Learning List recently reviewed B.E. Publishing’s Personal Financial Literacy and GoVenture . Both products were submitted for state adoption in Texas in response to the Texas Education Agency’s Proclamation 2019 call for high school Personal Financial Literacy products aligned to the new PFL Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Personal Financial Literacy is a comprehensive resource that focuses on the skills students need to set goals and manage their work and personal financial lives. GoVenture is an interactive simulation game in which students set life goals, make decisions (e.g., purchasing a home), and experience the effects of decisions (e.g., good or poor credit ratings). GoVenture may be used as a supplement to another core PFL program or as a comprehensive resource for PFL courses that require 110 hours of instruction. Personal Financial Literacy is organized in six units: (1) Plan, (2) Earn, (3) Manage, (4) Save & Spend, (5) Invest, and (6) Protect. Instruction emphasizes the importance of goal setting and the SMART goal framework; that is, goals that are S pecific, M easurable, A ttainable, R esults-focused, and T ime-based. Course resources address Precision Exams’ standards for certification in General Financial Literacy and Personal Financial Management; Learning List has not verified alignment to these standards. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> GoVenture’s games allow students to experiment with a variety of life style scenarios, experience financial decision making, and learn about investing. Game content is organized in three overarching categories: Individual Activities, Investing Simulation, and Life and Money Simulation. Individual Activities take up to 60 minutes to complete and address topics such as making a life plan, net worth, loans, and retirement. About B.E. Publishing* For over 20 years, B.E. Publishing has made CTE (Career & Technical Education) its passion. Basically, CTE is all B.E. Publishing does. From product development to technical support and customer service, B.E. Publishing strives to meet and exceed the needs of the CTE community. B.E. Publishing’ mission is to provide a seamless classroom experience, helping teachers teach and learners learn. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from B.E. Publishing.

EduSpark’s Lengua, Ritmo y Cultura is a Spanish language arts and reading (SLAR) program developed specifically for Texas students in grades K-5. Content is organized in print and online materials. Instruction supports the development of Spanish-language skills in dual language programs. Resources are designed to provide age-appropriate instruction in Spanish for students whose first language is not Spanish. Lengua, Ritmo y Cultura incorporates authentic reading selections from a variety of Spanish-speaking countries, as well as works written specifically for the program by Texans of Latino ancestry. At each grade level, Lengua, Ritmo y Cultura is organized in kits that include print student materials (i.e., textbooks and workbooks), digital lesson resources, and a Teacher Guide. Student textbooks at each grade level are made up of 36 lessons. At grade K-2, textbooks are organized in 12 units made up of three lessons each and textbooks at grades 3-5 are comprised of 9 units made up of four lessons each. Across grades, the first lesson in each unit addresses foundational language skills (e.g., pronunciation). Lesson 2 covers phonological awareness (grades K-2), phonics, spelling, and vocabulary (grades 3-5). Lesson 3 focuses on reading comprehension skills using multiple genres of authentic Spanish texts, and Lesson 4 for grades 3-5 addresses writing skills. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> About EduSpark* EDUSPARK is dedicated to empowering teachers and students to reach their full potential through dual-language resources based on research in neuroscience and technology. Our systematic tools and learning resources increase students’ intellectual capacity, academic vocabulary and concept development in English and Spanish, motivation, communication, and collaborative skills. EDUSPARK provides quality cognitive development and ongoing support so that educators have the tools and resources they need to help their Spanish-speaking students achieve success in school and in life. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from EduSpark .

Learning List recently reviewed Decker & Associates’ Real Life Personal Finance (RLPF) , which was submitted for state adoption in Texas in response to the Texas Education Agency’s Proclamation 2019 call for high school Personal Financial Literacy products aligned to the new PFL Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). RLPF is a comprehensive resource that supports instruction in Texas high school Personal Financial Literacy courses. Content is available online. Resources support independent study and are appropriate for students in self-paced and credit recovery learning environments. Instruction emphasizes the importance of post-secondary education in achieving career goals. RLPF is aspirational in tone. Instruction asks a student to consider the lifestyle they would like in the future, the earnings needed to support that lifestyle, and how current decisions may affect their ability to achieve their goals. Instruction helps students identify career interests and addresses the importance of post-secondary education in pursuing career choices. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> The course’s capstone project asks students to compete in the experiential “Game of Real Life.” The game requires students to work in teams and calculate a score based on “working, paying bills, and making life decisions” as they “age” from 19 to 26. The game requires that students make financial decisions, such as deciding on post-secondary education, renting or purchasing a home, and selecting investment options. The team with the highest aggregate income or net worth wins the game. About Decker & Associates* Since 1980, major employers, school districts, and government organizations have trusted the Deckers to provide objective personal financial education, tax planning, investment strategies, benefits selection, estate planning workshops, and counseling to thousands worldwide. Beginning in 2012, at the requests of numerous educators, parents and students, the Deckers created a high school course, Real Life Financial Mathematics (RLFM). Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Decker & Associates .

