correspondence at a time. Materials include isolated, systematic, and explicit instruction for recognizing letter names and their corresponding sounds. Instruction follows a consistent routine across the sequence, supporting students in learning both uppercase and lowercase letter forms and connecting each letter to its sound.

• There is a defined sequence for letter recognition instruction to be completed in a reasonable time frame over the school year.

  • The Kindergarten Scope and Sequence presents a  defined and ordered sequence for introducing letter names and their corresponding sounds. Concepts 1-26  outline the year-long progression, moving from high-utility consonants and short vowels to less frequent consonants. The full sequence includes:

    • Mm /m/ (marshmallow)

    • Aa /a/ (apple)

    • Ll /l/ (log)

    • Oo /o/ (octopus)

    • Hh /h/ (hammer)

    • Gg /g/ (goat)

    • Cc /k/ (cat)

    • Dd /d/ (dog)

    • Tt /t/ (turtle)

    • Ii /i/ (itch)

    • Jj /j/ (jam)

    • Kk /k/ (kite)

    • Pp /p/ (pig)

    • Uu /u/ (up)

    • Bb /b/ (bat)

    • Rr /r/ (raccoon)

    • Ff /f/ (fish)

    • Nn /n/ (nose)

    • Ee /e/ (edge)

    • Ss /s/ (sun)

    • Ww /w/ (wagon)

    • Yy /y/ (yo-yo)

    • Vv /v/ (violin)

    • Xx /ks/ (box)

    • Zz /z/ (zebra)

    • qu /kw/ (queen)

  • This ordered sequence introduces one letter–sound correspondence at a time and progresses from more frequent and instructionally foundational letters to those that are less common. The structure allows the full set of 26 letters (plus qu) to be taught systematically across the school year in a reasonable and developmentally appropriate timeframe.

• Materials contain isolated, systematic, and explicit instruction for students to recognize all 26 lowercase and uppercase letters. 

  • In Concept 1, Day 1, Mm /m/ marshmallow, the teacher directs students to identify and rehearse the letter name and sound while tracing the lowercase m. The routine includes repeated statements such as “m spells /m/,” prompting students to connect the visual letter to its corresponding sound during guided practice. Students first watch the teacher model identifying the lowercase m, then practice recognizing the letter themselves as they trace it and say the letter name and sound aloud. On Day 2, Students apply the same routine to the uppercase M, tracing the uppercase letter while identifying the letter name and sound. 

  • In Concept 3, Day 1, Ll /l/ log, the teacher introduces the lowercase l and models identifying the letter name and sound, stating “l spells /l/.” Students watch the teacher model the routine and then practice recognizing the letter by tracing the lowercase l while saying the letter name and sound aloud. The materials direct the teacher to follow the same structured steps used in earlier concepts, reinforcing consistent routines for letter recognition. On Day 2, students apply the same routine to the uppercase L, tracing the uppercase letter while identifying the letter name and sound. This repeated routine ensures that all 26 letters (plus qu) receive systematic, explicit instruction in recognizing the uppercase and lowercase forms and connecting each to its sound.

The student practice opportunities for letter names and their corresponding sounds in IMSE's OG+ meet the expectations for Indicator 1a.ii. The materials provide sufficient, systematic practice opportunities for students to recognize all 26 lowercase and uppercase letters accurately and automatically. Repeated instructional routines prompt students to identify letter names and produce corresponding sounds aloud during guided practice with both letter forms. Materials incorporate a variety of activities and resources to support the development and reinforcement of alphabet knowledge. Practice includes verbal repetition, kinesthetic cues, teacher modeling, and workbook activities. Cumulative review routines are embedded throughout the sequence and occur regularly across the school year, ensuring ongoing reinforcement of both newly introduced and previously taught letter names and sounds.

• Materials include sufficient practice opportunities for students to recognize all 26 lowercase and uppercase letters accurately and automatically. 

  • According to the OG Plus Fidelity Companion, the materials include repeated routines that prompt students to state the letter name and its sound aloud during guided practice with both lowercase and uppercase letters. As part of the Letter Formation routine, students identify the letter name and sound each time they interact with the target letter. Students say “m spells /m/” while tracing the solid lowercase letter and repeat “m spells /m/” when tracing the letter with a finger. Students again identify the letter name and sound when tracing the dotted version of the letter. The routine is later applied to uppercase letters as students practice identifying the name and sound for both forms of each introduced letter.

  • In Concept 10, Day 1, New Sound Dictation provides an additional opportunity for students to identify letter names and sounds aloud. The teacher directs students to scrunch their nose and say the sound /ĭ/ before prompting them to state “i spells /ĭ/.” Students then write the letter in the OG Student Workbook and show the letter to the teacher, reinforcing recognition of the letter name and its corresponding sound.

    These activities appear across lessons and incorporate varied routines, including verbal repetition, kinesthetic cues, teacher modeling, and workbook practice. 

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

  • In Concept 4, Day 3, the materials include the Three-Part Drill, which provides cumulative review of all previously taught letter names and sounds. During the Visual Drill, the teacher explains that “this drill helps us review and practice all of the letter names and sounds we have learned.” The teacher models the routine by holding up the a card and stating, “Since this is a vowel sound, I will also use the visual cue.” The teacher places a hand under the chin and drops the jaw while saying the sound /ă/ and states, “a spells /ă/.” Students then imitate the routine. They place a hand under the chin, drop the jaw, produce the sound /ă/, and say, “a spells /ă/.” The teacher then directs students to apply the routine with all previously taught letters, stating, “Now you will try with all of the letters and sounds we have learned.” The teacher shuffles the cards and presents them randomly. Students respond with statements such as “o spells /ŏ/,” “m spells /m/,” and “i spells /ĭ/.”

  • In Concept 18, Day 5, the materials state that the Three-Part Drill is implemented on Day 1 without the new concept and that this review routine should occur daily or at minimum two to three times per week. This guidance ensures that cumulative practice with letter formation occurs consistently across the school year, supporting ongoing reinforcement of all previously taught uppercase and lowercase letters.

    This drill appears across lessons and serves as ongoing cumulative review. As each new letter is introduced in the sequence, it is added to the deck, ensuring students repeatedly practice and reinforce all taught letter names and sounds.

The instruction and teacher modeling for letter formation in IMSE's OG+ meet the expectations for Indicator 1a.iii. The materials provide a defined sequence for letter formation that is aligned to the letter recognition scope and sequence and is completed within a reasonable timeframe across the school year. Lowercase and uppercase letter formation are introduced in a consistent, aligned progression. Materials include clear, explicit directions for the teacher on how to model correct formation of all 26 uppercase and lowercase letters. Teacher-facing routines provide step-by-step guidance for demonstrating letter formation and include embedded support for monitoring accuracy and providing corrective feedback.

• There is a defined sequence for letter formation, aligned to the scope and sequence of letter recognition, to be completed in a reasonable time frame over the school year. 

  • According to the Kindergarten Scope and Sequence, the materials provide a consistent sequence for teaching letter formation that aligns directly to the letter recognition scope and sequence. Each new concept introduces the lowercase letter formation on Day 1 and the uppercase letter formation on Day 2, following the same ordered progression used for teaching letter names and sounds. The full sequence includes:

    • Mm /m/ (marshmallow)

    • Aa /a/ (apple)

    • Ll /l/ (log)

    • Oo /o/ (octopus)

    • Hh /h/ (hammer)

    • Gg /g/ (goat)

    • Cc /k/ (cat)

    • Dd /d/ (dog)

    • Tt /t/ (turtle)

    • Ii /i/ (itch)

    • Jj /j/ (jam)

    • Kk /k/ (kite)

    • Pp /p/ (pig)

    • Uu /u/ (up)

    • Bb /b/ (bat)

    • Rr /r/ (raccoon)

    • Ff /f/ (fish)

    • Nn /n/ (nose)

    • Ee /e/ (edge)

    • Ss /s/ (sun)

    • Ww /w/ (wagon)

    • Yy /y/ (yo-yo)

    • Vv /v/ (violin)

    • Xx /ks/ (box)

    • Zz /z/ (zebra)

    • qu /kw/ (queen)

    This structure ensures that students learn to form lowercase and uppercase letters in the same order in which they learn to recognize and produce the letter names and sounds. Because each concept introduces only one new pair of letters at a time, the sequence can reasonably be completed across the school year.

• Materials include clear directions for the teacher concerning how to explain and model how to correctly form each of the 26 letters (uppercase and lowercase). 

  • According to the  OG Plus Fidelity Companion, Letter Formation Routine, in Step 1, the teacher models tracing the solid letter one time using a pencil on small-house paper while stating the letter name and sound aloud. The teacher says “m spells /m/” as the solid letter is traced. In Step 2, the teacher and students trace the solid letter with one finger while repeating the letter name and sound. The materials instruct the teacher to guide students to write lowercase letters inside the house and uppercase letters outside the house, using the attic, house, and basement diagram to support accuracy.

  • In Concept 4, Day 1, the materials provide explicit directions for lowercase letter formation using the routine in the  OG Plus Fidelity Companion. The teacher models how the letter o begins near the ceiling, curves around, touches the floor, and curves back up toward the ceiling. The materials offer additional teacher guidance by noting that the letter o follows the same motor pathway as the letter a. These directions support the teacher with clear verbal cues for describing the stroke sequence.

  • In Concept 11, Day 2, the materials provide explicit teacher directions for modeling uppercase letter formation. The materials  instruct the teacher to use the routine in the OG Plus Fidelity Companion and to reference IMSE's OG+ Lab or OG Plus Student Workbook A for student letter-formation pages. For example, the materials state that the capital letter J starts at the top of the attic, moves down, curves, and stops. The teacher draws a line at the top of the attic before modeling the stroke sequence. This clear description guides the teacher in demonstrating correct formation using the attic-house-basement visual.

The student practice opportunities for letter formation in IMSE's OG+ meet the expectations for Indicator 1a.iv. The materials include frequent, systematic opportunities for students to practice forming all 26 uppercase and lowercase letters through structured routines that progress from guided to independent practice. Letter formation practice is consistently integrated with letter–sound instruction and supported by multimodal strategies that combine oral rehearsal, tracing, and writing. Materials also include cumulative review of previously taught letter formation. Review routines are embedded across lessons and occur regularly throughout the school year, ensuring ongoing reinforcement and practice of both uppercase and lowercase letter formation to support accuracy and automaticity.

• Materials include frequent opportunities for students to practice forming all of the 26 uppercase and lowercase letters. 

  • According to the OG Plus Fidelity Companion, Letter Formation Routine, in Step 1 of the routine, students trace the solid letter with a pencil one time while stating the letter name and sound aloud. For example, students say “m spells /m/” while tracing the solid letter. In Step 2, students trace the solid letter with a finger while repeating the letter name and sound, such as “m spells /m/.” In Step 3, students trace the dotted version of the letter with a pencil while again stating the letter name and sound. In Step 4, students write the letter independently and circle their best attempt. After completing these steps, students continue independent practice on smaller house-lined paper. They write lowercase letters inside the house and uppercase letters outside the house using the attic, house, and basement visual as a guide.

  • In Concept 10, Day 1, Lowercase Letter Formation, the materials direct students to follow the routine in the OG Plus Fidelity Companion for IMSE's OG+’s Letter Formation Routine during lowercase letter formation. The teacher explains that the letter i starts at the ceiling and goes to the floor, and then students dot the letter in the attic. Students practice this formation using the four-step routine of tracing the solid letter with a pencil, tracing the solid letter with a finger, tracing the dotted letter, and writing the letter independently.

  • In Concept 26, Day 2, Uppercase Letter Formation,  the materials explain that the uppercase Q starts below the attic, curves around, touches the floor, and then curves back up toward the attic. Students then draw a short, slanted line through the bottom right side of the letter. Students apply the same four-step formation routine and then continue independent practice using house-lined paper that positions lowercase letters inside the house and uppercase letters outside the house in alignment with the attic-house-basement visual.

