It’s so exciting to watch your child learn to read and write, and there is a vast amount of information they will learn in 1st grade. This guide will give you a quick summary of what you can expect your child to master by the end of 1st grade.
1st Grade ELA Common Core Standards
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Read and understand central ideas of a grade level text: your child should be able to read a story, and then describe or re-tell that story to a friend or answer questions about the story
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Understand phonics and syllables: your child should be able to know what sound “ch” makes, and will be able to count the syllables in the word chart
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Learn basic spelling rules and how to alphabetize words: your child should be able to spell the word four and will know that four comes before seven alphabetically
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Write basic sentences: your child should be able to write and punctuate the sentence “The girl ate the food.”
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Write with various purposes and for various audiences: your child should be able to write a story and an informational report, and understand the difference between the two
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Speak and listen appropriately given the context: your child should be able to work together with a partner and will listen to a peer as well as contribute their own thoughts
How Will Students Build on These in 2nd Grade?
As students progress through grades, many of the skills they learn and practice will remain the same, but they will deepen their understand and begin to read and write more difficult texts. In second grade, students will be much more independent with their reading and writing skills, so building a foundation in 1st grade is crucial. Students also follow their own learning curve, so while it’s indicative of a student’s knowledge to look at how they are doing compared to their peers, you should also keep an eye on how your own child is progressing, and making sure they are continually learning and being challenged.
What if My Child Doesn’t Reach These Standards?
The skills listed above are a very brief summary of what your child will learn in 1st grade. If you recognize that your child hasn’t mastered these skills or seems behind, always start with talking to your child’s teacher. Many of these skills will increase in complexity as students enter 2nd grade, so if your child is falling behind, it’s important to get them help, because your child will very quickly get frustrated if skills are getting harder and they are struggling.
Don’t Let Your Child Fall Behind
If your child hasn’t met all of the standards by the end of 1st grade, or if they have, but you want to make sure they don’t lose any of their skills over the summer, we’re here to help! Reading Genie is the perfect way to help fill in the gaps or even get your child ahead over the summer. We even have a Summer Writing Workshop that will make sure your child is ready for the new school year.