Learning List recently reviewed Cengage Learning’s Managing Your Personal Finances , which was submitted for state adoption in Texas in response to the Texas Education Agency’s Proclamation 2019 call for high school Personal Financial Literacy products aligned to the new PFL Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Managing Your Personal Finances is a comprehensive resource to support instruction in Personal Financial Literacy courses. Materials are available in print format and include additional online components. Learning List’s review is of print resources only. Instruction addresses personal money management, career and retirement planning, saving and investment, and credit management. Managing Your Personal Finances is organized in six units that address: (1) Managing Careers and Income, (2) Managing Credit, (3) Managing Resources, (4) Providing Financial Security, (5) Risk Management, and (6) Consumer Rights and Responsibilities. Units open with a short overview of each chapter’s content and a related “Net Link” that links students to related content on the text’s companion website. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> The course emphasizes individual responsibility for personal financial planning and incorporates relevant real-world examples (e.g., college costs). Content is well organized and presented in a format designed to support reading comprehension. The instructional narrative is broken into short sections with clear headings presented in large, colorful fonts. About Cengage Learning* Cengage is the education and technology company built for learners. The company serves the higher education, K-12, professional, library and workforce training markets worldwide. Cengage creates learning experiences that build confidence and momentum toward the future students want. The company is headquartered in Boston, MA with an office hub in San Francisco. Employees reside in nearly 40 countries with sales in approximately 165 countries and territories around the world. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Cengage Learning .

Universal Publishing’s Universal Handwriting provides comprehensive handwriting products for grades K-5. Content is available in print format and includes interactive whiteboard tools (i.e., animations). This review is of print materials only. Instruction emphasizes correct letter formation and the importance of legibility. Teacher resources include corrective strategies to address handwriting problems. Across grades, lessons use a three-stop process that includes: Model and Discuss, Practice, and Self-Evaluate. In Model, teachers model letter formation or use AlphamationPlus whiteboard animations of letter formations. Discussions center on the strokes used to form letters (e.g., undercurves) and students trace letters in the air or on their paper. During Practice, students complete related activities in their workbooks. Students identify their best work in Self-Evaluate and discuss what they did correctly and where they could improve. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> About Universal Publishing* Since 2001, Universal Publishing has provided educators with materials and resources to help students develop one of the most valuable learning tools they can possess: fluent and functional handwriting. Universal Publishing’s handwriting programs are written by internationally recognized handwriting instruction expert and master penman Thomas M. Wasylyk. With nearly 40 years of experience in the field of handwriting instruction, Mr. Wasylyk has dedicated his career to helping students learn to write by hand.  His mission is to provide educators and students with handwriting programs that are both effective and affordable. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Universal Publishing .

Zaner-Bloser Handwriting Texas is a comprehensive handwriting product for students in grades K-5. Content is available in print and digital formats. Instruction emphasizes legibility and the real-world applications of handwriting. Lessons integrate content from other subject areas, including language arts and social studies. A Spanish-language version of the full K-5 product— La escritura —is also available from Zaner-Bloser . Learning List has reviewed La escritura. At each grade level , Zaner-Bloser Handwriting Texas begins with a “Getting Started” unit that introduces handwriting concepts (e.g., stroke, spacing, posture) and program resources (e.g., QR Codes/tutorials). Getting Started includes a pretest and, where appropriate, a review of previously learned skills. The second and third units at each grade level address the formation of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and the use of letters and numbers in the writing of words, sentences, and compositions. The fourth and final unit at each grade is titled “Using What You Have Learned” and focuses on the real-world applications of handwriting. Cursive is introduced in grade 2. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> About Zaner-Bloser* People have been writing to communicate since ancient Sumerian times. Zaner-Bloser isn't quite that old, but our company's long history and distinguished legacy make us unique in the business, and they're something we're proud of. A lot has changed since Zaner-Bloser was originally founded in 1888 by Charles Paxton Zaner of Columbus, Ohio, with his business partner, Elmer Ward Bloser. Back then, penmanship wasn't just a skill—it was a profession, and Charles Zaner's College of Penmanship was where you went to learn it. Unlike other schools of penmanship, though, Zaner-Bloser didn't just teach how to write beautiful-looking letters. The school also taught academics as well, so graduating students were skilled penmen and good writers. Over the course of a century, Zaner-Bloser's programs for teaching handwriting have become the definitive methods used by generations of American children. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Zaner-Bloser .

