Grade 2 Standards Overview for English Language Arts(ELA)

READING

Foundational Skills

• Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

• Decode words with common prefixes and suffixes.

• Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.

• Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression.

Literature

• Ask and answer questions such as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

• Retell stories and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.

• Describe the overall structure of a story.

• Explain what dialogue is and how it can reveal characters’ thoughts and perspectives.

• Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.

• Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story (e.g., Cinderella stories) by different authors or from different cultures.

Informational Text

• Know and use various text features (e.g., captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes, etc.) to locate key facts or information in a text.

• Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.

• Explain how specific images contribute to and clarify a text.

• Compare and contrast the most important points presented by two texts on the same topic.

WRITING

• Write opinion pieces that introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.

• Write informative/explanatory texts that introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.

• Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

SPEAKING & LISTENING

• Participate in collaborative conversations with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

• Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.

• Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify comprehension, gather additional information, or deepen understanding of a topic or issue.

• Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification.

LANGUAGE

• Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

• Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

• Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases.

• Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meanings.