• Materials include cumulative review of previously learned letter formation. 

  • In Concept 4, Day 3, Cumulative Review through the Three-Part Drill, which incorporates an Auditory/Kinesthetic Drill that reinforces previously learned letter formation. During this activity, the teacher explains that students will hear a sound, spell the sound on their whiteboard, state the letter name and sound, and underline the letter from left to right where it sits on the line. The teacher models the routine by saying, “Eyes on me. Spell /m/. Repeat.” Students repeat the sound and write the letter m on their whiteboard while saying “m spells /m/.” Students underline the letter from left to right and hold up the whiteboard for the teacher to check. The teacher then leads students through the routine: “Eyes on me. Spell /m/. Repeat.” Students respond with the sound, write the letter, state the letter name and sound, underline it from left to right, and show their board. The activity includes kinesthetic cues to support recall of letter formation. For the sound /ă/, students place a hand under the chin and drop the jaw before writing a and underlining it from left to right. For the sound /ŏ/, students circle their mouth with a finger while producing the sound, then write o and underline it. For the sound /l/, students repeat the sound, write the letter, and underline it before holding up the whiteboard. The materials note that students may practice either lowercase or uppercase letters on the whiteboard during this drill.

  • In Concept 18, Day 5, the materials state that the Three-Part Drill is implemented on Day 1 without the new concept and that this review routine should occur daily or at minimum two to three times per week. This guidance ensures that cumulative practice with letter formation occurs consistently across the school year, supporting ongoing reinforcement of all previously taught uppercase and lowercase letters.

The assessment opportunities for letter recognition and letter formation in IMSE's OG+ meet the expectations for Indicator 1b. Materials include regular and systematic assessment opportunities aligned to the scope and sequence, and assessment tools provide clear, detailed information about students’ skills in letter naming, recognition, and formation. Materials include structured assessment administration with clear performance thresholds and conditional pathways, along with guidance for analyzing results and identifying students for additional small-group instruction. Embedded corrective feedback routines and differentiation guidance within instructional routines provide teachers with actionable steps to adjust instruction, including reteaching phoneme–grapheme correspondences, increasing practice opportunities, and supporting letter formation development. Together, these supports enable teachers to use assessment results to inform instructional decisions and support progression toward mastery.

• Materials regularly and systematically provide a variety of assessment opportunities over the course of the year to demonstrate students’ progress toward mastery and independence of letter recognition, and letter formation. 

  • According to the OG+ Assessment Originals, the materials  include foundational skills benchmark assessments administered at multiple points during the year, beginning with the Initial Assessment. On Day 1 of the Initial Assessment, students complete Write ABCs assessment in a whole-class setting, followed by the Initial Sounds subtest administered individually. On Day 2, students complete the Name Letters subtest, and on Day 3, the teacher administers the Recognize Letters subtest if needed. These assessments measure students’ ability to name uppercase and lowercase letters, recognize uppercase and lowercase letters when named, and form letters independently.

    • The Write ABCs subtest asks students to write the alphabet in sequence, which provides information on left-to-right orientation, spacing, sequencing, and differentiation between capital and lowercase letters.

  • In the OG+ Teacher Guide, cumulative review routines on Day 5 of each Concept also function as ongoing informal assessments. For example,

    • In Concept 1, Day 5, students complete additional practice with m by writing the target letter to create words in the OG+ Student Workbook A.

    •  In Concept 4, Day 5, students participate in the Three-Part Drill, which the materials specify should occur daily or a minimum of two to three times per week. These routines allow the teacher to observe letter recognition, formation accuracy, and application in authentic practice.

• Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information concerning students’ current skills/level of understanding of letter recognition, and letter formation. 

  • According to the OG+ Assessment Originals, The Foundational Skills Benchmark Assessments include structured analysis tools that give the teacher detailed information about each student’s performance. 

    • The Skill Letter Formation Subtest includes a student analysis sheet with items aligned to Write ABCs. The teacher marks yes or no for left-right orientation, crossing the midline, spacing, sequence, differentiation between capital and lowercase, and reversals, providing clear indicators of letter formation skills.

    • The Letter Knowledge portion of the analysis sheet includes separate totals for uppercase letter naming, lowercase letter naming, uppercase letter recognition, lowercase letter recognition, and sound naming. Each category is scored out of 26 (letters) or 36 (sounds), and the teacher circles the student’s performance level. The materials state that Kindergarteners are expected to name 18  uppercase letters and 15 lowercase letters at the beginning of the school year, giving the teacher a benchmark for interpreting student progress.

    • Teacher directions for the Name Letters assessment specify that students respond to “I am going to point to a letter, and I want you to tell me the name of the letter,” and the teacher marks each correct response. Students who score less than 50% receive the Recognize Letters subtest, where the teacher names a letter and students point to it. Both assessments provide the teacher with precise data about which letters students can identify or recognize.

• Materials support teachers with instructional suggestions for assessment-based steps to help students to progress towards mastery in letter recognition, and letter formation. 

  • According to the OG+ Manual, the materials provide a structured assessment administration sequence across multiple days, including both whole-class and individual assessments of letter formation, letter naming, and letter–sound knowledge. 

    • Materials include conditional administration guidance based on student performance. For example, students who score below 50% on the Name Letters subtest are administered the Recognize Letters subtest, and students who score below 50% on the Name Sounds subtest are administered the Recognize Sounds subtest.

    • Materials also provide guidance for analyzing assessment results and identifying students for additional support. The teacher is directed to use assessment data to complete tracking tools and to flag students for additional small-group instruction when they demonstrate weaknesses in letter formation, letter naming, or letter–sound knowledge. Instructional responses include focusing on letter formation, including pencil grip and motor pathways, and providing additional instruction in alphabet knowledge, letter names, and sounds when students do not demonstrate proficiency.

    • In the Three-Part Drill, the Visual Drill section directs the teacher to adjust responses based on mastery of letter names, requiring students who have not yet mastered letter names to state the letter name before the sound and transitioning to sound-only responses once mastery is demonstrated.

      • In the Auditory/Kinesthetic Drill section, the materials provide guidance for addressing difficulties in letter formation by using supports such as a screen, green crayon, and dotted letter paper prior to writing independently. 

  • The OG+ Fidelity Guide includes corrective feedback routines embedded within daily practice. In the Visual Drill, if a student states an incorrect sound, the teacher is instructed to pause, identify the letter, model the correct sound, and prompt the student to repeat it. The teacher then reintroduces the card into the deck to present it again.

    • Similar guidance is provided for the Auditory/Kinesthetic Drill, including reminders to ensure students repeat the sound accurately, write the corresponding letter, and underline it to show how it sits on the line. The materials also direct the teacher to support proper letter formation by using tools such as a screen, green crayon, and paper before moving to whiteboards. Because these routines occur within cumulative review activities that are conducted daily or two to three times per week, the teacher receives frequent opportunities to apply assessment findings to instruction, reinforce letter formation accuracy, and strengthen student mastery in letter recognition and letter formation.

  • According to the OG+ Teacher Guide, Differentiation Support, materials include conditional guidance for responding to student need during instruction. For example, If students need support with retaining phoneme–grapheme correspondences during the Auditory/Kinesthetic Drill, then materials direct the teacher to reteach the necessary correspondences and increase the number of repetitions during the Auditory/Kinesthetic Drill from one to three. These adjustments provide additional practice aligned to student need within daily instructional routines.

The phonemic awareness scope and sequence in IMSE's OG+ meet the expectations for Indicator 1c. The materials include a clear, evidence-based explanation for the hierarchy of phonemic awareness skills and prioritize phoneme-level instruction over phonological sensitivity tasks. Instruction progresses from phoneme blending and segmenting to phoneme manipulation in a logical, research-aligned sequence. The scope and sequence delineates a cohesive progression that builds toward immediate application of phonemic awareness skills. Phonemic awareness instruction is systematically aligned to the phonics scope and sequence, ensuring students practice manipulating phonemes that correspond to explicitly taught graphemes.

• Materials contain a clear, evidence-based explanation for the expected sequence for teaching phonemic awareness skills. 

  • In the IMSE's OG+ Manual, within the Phonological Awareness Instruction section, the materials state that research in phonological awareness instruction is arranged into three skill levels: 

    1. Phonological Sensitivity Skills

    2. Basic Phoneme-Level Skills

    3. Advanced Phoneme-Level Skills

  • The Kindergarten materials focus on basic phoneme-level skills through phoneme blending and segmenting individual phonemes within words, as well as advanced phoneme-level skills like phoneme substitution, addition, and deletions through the word chaining activity. The materials describe this instructional approach as aligned with research that states that children should receive instruction in phonemic awareness in addition to phonics (Ashby et al., 2024; NRP, 2000); phonological sensitivity tasks should be bypassed in Kindergarten (Brady, 2020); phonological awareness instruction should map phonemes to graphemes once letters have been explicitly taught (Piasta & Hudson, 2022; Snow et al., 1998; Stalega et al., 2024); and the more advanced phoneme-level skills require the application of basic phoneme-level skills and support students ability to read and spell words (Foorman et al., 2016). 

    As a result of the research cited in the materials, the Kindergarten sequence of instruction focuses on phoneme blending, segmenting, and manipulation. This occurs both orally and with letters, as the materials recommend “integrating phonemic awareness tasks with letters once children have explicit instruction in phoneme-grapheme connections.”

• Materials have a cohesive sequence of phonemic awareness instruction based on the expected hierarchy to build toward students’ immediate application of the skills. 

  • According to the OG+ Scope and Sequence, the materials introduce phoneme blending and segmenting beginning in Concept 1 and add phoneme manipulation, referred to as word chaining, beginning in Concept 4. Each concept includes phoneme blending and segmenting on Day 1, followed by phoneme manipulation on Days 3 and 4. The sequence is as follows:

    • Concept 1: Mm /m/

    • Concept 2: Aa /ă/

    • Concept 3: Ll /l/

    • Concept 4: Oo /ŏ/

    • Concept 5: Hh /h/

    • Concept 6: Gg /g/

    • Concept 7: Cc /k/

    • Concept 8: Dd /d/

    • Concept 9: Tt /t/

    • Concept 10: Ii /ĭ/

    • Concept 11: Jj /j/

    • Concept 12: Kk /k/

    • Concept 13: Pp /p/

    • Concept 14: Uu /ŭ/

    • Concept 15: Bb /b/

    • Concept 16: Rr /r/

    • Concept 17: Ff /f/

    • Concept 18: Nn /n/

    • Concept 19: Ee /ĕ/

    • Concept 20: Ss /s/

    • Concept 21: Ww /w/

    • Concept 22: Yy /y/

    • Concept 23: Vv /v/

    • Concept 24: Xx /ks/

    • Concept 25: Zz /z/

    • Concept 26: qu /kw/

    • Concept 27: Long vowels /ă/, /ĕ/, /ĭ/, /ŏ/, /ŭ/ 

    • Concept 28: Digraph ch /ch/

    • Concept 29: Digraph sh /sh/

    • Concept 30: Digraph th /th/ (voiced)

    • Concept 31: Digraph th /th/ (unvoiced)

    • Concept 32: Digraph wh /w/ or /hw/

• Materials attend to developing phonemic awareness skills and avoid spending excess time on phonological sensitivity tasks. 

  • In the OG+ Manual, the Kindergarten Scope and Sequence prioritizes phonemic awareness skills, particularly phoneme segmentation, blending, and manipulation, over phonological sensitivity tasks like rhyming or alliteration. Phoneme blending and segmenting routines are implemented from the beginning of the Kindergarten sequence. The word chaining (phoneme manipulation) routine is implemented beginning in Concept 4, once /m/, /ă/, /l/, and /ŏ/ have been explicitly taught. 