Perfection Learning’s Benson Handwriting with Reading and Language Arts is a comprehensive handwriting product for students in grades K-5. Core content is available in print format and includes software-based and online resources. This review is of print materials only. Handwriting instruction emphasizes fluency and legibility. Students learn to print in grades K and 1, and to use cursive in grades 2 and 3. At grades 4 and 5, students apply handwriting skills in tasks related to English language arts and reading (ELAR). Learning List also reviewed Benson Escritura , the Spanish-language version of Benson Handwriting. Benson Handwriting organizes content in grades K-3 in units that group letters based on the strokes used to form the letters. For example, in grades K and 1, the printed letters L, I, T, and F are grouped in a unit because they begin with same pencil stroke. Students transition from print to cursive in grade 2. Workbooks at grades 4 and 5 revisit handwriting basics (e.g., letter and number formation), but most instruction is delivered in lessons that address ELAR/SLAR content such as root words, subject/verb agreement, and approaches to text structure (e.g., compare/contrast). < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> Student materials at each grade level are presented in consumable workbooks. K-2 workbooks are formatted in landscape to help young writers place the paper and develop correct posture. At each grade level, workbooks include an overview of the alphabet (i.e., letters in context), and guidance in holding the pencil for left- and right-handed students. Workbook formatting includes colored guidelines, shading, and other features to help students place, size, and control letters and numbers. A “Letterman” character visually guides students in forming each letter with numbered arrows designating the placement and movement of pencil strokes. About Perfection Learning* For over 90 years, Perfection Learning® has been a leader in literature and language arts programs for grades 6-12. These programs cover the complete range of language arts skills and course areas with both textbooks and supplemental programs. Innovative, inquiry-based literature programs provide cost-effective solutions for teaching close reading and writing, developing critical thinking skills, and building literacy engagement—all while incorporating the demands of state standards. Grades K-8 reading/language arts solutions include hybrid print/digital handwriting and spelling programs, supplemental middle school literature programs, and intervention programs in reading and math. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Perfection Learning .

InterEthnic’s Alphabet Harbor/Harbor Friends Series is a comprehensive handwriting product for grades K-5. Content is available in print format. Grades K and 1 address printing. Grades 2-5 develop cursive writing skills. Instruction emphasizes the connection between written letters and their sounds. Letters are personified as “Harbor Friends” or “Harbor Pals” using clipart images of children and animals (e.g., Zany Z). At each grade level, the Harbor Friends handwriting series presents content in a consumable “Student Workbook.” At grades K and 1, instruction is organized in terms of the alphabet. At grades 2-5, lessons are organized in terms of letters with the same shape in their initial strokes. For example, lower-case letters that begin with a “short swoop up” (r, s, j, and p) are taught in the same section. Across grades each letter is represented by a “Harbor Friend” or “Harbor Pal” (i.e., a clipart image of a boy, girl, or animal) and a poem that describes the letter’s formation. Where appropriate, letter sounds and letter identification are integrated with handwriting instruction. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> About InterEthnic* InterEthnic’s mission is to ensure all children are prepared to read before they enter school.  Alphabet Harbor!™ and its complementary products enable every child to acquire 40 sounds of English as naturally and easily as learning to speak. More importantly, the Harbor Friends™ become a child’s new best friends, priming their heart for loving reading. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from InterEthnic .

Savvas’s Words Their Way (WTW): Word Study In Action Developmental Model is a supplemental product that supports reading and language arts instruction in grades K-5. Content is available in print and digital formats. Learning List recently reviewed WTW’s print and CD-ROM/DVD resources. The program uses the word study instructional model to teach phonics, spelling, word recognition, and vocabulary skills. WTW organizes content in terms of five spelling stages: (1) Emergent-Early Letter Name, (2) Letter Name, (3) Within Word Patterns, (4) Syllables and Affixes, and (5) Derivational Relations.  Across stages, instruction is centered on sorting words. That is, students learn to group words according to a set of categories that facilitate comparing and contrasting. For example, students learn to sort words or pictures by concept (e.g., fruit not a fruit), sounds (e.g., beginning sounds), letter recognition, word families (e.g., mixed vowels), and roots (e.g., Greek vs. Latin). < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> *About Savvas Savvas is the world’s learning company, with expertise in educational courseware and assessment, and a range of teaching and learning services powered by technology. Savvas’s mission is to help people make progress through access to better learning. We believe that learning opens up opportunities, creating fulfilling careers and better lives. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Savvas .

