First Grade - English Language Arts

First Grade students in SFUSD engage in 125 minutes of daily literacy instruction. First Grade students engage in a variety of instructional contexts to build foundational skills in reading and writing that provide a strong sense of agency in order to support their identities as readers and writers.

Foundational Skills: During the literacy instruction time, students are engaged in a 40-minute foundational skills block that includes phonological awareness, explicit phonics instruction, and the application of foundational skills in continuous text. Lots of practice with all these foundational skills are potent steps toward students becoming joyful and competent readers.

Reading & Writing: There is an 85-minute reading and writing block that includes differentiated small-group instruction, reading, and writing. Students read independently, and participate in shared reading and interactive read-aloud. Through regular opportunities to think, talk, and write about rich stories and other read-aloud books, students’ vocabulary and knowledge about how the world works grow exponentially.

Students begin to experiment with writing and are encouraged to use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing letters to share information, ideas, and feelings.

• Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.
• Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).
• Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
• Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension

• Ask and answer questions, describe connections, and retell important information and key details in a text
• Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text. 
• Identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic.
   

• Participate in daily collaborative whole class, small group, or partner discussions about anchor texts to process and extend their learning.  
• Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
• Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to gather additional information or clarify something that is not understood.
   

• Write different text types including opinion, narrative, and informative/explanatory.
• Participate in shared research and writing projects using topics from their experiences and/or gathered information (e.g., explore "how-to" books on a given topic and use them to write a sequence of instructions).
• Respond to texts through writing in order to deepen comprehension 
• With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed.
• 1st-grade conventions

These quick routines provide students with time to review and consolidate their phonological knowledge (letter names, sounds, phonemic awareness, high frequency words, etc.)

Phonics instruction is delivered to ensure all students have access to become independent readers and writers.  The methodology includes systematic and explicit instruction, physical hands-on application, and collaborative partnerships and discussion for students to engage in productive struggle and carry the cognitive load.

Interactive writing involves the teacher and students working together to compose text, with the teacher “sharing the pen” with students at strategic points. The teacher and students create text that is written word by word, with the teacher demonstrating the process and students participating in aspects of the writing.  The purpose is for teachers and students to negotiate the content of the text, constructing words through the analysis of sounds, developing concepts of letter, word, and punctuation, and increasing letter knowledge and gaining familiarity with frequently encountered words.

The purpose of interactive writing is for teachers and students to collaborate on negotiating the content of the text, constructing words through the analysis of sounds, developing concepts of letter, word, and punctuation, as well as increasing letter knowledge and gaining familiarity with frequently encountered words.

Decodable text helps children connect what they are learning in phonics to what they are reading to build a faster foundation in early reading. Children progress at a much faster rate in phonics when the bulk of instructional time is spent on applying the skills to authentic reading and writing experiences, rather than on isolated skill and drill work. At least half of phonics lessons should be devoted to application.

Shared Reading is a community literacy experience that provides students the opportunity to engage in the reading process together. Students participate in multiple readings of the text as the teacher guides them in text-based discussions and addresses teaching points that focus on letter/sound relationships, word analysis skills, vocabulary, language structure, and aspects of fluent reading and comprehension skills. During Shared Reading thinking and questioning of students is the focal point. Students build connections to prior learning and experiences through meaningful conversations and collaboration.

As the class engages in activities to build independence, the teacher meets with small groups for targeted instruction based on analysis of student data.  

The teacher gathers 2-4 students with similar strengths and needs and leads them in instruction on foundational skills practice, guided reading, or language development.  During the lesson, as students are actively engaged in practicing the skill or strategy, the teacher models, monitors understanding, and provides feedback directly to students.  The teacher will often follow up the small group instruction with additional lessons as needed.

Class communities gather daily to build knowledge in content-rich, grade-level complex texts. Teachers guide students using text-dependent questions and facilitate engaging conversations and written responses that promote evidence-based deeper thinking.

This block may include a variety of instructional contexts, including minilessons, interactive read-aloud, close/shared reading, academic conversations, and shared writing about text.

During the writing block, students are engaged in creating writing pieces from the Common Core State Standards that follow the writing process.  This writing block includes lessons that provide direct, explicit instruction and guided practice in skills and strategies connected to the genre.  Afterward, students apply their learning to writing in partnerships and individually.  There are multiple opportunities for students to share their writing in addition to providing and receiving feedback.  

First-grade classroom libraries provide student access to a range of text types including leveled books, decodable text, informational text, and literature. Libraries should also include culturally relevant texts that represent diverse language and cultures. Leveled books support students' early reading behaviors and print concepts as well as give readers access to reading increasingly complex text. Decodable books reinforce phonics and decoding skills explicitly taught during the foundational skills block.

Informational text and literature provide students access to familiar and/or high-interest books that have been read aloud to students, are connected to content area instruction, or just fun to read. The classroom library should be an inviting space with labeled bins organized by interest, theme, content, level, or phonics skill.  The organization of the library should support student engagement and interest along with ease of choice and maintenance.

Literacy centers provide students with the opportunity to practice previously taught literacy skills or reinforce content area learning. The centers have appropriate materials to enable students to work independently, with partners or in small groups.