ballard-tighe.com

Ballard & Tighe organizes its English language development (ELD) materials by grade band—preschool/TK, elementary (K–5), and secondary—and by learner need, including newcomers, LTELs, SLIFE, and general language intervention. The catalog combines core and supplemental programs such as Hands-On English, Carousel of IDEAS, Frames for Fluency, and Go English 2!, each built around structured, explicit language teaching with teacher tools like lesson plans, vocabulary cards, theme pictures, and sentence frames. The right choice depends on your students' grade level and whether you need a full core program or targeted supplemental support.

Programs by Grade Level

Preschool / TK

• Carousel of IDEAS — a core ELD program for young learners.
• EnglishMats — supplemental materials for early language exposure.
• IPT Early Childhood English Test — an assessment tool; the site notes it was selected as an approved screener for TK in California.

Elementary (K–5)

• Hands-On English, Grades K–1 — a core program that received the WIDA PRIME 2020 Seal, scoring 4/4 in all areas for alignment to evaluation criteria.
• Hands-On English, Grades 2–5 — the upper-elementary continuation of the same program.
• Carousel of IDEAS — also listed for elementary.
• Frames for Fluency — supplemental oral language practice built on sentence frames.
• Creative IDEAS and Creative Beats — additional supplemental resources.
• Go English 2! and Go Spanish 2! — paired English and Spanish materials.
• Dictionaries — reference support for learners.

Secondary

• Champion of IDEAS — a core ELD program for secondary students.
• Frames for Fluency — carried into secondary for oral fluency practice.
• Go English 2! and Go Spanish 2! — dual-language materials.
• Dictionaries — reference support.
• Explore the Ages — a content-based resource.
• ELTiS — an English language test used at the secondary level.
• One Step (Content-Based Resources) — content-based instructional support.

Matching Materials to Learner Profiles

The site explicitly frames its ELD programs around four learner groups: newcomers, LTELs (long-term English learners), SLIFE (students with limited or interrupted formal education), and all proficiency levels. Core and supplemental programs are described as highly structured, systematic, and explicit, with an integrated skills approach covering reading, writing, listening, and speaking, and an emphasis on oral fluency through targeted sentence-frame practice.

For language intervention, Ballard & Tighe offers systematic grammar and vocabulary development intended to address language gaps for all students—useful when students need targeted skill-building rather than a full core curriculum.

What the Programs Include

Across the ELD offerings, the site describes a complete teacher toolkit: detailed lesson plans, vocabulary cards, theme pictures, sentence frames, and content-based instruction. Sample lessons are available to view before committing.

Assessments Alongside Instruction

Instructional materials sit next to a separate assessment line: language proficiency assessments and screeners for program placement, progress monitoring, and diagnostic reporting with instructional recommendations. The site describes these as affordable and flexible—credits can be used across tests, languages, and grades, with no yearly license fee commitment, plus unlimited support and free training. If you are choosing materials, it is worth checking which assessments pair with your chosen program so placement and progress data line up with instruction.

How to Choose

To confirm fit, the site offers sample lessons, a full WIDA PRIME report for Hands-On English (K–1), and a contact path (Call/Demo/E-mail) for booking time with the team.

Ballard & Tighe handles contact, demos, and orders through three main paths on its site: a Call/Demo/E-mail section for direct contact and demo requests, an Order/Contact page for placing orders, and a Help Desk for support. Training webinars and free English language resources sit alongside these. The site does not publish phone numbers, email addresses, or prices in the material available here, so you will need to open those pages to get the actual contact details and ordering terms.

Contacting Ballard & Tighe and requesting a demo

The site groups these actions under a single Call/Demo/E-mail heading, which suggests one entry point covers all three. The homepage also repeats the demo invitation in context: for example, the language intervention section says "Book time to learn more," and the online K-1 reading and writing tests (English and Spanish) are described as "Now Available to Pilot," with a link for pilot information.

