Frequently Asked Questions

The Accelerated Early Reading Outcomes (AERO) Reading Curriculum is a comprehensive and structured reading intervention.

It contains 78 units categorized into nine levels based on the specific skills addressed in each unit. Within each of the 78 units, there are normally:

• 2-4 Lessons: Core instructional content.
• Review Lessons: Additional practice and support available in many units.
• Implementation: Each lesson is designed to be completed within 20 minutes.

Each AERO lesson contains 4-7 activities that are carefully and systematically sequenced to ensure cumulative practice.

Activities focus on developing the following key literacy areas:

• Phonological awareness
• Phonics skills and spelling
• Decoding and word recognition
• Reading fluency
• Vocabulary and comprehension

The
AERO Scope and Sequence
provides a comprehensive and complete view of the skills and concepts taught in the curriculum.

AERO is designed for students in the early grades who are experiencing difficulties learning to read.

The curriculum is versatile and can be implemented in several ways:

• Small Group Instruction: Targeted support within the standard classroom setting.
• Flexible Intervention: Suitable for both pull-out and push-in models.
• Tutoring: Effective for one-on-one or small-group tutoring programs.

AERO was specifically developed to be accessible to instructors with varying levels of experience. You do not need to be a specialized reading interventionist or a veteran teacher to implement the curriculum effectively.

Potential instructors include:

• Classroom teachers
• Tutors
• Instructional assistants or aides
• Trained volunteers

The structured nature of the lessons ensures that even those without specialized knowledge of reading disabilities can provide high-quality, systematic support to students.

AERO was specifically created for online delivery via CLI Engage (cliengage.org). All you need are laptops/tablets with internet access and a quiet place for instruction.

Four types of materials are provided online to facilitate delivery:

• Lesson Pages: Comprehensive instructions and scripts to guide the instructor.
• Teacher Demonstration Materials: Digital posters, cards, and books to show students.
• Assessment Materials: Specific content for students to look at and read during checks.
• Student Materials: Digital interactives and e-books for individual student work.

Except for the lesson scripts, these materials are accessible on the
AERO Materials website
(aeroreading.org). No login or password is required to access the materials site.

For more details on setting up your classroom, see the
AERO Start-Up Guide.

The Words on Target Videos are short, engaging “brain breaks” that link physical movements to vocabulary words, making learning active and joyful.

Each video follows a simple three-step pattern:

1. Watch: Characters Tio and Coco demonstrate a specific move.
2. Join In: Everyone does the moves together.
3. Shine: Students perform the moves on their own.

These videos reinforce words found in the AERO curriculum and can be used to support AERO tutoring or as standalone vocabulary tools in any classroom. Teachers are encouraged to repeat videos multiple times to strengthen learning.

You can access these on the

Words on Target Videos page
.

Yes! A comprehensive series of training courses is available on CLI Engage to ensure you feel confident implementing the curriculum.

The AERO training series covers:

• Curriculum Introduction: An overview of the AERO framework and goals.
• Best Practices: Evidence-based strategies for effective reading instruction.
• Implementation Details: Step-by-step directions for specific lesson activities.
• Assessment Guidance: How to administer and interpret placement and mastery checks.

To access these courses, log into your CLI Engage dashboard and navigate to the Online Learning and Professional Development section.

Yes! AERO is grounded in over 30 years of scientific research regarding effective instruction for students in the early grades who struggle with reading.

The curriculum aligns with the Science of Reading, utilizing systematic and explicit instructional methods proven to support literacy development. You can find detailed information about the research-based program background and foundational theories in the

AERO Start-Up Guide
.

Yes! The AERO Reading Curriculum is accompanied by Mastery Checks. AERO Mastery Checks occur approximately every two units as a way to monitor students’ progress and ensure proficiency of skills taught in the previous units before moving to the next unit. On the

AERO Assessment System
page you can learn more about Mastery Check assessments, and the other two types of AERO assessments.

To access all the AERO assessments, log into CLI Engage, expand the “Screening, Progress Monitoring, and Observation” section, and select “AERO Assessments.” AERO assessments are organized into 12 different Waves. To access the assessment you want, you will need to choose the appropriate Wave as follows:

• Placement Test: Wave 1
• Placement Check Assessments: Wave 2
• Mastery Check Assessments: Waves 3 – 11
  • Level 1, Mastery Checks 1-4: Wave 3
  • Level 2, Mastery Checks 5-8: Wave 4
  • Level 3, Mastery Checks 9-12: Wave 5
  • Level 4, Mastery Checks 13-15: Wave 6
  • Level 5, Mastery Checks 16-21: Wave 7
  • Level 6, Mastery Checks 22-26: Wave 8
  • Level 7, Mastery Checks 27-31: Wave 9
  • Level 8, Mastery Checks 32-35: Wave 10
  • Level 9, Mastery Checks 36-40: Wave 11
• Optional Placement Test (for the end of the school year and/or when exiting the program): Wave 12

Each time you go to the AERO assessment page, the system will remember the last Wave you selected. If you do not see the assessment you want to administer, be sure you have chosen the appropriate Wave.

Yes! AERO includes three types of assessment that teachers can use to make data-informed decisions: Placement Test, Mastery Check, and Placement Checks. Placement Test results provide the teacher with information on which unit in the curriculum is the appropriate starting point for the student. Mastery Check results help inform teachers’ instructional decisions as teachers are prompted to proceed to the next unit, review an activity, or reteach a lesson based on student’s performance. Placement Check results provide the teacher with the unit in the curriculum that aligns with the student’s current skills and teachers are encouraged to move students ahead in the curriculum (e.g., skip units) based on these results. More information about AERO assessments can be found in the

AERO Start-Up Guide
and on the

AERO Assessment System
page.

AERO may meet the needs of students who need support in foundational reading skills, including students who failed the third grade STAAR reading assessment because of lack of mastery of foundational reading skills. However, because of its concentration on the development of early reading skills, AERO does not fully align with the TEKS for English Language Arts and Reading in third grade.

AERO is aligned to the K – 2 Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

AERO / CCSS Alignment Spreadsheet
: Shows curriculum alignments for the Common Core State Standards.

AERO / TEKS Alignment Spreadsheet
: Shows curriculum alignments for the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills.

AERO assessments generate parent reports that describe children’s performance in the program. The results provided in these reports may indicate skill areas that children are still developing. If so, parents can use the “Family Resources” QR code or link on the report to access individualized reading activities to do at home with their child.

This

AERO Troubleshooting Guide

provides support with technical challenges users may experience.