  • In Concept 4, Day 1, the materials outline a phoneme blending and segmenting activity with colored tiles or other manipulatives. Students are first guided through initial phoneme blending by the teacher, who states: “Let’s practice taking sounds that are by themselves and saying them together to make a word. Watch me push up one tile at a time as I say each sound. Then I’ll slide my finger from left to right to say the sounds together to make a word.” The teacher guides the students through blending /ŏ/ and /d/ to say the word odd. Students are then guided through medial phoneme blending with the short /ŏ/ sound in words such as mom, top, not, and lot. 

  • In Concept 9, Day 3, the materials outline a phoneme manipulation routine with letter tiles. The teacher first models segmenting the word tot. Students pound their fists while saying the whole word and then move the letter tiles while saying each phoneme /t/ /ŏ/ /t/. The teacher then states: “Listen closely. I’m going to change the word by one sound. Let’s change tot to hot, as in, ‘The pizza was nice and hot.’ Hot. Repeat.” Students pound their fists while saying the whole word hot. The teacher then guides the students through phoneme manipulation from tot to hot, hat, mat, cat, cot, dot, lot, log, dog, cog, and hog. 

• Materials contain a phonemic awareness sequence of instruction and practice aligned to the phonics scope and sequence. 

  • According to the OG+ s Manual, the Kindergarten phonemic awareness routines incorporate the specific phonemes that correspond with the graphemes taught in phonics lessons to build phoneme awareness. 

    • In Concept 11, Day 1, the phonics lesson introduces the consonant sound /j/. In the accompanying phonemic awareness activities for the same lesson, students use colored tiles or other manipulatives to blend words containing the /j/ sound, including  jam, jog, Jim, jot, and jig. Students also use colored tiles or other manipulatives to segment jet, job, jug, John, and jab. These activities require students to isolate, blend, and segment the /j/ sound without reference to print, reinforcing phoneme-level awareness aligned to the phonics focus of the lesson. 

    • In Concept 13, Day 3, the phonics instruction focuses on the consonant sound /p/. The corresponding phonemic awareness activity for this lesson emphasizes the /p/ phoneme through phonemic manipulation. During the activity, students use letter tiles to manipulate words by changing one sound at a time, beginning with  gap to cap, tap, top, hop, hot, hit, hip, dip, did, dig, pig, and finally, pit. The word chain requires students to identify, remove, and replace phonemes while maintaining an accurate blending and segmentation. The  manipulation sequence centers on the /p/ sound and incorporates only phonemes that have already explicitly been taught, including  /t/, /ă/, /ŏ/, /h/, /ĭ/, /d/, and /g/. 

    In the OG+  Manual, the Kindergarten Scope and Sequence aligns phonemic awareness instruction to the phonics scope and sequence. 

The phonemic awareness instruction in IMSE's OG+ meets the expectations for Indicator 1d. The materials include systematic and explicit instruction in phonemic awareness through consistent, teacher-led routines that emphasize blending, segmenting, and manipulating phonemes. Lessons follow a clear instructional progression that begins with explicit teacher modeling and moves toward supported and independent student practice. Teacher-facing materials provide clear examples and structured guidance for modeling phoneme-level skills, ensuring instructional consistency across lessons. Embedded corrective feedback routines support the teacher in responding to student errors during blending, segmenting, and phoneme manipulation, reinforcing accurate phoneme production and supporting students’ progress toward mastery throughout the year.

Note: This indicator is analyzed at the lesson level to examine the instructional progression within and across lessons. Repeated references to a single week or lesson reflect the structured sequence of explicit instruction and guided practice, which is representative of how the materials support this skill throughout the year.

• Materials include systematic, explicit instruction in sounds (phonemes). 

  • In Concept 37, Day 1, Phonemic Awareness: Blending and Segmenting, the teacher follows a sequence that begins with modeling, moves into supported practice, and then transitions to independent student responses. During blending, the teacher introduces the activity by saying, “Let’s practice taking sounds that are by themselves and saying them together to make a word.” The teacher produces the phonemes for each word slowly and clearly, beginning with /b/ /l/ /ĕ/ /d/. Students respond by pushing up one tile at a time while stating each phoneme: /b/, /l/, /ĕ/, /d/. After producing all phonemes individually, students slide their fingers under the row of tiles from left to right and say the blended word bled. The teacher confirms the word and provides a contextual sentence (“My knee bled a little when I scraped it on the sidewalk”) before moving to the next item. The same process continues as students blend additional words containing consonant blends and short vowels, including cloth, flux, flag, and plot.

    • During segmenting, the teacher introduces the task with  modeling: “Now let’s practice pulling words apart into their individual sounds. The word is glob.” Students repeat the word while pounding a fist to emphasize the whole word. The teacher then models isolating phonemes, and students push up tiles one at a time as they say /g/, /l/, /o/, /b/. After isolating each sound, the teacher prompts students to slide their fingers under the tiles from left to right and restate the full word glob.

  • In Concept 43, Day 1, Phonemic Awareness: Blending and Segmenting, the lesson introduces more complex phoneme patterns, including consonant digraphs and blends. During blending, students listen to phonemes such as /sh/ /ī/, /f/ /l/ /ī/, /p/ /r/ /ī/, /s/ /l/ /ī/, and /d/ /r/ /ī/, and combine them to produce words including shy, fly, pry, sly, and dry. The routine follows a predictable sequence in which the teacher presents phonemes, students repeat them, and then students produce the full word.

    • During segmenting, students pull apart words containing blends and the long i vowel. The teacher presents words such as why, cry, fry, sky, and try, and students repeat each word, pound their fist to represent the whole word, segment it into individual phonemes (for example /w/ /ī/ or /hw/ /ī/, depending on dialect), and then restate the full word. 

• Materials provide the teacher with examples for instruction in sounds (phonemes). 

  • In Concept 37, Day 1, Phonemic Awareness: Blending and Segmenting, or blending, the teacher says, “Let’s practice taking sounds that are by themselves and saying them together to make a word,” and models the sequence of sounding out /b/ /l/ /ĕ/ /d/, pushing up tiles, and naming the blended word. For segmenting, the teacher says, “The word is glob. Repeat,” then models the pounding routine, pushing up tiles while stating /g/ /l/ /ŏ/ /b/, and prompting students to read the word by sliding their fingers under the tiles. Teacher tips reinforce correct technique by instructing students to use their off-hand when pounding and their dominant hand for pushing up tiles and sliding their fingers from left to right.

  • In Concept 43, Day 1, Phonemic Awareness: Blending and Segmenting, for blending, the teacher says, “Let’s practice taking sounds that are by themselves and saying them together to make a word. We’re going to try something new this week, where we practice doing this with only listening and speaking, no tiles.” The teacher produces the sounds /sh/ /ī/ and prompts students to repeat them. The teacher then asks, “What’s the word?” and students pound their fist while saying shy. The teacher confirms the response and provides contextual meaning: “I feel a little shy at first when I meet new people.” The same model is used for fly, pry, sly, and dry.

    • For segmenting, the teacher begins with, “Now let’s practice pulling words apart into their individual sounds. We’re going to practice doing this with only listening and speaking, no tiles.” The teacher models the full sequence with the word why by providing a sentence, prompting repetition, guiding students to pound their fist while saying the word, eliciting segmented phonemes, and finally asking students to repeat the whole word. Students follow the same modeled steps for words such as cry, fry, sky, and try.

• Materials include teacher guidance for corrective feedback when needed for students. 

  • In Concept 37, Day 1, Phonemic Awareness: Blending and Segmenting, Additional Support, after students attempt a blend or segment routine, the teacher continues to monitor accuracy and respond as needed. The additional support section instructs the teacher to provide small-group practice for students who exhibit difficulty with phoneme blending or segmenting. The materials recommend reviewing earlier blending and segmenting lists, reversing the order of word lists, and repeating activities throughout the week to offer additional opportunities for skill development.

  • The OG+ Fidelity Companion includes explicit corrective feedback routines for blending, segmenting, and phoneme manipulation. The materials outline a consistent process for addressing errors: pause and praise, identify the error, model the correction, and prompt the student to practice the corrected response. These steps appear in the Phonemic Awareness: Blending and Segmenting section and provide the teacher with clearly defined actions when students produce incorrect responses.

    • For blending errors, the materials give a detailed example in which a student blends /j/ /ŭ/ /m/ /p/ as jum. The teacher responds by stating, “Good job stating the short vowel sound,” then identifies the error and explains the correct sequence by modeling the ending blend /mp/. The teacher demonstrates the articulated sounds /m/ and /p/ and blends the word jump, then prompts the student to blend the phonemes again.

    • For segmenting errors, the materials provide an example where a student segments jump as /j/ /ŭ/ /mp/. The teacher acknowledges the correct initial sounds and explains that the ending blend consists of two separate phonemes. The teacher models pulling apart each sound—/j/ /ŭ/ /m/ /p/—and instructs the student to repeat the corrected segmentation.

    • For phoneme manipulation during word chaining. In one example, a student incorrectly pulls the o tile instead of the u tile when spelling mug. The teacher affirms the correct consonant tiles and then contrasts the vowel sounds, stating that o spells /ō/ and u spells /ŭ/, modeling the associated articulatory cues. The teacher directs the student to remove the incorrect tiles and try again, prompting the student to spell mug using the correct vowel tile. Another corrective example addresses confusion between p and b. The teacher identifies the difference between the voiced and unvoiced sounds, models the correct initial phoneme for bug, and guides the student to choose the b tile.

The daily phonemic awareness instruction in IMSE's OG+ meets the expectations for indicator 1e. The materials provide systematic, explicit phonemic awareness instruction that aligns to the program’s scope and sequence and progresses from phoneme isolation, blending, and segmenting to more advanced phoneme manipulation. Lessons include consistent teacher modeling and guided practice, with intentional connections between phonemic awareness and phonics through the introduction of phoneme–grapheme correspondences. Students regularly practice manipulating sounds using structured routines and cumulative review activities, reinforcing accurate sound–letter connections. Teacher directions include clear articulation guidance and visual cues to support accurate pronunciation. 

• Daily phonemic awareness instruction aligns to the scope and sequence, progressing from isolation, blending, and segmenting to more advanced phoneme manipulations, with phoneme-grapheme correspondences introduced to connect sounds to letters. 

  • In Concept 5, Day 1, Phonemic Awareness: Blending and Segmenting, the materials provide explicit, teacher-guided instruction in blending and segmenting phonemes with the initial sound /h/. During this whole-group activity, the teacher guides students through blending CVC words using colored tiles to represent individual phonemes. For example, the teacher states the phonemes /h/ /ă/ /m/ while pushing up one tile for each sound. The teacher and students then slide their fingers under the tiles from left to right while stating the word ham. The materials also provide guided practice in segmenting. The teacher states the word hat in isolation and within context, and the teacher and students push up one colored tile for each sound in the word as they segment /h/ /ă/ /t/. Both the blending and segmenting routines continue with multiple words, providing repeated practice with the target phoneme /h/ in CVC word structures.

  • In Concept 19, Day 3, Word Chaining (Phoneme Manipulation), the materials provide explicit, teacher-guided instruction in phoneme manipulation using the medial vowel sound /ě/. During this whole-group activity, the teacher guides students through substituting initial and final sounds in CVC words while maintaining the medial sound /ě/. The teacher and students use the IMSE's OG+ Word Building Kit to represent phonemes with letter tiles, supporting connections between sounds and letters. The teacher begins by stating the word led and using it in a sentence to establish meaning. Students repeat the word while pounding their offhand fist. Students then pull one letter tile at a time while stating each sound in led and blend the sounds together to say the full word. The teacher then directs students to change led to bed, again using the new word in a sentence. Students repeat the word, swap the appropriate letter tile to make the change, state each sound, and blend the sounds together to read the new word. This routine continues through multiple word changes, providing repeated practice with phoneme manipulation focused on the vowel sound /ě/.

    Throughout the Kindergarten sequence, Phonemic Awareness: Blending and Segmenting continues on Day 1 and Word Chaining continues on Day 3 and Day 4, as necessary. 

