When discussing the kindergarten classroom, I gave an overview of skills that most children should be able to carry out by the end of their kindergarten year. These skills are the skills that lead to a successful reader. However they are only to be used as a guideline to measure your child’s level.
The following are skills that children should be able to do at the end of their first grade year.
Books
By this age, children should be able to distinguish between individual letters and words. They should be very well aware that letters are placed in a certain order to create words.
When read and writing, children should acknowledge that spaces are used to separate words.
Students should be aware that knowledge can be gained from text.
The students should know basic grammar such as capital letters at the beginning of sentences and end marks at the end. They should recognize different punctuation.
Language
By the end of the first grade students should be able to determine how many syllables are in a word. They should be able to combine syllables to make words and break them apart.
Phonics
Students should be using learned phonemic skills to sound out and read words that they do not know.
Reading
Students should be able to independently read and understand text on their level.
First grade students should be able to identify their own troubles in text and ask for help.
By the end of first grade, children can read and follow simple directions.
Students at this level have an interest in particular books and topics and know what types of print interest him or her.
First grade students should be asking questions such as how, when, why, and what if to gain a better understanding of the text.
By the end of first grade students should be able to retell what has been read.