Utah K–6 english language arts standards

Mastered in preschool.

Blend and segment words at the syllable level.

Identify the initial, medial, and final sound in 2-3 phoneme words.

Substitute and delete one base part in a compound word.

Pronounce, blend, and segment phonemes in 2-3 phoneme words - except for CVC words ending with /l/, /r/, or /k/ /s/ for the letter x.

Demonstrate mastery of all consonant names and sounds using one-to-one letter-sound correspondence (alphabetic principle).

Demonstrate mastery of short vowel sounds (/ă/, /ĕ/, /ĭ/, /ŏ/, /ŭ/) in isolation and in VC and CVC words in single-syllable words.

Demonstrate mastery of long vowel sounds (/ā/, /ē/, /ī/, /ō/, /ū/) associated with single letters; open syllables in single-syllable words (e.g. be, I, no).

Demonstrate mastery of segmenting and blending sounds in VC and CVC words when reading.

Read and spell common irregular words.

Read grade-level text with accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in text.

Share key details from a text.

Retell familiar stories.

Identify the characters, settings, and important events in a story or pieces of information in a text.

Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.

Determine or clarify the meaning of multiple-meaning words and phrases in context.

Begins in grade 1.

Begins in grade 4.

Begins in grade 2.

Begins in grade 2.

Begins in grade 2.

Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions such as listening to others, raising hands, and taking turns speaking during discussion.

Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges and gain attention appropriately.

Express own ideas in small and large groups.

Speak clearly and audibly while expressing thoughts, emotions, and ideas.

Use age-appropriate language, grammar, volume, and pronunciation when speaking or presenting and use visual displays, when appropriate, to describe information to others.

Write, produce, and expand a complete sentence.

Use appropriate capitalization and end punctuation.

Write, produce, and expand a complete sentence.

Use appropriate capitalization and end punctuation.

Write, produce, and expand a complete sentence.

Use appropriate capitalization and end punctuation.

Recall information from experiences or learned information.

Interact and collaborate with others throughout the writing process.

Legibly write all upper- and lowercase manuscript letters.

Mastered in preschool.

Add, delete, and substitute initial and final phonemes in single-syllable words including blends.

Isolate, pronounce, blend, and segment sounds in 4-5 phoneme words, including blends.

Distinguish long and short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words.

With prompting and support, identify and begin using consonant and vowel y while reading (i.e., consonant sound: /y/ as in yes, vowel sound: final sound /ī/ as in fly, final sound /ē/ as in baby, and medial sound /ĭ/ in gym).

With prompting and support, identify and begin reading and spelling words with all six syllable types (i.e., open, closed, CVCe, vowel team, vowel-r, consonant -le).

Demonstrate mastery of the hard and soft sounds of c and g.

Blend words with 4-5 phonemes when reading.

Decode two-syllable words by breaking the words into syllables (i.e., open, closed, VCe).

Read and spell words with common consonant digraphs (i.e., sh, ch, wh, th, ng).

Read age-appropriate compound words.

Read words with inflectional endings (i.e., -s, -ed, -ing, -er, -est).

Read and spell common irregular words.

Read grade-level text with accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

Read a variety of texts including those from diverse cultures to identify and retell the main idea and key details of a text.

Describe characters, settings, and important events in a story or pieces of information in a text.

Identify specific words and phrases that express emotion, appeal to the senses, and/or determine the meaning of content-specific words within a text.

Begin using sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word.

Identify frequently occurring root words and their inflectional forms.

Identify a variety of texts and explain the differences between literary texts and informational texts.

Begins in grade 4.

Begins in grade 2.

Begins in grade 2.

Begins in grade 2.

Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges while using appropriate tone and body language.

Express own ideas clearly in small and large groups and build on others' ideas.

Speak clearly and audibly while expressing thoughts, emotions, and ideas while asking and answering questions.

Use age-appropriate language, grammar, volume, and clear pronunciation when speaking or presenting and use visual displays, when appropriate, to describe or clarify information to others.