• Materials include opportunities for students to practice connecting sounds to letters.

  • In Concept 3, Day 1, Phonics: Teaching a New Concept, the materials introduce the sound–spelling correspondence /l/ as in log. During this whole-group lesson, the teacher begins by reading a sentence aloud, “Luckily, Llama laughed loudly,” and asks students to identify the sound they hear at the beginning of the words. Students respond with /l/, and the teacher and students practice saying the sound together. The teacher then displays Phoneme/Grapheme Card #3, which shows the lowercase letter l and the keyword log. The teacher explicitly names the letter and its sound, stating that l is a consonant and that l spells /l/. Students repeat the sound as the teacher reinforces the connection between the letter l and the phoneme /l/. 

  • In Concept 12, Day 1, Three-Part Drill, the materials provide a cumulative review of previously taught sound–spelling correspondences. During this whole-group activity, the teacher displays Phoneme/Grapheme Cards in random order. Students state the sound or sounds each letter or letter combination represents, beginning with the first sound learned and then stating additional sounds as applicable. At this point in the scope and sequence, the drill includes previously introduced consonant sounds /m/, /l/, /h/, /g/, /c/, /d/, /t/, and /j/. Following the consonant review, the materials include a separate vowel intensive drill in which students practice the short vowel sounds /ă/, /ŏ/, and /ǐ/. These drills are used to reinforce accurate recall of taught phonics patterns through repeated, cumulative practice.

    Throughout the Kindergarten sequence, Phonics: Teaching a New Concept activities occur on Day 1 and Three-Part Drills occur on Days 1, 3, and 5. 

• Materials include directions to the teacher for demonstrating how to pronounce each phoneme (articulation/mouth formation). 

  • Vowel cards, including cards representing vowel phonics patterns, are a different color than consonant cards in the Phoneme/Grapheme Card Pack, signaling their instructional role. Vowel-only cards display all associated vowel sounds and include a visual cue to support accurate articulation of the short vowel sound. For example, Concept Card #2 for a shows the grapheme a on one side. On the reverse side, the card lists /ă/ with the keyword apple and includes a photograph of a child placing a hand under their chin. Beneath the photograph, the card provides the text, “Visual cue: Place a hand under the chin and drop your jaw.” This same guidance is documented in the Fidelity Companion.

  • In the Fidelity Companion, Cumulative Review: Vowel Intensive Review, the materials direct the teacher to use consistent visual cues for each short vowel sound. These cues include placing a hand under the chin and dropping the jaw for /ă/, pulling the corners of the mouth back for /ĕ/, scrunching and pointing to the nose for /ĭ/, circling the mouth with a finger for /ŏ/, and making a fist and pushing on the stomach for /ŭ/.

The assessment opportunities for phonemic awareness in IMSE's OG+ meet the expectations for Indicator 1f. The materials provide regular and systematic assessments throughout the year to monitor student progress in phonemic awareness. Assessments include individually administered oral subtests that measure students’ ability to identify, blend, and segment phonemes at key instructional benchmarks. The teacher is  supported with clear administration and scoring guidance, structured recording tools, and benchmark criteria to evaluate students’ current skill levels. The materials also provide instructional suggestions and guidance for next steps based on assessment results, including targeted practice, small-group instruction, and additional diagnostic assessment when needed to support students’ progress toward mastery.

• Materials provide a variety of assessment opportunities throughout the year (e.g., at least three times per year or aligned to key instructional benchmarks) to monitor student progress in phonemic awareness. Assessment types may include oral tasks, encoding assessments, decoding activities requiring phoneme manipulation, and teacher observations. 

  • According to the OG+ Assessment Manual, phonemic awareness skills in Kindergarten are monitored in the following assessments:

    • Initial Sounds subtest. This test is administered at the beginning of the year on Day 1 of the assessment sequence. 

      • The teacher should test all students with the Initial Sounds subtest in a 1:1 setting. The teacher begins this subtest by stating, “I will say a word, and I want you to tell me the first sound you hear in the word.” The teacher begins with the example word tap. After saying the word, the teacher asks, “First sound?” The student responds /t/. The subtest continues with words fun, hit, met, job, and ship. 

    • Blend and Segment Sounds subtest. This test is administered four times over the course of the year: (1) after Concept 8, (2) at the midterm, (3) after Concept 24, and (4) at the end of the year. When the test is administered after Concept 8 and after Concept 24, they are integrated into the pre-assessment approach in the Pause to Assess and Review opportunity. 

      • The teacher should test all students with the Blend and Segment Sounds subtest in a 1:1 setting. The teacher begins the blending portion of this subtest by stating, “I’m going to say each sound in a word, and I want you to put the sounds together and say the whole word.” The teacher begins with example sounds /l/ /ě/ /g/. After saying the sounds, the teacher asks, “What word?” The student responds, leg. The Midterm Blend and Segment Sounds subtest continues with blending words dug, top, bet, not, and chip.    

      • The teacher begins the segmenting portion of this subtest by stating, “I’m going to say a word, and I want you to tell me each sound you hear in the word.” The teacher begins with the example word mat. After saying the word, the teacher asks, “Sounds?” The student responds /m/ /ă/ /t/. The Midterm Blend and Segment Sounds subtest continues with segmenting words lid, tag, wet, hug, and shop. 

• Assessment materials provide teachers-and, when appropriate, caregiver-with clear information about student’s current skill levels in phonemic awareness. 

  • The OG+ Assessment Originals provides the teacher with forms to record responses for individual students on the Initial Benchmark Assessment (Initial Sounds subtest), as well as the Midterm and Final Benchmark Assessments and the Pause to Assess test (Blend and Segment Sounds subtest). The teacher is able to mark correct sounds and note errors on this form. The structure allows the teacher to see whether students can consistently identify initial, final, and medial phonemes.

  • The OG+ Assessment Originals also provides the teacher with a holistic Assessment Data Analysis Sheet. This sheet allows the teacher to identify all of the areas where a student has achieved mastery (i.e. scored at or above 80%), where they have not achieved mastery (i.e. scored less than 80%), and provides space to detail action plans and next steps based on those results. 

• Materials support teachers with instructional suggestions or next steps based on assessment results to support student progress toward mastery. 

  • The OG+ Assessment Manual provides guidance on next steps to take based on student test scores.

    • If a student requires additional support after the Initial Sounds subtest, the materials guide the teacher to “provide additional small-group instruction in phonemic awareness, focusing first on identifying the initial sound in words, followed by the final sound, and then middle sound.”

    • If a student requires additional support after the Blend and Segment Sounds subtest, the materials guide the teacher to “focus on strengthening foundational phonemic awareness and letter-sound knowledge” through reinforcing letter recognition, consonant and short vowel sounds, and blending simple CVC words. 

    • The materials advise the teacher that for students who continue to have difficulty with a particular concept, the teacher should provide additional opportunities for remediation and practice while “progressing through the sequence and teaching new concepts,” particularly after the Pause to Assess and Review opportunities. 

    • If a student does not get at least 80% on the Blend and Segment Sounds subtest administered at Pause to Assess K.1 (occurs after Concept 8), the materials suggest that the teacher administers IMSE's OG+’S Phonological Awareness Diagnostic Assessment which tests the skills of: onset and rime blending; first, last, and middle sound identification; and phoneme blending, segmenting, substituting, and deleting.

The phonics scope and sequence in IMSE's OG+ meets the expectations for Indicator 1g. The materials provide a clear, evidence-based explanation for the intentional order in which phonics skills are taught, grounded in research on explicit and systematic phonics instruction. Instruction prioritizes high-utility consonant and vowel correspondences and introduces phonics patterns in a deliberate sequence that supports early decoding success. Phonics instruction is cumulative and application-based, with students regularly applying new skills through blending, segmenting, spelling, and decoding connected text. The sequence emphasizes consolidation of single-syllable word reading with short vowels before introducing long vowels, digraphs, and early multisyllabic patterns, ensuring students build automaticity with foundational skills prior to increased complexity. More complex phonics patterns are introduced later in the year after students have demonstrated proficiency with simpler skills. Overall, the sequence reflects a coherent progression from simple to more complex phonics instruction and provides systematic opportunities for students to develop accurate and automatic word reading.

• Materials contain a clear, evidence-based explanation for the expected sequence for teaching phonics skills. 

  • The OG+ Manual, Part Three: Phonics Instruction, provides an evidence-based explanation for why phonics instruction must follow an explicit and systematic sequence. The manual cites the National Reading Panel (2000), Buckingham et al. (2019), Archer and Hughes (2011), and other researchers to describe the expected order of phonics development. The materials state that phonics instruction should progress from simple skills to more complex ones and emphasize that explicit instruction is the most concrete method for introducing new concepts. The manual explains that decoding should be taught until students can read new words quickly and accurately without support, and that phonics instruction should begin as soon as students know the sounds of a few letters and continue until students can decode multisyllabic words with confidence and automaticity (Honig et al., 2018). 

• Materials provide a cohesive, intentional phonics sequence that progresses from simple to more complex skills and includes ample opportunities to apply skills through decoding in connected text. 

  • The OG+ Scope and Sequence presents a cohesive and intentional phonics progression that begins with single consonants and short vowels, advances through long vowels, digraphs, and early two-syllable patterns, and incorporates decodable readers aligned to each newly taught skill. Each concept pairs phonics instruction with Spell and Read routines and cumulative decoding practice. The phonics sequence includes:

    • Concept 1: Mm /m/ with Spell & Read the

    • Concept 2: Aa /ă/ with Spell & Read was

    • Concept 3: Ll /l/ with Spell & Read is

    • Concept 4: Oo /ŏ/ with Spell & Read a

    • Concept 5: Hh /h/ with Spell & Read on

    • Concept 6: Gg /g/ with Spell & Read and

    • Concept 7: Cc /k/ with Spell & Read to

    • Concept 8: Dd /d/ with Spell & Read for

    • Pause to assess and review K.1

    • Concept 9: Tt /t/ with Spell & Read go; Decodable Reader 1

    • Concept 10: Ii /ĭ/ with Spell & Read I, like; Decodable Reader 2

    • Concept 11: Jj /j/ with Spell & Read of, will; Decodable Reader 3

    • Concept 12: Kk /k/ with Spell & Read get, no; Decodable Reader 4

    • Concept 13: Pp /p/ with Spell & Read want, with; Decodable Reader 5

    • Concept 14: Uu /ŭ/ with Spell & Read said, you; Decodable Reader 6

    • Concept 15: Bb /b/ with Spell & Read in, put; Decodable Reader 7

    • Concept 16: Rr /r/ with Spell & Read see, stop; Decodable Reader 8

    • Foundational Skills Midterm Assessment

    • Concept 17: Ff /f/ with Spell & Read from, off; Decodable Reader 9

    • Concept 18: Nn /n/ with Spell & Read he, has; Decodable Reader 10

    • Concept 19: Ee /ĕ/ with Spell & Read have, me; Decodable Reader 11

    • Concept 20: Ss /s/ with Spell & Read his, as; Decodable Reader 12

    • Concept 21: Ww /w/ with Spell & Read my, into; Decodable Reader 13

    • Concept 22: Yy /y/ with Spell & Read now, new; Decodable Reader 14

    • Concept 23: Vv /v/ with Spell & Read give; Decodable Reader 15

    • Concept 24: Xx /ks/ with Spell & Read or, by; Decodable Reader 16

    • Pause to assess and review K.2

    • Concept 25: Zz /z/ with Spell & Read went; Decodable Reader 17

    • Concept 26: qu /kw/ with Spell & Read do, are; Decodable Reader 18

    • Concept 27: Long vowels /ā/ /ē/ /ī/ /ō/ /yōō/ Examples: raven, me, hi, no, music Spell & Read they, any; Decodable Reader 19

    • Concept 28: Digraph ch /ch/ Spell & Read ½ color list; Decodable Reader 20

    • Concept 29: Digraph sh /sh/ Spell & Read ½ color list; Decodable Reader 21

    • Concept 30: Digraph th /th/ (voiced) Spell & Read one, two; Decodable Reader 22

    • Concept 31: Digraph th /th/ (unvoiced) Spell & Read come; Decodable Reader 23

    • Concept 32: Digraph wh /w/ or /hw/ Spell & Read who, what, where, why Optional: introduce two-syllable closed/open words Decodable Reader 25

    • Foundational Skills Final Assessment

    Across the sequence, students apply new phonics patterns through aligned decodable readers (Readers 1–25). Spell and Read routines introduce high-frequency words within each concept, reinforcing phonics generalizations and supporting ongoing decoding practice. The sequence moves from the simplest single consonant and vowel correspondences into long vowels, digraphs, and early two-syllable patterns, demonstrating a cohesive, intentional progression from simple to more complex skills.

