My recent discussion about reading in the primary grades has brought us up to the skills that students should learn by the end of the second and third grade. Remember that these skills are not to be used in determining whether or not a child should be promoted to the next level but to get a better idea of how the child is progressing in terms of reading. I will begin by examining the skills that students should be able to complete by the end of second grade.
Phonics
By the end of the second grade students should be able to read a large selection of words. The children should also be able to correctly spell many frequently seen one and two syllable words.
Reading
A child at this level should be able to read and understand a variety of fiction and nonfiction books. The students should recognize that books can be read for many purposes. The children should be able to identify and read a book to gain specific information.
This age group of children should be able to read and gain information from graphs, charts, and other organizers.
They can recall information about what was read and answer questions about it as well as identify the main idea.
After reading a selection the children should be able to carry out creative response such retell or drama of the story.
Children at the end of second grade should be able to compare and contrast the stories in two different books or selections.
Spelling/Writing
By the end of the second grade children should be giving consideration and paying more attention to the correct spelling of words. They should be spelling previously learned words correctly. If the child does not know how to spell a word, he or she should be able to find references or spell the word the way that it sounds.
Students should be writing for a variety of purposes.
Should Kindergarten Children Learn to Read and Write?