The program moves fast. First grade has lots of opportunity for blending. Instruction is good and systematic giving lots of examples. The kindergarten program is developmentally appropriate in that it teaches letters and sounds at kindergarten, and phonemic awareness without expecting kindergarten students to learn to decode until they are ready. It teaches initial and final consonants.
Decodable texts are available as both blackline masters and as additional color materials.
Pre-decodable materials rely on rebus symbols. Open Court has two stand-alone phonemic awareness kits for kindergarten and first grade. There are many opportunities to practice high frequency words, but little instruction for them. The kindergarten program has excellent rebus high frequency books providing confidence to beginning readers. Questions relate to the world and careers, rather than personal experiences.