• Phonics instruction is based on high utility patterns and/or specific phonics generalizations. 

  • The OG+ Scope and Sequence bases instruction on high-utility phonics patterns and widely taught phonics generalizations.

    • Early concepts focus on the most frequently occurring consonants and short vowel sounds, followed by high-utility digraphs such as ch, sh, th, and wh. Spell and Read routines incorporate frequently used words, including high-frequency irregular words (for example the, was, said, you, have, come). The sequence introduces long vowels with clear patterning (for example me, hi, no) and reinforces common English vowel generalizations. The integration of decodable readers tied to each concept reinforces these high-utility phonics patterns in connected text.

The materials’ exclusion of three-cueing strategies in IMSE's OG+ meets the expectations for Indicator 1h. The materials do not include instructional language, prompts, or routines associated with the three-cueing system. Instruction consistently emphasizes phonics-based decoding through explicit attention to phoneme–grapheme correspondences. When students encounter unfamiliar words, they are directed to analyze letter–sound relationships and apply decoding strategies rather than rely on context, pictures, or guessing.

• Materials do not contain elements of instruction that are based on the three-cueing system for teaching decoding. 

  • The materials do not contain elements of instruction that are based on the three-cueing system for teaching decoding.

The pacing and practice opportunities of phonics instruction in IMSE's OG+ meet the expectations for Indicator 1i. Materials introduce one new phonics skill at a time within a clearly defined and developmentally appropriate sequence. Instruction follows a consistent weekly structure in which a single letter–sound correspondence is explicitly taught before additional skills are introduced. Lessons move from individual consonant and vowel sounds to more complex phonics patterns, with sufficient spacing to reduce cognitive load and support mastery. Daily instruction includes explicit modeling, guided practice, and independent application through encoding and decoding tasks, allowing students time to build accuracy and automaticity. Multisensory routines, such as sound dictation, word building, and blending and segmenting activities, provide repeated opportunities to connect sounds to print. Cumulative review and distributed practice are embedded across lessons through recurring drills and optional review routines, ensuring ongoing reinforcement of previously taught phonics skills across the year.

• Materials include reasonable pacing of newly taught phonics skills. 

  • According to the OG+ Manual, newly taught phonics skills are introduced one at a time on a weekly basis using a consistent lesson sequence. Each week includes a designated “teaching a new concept” lesson in which a single phonics skill is introduced in isolation before additional skills are added. The materials specify that this routine is used every time a new concept is introduced, beginning with the first lesson in the scope and sequence. The pacing of instruction ensures that students focus on a single phonics skill before moving on to the next. New concepts are introduced after foundational routines and are revisited across multiple days through planned review and practice.

• The lesson plan design allots time to include sufficient student practice to work towards automaticity. 

  • In Concept 7, Day 1, Phonics: Teaching a New Concept, students engage in multiple phonics practice opportunities to apply the newly introduced letter–sound correspondence c spells /k/. During new sound dictation, students spell the sound /k/ on individual whiteboards by writing the letter c and underlining it from left to right to show correct placement. Students display their responses for feedback. Students then participate in word dictation using the application routine outlined in the OG+ Fidelity Companion. Students encode words containing the new phonics pattern, including cam and cog, and also spell words with previously taught patterns, such as hog, mom, and gag. Students reread the words after dictation, reinforcing decoding accuracy and recall of the letter–sound correspondence.

  • In Concept 22, Day 1, Phonics: Teaching a New Concept, students engage in multiple phonics practice tasks that require application of the newly taught letter–sound correspondence for y. Students spell the sound /y/ on individual whiteboards by writing the letter y, stating “y spells  /,” and underlining the letter from left to right to show correct placement. Students display their responses for feedback, allowing for immediate practice and correction. Students then encode words containing the new phonics pattern during word dictation, including yam, yes, and yon, while also spelling previously taught patterns in words such as tin and web. Students apply the same skills during sentence dictation, writing sentences such as See, the yam was hot! and Jed had a yen to job. After dictation, students reread the words and sentences they have written and check their work using the CUPS routine, which stands for Capitalization, Understanding, Punctuation and Spelling.

• Materials contain distributed, cumulative, and intervleaved opportunities for students to practice and review all previously learned grade-level phonics. 

  • In Concept 11, Day 3, the materials include cumulative review through the Vowel Intensive Drill, which is designed to reinforce previously taught short vowel phonics patterns. 

    • According to the OG+ Fidelity Companion, this drill is implemented daily or a minimum of two to three times per week and includes only short vowels that have already been explicitly taught. The drill begins in Concept 4 and continues throughout the sequence as new vowels are introduced. During the routine, students review short vowels spelled by single letters (a, e, i, o, u) through progressively complex phonics tasks. Students identify vowels in isolation, then apply vowel sounds within VC syllables such as ag, ap, and ib, and CVC syllables such as lat, hob, and cog. As students demonstrate accuracy, the routine advances from isolated vowel identification to decoding vowels within syllables, providing interleaved practice across multiple vowel sounds and syllable structures. Because the drill revisits previously taught vowels across multiple days and requires students to apply them in varied phonics contexts, it provides distributed and cumulative practice that reinforces automatic recall of grade-level phonics skills.

  • In Concept 9, the materials include optional, teacher-directed opportunities for cumulative phonics review across multiple days. On Day 2 and subsequent days, the materials state that if needed for intervention, the teacher may provide additional repetition using phoneme blending and segmenting lists from Day 1, the Three-Part Drill, and the Vowel Intensive Drill. These routines review previously taught letter–sound correspondences and vowel patterns and may be implemented in whole-group instruction, centers, or small-group settings based on student needs.

    • During Day 1 of Concept 9, students apply the newly introduced phonics skill through encoding and decoding tasks, including new sound dictation, updating the phoneme–grapheme chart, spelling words such as tot, cat, tag, got, and mat, and completing the first sentence dictation activity. The materials note that review of the new concept on Day 2 is optional and that decisions regarding instructional activities on Days 2–5 are made by the teacher based on student performance.

The phonics instruction in IMSE's OG+ meets the expectations for Indicator 1j. Materials provide systematic and explicit teacher modeling of newly taught phonics patterns through consistent routines for introducing new sounds, blending, segmenting, and spelling. Daily lessons guide the teacher to model sound-by-sound analysis, letter–sound correspondences, and word construction before students engage in guided or independent practice. Dictation routines are explicitly aligned to newly taught phonics patterns and require the teacher to model accurate phoneme segmentation and grapheme selection. Materials also include clear, routine-specific guidance for corrective feedback, supporting accurate decoding and encoding when errors occur. Across lessons, teacher modeling is intentional, repeated, and embedded to reinforce accurate application of phonics skills.

Note: This indicator is analyzed at the lesson level to examine the instructional progression within and across lessons. Repeated references to a single concept, week, or lesson reflect the structured sequence of explicit instruction and guided practice, which is representative of how the materials support this skill throughout the year. 

• Materials contain explicit instructions for systematic and repeated teacher modeling of newly taught phonics patterns. 

  • In Concept 14, Day 1, Phonics: Teaching a New Concept routine, the materials introduce the concept of the short /ŭ/ sound, along with the graphemes of U and u. The teacher states two sentences that emphasize the /ŭ/ sound for students at the beginning of the words and in the middle of words, respectively: “Uncle umpired under the umbrella” and “Run, bug! Hug a bug!” The teacher identifies that the sound students are hearing is /ŭ/ and is produced by the letter u. The teacher then provides a visual and kinesthetic cue for students, stating: “Let’s gently make a fist and push on our stomachs while saying /ŭ/, similar to how we might make an /ŭ/ sound if we were bumped in the stomach.” 

  • In Concept 24, Day 2, Reading routine, the teacher introduces Decodable Reader #16. In the materials, the teacher has two fiction options and one non-fiction option to choose from, as all of the Decodable Readers at Concept 24 emphasize the /ks/ concept. Before reading the text, the teacher uses the Get Ready to Read section at the beginning of the reader which highlights words that will be included in the text. The teacher listens to students read the words provided in this section from left to right and top to bottom and provides immediate corrective feedback. Example words in Concept 24 Decodable Reader #16 (from Set A Fiction Volume 2) include fix, fox, ox, and wax. 

• Lessons include blending and segmenting practice using structured, consistent blending routines with teacher modeling. 

  • In Concept 14, Day 2, Phonics: Spelling routine, the teacher models segmenting with the concept of the short /ŭ/ sound. The teacher states a word, uses it in a sentence, pounds and fingertaps the word, and then pounds again. The first word for this activity is cup. The teacher would say “The word is cup” and then use that word in a sentence. The teacher would pound the word cup and fingertap /c/ /ŭ/ /p/ before directing the students to pound and fingertap cup. This could repeat with three other words and one sentence; the teacher has a total of five words and two sentences to choose from on this day. 

  • In Concept 24, Day 3, Cumulative Review: Three-Part Drill routine, the teacher models blending with the phoneme of /ks/ and the x Phoneme/Grapheme card. First, the teacher separates the cards into three piles: C/V/C. The x card should always be in the final consonant pile. The teacher points to each letter as students segment the sounds. Finally, the teacher sweeps their finger across the letter cards as students blend the syllable. 

• Lessons include dictation of words and sentences using the newly taught phonics pattern(s). 

  • In Concept 14, Day 3, Phonics: Spelling routine, the teacher and students dictate words and sentences with the concept of the short /ŭ/ sound. The teacher states a word, uses it in a sentence, pounds and fingertaps the word, and then pounds again. The first word for this activity is gum. The teacher says, “The word is gum” and then uses that word in a sentence. The teacher would pound the word gum and fingertap /g/ /ŭ/ /m/ before directing the students to pound and fingertap gum. This could repeat with three other words and one sentence; the teacher has a total of five words and two sentences to choose from on this day. These words and sentences are different from those practiced on Day 2 of this routine. 

  • In Concept 24, Day 3, Phonics: Spelling routine, the teacher and students dictate words and sentences with the concept of the /ks/ phoneme and the x grapheme. The teacher states a word, uses it in a sentence, pounds and fingertaps the word, and then pounds again. The first word for this activity is lax. The teacher says “The word is lax” and then uses that word in a sentence. The teacher pounds the word lax and fingertap /l/ /ă/ /ks/ before directing the students to pound and fingertap lax. This could repeat with three other words and one sentence; the teacher has a total of five words and two sentences to choose from. 

• Materials include teacher guidance for corrective feedback when needed for students.

  • Corrective feedback is provided in the OG+ Fidelity Companion and is organized by routine.

    • For the Phonics: Teaching a New Concept routine, the materials provide teacher guidance if a student states the incorrect letter name or sound when looking at the grapheme card when a new concept is introduced. The teacher should follow the PIMS structure for delivering corrective feedback: Pause and Praise; Identify the error; Model the correction; Students practice the correction. This should occur immediately after a student states the incorrect letter name or sound. 

    • For the Phonics: Spelling routine, the materials provide teacher guidance if a student spells a word incorrectly.  The teacher should also follow the PIMS structure for delivering corrective feedback. In this case, the teacher should remind the student of when to use which grapheme. Although the guidance in the Fidelity Companion provides only one example of a student spelling cat as kat, the same feedback structure should be applied when a student spells a word incorrectly.

