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 

• 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 sentences.

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

• 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.

• Students will identify and produce word sets that rhyme.

• Teachers provide repeated experiences with rhyming texts, modeling identifying the rhyming words within the text.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to produce additional rhyming words to go in the rhyming sets identified in texts or rhyming sets given by the teacher.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to create rhyming words by changing initial sounds of words, then allowing students to give the right words. Example: “Today, we will have mocolate mudding for snacks.” Children call out the correct snack, “chocolate pudding”.

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

• Students will identify words sets that don’t rhyme.

• Teachers model how to identify if words sets rhyme or don’t rhyme by comparing the rime or word family of each word in the set.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to distinguish rhyming sets and non-rhyming sets of words using spoken words or pictures cards.

• Teachers monitor and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback when identifying rhyming and non-rhyming sets of words.

(e.g., “the puppy pounces”).

• Students will isolate initial sounds in spoken words.

• Teachers explain the meaning of initial or beginning sound.

• 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 provide guided practice with isolating initial sounds in spoken words or pictures, using sorts and other oral activities.

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

• Students will recognize spoken words that begin with the same sound through alliteration and oddity tasks.

• 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. Example: “ Timmy Turtle only eats things that begin with the same sound as his name.”  Have students identify the beginning sound for Timmy and turtle, then name items beginning with the same sound, that Timmy can eat.  Picture cards with and without beginning /t/ sound may be provided for student support.

• Teachers give students opportunities to participate in oddity tasks using spoken words or pictures.  Example of oddity task: “Turkey, frog, turtle - which two words begin with the same sound?.”  

• Teachers monitor and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback when making appropriate connections of words beginning with the same sounds.  

• Students will identify short or long vowels sounds in any position in a spoken one syllable word.  

• Teachers review short and long vowel sounds with students and remind students the importance of vowels.  

• Teachers model identifying the vowel in a one syllable word by segmenting sounds in the word using squares or chips and Elkonin boxes or using hand motion for vowels in medial position.  Example:  Hand motion for finding medial vowel sound in one syllable words -start low and move your hand up, over, and down, creating an arch, while saying a one syllable word.  Begin and end quietly, stress the vowel sound at the top of the arch.  Students identify with shooting a rocket while doing the motion.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to practice identifying the vowel sound in one syllable words.  

• Teachers monitor ability to find vowel sound and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback as needed.

• Students will participate in syllable manipulation activities:

• Counting syllables (pen-cil 2)

• Blending syllables (cray+on=crayon)

• Segmenting syllables (window= win+dow)

• Deleting syllables (carpet-car = pet)

• Teachers explain that syllables are word parts that can be identified by one opening of the mouth.

• Teachers models holding hand beneath chin while saying a word.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to practice syllable identification.

• Teachers model using manipulatives, or motions to count syllables.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to count syllables of given words using manipulatives or motions.  

• Teachers create opportunities to practice blending and segmenting syllables by:

• Stating words for students to segment while clapping or tapping syllables.

• Saying words separated into syllables for students to blend into a word.

• Using children’s names, vocabulary from texts, content areas, or themes.  

• Cutting pictures into pieces showing the number of syllables for words, work with syllable puzzles in whole or small groups, then move to centers. Example:  cut a picture of an alligator into four pieces, show the students how to put the puzzle together, say the word, then take the puzzle apart, saying a syllable for each piece.

• Teachers model syllable deletion beginning with two syllable words, using blocks, fists, squares, etc, to represent syllables.  Begin with first syllable deletion, then move to second when students master first.  Example:  "Using a block to represent each syllable, say a two syllable word, touch each block while saying the word.  Remove the block that represents the first syllable then touch the second block."  “Monkey - without  mon is key.”

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to participate in syllable deletion activities using manipulatives, as needed.  

• Teachers monitor and provide feedback as needed to assure students have a good understanding of syllable counting and manipulation.

(e.g., Blending: /ch/ + at = chat; segmenting: cat = /c/+ at).

• 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 or manipulatives 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.

(e.g., /f/ /a/ /s/ /t/= fast). 

• Students will blend 3 to 5 sounds together to create one syllable spoken words. 

• Teachers model blending beginning with 3 sounds say each sound while touching a finger, then sweeping across the fingers to represent the blending of sounds.  Hand motions, manipulatives, or Elkonin boxes can be used to teach blending.  Initially, using words that begin with continuous sounds (e.g.  f, l, m, n, s)  will make blending easier.  

• Teachers provide daily opportunities for students to blend using manipulatives or motions.

• Teachers provide guidance and practice for blending in whole and small group situations.