A practical sequence:

1. Go to the Call/Demo/E-mail section to find the current phone number and email address.
2. If you want a walkthrough rather than a direct purchase, use the same section to book a demo. The "Book time" prompts on the product sections point to the same kind of scheduling.
3. If you are interested in piloting the online K-1 tests, follow the pilot link described on the homepage rather than the general demo request.

What to expect: the site does not state response times or demo formats, so confirm scheduling details when you make contact.

Placing an order

Orders go through the Order/Contact page, which is listed in the site's Services section. The same page appears to double as a general contact channel, so it is the place to ask about purchasing if you are unsure which product or assessment you need.

Before ordering, note two things the site does state:

• Assessments use a credit model. The site describes its proficiency assessments as "affordable & flexible: use credits across tests/languages/grades; no yearly license fee commitment." That means you buy credits rather than an annual license, and the same credits can be applied across different tests, languages, and grade levels.
• Support and training are included. The site lists "unlimited support and free training/insert" (the excerpt is cut off) as part of the assessment offering. Confirm the exact scope when you order.

The material available does not list prices, payment methods, or minimum order quantities. Treat any figure you need as something to request through Order/Contact.

Support, training, and free resources

Beyond buying, the site offers several resources that may answer questions before you contact anyone:

The alignments page is worth checking if your district requires evidence of standards alignment. The site highlights one concrete example: Hands-On English (K-1) received the WIDA PRIME 2020 Seal with 4/4 in all areas, and a full report is available to read.

A note on what the site emphasizes

Ballard & Tighe describes itself as a one-stop solution for English language development, with 50 years of experience. Its catalog spans instructional materials (newcomers, LTELs, SLIFE, and all proficiency levels), language intervention, and proficiency assessments and screeners. The IPT Early Childhood English Test is noted as an approved screener for TK in California. These details matter mainly for framing your inquiry: when you contact the company, naming the specific product line or assessment you are considering will get you a more useful answer than a general question.

If your goal is simply to reach a person, start with Call/Demo/E-mail. If your goal is to buy or ask about pricing and credits, start with Order/Contact. If your goal is to use a product you already have, start with the Help Desk or the training webinars.

Ballard & Tighe offers online reading and writing tests for K-1 in both English and Spanish, and the site states these are "now available to pilot." If you want to evaluate them, the site directs interested educators to click through for more information on piloting. The pilot is aimed at schools or programs serving young learners who want to try the tests before adopting them. The site does not publish pilot terms, duration, cost, or eligibility details, so those specifics need to be confirmed directly with the company.

What the K-1 tests are

The tests are online reading and writing assessments for kindergarten and first grade, offered in English and Spanish. They sit within Ballard & Tighe's broader assessment catalog, which includes language proficiency assessments, screeners, placement tests, and progress-monitoring tools, plus targeted assessments for young learners and dual-language (English and Spanish) options.

The company describes its assessments generally as data-driven tools that support instructional decisions for English learners, usable for proficiency screening, program placement, and progress monitoring, with diagnostic reports that provide instructional recommendations.

Why a K-1 pilot may be worth considering

• Early-grade focus: Most assessment catalogs concentrate on later grades; these tests target K-1 specifically, where reading and writing are just emerging.
• Dual-language coverage: English and Spanish versions let you evaluate both tracks with one vendor.
• Fit with existing products: If you already use or are considering other Ballard & Tighe assessments, piloting the K-1 tests lets you judge whether the reporting and instructional recommendations work together.
• Support included: The site states its assessments come with unlimited support and free training/insertion (the excerpt is truncated), and that credits can be used across tests, languages, and grades with no yearly license fee commitment. These are general assessment claims, not pilot-specific terms.

