Reading Standards

Wagner is a Reading First school which highly implements the use of direct instruction.  The Reading block is tailored to best target the skills that each child needs to be a successful reader.

• Understand the relationship between spoken and written work.
• Use knowledge of basic capitalization and punctuation when reading.
• Blend beginning, middle, and ending sounds to form words while reading.
• Read to confirm initial predictions about text. 
• Demonstrate the use of personal knowledge and experiences to help understand what is being read. 
• Compare settings and characters presented by different authors.
• Identify the problem or central idea in stories.
• Explain the sequence of events in familiar stories.
• Identify patterns of rhyming words and repeated phrases in various texts.
• Recognize that different versions of the same story may be told in various cultures.
• Explain what authors and Illustrators do.
• Explore a variety of worthy literary and narrative works.  (Caldecott books, Newberry award books, picture books, and poetry.)
• Identify similarities and differences in stories written by the same author.
• Explain the difference between fantasy and reality in print materials.
• Restate the main idea of simple expository information.
• Use appropriate sources to locate types of information.  (calendar, newspaper, encyclopedia, dictionary, atlas.)
• Follow 2 &3 step ORAL instructions.
• Learn and demonstrate how to focus on the speaker.
• Use appropriate voice tone when speaking with others.
• Summarize what others say with courtesy and respect.
• Respond appropriately to non-verbal signals.  (flashing lights, street crossings.)
• Distinguish between true and false.
• Explore how to find factual information.  (encyclopedias, CD-ROM, Discovery Channel.)
• Describe pertinent information that can be used on a personal basis.  (Address, phone numbers, emergency information.)
• Describe what makes audio/visual presentations appealing.  (graphics, animation.)
• Use visual cues to remember pertinent information.  (Calendars)
• Ask appropriate questions to clarify information.
• Restate information in a sequence to how it is presented. (simple directions)
• Apply vocal patterns to information for recall.  (Rhymes, songs, rhythm.)
• Tell/retell stories in a logical order or sequence.
• Participate in oral language activities. 
• GIVE simple one and two step directions.
• Adapt or change oral language to fit the situation.
• Use appropriate voice when asking and responding to questions in small-group settings.
• Express ideas in complete and coherent sentences.
• Follow simple rules of conversation. 
• Use facial expressions as a means of non-verbal communication.
• Use pictures or drawings when telling or re-telling stories.
• Recognize the speaker's role in assisting others to see and hear a presentation.
• Convey a message and check for listener understanding.  (show and tell.) 

Standards Page