• Teachers monitor and provide feedback to students to ensure they are properly blending sounds into words. Students who have trouble blending may use additive blending, where students blend the first and second sounds, then add sounds one at a time. 

(e.g., “fast” = /f/ /a/ /s/ /t/). 

• Students will separate single syllable words isolating each individual sound up to 5 sounds        (e.g., “shell”  = /sh/ /e/ /l/). 

• Teachers model segmenting words into individual sounds using an Elkonin box, manipulatives, or motions.  

• Teachers begin with 3 sound words, saying the word, then sliding manipulatives into the Elkonin boxes while saying individual sounds that make up the word.

• Teachers give students opportunities to practice segmenting words into individual sounds in whole group and small groups.

• Teachers monitor and provide feedback to ensure students are segmenting words correctly.

(e.g., “add /c/ to the beginning of “at” to say “cat;” “remove the /p/ from “pin,” to say “in;” “change the /d/ in “dog” to /f/ /r/ to say “frog”). 

• Students will manipulate sounds in one syllable spoken words:

• Add sounds (m + op = mop)

• Remove sounds (sit - /s/ = it)

• Change sounds (Change the /t/ in “Tom” to /m/ to make “Mom”.

• Teachers model adding, removing, and changing sounds in words using manipulatives, Elkonin boxes, or motions.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to practice adding, removing, and changing sounds in words using manipulatives, Elkonin boxes, or motions in whole group and small groups.

• Teachers monitor and provide feedback to ensure students are able to manipulate sounds in words correctly.

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 

K.2.PC.1 Students will correctly form letters to write their first and last name and most uppercase and lowercase letters correctly.

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

• Teachers model correct letter formation.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to practice writing their first and last names by tracing, copying, and practicing independently.

• Teachers monitor name writing skills and provide feedback as needed for correct letter formation and spelling.

• Students will correctly print most uppercase and lowercase letters.

• Teachers model correct letter formation.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to practice printing uppercase and lowercase letters by tracing, copying, and practicing independently.

• Teachers monitor letter formation and provide feedback as needed to help students form letters correctly.

• Students will show understanding that print has meaning and is made up of letters in a specific order.

• Teachers model the need for letters to be in specific order by mixing up the letters in students’ name to show that importance of order.

• Teachers show the need for specific letter order by comparing words with same letters that make different words because of letter order. Examples:  tap, pat; ant, tan; map, Pam.

• Teachers model interacting with text to create meaning.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to interact with text to create meaning.

• Teachers monitor interactions with text and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback to help students make sense of text.  

• Students will interact with environmental print.

• Teachers provide examples of environmental print and discuss meaning with students.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to share examples of environmental print and explain the meaning to class.

• Teachers monitor interactions with environmental print and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback to ensure proper understanding.

K.2.PC.3 Students will demonstrate correct book orientation and identify the title, title page, and the front and back covers of a book.

• Students will correctly:

• Hold book right-side up

• Identify book title

• Identify title page

• Identify front and back covers of books.

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

• Teachers model correct book orientations, point out title and title page while reading texts alouds.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to demonstrate correct book orientation and locate front and back covers, title page, and title.

• Teachers monitor and provide feedback as students are asked to identify the title, title page, and the front and back covers of a book.

• Teachers monitor and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback ensuring correct book orientation.

K.2.PC.4 Students will recognize that written words are made up of letters and are separated by spaces.

• Students will recognize 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.

• Students will recognize that spaces separate words.

• Teachers model writing sentences, pointing out the spacing between words.
• Teachers use texts to show how words are separated by spaces.
• Teachers use think alouds while writing sentences explaining the reason for spacing between words.  Example: “I’ve finished writing my first word, now I think there’s something I need to do before beginning my next word. . .  Oh, I need a space before the next word so we know where one word ends and the next begins.”  

K.2.PC.5 Students will recognize that print moves from top to bottom, left to right, and front to back (does not have to be matched to voice).

• Students will know to track print from left to right, top to bottom, and front to back. 

• Teachers explain that print is read and written from left to right and top to bottom.

• Teachers model tracking print while reading text.

• Teachers create opportunities for students to practice tracking print during class readings, in small groups, and independently.

• Teachers monitor print tracking and provide feedback opportunities for students to receive feedback. 

K.2.PC.6 Students will recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence. (e.g., capitalization of the first word, ending punctuation: period, exclamation mark, question mark) with guidance and support.

With guidance and support:

• Students will know that sentences:

• Begin with a capital letter

• End with a period, question mark, or exclamation mark.

• Teachers draw students’ attention to capital letters at the beginning of sentences and end marks and explain their purpose.

• Teachers use think alouds when writing sentences, talking about sentence features.

• Teachers model reading questions and exclamatory sentences with expression.  

