English language arts (ELA) is more than just reading and writing. It includes speaking, listening, and viewing, and offers a way to communicate. Children who are proficient in ELA can apply what they learn to solve real problems at home, at school, and in the community. A Parent’s Guide to English Language Arts Grade Level Content Expectations outlines what children should know and be able to do related to reading, writing, and speaking by the time they exit kindergarten. Examples follow.

Word Recognition

By the end of kindergarten, your child should be able to:

• Easily recognize about 18 familiar words she/he sees in and around the home, such as her/his names, brand names, and logos.
• Easily recognize a few basic sight vocabulary words, such as: “go,” “the,” and “is” (you can get a list of sight vocabulary words from your child’s teacher).
• Follow the written text of familiar stories by pointing to known words.
• Predict unknown words.

Vocabulary

By the end of kindergarten, your child should:

• Know the meaning of words she/he hears and sees often (ask the teacher for a grade-level vocabulary list).
• Try to figure out the meaning of new words and phrases.

Handwriting

By the end of kindergarten, your child should be able to:

• Form upper and lower case letters.
• Write from left to right and top to bottom leaving space between words.

Writing Attitude

By the end of kindergarten, your child should:

• Be eager to write and learn to write.
• Choose to write during free time in school and at home.

Spoken Discourse

By the end of kindergarten, your child should be able to:

• Speak loud and clear in complete sentences.
• Stay on the subject as she/he discusses books or other topics during conversations with friends and others.

English language arts (ELA) is more than just reading and writing. It includes speaking, listening, and viewing, and offers a way to communicate. Children who are proficient in ELA can apply what they learn to solve real problems at home, at school, and in the community. A Parent’s Guide to English Language Arts Grade Level Content Expectations outlines what children should know and be able to do related to reading, writing, and speaking by the time they exit sixth grade. Examples follow.

Word Recognition

By the end of sixth grade, your child should be able to:

• Use word structure, sentence structure, and prediction to learn and understand the meanings of words when reading.
• Fluently read sixth grade text and text that increases in difficulty throughout the year.

Narrative Text

By the end of sixth grade, your child should be able to:

• Think about how characters in good literature form opinions about one another in ways that can be fair or unfair.
• Analyze elements and style of narrative texts such as folktales, fantasy, and adventure.

Writing

By the end of sixth grade, your child should be able to:

• Write a narrative piece such as an adventure, tall tale, or personal narrative story that includes well developed characters and plot.
• Write a well organized essay to support key ideas in the form of a persuasive, personal, or comparative piece for a real audience.

Spelling

By the end of sixth grade, your child should be able to:

• Spell commonly misspelled words correctly in papers composed.

Handwriting

By the end of sixth grade, your child should be able to:

• Write legible essays and other papers.

Look for sample Grade Level Content Expectations parent guides in EduGuideTM: Your inside source for a smarter education. EduGuide is a publication produced by Partnership for Learning, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping schools and communities work together to boost learning from birth through college.

To order or read EduGuide online, or for more information, visit www.partnershipforlearning.org.