Learning Without Tears’ Handwriting Without Tears (HWT) is a comprehensive handwriting product for grades K-5. Core content is available in print format. Digital teaching resources also are available. This review is of print resources only. Instruction focuses on printing skills in grades K-1 and cursive writing in grades 2-5. HWT is available in English and Spanish and includes developmentally appropriate visual, tactile, auditory, and kinesthetic activities that build handwriting skills. Instruction is provided in 15-minute periods that fit easily into classroom routines. Content is cross-curricular and contains connections to other subject areas, particularly reading and writing. Teacher’s guides provide comprehensive guidance in teaching handwriting instruction and include detailed lesson plans. HWT ’s Handwriting Interactive Teaching Tool (HITT) is available separately from the publisher and contains a variety of digital tools. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> About Learning Without Tears* Learning Without Tears’ (LWT) mission is to make learning and teaching easy and fun by providing superior educational products, training, and materials to educators and parents. LWT is a leader in providing easy to learn, easy to teach, developmentally appropriate, and inclusive materials to elementary students. More than three million students become confident communicators by using the Learning Without Tears programs. Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Learning Without Tears .

Edmentum’s Courseware™ is an online program that supports instruction in self-paced, remediation, and credit recovery programs. provides comprehensive instruction in each of the core subjects, as well as in other content areas (e.g., world languages). Learning List recently reviewed sequence of high school English courses. Instruction is provided online and includes printable materials. At each grade level, content is presented in two semester-long courses, and each semester is made up of three units. Each unit begins with a pre-test that assesses students’ mastery of learning objectives. Based on pre-test results, teachers may exempt students from some or all of the unit’s lessons or use results to provide targeted remediation. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> Units are made up of lessons are structured as tutorials followed by a mastery test. Tutorials provide direct instruction and guided practice in an interactive slide show format that includes embedded closed-captioned videos. Tutorials begin with statements of learning objectives and a short video introduction. Tutorials introduce the concepts and skills students will need in order to complete reading and writing activities. Direct instruction is presented in short blocks of text with accompanying visual elements, including artwork, illustrations, and photographs, as well as videos related to content. Each unit ends with a “Unit Activity” and a post-test and each semester ends with a cumulative exam. Unit Activities are performance tasks that require students to review the unit’s content, read and evaluate sources, and present a written argument that incorporates sources. Unit and semester tests are made up primarily of multiple-choice questions and are taken online. About Edmentum* Edmentum’s Courseware is a standards-based online learning program grounded in a tradition of solid research, sound pedagogy, and applied innovation. Edmentum develops rigorous, relevant curriculum that challenges your students with a 21st century approach - engaging them with interactive, media-rich content. Whether your students are falling behind, at grade level, or advanced, accommodate their unique needs in an environment in which they will thrive. Courseware can be used in a lab setting, a blended model in which online courses supplement the traditional classroom, or through a completely virtual experience. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Edmentum .

Learning List recently reviewed Savvas’s Texas myView Literacy , submitted for state adoption in Texas. Texas myView Literacy is a comprehensive English language arts and reading product for grades K-5 available in print and digital formats. This review is of online materials only. Instruction is organized using sets of mini-lessons that facilitate flexible instructional planning and a variety of instructional models. Across grades, myView Literacy is organized in five 6-week units. Each unit addresses a cross-curricular theme focused on an essential question. For example, a grade 4 unit titled “Diversity” integrates social studies topics and asks: “How can we reach new understandings through exploring diversity?” Each unit features a “Spotlight” genre that is the focus of instruction (e.g., informational texts) and includes works from additional genres. Across units, instruction provides a balance of authentic literary and informational texts. Students learn to read different types of content, such as maps, infographics, and timelines. < Read=">Read" more... ="more..."> Units are organized in instructional weeks. Each week centers on an essential question and an authentic text linked to the unit’s theme. Weekly instruction incorporates predictable routines. For Weeks 1 through 5, routines include Reading Workshops, Reading-Writing Bridges, and Writing Workshops. The sixth week of each unit is focused on an inquiry-based project, reflection, and assessment activities. Project activities incorporate the unit’s theme and ask students to make connections between the unit’s texts, conduct research, work collaboratively, and create a final product in written and/or spoken format. For example, the unit addressing diversity at grade 4 ends with a project in which students study the importance of inclusive playgrounds and write an argumentative letter to the principal requesting accessible playground equipment. *About Savvas Savvas is the world’s learning company, with expertise in educational courseware and assessment, and a range of teaching and learning services powered by technology. Savvas’s mission is to help people make progress through access to better learning. We believe that learning opens up opportunities, creating fulfilling careers and better lives. *Information in this section is provided by or adapted from Savvas .