• Teachers give students opportunities to locate capital letters and end marks in texts.

• Teachers create opportunities for students to repeat sentences and questions with expression after locating end marks in texts.  

• Teachers monitor knowledge of sentence features and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback. 

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 

K.2.PWS.1 Students will identify all uppercase and lowercase letters.

• Students will name all upper and lowercase letters. 

• Teachers provide systematic, explicit instruction in letter identification.

• Teachers provide students with anchors to help with letter identification, such as hand motions, sign language, and/or picture cues.

• Teachers provide daily lessons with explicit instruction on letter name(s), letter naming practice, locating and identifying letter(s) in context, and letter formation.   

• Teachers create many daily opportunities for students to interact with letters through alphabet books, alphabet songs, daily lessons, and/or hands-on center activities.  

• Teachers monitor student acquisition of letters and provide feedback and interventions as needed.

K.2.PWS.2 Students will sequence the letters of the alphabet.

• Students will put letters of the alphabet in correct order.   

• Teachers model putting letters in alphabetical order.

• Teachers provide daily opportunities for students to sing alphabet songs.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to put letters in order using letter cards or other letter manipulatives in whole group and small group situations.  

• Teachers monitor students while placing letters in alphabetical order and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback and interventions as needed. 

K.2.PWS.3 Students will produce the primary or most common sound for each consonant, short and long vowel sound (e.g., c = /k/, c = /s/, s = /s/, s = /z/, x = /ks/, x = /z/).

• Students will give most frequently used sounds for each consonant.

• Hard and soft sounds for c, g, and s.

• Common sounds for x (/ks/, /z/).

• Teachers provide systematic, explicit instruction when teaching letter sounds and letter-sound correspondence.  

• Teachers provide anchors to help students remember letter sounds and letter-sound correspondence, such as hand motions, sign language, and/or picture cues.

• Teachers provide daily lessons with explicit instruction including letter sounds, letter-sound correspondence, instruction on how to produce letter sounds, practice producing letter sounds, and practice identifying letter sounds in the initial position of words.

• Teachers provide daily opportunities for students to interact with letter/sound activities in whole group and small group situations.

• Teachers monitor letter/sound acquisition and provide feedback and interventions as needed.

• Students will give short and long sounds for all vowels.   

• Teachers provide systematic, explicit instruction when teaching vowel sounds and letter-sound correspondence.

• Teachers provide anchors to help students remember vowel sounds and letter-sound correspondence, such as hand motions, sign language, and/or picture cues.

• Teachers provide explicit instruction explaining how to produce the sound (open, voiced), practice producing the sound, connecting sound to letter, and practice identifying the sound in the initial position of a word, then move to medial position as students become more comfortable with letter sound.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to interact with vowel sounds and letters in whole group and small group situations.

• Teachers monitor vowel letter/sound acquisition and provide feedback and interventions as needed.

K.2.PWS.4 Students will blend letter sounds to decode simple Vowel / Consonant (VC) and Consonant / Vowel / Consonant (CVC) words (e.g., VC words= at, in, up; CVC words = pat, hen, lot).

• Students will produce, then blend sounds to read simple short vowel words.

• Vowel Consonant words (VC- in, at, on)

• Consonant Vowel Consonant words (CVC- get, mat, sit).

• Teachers model blending, beginning with VC words then moving on to CVC words, using letter cards or tiles or written words.  Say each sound while touching the letter, then sweeping across the letters from left to right while blending letter sounds.  Letter cards or tiles can be used with Elkonin boxes to teach blending.

• Teachers provide daily opportunities for students to sound out and blend words.

• Teachers provide guidance and practice for blending in whole and small group situations.

• Teachers monitor and provide feedback to students to ensure they are properly blending sounds into words.   Students who have trouble blending may use additive blending, where students blend the first and second sounds, then add any additional sounds one at a time.

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

Student Actions 

Teacher Actions 

K.2.F.1 Students will read first and last name in print.

• Students will recognize and read first and last name in print.

• Teachers provide students’ first and last names for them to view.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to spell orally or write their first and last names.  

• Teachers provide students opportunities to interact with their name.

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

K.2.F.2 Students will read common high-frequency grade-level words by sight

(e.g., not, was, to, have, you, he, is, with, are). 

• Students will quickly recognize and read common grade-level sight word.

• Teachers introduce common high-frequency sight words to students, modeling how to analyze words for decodability or memorization.

• Teachers provide practice reading, spelling, writing, and using decodable and irregular sight words that are common, grade-level words.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to identify and read sight words in context.

• Teachers monitor acquisition of sight words and provide opportunities for students to receive feedback and interventions (e.g. sight word games or centers).