How to express interest

The site's pilot callout says: "If you're interested in piloting our online K-1 tests, click here for more information." The practical path is:

1. Go to the Ballard & Tighe site and find the K-1 pilot callout on the homepage.
2. Follow the pilot link to the information page.
3. If the page does not answer your questions, use the site's Order/Contact or Call/Demo/E-mail options to ask about pilot scope, timeline, and requirements.

The site does not specify what the pilot involves (number of students, length, data-sharing, or cost), so treat those as questions for the company rather than assumptions.

Questions to ask before committing

Because the published material is thin on pilot mechanics, clarify:

• Scope: How many students and classrooms can participate, and for how long?
• Languages and grades: Can you pilot both English and Spanish, and both K and grade 1?
• Reporting: What diagnostic reports and instructional recommendations will you see during the pilot?
• Training: What training or support is provided, and is it free during the pilot?
• Cost and commitment: Is the pilot free, and does it carry any obligation to purchase? (The site's "no yearly license fee commitment" language refers to its assessment credits generally; confirm how it applies to a pilot.)
• Data and privacy: How is student data handled during the pilot?

How it relates to the rest of the catalog

A K-1 pilot is most useful as part of a broader evaluation. Ballard & Tighe's assessment lineup includes proficiency screeners, placement and progress-monitoring tools, and targeted assessments for young learners, alongside instructional materials such as Hands-On English (K-1), which received the WIDA PRIME 2020 Seal with 4/4 in all areas. If you are considering both instruction and assessment, piloting the K-1 tests alongside a review of the K-1 instructional materials gives a fuller picture of alignment.

Bottom line

The K-1 online reading and writing tests in English and Spanish are open for pilot interest, and the site points you to a pilot information page. Use that page and the contact options to confirm scope, cost, training, and data terms before you commit; the published site does not answer those questions. A pilot makes sense if you serve K-1 English learners or dual-language students and want to test the assessments' reports and instructional recommendations before adopting them.

Ballard & Tighe is a publisher of English language development (ELD) instructional materials and language proficiency assessments, and its website is a catalog and service hub for educators who assess and teach English learners. The site is relevant if you work in a K–12, preschool/TK, or early childhood program and need screening, placement, progress-monitoring tests, structured ELD curricula, or training to support them. The company describes itself as a 50-year provider of materials for assessing and instructing English.

What the company does

Ballard & Tighe positions itself as a one-stop source for English language development. Its work splits into two connected halves:

• Instructional materials for English learners, including newcomers, long-term English learners (LTELs), students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE), and students at all proficiency levels.
• Assessments — screeners, placement tests, and progress-monitoring tools — that feed instructional decisions.

The site also lists language intervention materials and science-based academic skill building among its offerings.

Main product lines on the site

The catalog is organized by age group and purpose. The table below summarizes what the site lists.

Two product notes stand out on the homepage:

• Hands-On English (K–1) was awarded the WIDA PRIME 2020 Seal and received 4/4 in all areas, which the site says indicates strong alignment to the evaluation criteria. A full report is linked.
• Online reading and writing tests for K–1 in English and Spanish are listed as "now available to pilot," with a link for more information.

Assessments and screeners

The assessment line is built around data-driven decisions for English learners. According to the site, the tests support multiple uses: proficiency screening, program placement, and progress monitoring. Diagnostic reports include instructional recommendations.

The site also states that the assessments are affordable and flexible: credits can be used across tests, languages, and grades, and there is no yearly license fee commitment. Unlimited support and free training are listed as included. These are the vendor's own claims; confirm current terms directly with Ballard & Tighe before budgeting.

One concrete adoption signal: the IPT Early Childhood English Test was selected as an approved screener for TK in California, with a "Learn more" link on the homepage.

Instructional approach

For its ELD programs, the site describes core and supplemental materials that are highly structured, systematic, and explicit. Specific features listed include:

• A complete teacher toolkit with detailed lesson plans, vocabulary cards, theme pictures, and sentence frames.
• An integrated skills approach covering reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
• An emphasis on oral fluency through targeted practice with sentence frames.
• Content-based instruction.

