Language Arts

Here’s a list of key language arts skills first grade parents can expect their child to work on throughout the year:

• Phonemic awareness – Hearing, identifying, and manipulating individual sounds in spoken words
  
  

• Phonics – Matching sounds to letters and using them to decode (sound out) words
  
  

• Sight word recognition – Reading high-frequency words quickly and accurately
  
  

• Reading fluency – Reading with accuracy, proper pace, and expression
  
  

• Reading comprehension – Understanding story elements such as characters, setting, and plot; retelling events; answering questions about text
  
  

• Spelling – Using phonics rules and patterns to spell words correctly
  
  

• Grammar – Learning parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives), capitalization, punctuation, and complete sentences
  
  

• Writing – Writing complete sentences, short stories, and informational pieces with a beginning, middle, and end
  
  

• Listening and speaking – Following directions, listening to stories, and participating in discussions

LANGUAGE ARTS RESOURCES

Here’s a list of helpful websites you can use to support your child’s language arts practice at home:

• Starfall – www.starfall.com
  Offers interactive games and stories that help build reading and phonics skills.
  
  

• ABCya – www.abcya.com
  Features grade-level games focused on reading, spelling, and grammar.
  
  

• Epic! Books for Kids – www.getepic.com
  A large digital library with thousands of books for kids to read or listen to.
  
  

• Storyline Online – www.storylineonline.net
  Celebrities read children’s books aloud with engaging animations and voice expression.
  
  

• PBS Kids Reading Games – www.pbskids.org
  Educational games and videos that focus on reading, vocabulary, and storytelling.
  
  

• Reading Rockets – www.readingrockets.org
  Offers resources, strategies, and activities for supporting young readers at home.
  
  

• Teach Your Monster to Read – www.teachyourmonstertoread.com
  A fun, award-winning game that helps children practice phonics and early reading.
  
  

These sites are great for reinforcing the reading, writing, and phonics skills we’re learning in class in a fun and interactive way!