The decoding and encoding practice opportunities in IMSE's OG+ meet the expectations for Indicator 1k. Materials provide frequent and varied opportunities for students to decode and encode words using taught phonics patterns through explicit sound–spelling instruction, dictation, word chaining, and decodable text routines. Lessons consistently include explicit teacher modeling followed by student-guided and independent practice that reinforces sound–spelling correspondences. Students regularly engage in blending, segmenting, and manipulation of phonemes to read and spell words accurately. Materials also provide repeated word-level decoding practice in concept-aligned decodable readers, with multiple readings and immediate corrective feedback to support accuracy and automaticity across lessons.

Note: This indicator is analyzed at the lesson level to examine the instructional progression within and across lessons. Repeated references to a single week or lesson reflect the structured sequence of explicit instruction and guided practice, which is representative of how the materials support this skill throughout the year.

• Lessons provide students with regular opportunities to decode words with taught phonics patterns. 

  • In Concept 26, Day 1, Phonics: Teaching a New Concept, students engage in multiple opportunities to decode words containing the newly taught consonant unit qu representing /kw/. After identifying the target sound orally, students are introduced to the qu concept card and practice producing the sound chorally. Students then identify and generate words containing the qu spelling during guided activities, including words such as Quincy, quietly, quilted, quickly, Quinn, quite,and quirky. During an interactive read-aloud, students listen for and orally identify additional words with the newly taught pattern, responding in complete sentences and reinforcing recognition of the spelling in connected text. The teacher records identified qu words on a chart, supporting students’ application of the new phonics pattern.

  • In Concept 18, Day 1, Phonics: Teaching a New Concept, students engage in multiple opportunities to decode words containing the newly taught consonant n representing /n/. After identifying the initial sound in orally presented sentences such as Nettie nestled noodles and Nick nailed nine nails, students are introduced to the n concept card and chorally practice the sound–spelling relationship. Students then generate and read words containing the n sound during guided brainstorming using the IMSE's OG+ Lab sound scene, identifying words such as nestled, noodles, Nick, nailed, and nine, with the teacher recording student-identified words on a chart. During an interactive read-aloud of In the Sun by Tessa Barber, students listen for and orally identify additional words that include the newly taught n pattern, responding in complete sentences and reinforcing recognition of the spelling in connected text. 

• Lessons provide students with regular opportunities to encode words with taught phonics patterns. 

  • In Concept 18, Day 1, Phonics: Spelling, students participate in word dictation, spelling words such as fan, bun, man, nod, and pin, which reflect common CVC patterns aligned to prior instruction. During encoding, students engage in a consistent routine that includes repeating the word, segmenting phonemes through finger tapping, writing the word, and checking accuracy against a teacher model before rewriting as needed. Students also encode complete sentences during sentence dictation, including, “The man had a nut from the bin.” and “Dan and Jim had fun in the cab.” Sentence dictation requires students to apply phonics skills across multiple words while attending to spacing, spelling accuracy, and rereading for meaning. After dictation, students read all words and sentences aloud, reinforcing the connection between encoding and word recognition. The materials specify that this encoding routine continues across Days 2–3, with a gradual reduction in scaffolds such as visual cues, pounding, and finger tapping. 

  • In Concept 26, Day 1, New Sound Dictation, the teacher dictates the sound /kw/ and prompts students to repeat the sound aloud. The teacher states, “qu spells /kw/,” and students repeat the statement chorally. Students then write the spelling qu on whiteboards and underline the letters from left to right to reinforce correct letter formation and placement. Students hold up their whiteboards for the teacher to monitor accuracy and provide feedback. This dictation activity requires students to apply their understanding of the newly taught consonant unit by mapping the phoneme /kw/ to its corresponding graphemes during encoding.

• Student-guided practice and independent practice of blending sounds using the sound-spelling pattern(s) is varied and frequent. 

  • In Concept 18, Day 3, students continue to engage in student-guided phoneme blending and manipulation practice using IMSE's OG+’s word chaining routine. The materials direct the teacher to use the provided word list and to refer to pages 4–5 of the OG Plus Fidelity Companion as needed.  The materials note that this practice may be carried over to or repeated on Day 4, providing additional opportunities for repeated application. This routine extends practice with previously taught phonemes and sound–spelling patterns. Students manipulate words through a word chain that requires changing one phoneme at a time while maintaining accurate blending. The word sequence includes nod → not → nut → cut → cup → cap → nap → nip → rip → rim → dim. As students progress through the chain, they identify which tile should be changed, remove and replace the corresponding tile, and blend the new word aloud. Throughout the routine, students pull one tile at a time while stating each sound and slide their fingers from left to right to blend and read each word

  • In Concept 26, Day 3, students engage in student-guided phoneme blending and manipulation practice using IMSE's OG+’s word chaining routine, following the procedures outlined on pages 4–5 of the OG Plus Fidelity Companion. The materials note that this practice may be carried over to or repeated on Day 4, providing additional opportunities for repeated application. Students manipulate words through a word chain that requires changing one phoneme at a time while maintaining accurate blending. The word sequence includes quiz → quit → sit → sip → quip → quid → bid → bad → bag → quag → zag. As students progress through the chain, the teacher prompts students to identify which tile should be changed rather than naming individual letters, reflecting the use of multi-letter tiles at this point in the sequence. Students remove and replace the appropriate tiles, state each phoneme, and blend the sounds to read each new word. Throughout the routine, students pull one tile at a time while articulating each sound and slide their fingers from left to right to blend and read the word.

• Materials provide opportunities for students to engage in word-level decoding practice focused on accuracy and automaticity. 

  • In Concept 18, Day 1-3, Decodable Readers, the materials provide repeated word-level decoding practice through the use of concept-aligned decodable readers. Students engage with Decodable Reader #10, In the Sun by Tessa Barber, following the procedures outlined on pages 20–21 of the OG Plus Fidelity Companion. On Day 1, the teacher introduces the decodable reader and discusses words from the text that reflect the lesson’s phonics focus. The teacher monitors student responses and provides feedback as needed. Students chorally read a rapid word chart composed of words from the decodable reader. Students then examine the first pages of the text and underline or highlight words containing the new phonics concept in green and read those words aloud. Students also identify previously taught red words, underline or highlight them in red, and read those words aloud. If time allows, students begin reading the first few pages of the decodable reader. On Day 2, students read the words and phrases in the Get Ready to Read section of the decodable reader, including fan, nap, on, in, man, can, run, hot, along with previously taught red words such as from, he, has, with, for, you, go, and is. The teacher introduces any read-only red words and reviews the vocabulary words listed at the front of the book, discussing the meaning of each word. Students then read or reread the decodable reader aloud while the teacher monitors accuracy and provides immediate corrective feedback for any word not read accurately. The teacher and students pause for discussion throughout the text. On Day 3, the teacher and students review vocabulary words from the decodable reader, and students reread the text aloud. Students respond to the comprehension questions and complete the writing prompt at the end of the decodable reader. 

  • In Concept 26, Days 1–3, Decodable Readers,  students engage in repeated word-level decoding practice using a concept-aligned decodable reader. The materials introduce Decodable Reader #18, Will You Quit? by Tessa Barber, following the procedures outlined on pages 20–21 of the OG Plus Fidelity Companion. On Day 1, the teacher introduces the decodable reader and discusses words from the text that align to the lesson’s phonics focus. The teacher monitors student responses and provides feedback as needed. Students chorally read a rapid word chart composed of words from the decodable reader. Students then examine the first pages of the text and underline or highlight words containing the new phonics concept in green and read those words aloud. Students also identify previously taught red words, underline or highlight them in red, and read those words aloud. If time allows, students begin reading the first few pages of the decodable reader. On Day 2, students read the words and phrases in the Get Ready to Read section of the decodable reader, including if, quit, not, win, hot, run, wet, and lad, along with previously taught red words such as give, you, go, will, good, for, have, and the. The teacher introduces any read-only red words if not already taught and reviews the vocabulary words listed at the front of the book, discussing the meaning of each word. Students then read or reread the decodable reader aloud while the teacher monitors accuracy and provides immediate corrective feedback for any word not read accurately. The teacher and students pause for discussion throughout the text. On Day 3, the teacher and students review vocabulary words from the decodable reader, and students reread the text aloud. Students respond to comprehension questions and complete the writing prompt at the end of the decodable reader.

The instruction and practice of spelling rules and generalizations in IMSE's OG+ meet the expectations for Indicator 1l. Spelling instruction is aligned to the phonics scope and sequence and is introduced at a reasonable pace through explicit instruction in sound–spelling relationships and spelling generalizations. Materials provide clear explanations for the spelling of specific words, including temporary irregular words that become regular as related phonics concepts are introduced. Students have regular opportunities to practice spelling rules and generalizations through structured word- and sentence-level dictation and review activities, supporting accurate spelling and increasing automaticity over time.

• Spelling rules and generalizations are aligned to the phonics scope and sequence. 

  • In Concept 12, Day 1, Phonics: Teaching a New Concept, the materials introduce the /k/ sound made by the letter k. When the teacher leads students through the portion of the activity where they brainstorm words that make the /k/ sound using the letter k, the teacher can use a Cat/Kite Poster to illustrate when c and k are used to start words. The image is available as a download from the digital OG+ Originals. The Cat/Kite Poster reinforces that the letter k is the first letter in words that make the /k/ sound at the beginning and are followed by /ě/ or /ǐ/. Additionally, the Cat/Kite Poster highlights that if a /k/ sound happens at the end of a word, it is often made with the letter k. Students have not yet learned about the -ck digraph. 

  • In Concept 26, Day 1, Phonics: Teaching a New Concept, the materials introduce the /kw/ sound produced by letters qu. The materials provide the poem, “How Qu Came to Be”, which provides a spelling rule. The first stanza of the poem states: “Q and u once made a bargain,  It was very long ago, They agreed to walk together, Wherever they might go.” This poem reinforces the spelling generalization that qu forms a pair in English words that are not loan words from other languages or acronyms. 

• Materials include explanations for spelling of specific words or spelling rules. 

  • In the Kindergarten scope and sequence, explanations for the spelling of specific words or spelling rules come as examples for the teacher when introducing a Red Word (high frequency, irregular words). Many of these words will become regular, or decodable, at a later grade when the specific rule has been introduced. 

    • In Concept 10, Day 2, Irregular Words: Red Words, the materials provide the teacher with a teacher tip about why I, the personal pronoun, says its name. This is different than the short /ǐ/ sound students learn in this concept. The personal pronoun I will become regular when students learn the /ī/ sound in a later concept. 

    • In Concept 23, Day 2, Irregular Words: Red Words, the materials provide the teacher with a teacher tip about the word give. This word is temporarily irregular because students have not yet learned the other uses for the silent e, which is explained in a later concept. When students learn that concept, give will no longer be irregular. The teacher tips tell the teacher to consider teaching the spelling rule that English words do not end in v, so we add a silent e to words like give, have, and love. 

• Students have sufficient opportunities to practice spelling rules and generalizations. 

  • In Concept 11, Day 1, Phonics: Spelling, students have the opportunity to practice spelling with both the /ǐ/ and /ī/ sounds. In this activity, the teacher dictates both words and sentences for students to write. When the teacher dictates the sentence, “I did a jig”, students have the opportunity to practice both the short /ǐ/ and the long /ī/ in the sentence. 

  • In Concept 25, Day 5, Phonics: Spelling (Assessment), students have the opportunity to spell the word give as a review Red Word, allowing them to reinforce the spelling rule that English words do not end in v.

