Standard 2: Reading Foundations

Students will develop foundational skills for future reading success by working with sounds, letters, and text.

PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS: Phonological awareness is the ability to recognize, think about, and manipulate sounds in spoken language without using text. 

Student Actions 

Teacher Actions 

PK.2.PA.1 Students will distinguish spoken words in a sentence with guidance and support. 

With guidance and support:

• Students will recognize that a sentence is made up of separate words by repeating words in a given sentence, pausing between each word, and using actions or manipulatives to represent words.

• Teachers speak or read aloud sentences purposefully pausing between words.

• Teachers model using manipulatives or actions to represent words in a sentence.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to practice using manipulatives or actions to represent words in a sentence.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to repeat words in a sentence.

• Teachers monitor and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback when distinguishing spoken words in a sentence.

PK.2.PA.2 Students will recognize spoken words that rhyme.

• Students will identify words that rhyme. 

• Teachers provide repeated experiences with rhyming texts, modeling repetition and oddity tasks using real and make-believe rhyming words.  Example of oddity task:  “bat, car, mat - which word does not belong.”

• Teachers monitor and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback when identifying words that rhyme.

PK.2.PA.3 Students will begin to recognize syllables in spoken words (e.g., sunshine= sun + shine).

• Students will begin to identify syllables in spoken words.

• Teachers explain the concept of syllables or word parts.

• Teachers models counting syllables.  Example: Place hand underneath chin showing students that a syllable is one opening of the mouth.

• Teachers provide guided practice with identifying syllables in spoken words.

• Teachers monitor and provide feedback to ensure students correctly identify the syllables.

PK.2.PA.4 Students will begin to isolate initial and final sounds in spoken words.

• Students will begin to distinguish initial sounds in spoken words.

• Teachers explain that the initial/beginning sound is the first sound you hear when you say a word.

• Teachers model by exaggerating initial sounds, beginning with letters that have continuant sounds. *Continuant sounds can be produced for long periods of time.  Some examples of letters with continuant sounds are f,l,m,n,s,v,z.

• Teachers read texts that use alliteration and point out same sound words to students.

• Teachers use children’s names and names of familiar objects or actions to show alliteration. Example:  Tom table, Peter pencil, Katie kicks, Jack jumps.

• Teachers give students opportunities to interact with initial sounds through word games and activities.

• Teachers monitor and provide feedback to ensure students correctly isolate initial sounds in spoken words.

• Students will begin to distinguish ending sounds in spoken words.

• Teachers explain the that words have beginning, ending, and middle sounds.

• Teachers model by exaggerating final sounds (during initial instruction) begin with letters that have continuant sounds. *Continuant sounds can be produced for long periods of time.  Some examples of letters with continuant sounds are f,l,m,n,s,v,z.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to interact with ending sounds through word games and activities.  

• Teachers monitor and provide feedback to ensure students correctly isolate final sounds in spoken words.

PK.2.PA.5 Students will begin to recognize initial sounds in a set of spoken words (i.e., alliteration).

• Students will begin to identify spoken words that begin with the same sound. 

• Teachers state groups of words with the same initial sound exaggerating the initial sound for students to hear.

• Teachers provide students opportunities to distinguish the initial sound from groups of stated words.

• Teachers state groups of words with all but one having the same initial sounds (oddity tasks-see above example).

• Teachers provide students opportunities to recognize which initial sound does not belong to the group of words stated and the initial sound of the rest of the words. Example: “/d/ /og/, /d/ /ig/, /c/ /at/.” “Which word does not belong with the other two that has the same initial sound? (cat) What sound does the other two have in common? (/d/)”.  

PK.2.PA.6

• Students will blend beginning sound and remaining chunk to create single syllable words (e.g., /b/ + ig). 

• Teachers explain blending sounds to create words ie, “Words are made up of individual or groups of sounds.”.

• Teachers model blending beginning sound with rime or word family. *Initial blending activities are easier when beginning sound is a continuant sound that can be produced for a longer period of time.  Examples of letters with continuant sounds are f, l, m, s, v, z.

• Teachers may introduce hand gestures to help students understand.  Example:  Make a fist for beginning sound and fist for rime or word family, then swing the beginning sound fist into the other fist while blending.

• Teachers provide daily opportunities for blending practice with guidance and feedback.

PRINT CONCEPTS: Students will demonstrate their understanding of the organization and basic features of print, including book handling skills and the understanding that printed materials provide information and tell stories. 

Student Actions 

Teacher Actions 

PK.2.PC.1 Students will write the majority of the letters in their first name and some uppercase and lowercase letters with guidance and support.

With guidance and support:

• Students will print the letters contained in their first name.

• Teachers model correct letter formation. (i.e. correct pencil grip, starting letters at the top, moving from left to right)

• Teachers provide opportunities to practice writing first name through tracing.

• Teachers provide opportunities to practice independently writing first name.

• Teachers monitor and provide feedback and support as they work toward correct letter formation and placement of letters in correct order.

With guidance and support:

• Students will print some uppercase and lowercase letters.

