The components used to review curricula are those featured in Hollis Scarborough’s reading rope metaphor:
Word Recognition
- phonological and phonemic awareness
- phonics and phonic decoding
Language Comprehension
- background knowledge
- vocabulary
- knowledge of language structures
- verbal reasoning
- literacy knowledge
The CEGs also review these related curricular components:
- Fluency
- Writing (handwriting, spelling, composition)
- Reading comprehension
- Assessment
When using The Reading League’s CEGs, users should carefully examine the following features:
- Preliminary statements and directions: Recommendations for who should be included in review teams are provided.
- Reviewer workbook: This workbook provides space for reviewers to rate the level at which they find a red flag statement to be true. Reviewers can also note the location and language of the evidence to reduce subjectivity.
- Reference section: An extensive and thorough listing of empirical research and meta-analyses related to each of the aligned and red flag practices in the CEGs is substantiated by references from the scientific evidence base.
Empowered with the knowledge of a thorough review, informed educators, coaches, and administrators can leverage this knowledge to ensure their instruction is grounded in evidence.
Resources
Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines (3rd Edition)
Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines (3rd Edition) Reviewer Workbook
Spotting Red Flags Using The Reading League’s Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines
State-Level Guidance for The Reading League’s Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines and Curriculum Navigation Reports
Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines (2023 version)
Stakeholder Uses of The Reading League’s CEGs
- Schools and districts: CEGs can be used to review existing instructional materials or as a walkthrough tool for instructional practices to ensure teachers are teaching all components of literacy.
- State education agencies: CEGs are useful as gateway criteria for schools and districts to leverage in curriculum decision-making.
- Institutions of higher education: CEGs are an important part of a framework for course syllabi, first teaching students about the research that substantiates each section, then deepening their understanding of red flag practices and aligned practices. Since many schools and districts are shifting to high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) rather than teacher-created lessons, at the end of the semester faculty members will ask students to review HQIM using the CEGs to teach them to be critical consumers of their instructional materials.
- Publishers: CEGs can be used to develop and refine content to align with the science of reading. However, publishers should not use the CEGs to complete a review of their materials to distribute to schools and districts for marketing purposes.
In working together to clarify a definition, the Science of Reading: Defining Guide was created to provide all stakeholders with a clear understanding of what the science of reading is, what it is not, and much more. The Defining Guide also includes 11 calls to action for all stakeholders. Pertinent to this Curriculum Decision Makers content is the following call to action: “We call on curriculum publishers and professional learning providers to create and promote products that are aligned with the science of reading and to eliminate non-aligned products from their offerings.” Unfortunately, some publishers continue to offer materials and professional development that claim to be aligned with the science of reading but are not.
Many states have mandated the use of high-quality instructional materials to be chosen from lists based on alignment to standards, useability, and often one other feature—outdated practices. Alignment with the science of reading was frequently not included in the development of these lists. While some have identified aligned practices within curricula, none identified non-aligned practices. As a result, many states adopt curricula featuring instructional practices that can inadvertently prevent students from developing proficient reading and writing skills.
To assist curriculum decision makers, The Reading League developed its Curriculum Evaluation Tool, later renamed Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines (CEGs) in 2022. The most recent update of the CEGs (February 2023) places red flag practices front and center in the review process to help decision makers steer clear of curricula featuring them.