The decodable texts and instructional routines in IMSE's OG+  meet the expectations for Indicator 1m. Decodable texts consistently reflect taught phonics patterns and align with the program’s scope and sequence. Lessons include structured, multi-day routines for repeated readings that build accuracy, automaticity, and confidence through teacher modeling, guided practice, and independent rereading. Reading practice occurs in phonetically controlled decodable texts rather than predictable texts, reinforcing phonics-based decoding as students develop accurate single-syllable word reading. Text complexity increases over time as students’ decoding proficiency develops.

Note: This indicator is analyzed at the lesson level to examine the instructional progression within and across lessons. Repeated references to a single week or lesson reflect the structured sequence of explicit instruction and guided practice, which is representative of how the materials support this skill throughout the year.

• Decodable texts reflect grade-level phonics patterns aligned to the program’s scope and sequence. 

  • In Concept 10, Day 1-4, Phonics: New Concept Ii /ĭ/, students engage with Decodable Reader #10, Stop, Tot! by Tessa Barber, a nonfiction decodable text aligned to the phonics focus of the concept. The Get Ready to Read section includes words such as him, it, mat, hat, dad, mom, tot, and cat, which reflect previously taught and newly taught phonics patterns aligned to the Kindergarten scope and sequence. The decodable text is designed to limit untaught phonics patterns and supports students in applying their decoding skills to connected text. On Day 4, students are introduced to a second decodable text aligned to the same phonics focus, Decodable Reader #02, Tim, Dad, and the Hog by Susan Lewis. This fiction decodable text aligns to Concept 10 and includes words and patterns consistent with the /ĭ/ short vowel focus. Across both texts, the decodable readers reflect grade-level phonics patterns that correspond to instruction within the program’s scope and sequence.

  • In Concept 32, Day 1-4, Phonics: New Concept /wh/ /w/ or /hw/, students engage with Decodable Reader #24, A Fish with a Wish by Susan Lewis, a fiction decodable text aligned to the phonics focus of the concept, wh. The decodable text includes words such as fin, whip, and wish, which reflect the newly taught phonics pattern and previously taught letter–sound correspondences aligned to the Kindergarten scope and sequence. On Day 4, students are introduced to a second decodable text aligned to the same phonics focus, Decodable Reader #24 (Nonfiction), Who, What, When, Where, and Why? by Tessa Barber. The Get Ready to Read section includes words such as whim, who, what, where, and why, reinforcing the wh spelling pattern across multiple texts and genres.

• Lessons include detailed plans for repeated readings of decodable texts to reinforce accuracy, automaticity, and confidence. 

  • In Concept, 10, Day 1-5, Phonics: New Concept Ii /ĭ/, the materials provide detailed, multi-day plans for repeated reading of decodable texts. In Concept 10, Days 1–3, students work with Stop, Tot! by Tessa Barber,  following the procedures outlined on pages 20–21 of the OG Plus Fidelity Companion. On Day 1, students chorally read a rapid word chart composed of words from the decodable reader, identify and read words containing the target phonics pattern, and begin reading the text if time allows. On Day 2, students read words and phrases in the Get Ready to Read section, review vocabulary, and read or reread the decodable text aloud with teacher monitoring and immediate corrective feedback. On Day 3, students reread the text aloud, review vocabulary, and respond to comprehension questions and a writing prompt. In Concept 10, Days 4–5, students repeat this structured routine with a second decodable reader, Tim, Dad, and the Hog by Susan Lewis. Students read and reread the text across multiple days, review vocabulary, engage in discussion, and respond to comprehension questions and a writing prompt. 

  • In Concept 32, Day 1-5, Phonics: New Concept /wh/ /w/ or /hw/, the materials provide a multi-day routine for repeated reading of decodable texts. In Concept 32, Days 1–3, students follow the procedures outlined on pages 20–21 of the OG Plus Fidelity Companion when reading A Fish with a Wish. On Day 1, the teacher introduces the decodable reader, discusses words containing the new phonics concept, monitors student responses, and provides feedback. Students chorally read a rapid word chart composed of words from the text, identify and read words containing the target wh pattern, and begin reading the text if time allows. On Day 2, students read the words and phrases in the Get Ready to Read section, review vocabulary listed at the front of the book, and read or reread the decodable reader aloud with teacher monitoring and immediate corrective feedback. On Day 3, students reread the text aloud, review vocabulary, and respond to comprehension questions and a writing prompt. On Day 4, students repeat the same structured routine with the nonfiction decodable reader Who, What, When, Where, and Why?. Students read the Get Ready to Read words, review vocabulary, read and reread the text aloud, and engage in discussion. On Day 5, students reread the nonfiction text and respond to comprehension questions and a writing prompt. 

• Reading practice occurs in decodable texts aligned to the taught phonics patterns and reflects an absence of predictable texts. Use of decodable texts decreases over time as students demonstrate decoding proficiency and transition into increasingly complex texts. 

  • In Concept 10, Days 1-5, Phonics: New Concept Ii /ĭ/, reading practice occurs in decodable texts aligned to the phonics patterns taught in the lesson. Students read Decodable Reader #10, Stop, Tot! by Tessa Barber, and Decodable Reader #02, Tim, Dad, and the Hog by Susan Lewis. Both texts are aligned to Concept 10 and emphasize short vowel /ĭ/ and previously taught consonant–vowel–consonant patterns reflected in the Get Ready to Read word lists, including him, it, mat, hat, dad, mom, tot, cat, Tim, Dad, and hog. Reading practice in these lessons relies on phonics-based decoding rather than predictable or patterned text structures. Students are prompted to identify and read words containing the target phonics patterns, underline or highlight decodable words in the text, and read words and phrases prior to reading connected text. Teacher guidance emphasizes monitoring accuracy and providing immediate corrective feedback, reinforcing the expectation that students decode words rather than rely on memorization or context cues. Across the week, students engage with multiple decodable texts aligned to the same phonics focus, providing varied decoding practice while maintaining phonics control.

  • In Concept 32, Days 1–5, Phonics: New Concept wh, reading practice occurs in decodable texts aligned to the phonics patterns taught in the lesson. Students read Decodable Reader #24 (Fiction), A Fish with a Wish by Susan Lewis, and Decodable Reader #24 (Nonfiction), Who, What, When, Where, and Why? by Tessa Barber. Both texts are aligned to Concept 32 and emphasize the wh spelling pattern reflected in the Get Ready to Read word lists, including fin, whip, wish, whim, who, what, where, and why. Reading practice in these lessons relies on phonics-based decoding rather than predictable or patterned text structures. Students are prompted to identify and read words containing the target phonics pattern, underline or highlight decodable words in the text, and read words and phrases prior to reading connected text. Teacher guidance emphasizes monitoring accuracy and providing immediate corrective feedback, reinforcing the expectation that students decode words rather than rely on memorization or context cues. Across the week, students engage with multiple decodable texts aligned to the same phonics focus, providing varied decoding practice while maintaining phonics control. 

  • Across the grade, decodable texts are used consistently to support phonics-based decoding. While the materials do not demonstrate a decrease in the use of decodable texts within the grade, the texts increase in complexity over time, incorporating longer words, more complex spelling patterns, and a broader range of sentence structures.

The phonics assessment opportunities in IMSE's OG+ meet the expectations for Indicator 1n. Materials regularly and systematically assess students’ mastery of taught phonics skills through Midterm and Final Benchmark Assessments and structured Pause to Assess and Review checkpoints administered across the year. Assessments measure students’ decoding and spelling of real and nonsense words aligned to the phonics scope and sequence and include clearly defined mastery criteria. Assessment materials provide structured tools for recording and analyzing student performance at the individual and class levels. Materials also include explicit guidance for responding to results that support students in progressing toward mastery and independence in phonics.

• Materials regularly and systematically provide a variety of assessment opportunities over the course of the year to demonstrate students’ progress toward mastery and independence in phonics. 

  • According to the OG Assessment Originals Manual, assessments that are designed to measure students’ progress toward mastery and independence in phonics are administered in two Benchmark Assessments and two Pause to Assess and Review opportunities throughout the year.

    • Benchmark Assessments

      • Midterm (Concepts #1-16)

      • Final (Concepts #1-32)

    • Pause to Assess and Review

      • K.1 (Concepts #1-8)

      • K.2 (Concepts #1-24)

    • The Foundational Skills Midterm Assessment: Read Words and Sentences, students read real words and nonsense words as a way to measure mastery of phonics patterns taught through Concept 16. The test is administered to students individually. In this assessment, the teacher points to a word and asks the student to read the word. The teacher notes when words are not real words. The teacher marks each word the student reads correctly on their Teacher Administration Sheet. Mastery is defined as achieving 80% or higher on the test. Example words include:

      • Real words: ham, lap, kid

      • Nonsense words: rom, cag, hud

    • The Foundational Skills Final Assessment: Spell Words and Sentences, students spell real words and nonsense words as a way to measure mastery of phonics patterns taught through Concept 32. The test is administered to the whole class. The teacher points to a word, uses that word in a sentence, and asks the students to spell the word. For nonsense words, the teacher asks the student to spell the word based on what they know about the sounds in the word and the letters the student knows that spell those sounds. The teacher marks each word the student reads correctly on their Teacher Administration Sheet. Mastery is defined as achieving 80% or higher on the test. Example words include:

      • Real words: quiz, thud, fish

      • Nonsense words: yux, zeg, wog

• Assessment materials provide teachers and students with information concerning students’ current skills/level of understanding of phonics. 

  • The OG Assessment Originals provides the teacher with tools to assist in analyzing students’ understanding of phonics.

    • The Student Analysis Sheet for Foundational Skills Benchmark Assessments allows the teacher to monitor individual students’ progress per assessment. This sheet allows the teacher to track a student’s progress toward mastery of phonics concepts at the Midterm and Final Benchmark Assessments, as well as other foundational skills. 

    • The Class Analysis Sheet for spelling words at the Midterm and Final Foundational Benchmark Assessments allows a teacher to quickly see which students are not yet at mastery in spelling down to the phoneme level of a word. If an error needs to be corrected, the teacher can indicate on the sheet if the error was due to incorrect letter formation, incorrect phoneme/grapheme correspondence, or both. 

    • The Assessment Data Analysis Sheet allows the teacher to create a plan for future instruction at the individual student level. This sheet gives space for the teacher to monitor students strengths and areas for growth. The sheet provides space for detailing an action plan and next steps for each student.

• Materials support teachers with instructional suggestions for assessment-based steps to help students to progress toward mastery in phonics. 

  • The OG Assessment Manual provides details for how to support students to progress toward mastery in phonics based on their assessment results. 

    • For students at or above benchmark, the materials direct the teacher to continue advancing phonics instruction through more complex phoneme–grapheme correspondences, including digraphs and long vowel patterns, and to provide additional opportunities for encoding and decoding practice aligned to the scope and sequence.

    • For students below benchmark, the materials direct the teacher to strengthen foundational phonemic awareness and letter–sound knowledge, reinforce consonant and short vowel correspondences, and provide explicit, multisensory phonics practice. Suggested instructional responses include targeted small-group instruction, repeated decoding practice with decodable words, guided word-building routines, and structured review of previously taught phonics patterns before progressing in the sequence.

  • The Pause to Assess and Review opportunities provide opportunities for additional instruction to support students’ progress toward mastery in phonics. 

    • On Day 1 of Pause to Assess and Review (either Week 10, for Pause to Assess and Review K.1, or Week 27, for Pause to Assess and Review K.2), the teacher administers  the Read Words and Spell Words pre-assessment (K.1) or the Read Words and Sentences and Spell Words and Sentences pre-assessment (K.2). If 80% of the students score 80% or higher on these pre-assessments, the teacher is  instructed to move on to the next concept in the sequence. If less than 80% of students score 80% or higher, the teacher is  instructed to complete review activities on Days 2-4. The teacher  would then administer a post-assessment on Day 5 that emphasizes the concepts that have been reviewed on Days 2-4 in reading and spelling.