• Teachers model correct letter formation. (i.e. correct pencil grip, starting letters at the top, moving from left to right)

• Teachers provide practice writing uppercase and lowercase letters using tracing.

• Teachers provide opportunities to practice printing letters independently.

• Teachers monitor students and provide feedback and support as they work toward correct letter formation. *Complete mastery is not required by the end of pre-k.

PK.2.PC.2 Students will understand that print carries a message by recognizing labels, signs, and other print in the environment with guidance and support.

With guidance and support:

• Students will recognize that print in the environment has meaning.

• Teachers use opportunities to point out signs, labels, and posters and explain their meanings.

• Teachers may use easily recognizable business signs, logos, and symbols to show meaning in print.

• Teachers monitor and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback when interacting with print in the environment.

PK.2.PC.3 Students will begin to demonstrate correct book orientation and identify the front and back covers of a book.

• Students will identify the front and back cover of a book.

• Teachers state and discuss correct book orientation, identifying the front and back covers of a book.

• Teachers model correct book orientation through text read alouds.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to demonstrate correct book orientation.

• Teachers monitor and provide feedback as students demonstrate correct book orientation.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to identify the front and back covers of a book during small or whole group time.

• Teachers monitor and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback when identifying the front and back covers of a book.

• Students will begin to show understanding of basic print features:

• Books have a correct position

PK.2.PC.4 Students will recognize that written words are made up of letters and are separated by spaces with guidance and support.

With guidance and support:

• Students will begin to understand that letters make up words.

• Teachers discuss how letters can be combined to create words.  

• Teachers model recognizing how letters combine to make words through highlighting words in poems and other class read alouds.

With guidance and support:

• Students will understand that spaces separate words.

• Teachers discuss how words are separated by spaces.

• Teachers use text to show how words are separated by spaces.

PK.2.PC.5 Students will begin to understand that print moves from top to bottom, left to right, and front to back.

• Students will begin to develop the ability to track print from left to right, top to bottom, and front to back.

• Teachers track print while reading aloud to students.

• Teachers use think alouds while reading or interacting with text to explain how to track print.  Example:  “There are no more words on this page, so I will move to the top of the next page to find out what happens next.”

• Teachers provide opportunities to work with students in small groups providing guidance and support for tracking print.

• Teachers monitor and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback when interacting with print.

PK.2.PC.6 Students will recognize ending punctuation marks in print during shared reading or other text experiences with guidance and support.

• Students will identify ending punctuation marks in print during shared reading or other text experiences with guidance and support.

• Teachers explain ending punctuation marks by naming and telling reasons for use.

• Teachers point out ending punctuation marks when reading texts.

• Teachers ask questions about ending punctuation and guide and support student answers, as needed.

• Teachers create opportunities for students to find and discuss end punctuation in texts.

• Teachers monitor and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback when identifying end punctuation marks.

PHONICS AND WORD STUDY: Students will decode and read words in context and isolation by applying phonics and word analysis skills.

Student Actions 

Teacher Actions 

PK.2.PWS.1 Students will name the majority of the letters in their first name and many uppercase and lowercase letters with guidance and support.

With guidance and support:

• Students will begin to identify the letters in their first name.

•  Teachers explain that our names are made up of letters in a particular order.

• Teachers model touching the letters and saying the name of the letters out loud.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to interact with the letters in their names and say the letters in their names out loud.

• Teachers monitor and provide feedback, helping students who need help identifying the letters in their name.

With guidance and support:

• Students will begin to identify uppercase and lowercase letters.

• Teachers explain that each letter of the alphabet is represented by an uppercase (capital) letter and a lowercase letter.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to interact with letters.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to practice naming letters (letter cards, ABC books, digital media supports).

• Teachers monitor and provide feedback to students who need help identifying the letters of the alphabet.

PK.2.PWS.2 Students will produce some sounds represented by letters with guidance and support.

With guidance and support:

• Students will generate some sound symbol correspondences with guidance and support.

• Teachers explain that each letter of the alphabet is represented by a specific sound/s.

• Teachers model touching each letter and saying the sounds out loud.

• Teachers model using picture and or motion support for sound/symbol relationships. Example: A, /a/, apple.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to practice saying letter sounds out loud (letter cards, ABC books, digital media supports).

• Teachers monitor and provide feedback, helping students who need help identifying the sounds for the letters of the alphabet.

FLUENCY: Students will recognize high- frequency words and read grade-level text smoothly and accurately, with expression that connotes comprehension.

Student Actions 

Teacher Actions 

PK.2.F.1 Students will read first name in print.

• Students will recognize first name in print.

• Teachers provide students’ names for them to view.

• Teachers instruct students to narrow their choices by the first letter then pay attention to the remaining letters when trying to identify their name.

• Teachers provide students opportunities to interact with their name.  Examples:  building name, puzzle with name, stamping letters to form name, etc.

• Teachers monitor and provide feedback as students are learning to recognize and read their first name in print.

• Teachers monitor and provide feedback as students identify their first name among other names or words in print.

• Students will identify first name among other names or words in print.