The site offers "Book time" and "View sample lessons" links so you can examine lessons before deciding.

Training, services, and free resources

Beyond products, the site lists:

• Services: ordering and contact, a help desk, and IPT training.
• Training: webinars in addition to IPT training.
• Free English language resources and alignments (documents mapping materials to standards or criteria).
• About: company information, contact details, and customer stories.

The homepage's first section is a "Call/Demo/E-mail" prompt, so the intended next step for a new district or school is a demo request rather than self-serve purchase.

Is it relevant to your program?

The site is worth a closer look if you need one or more of the following:

• A screener or placement test for English learners, including TK/early childhood or K–1 reading and writing in English or Spanish.
• A structured ELD curriculum for newcomers, LTELs, SLIFE, or mixed-level classes, with heavy teacher scaffolding.
• Progress monitoring tied to diagnostic reports with instructional recommendations.
• Training and alignment documentation to support adoption.

If you only need standalone classroom supplements or materials outside English language development, the catalog is narrower than a general education publisher's.

Practical next steps

1. Identify your use case (screening, placement, progress monitoring, or core instruction) and age band.
2. Use the site's "Book time" or demo request to see sample lessons and test items.
3. Ask specifically about credit-based pricing, cross-grade and cross-language credit use, and what "free training" covers.
4. Request the WIDA PRIME report for Hands-On English (K–1) and any alignment documents relevant to your state or program model.
5. If you are in California TK, confirm the current approved-screener status of the IPT Early Childhood English Test directly with the vendor.

The site does not publish prices or a self-service checkout, so treat cost and licensing details as items to confirm in a demo conversation.

Ballard & Tighe offers English language proficiency assessments and screeners for three main uses: screening students for program eligibility, placing them at the right instructional level, and monitoring progress over time. The product family includes IPT (in both paper and OnlineIPT formats), ELTiS for secondary students, and dual-language English/Spanish tests for young learners. All are presented as data-driven tools that generate diagnostic reports with instructional recommendations. The right choice depends on the student's age band and whether you need a screener, a placement test, or ongoing progress monitoring.

Assessment categories and what each is for

The site groups its assessment offerings around three decision types:

• Proficiency screeners — initial identification of English learners who may need services.
• Program placement — determining the appropriate instructional level once a student is identified.
• Progress monitoring — tracking growth over time to inform instruction.

The same tests are described as serving multiple purposes across these categories, so a single instrument may cover screening and placement depending on how your program uses it.

Product lines mentioned on the site

The site also lists targeted assessments for young learners and dual-language (English and Spanish) options alongside the main proficiency assessments.

Features that affect the decision

A few details from the site are worth weighing when choosing:

• Diagnostic reports with instructional recommendations — results are framed as feeding directly into teaching decisions, not just classification.
• Flexible purchasing — the site describes using credits across tests, languages, and grades, with no yearly license fee commitment. Confirm current terms with the vendor before budgeting.
• Support and training — unlimited support and free training/insertion are mentioned; IPT training and webinars are listed under services.
• Approved screener status — the IPT Early Childhood English Test is described as an approved screener for TK in California, which matters if you operate in that context.

How to narrow it down

1. Identify the decision you need to make — screening, placement, or progress monitoring — since the site positions its tests as multi-use.
2. Match by age band — early childhood/TK, K-1, K-12, or secondary (ELTiS).
3. Decide on delivery — paper IPT versus OnlineIPT, and whether the K-1 online reading/writing pilot fits your program.
4. Check language coverage — dual English/Spanish options exist for younger learners if you serve bilingual populations.
5. Confirm logistics — request a demo or contact the help desk to verify pricing, credit terms, and training availability for your specific tests.

The site's Call/Demo/E-mail and Order/Contact sections are the practical entry points for confirming details that aren't published, such as exact per-test costs and current pilot eligibility.