The high-frequency word instruction in IMSE's OG+ meets the expectations for Indicator 1o. Materials provide a systematic and explicit instructional routine for introducing and reviewing high-frequency words through a consistent Red Word procedure. Instruction includes sound analysis prior to print, explicit identification of regularly spelled and temporarily irregular parts of words, and teacher modeling that connects phonemes to graphemes during reading and spelling. Students engage in guided practice to support accurate reading and orthographic mapping. High-frequency word instruction is aligned to the phonics scope and sequence and includes spiraling review across lessons. Across Kindergarten, students receive explicit Spell & Read instruction in 43 high-frequency words, with additional exposure to Read Only words to support continued practice in reading.

• Materials include systematic and explicit instruction of high-frequency words with an explicit and consistent instructional routine. 

  • In Concept 1, Day 2, Irregular Words: Red Words, the materials introduce the high-frequency, irregular word the using the Red Word instructional routine. The teacher explains that red words are words that contain one or more sounds with an unexpected spelling and states that students will analyze the sounds in the word to determine which parts are regular and which parts are irregular. The teacher directs students to listen to the word the, repeat it aloud, and use tiles to represent each sound they hear in the word. Students identify two sounds, /th/ and /ŭ/. The teacher explains how each sound is spelled in the word, writing th and e in red to indicate that both spellings are unexpected based on students’ current phonics knowledge. The teacher then displays the word the in a sentence and guides students to write the word using dotted-letter tracing while spelling the letters aloud.

  • In Concept 3, Day 2, Irregular Words: Red Words, the lesson follows the consistent Red Word instructional routine outlined in the OG+ Fidelity Companion, which is applied each time a new red word is introduced. The teacher begins by stating the new red word is and using it in an oral sentence to establish meaning. The materials then direct the teacher and students to analyze the word by sound, identifying that is contains two sounds, /ĭ/ and /z/. Using tiles, students orally segment the word and represent each sound, supporting phoneme-level analysis prior to introducing print. The routine explicitly guides the teacher to distinguish expected and unexpected spellings by asking students to suggest how each sound might be spelled and then recording only the correct spellings. Expected spellings are written in green, and unexpected spellings are written in red, visually marking the irregular portion of the word. For is, the materials note that the letter s representing the sound /z/ is an unexpected spelling at this point in the scope and sequence. Students then encounter the word is in a written sentence, reinforcing meaning and grammatical function in context. The routine concludes with guided writing practice, in which students write the word on red word paper while spelling the letters aloud and restating the word. In Kindergarten, students also color-code the graphemes in their red word booklet to reinforce the distinction between expected and unexpected spellings.

    The materials note that this same Red Word routine is used consistently for all subsequent high-frequency word instruction, with procedural guidance provided in the OG+ Fidelity Companion. Red Word Review occurs on Day 2-5 of each concept. 

• Materials include teacher modeling of the spelling and reading of high-frequency words that includes connecting the phonemes to the graphemes. 

  • In Concept 9, Day 2, Irregular Words: Red Words, the materials provide teacher modeling that connects the phonemes in the high-frequency word go to their corresponding graphemes. The lesson begins with the teacher stating the new red word aloud and using it in a sentence to establish meaning. The teacher then models phoneme identification, explaining that go contains two sounds, /g/ and /ō/, and represents each sound using tiles to demonstrate the sound structure of the word. As part of the Red Word routine, the teacher explicitly models mapping sounds to letters by discussing how each phoneme is spelled and identifying which spellings are expected and which are temporarily unexpected. The materials explain that go is temporarily irregular because students have not yet learned the long vowel spelling for /ō/. The teacher writes the correct spellings using color-coding to visually distinguish expected and unexpected graphemes, reinforcing the phoneme–grapheme relationship. The materials then direct the teacher to model reading and spelling the word through multisensory routines. During arm tapping, the teacher demonstrates how to tap each phoneme while stating the corresponding letter names aloud, then sweeps the arm from left to right while restating the word to model blending. The teacher further models finger tracing, tracing the word once while stating letter names aloud and then sweeping underneath the word from left to right while restating the word to reinforce fluent reading.

  • In Concept 27, Day 2, Irregular Words: Red Words, the materials provide teacher modeling for the high-frequency word they using the Red Word instructional routine. The teacher begins by stating the new red word they and using it in a sentence to establish meaning, explaining that they is used when talking about more than one person. The teacher provides background information that they has two sounds, /th/ and /ā/, and explains that the word was borrowed from Old Norse and carried through Old and Middle English, contributing to its unexpected spelling. The teacher models phoneme analysis by directing attention to the sounds in they and using tiles to represent the number of sounds heard in the word. The teacher explicitly connects sounds to spellings by identifying which parts of the word are spelled in expected ways and which parts are unexpected. As the teacher writes the word, expected spellings are marked in green and unexpected spellings are marked in red, with the teacher explaining why specific graphemes are coded as irregular. The teacher then models spelling and reading the word using multisensory routines. The teacher states each letter name aloud while writing the word, models arm tapping while naming the letters, and sweeps under the word from left to right while restating they. The teacher finger traces the word once while again stating the letter names and rereads the word, demonstrating how to accurately spell and read the high-frequency word by explicitly linking phonemes to graphemes.

• Materials include a sufficient quantity of high-frequency words for students to make reading progress. 

  • According to the Kindergarten scope and sequence, the materials include systematic instruction in a substantial set of high-frequency words introduced across the school year through the Spell & Read column of the Red Words sequence. These words are explicitly taught using a consistent instructional routine and are aligned to phonics instruction. Across Concepts 1–27, students receive instruction in the following high-frequency words:

    • Concept 1: the

    • Concept 2: was

    • Concept 3: is

    • Concept 4: a

    • Concept 5: on

    • Concept 6: and

    • Concept 7: to

    • Concept 8: for

    • Concept 9: go

    • Concept 10: I, like

    • Concept 11: of, will

    • Concept 12: get, no

    • Concept 13: want, with

    • Concept 14: said, you

    • Concept 15: in, put

    • Concept 16: see, stop

    • Concept 17: from, off

    • Concept 18: he, has

    • Concept 19: have, me

    • Concept 20: his, as

    • Concept 21: my, into

    • Concept 22: now, new

    • Concept 23: give

    • Concept 24: or, by

    • Concept 25: went

    • Concept 26: do, are

    • Concept 27: they, any

  • In addition to these Spell & Read words, the materials include Read Only words introduced alongside instruction, such as orange, white, brown, said, red, yellow, bus, blue, eek, sun, ouch, pink, green, black, look, good, fish,and others, which support oral reading and comprehension without requiring full spelling mastery. Across the Kindergarten year, students are explicitly taught 43 high-frequency words through Spell & Read instruction, with additional exposure to Read Only words.

The instructional opportunities for high-frequency words in IMSE's OG+  meet the expectations for Indicator 1p. Materials provide regular opportunities for students to decode high-frequency words in isolation through structured Red Word routines that include repeated oral reading and sound–symbol analysis. Students also decode high-frequency words in context through decodable readers, phrase- and sentence-level practice, and connected text reading. In addition, lessons include opportunities for students to encode high-frequency words in isolation and within dictated sentences during spelling activities, supporting application in writing. These consistent opportunities for isolated decoding, contextual reading, and sentence-level encoding support the development of automaticity with high-frequency words.

Note: This indicator is analyzed at the lesson level to examine the instructional progression within and across lessons. Repeated references to a single week or lesson reflect the structured sequence of explicit instruction and guided practice, which is representative of how the materials support this skill throughout the year.

• Students practice decoding high-frequency words in isolation. 

  • In Concept 21, Day 2, Irregular Words: Red Words, students practice decoding previously taught Red Words (i.e. irregularly spelled, high-frequency words) and new Red Words in isolation. First, the teacher reviews at least two previously taught Red Words with their Red Word Booklets as necessary. Then, the teacher states the new Red Word and uses it in a sentence.  The two new Red Words here are my and into. The teacher uses tiles to represent the sounds in the word while the students orally segment the sounds in the new Red Words. For example, for the word my, students would segment the word to /m/ /ī/. The teacher then discusses what is expected and what is unexpected in the word, writing the corresponding letters with a green crayon (expected) or red crayon (unexpected). The teacher then shows the word in the sentence, either by writing the sentence or displaying a sentence that was previously prepared. As the teacher writes the new Red Words onto Red Word paper in pencil, students color the dots underneath dotted graphemes as green (expected) or red (unexpected) in their Red Word Booklets. Finally, the teacher and students will arm tap one time while stating the letter names in the Red Word aloud and then sweep down their arms while restating the word. 

  • In Concept 31, Day 2, Irregular Words: Red Words, students practice decoding previously taught Red Words and new Red Words in isolation. The new Red Word here is come. The teacher uses tiles to represent the sounds in the word while the students orally segment the sounds in the new Red Words. For example, for the word come, students would segment the word to /c/ /ŭ/ /m/. The teacher then discusses what is expected and what is unexpected in the word, writing the corresponding letters with a green crayon (expected) or red crayon (unexpected). The teacher then shows the word in the sentence, either by writing the sentence or displaying a sentence that was previously prepared. As the teacher writes the new Red Words onto Red Word paper in pencil, students color the dots underneath dotted graphemes as green (expected) or red (unexpected) in their Red Word Booklets. Finally, the teacher and students will arm tap one time while stating the letter names in the Red Word aloud and then sweep down their arms while restating the word. 

• Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to decode high-frequency words in context. 

  • In Concept 21, Day 3, Reading, students use Decodable Reader #13 to read Red Words in context. Although the purpose of the activity is for students to practice fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills, each decodable reader offers students an opportunity to decode high-frequency words in context. In the “Get Ready to Read” section of each text, there is a table with words that will be included in the story. These include words that follow phonetic concepts and Red Words. Students can practice reading these words in the chart before beginning to read the text. There are similar supports at the phrase- and sentence-level. In Decodable Reader #13: Will I Win?, students encounter the following, as examples:

    • Red Words: a, and, blue, into, is

    • Sentences: It was wet. Jen did a big run.

  • In Concept 31, Day 3, Reading, students use Decodable Reader #23 to read Red Words in context. Although the purpose of the Reading activity is for students to practice fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills, each decodable reader offers students an opportunity to decode high-frequency words in context. In the “Get Ready to Read” section of each text, there is a table with words that will be included in the story. These include words that follow phonetic concepts and Red Words. Students can practice reading these words in the chart before beginning to read the text. There are similar supports at the phrase- and sentence-level. In Decodable Reader #23: Seth and Beth, students encounter the following, as examples:

    • Red Words: her, like, will, stop, said

    • Sentences: “ ‘I do not want to go to bed!’ said Beth as she ran up the path.”

• Lessons provide students with frequent opportunities to encode high-frequency words in tasks, such as sentences, in order to promote automaticity of high-frequency words. 

  • In Concept 21, Day 4, Phonics: Spelling, students practice spelling Red Words in isolation and in sentences. For Red Words in isolation, the teacher states the word my and uses the word in a sentence. The student repeats the word and then writes the word on their dictation paper or in their OG+ Student Workbook A. The teacher then writes the word and students check the spelling of the word and correct as needed. For sentences which include Red Words in context, the teacher states a sentence and students repeat that sentence. Students then write the sentence and check their work using the CUPS method (Capitalization, Understanding, Punctuation, Spelling). The teacher then shows the written model and students check their work. The two sentences presented are:

    • The cat is wet and sad.

    • The pig got wet in the pen. 

  • In Concept 31, Day 4, Phonics: Spelling, students practice spelling Red Words in isolation and in sentences. For Red Words in isolation, the teacher states the word my and uses the word in a sentence. The student repeats the word and then writes the word on their dictation paper or in their OG+ Student Workbook A. The teacher then writes the word and students check the spelling of the word and correct as needed. For sentences which include Red Words in context, the teacher states a sentence and students repeat that sentence. Students then write the sentence and check their work using the CUPS method. The teacher then shows the written model and students check their work. The two sentences presented are:

    • Did the ax hit the box with a thud?

    • Beth and Seth are thin.