Write, produce, and expand complete simple sentences.

Use appropriate conventions when writing.

Write, produce, and expand complete simple sentences.

Use appropriate conventions when writing.

Write, produce, and expand complete simple sentences.

Use appropriate conventions when writing.

Recall information from experiences or learned information.

Interact and collaborate with others throughout the writing process.

Legibly write all upper- and lowercase manuscript letters.

Mastered in preschool.

Add, delete, and substitute initial, medial, and final sounds in 5-6 phoneme words including blends.

Isolate, pronounce, blend, and segment phonemes in 5-6 phoneme words.

Identify and begin reading and spelling words with all six syllable types (i.e., open, closed, CVCe, vowel team, vowel-r, consonant -le) in multisyllabic words.

Identify and begin using schwa in multisyllabic words (e.g., ago, away, again, along, afraid) when reading and spelling.

Blend words with 5-6 phonemes when reading.

Decode words with common prefixes and suffixes.

Read and spell age-appropriate compound words.

Read and spell words with common variant digraphs (i.e., ph /f/, gh /f/, ch /sh/ and /ck/).

Read and spell words with common trigraphs (i.e., tch /ch/ and dge /j/).

Read and spell words with hard and soft c and g along with silent letters kn-, -lm, -mb, gh-, and wr-.

Read and spell words with the following diphthongs and vowels (i.e., oi, oy; ou, ow; au, aw; oo, u).

Read and spell words with phonograms (i.e., -old, -ild, -ost, -olt, -ind).

Read and spell common irregular words.

Read grade-level text with accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

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

Read a variety of texts including those from diverse cultures, retell the narrative (RL) or informational text (RI) according to the text structure including the main idea.

Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.

Describe how characters respond to major events and challenges.

Explain how specific words and phrases express emotion, appeal to the senses, or determine the meaning of content-specific words within a text.

Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word.

Determine the meaning of a new word when a known prefix or root is used.

Predict the meaning of compound words using knowledge of the meaning of the individual words.

Use glossaries and dictionaries to determine the meaning of words and phrases.

Describe the overall literary and informational text structure to locate facts, details, and information efficiently.

Begins in grade 4.

Demonstrate understanding of story elements and/or topics by applying information gained from illustrations or text features.

Explain how specific points an author or illustrator makes in a text are supported by relevant reasons and evidence.

Not applicable for RL.

Compare two or more versions of the same text from different cultures and the most important points presented by two texts on the same topic.

Initiate and build on a conversation through multiple exchanges while using appropriate tone and body language.

Seek other's opinions or thoughts and identify other's perspectives.

Speak clearly and audibly while asking and answering questions about a topic and key details.

Present information, stories, or opinions, sequencing ideas logically and use descriptions, facts, and details.

Write, produce, expand, and rearrange complete simple and compound sentences.

Use appropriate conventions when writing.

Write, produce, expand, and rearrange complete simple and compound sentences.

Use appropriate conventions when writing.

Write, produce, expand, and rearrange complete simple and compound sentences.

Use appropriate conventions when writing.

Recall and gather information from provided sources to answer a question about the topic.

Interact and collaborate with others throughout the writing process.

Fluently write all upper- and lowercase manuscript letters.

Mastered in preschool.

Reversal of phonemes.

Phoneme chaining including addition, deletion, and substitution at all word positions (initial, final, and medial).

Identify and begin using the combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, morphology (e.g., roots and affixes), and etymology to accurately read unfamiliar multisyllabic words in and out of context.

Read and spell words with all six syllable types (i.e., open, closed, CVCe, vowel team, vowel-r, consonant -le) in multisyllabic words.

Identify and know the meaning of the most common prefixes and derivational suffixes.

Identify the unaccented syllable in multisyllabic words (e.g., nation, active, atomic) when reading and spelling.

Read and spell common irregular words.

Read grade-level text with accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

Read a variety of texts including those from diverse cultures, retell the text according to the text structure including the main idea and how key details support the main idea.

Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.

Describe characters in a story and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.

Determine the meaning of words, phrases, similes, metaphors, and academic and content-specific words within a text.

Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

Determine the meaning of a new word when a known affix or root is used.

Use glossaries or dictionaries to determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.

Use text features and search tools to build comprehension and locate relevant information efficiently.

Identify and discuss the structural elements of different types of text when writing or speaking about a text.

Begins in grade 4.

Explain how specific illustrations or text features contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a text.

Explain how claims in a text are supported by relevant reasons and evidence.

Not applicable for RL.

Compare the most important points and key details presented in two texts on the same topic.

Compare the themes, settings, and plots of stories written about the same or similar characters.

Respectfully acknowledge and respond to others' perspectives during discussions.

Recognize that comments and claims may include two perspectives.

Participate in conversations by asking questions, acknowledging new information, connecting responses, and keeping the discussion on topic.

Speak clearly and audibly while asking and answering questions about a topic and key details presented in various media and formats.

Present information, stories, or opinions, sequencing ideas logically and use relevant descriptions, facts, and details to elaborate on main ideas and themes.

Introduce the topic, state a claim, and create an organizational structure that provides evidence.

Write, produce, and expand simple, compound, and complex sentences.

Use appropriate conventions when writing including text cohesion, sentence structure, and phrasing.

Introduce and develop a topic using facts, definitions, details, and group related information and graphics together.

Write, produce, and expand simple, compound, and complex sentences.

Use appropriate conventions when writing including text cohesion, sentence structure, and phrasing.

Set the scene and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.

Write, produce, and expand simple, compound, and complex sentences.

Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and emotions.

Use appropriate conventions when writing including text cohesion, sentence structure, and phrasing.

Recall and gather relevant information from one or more sources and provide brief notes to demonstrate understanding of the topic.

Interact and collaborate with others throughout the writing process.

Legibly write all upper- and lowercase cursive and manuscript letters.

Mastered in preschool.

Mastered in grade 3.

Use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, morphology (e.g., roots and affixes), and etymology to accurately read unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context and out of context.

Read grade-level text with accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

Refer to details and evidence in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Read a variety of text types, including those from diverse cultures to determine a theme or main idea and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize texts using textual evidence.

Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text.

Determine the meaning of words, phrases, figurative language, academic and content-specific words within a text.

Use context as a clue to the meaning of a word.

Use common Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word.

Consult reference materials to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.

Describe the overall structure using terms such as sequence, comparison, cause/effect, and problem/solution.

Analyze and discuss the parts of literary text using terms such as chapter, scene, and stanza.

Compare a primary and secondary source on the same event or topic.

Compare the point of view from which different stories are narrated, including the difference between first- and third-person narrations.

Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.

Compare a visual or oral presentation of a story or drama with the text itself and identify where each version reflects specific descriptions and directions in the text.

Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular claims in a text.

Not applicable to RL.

Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

Compare the treatment of similar themes and topics and patterns of events in stories, myths, and traditional literature from different cultures.

Respectfully acknowledge and respond to comments and claims.

Participate in conversations by asking questions, acknowledging new information, connecting responses with reasoning and elaboration, and keeping the discussion on topic.

Clearly summarize information presented in various formats and media and explain how the information pertains to the topic.

Include visual displays and/or media, when appropriate, to convey information, elaborate, and enhance engagement of presentations.

Introduce a topic, state a claim that is supported by evidence, produce complex sentences, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer's purpose.

Use appropriate conventions when writing including text cohesion, sentence structure, and phrasing.

Introduce a topic and group related information in paragraphs and/or sections using organizational structures, produce complex sentences, and text features to support the writer's purpose.

Develop the topic using relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or examples.

Use precise language and content-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

Use appropriate conventions when writing including text cohesion, sentence structure, and phrasing.

Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.

Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.

Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events.

Use concrete words, phrases, complex sentences, and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.

Use appropriate conventions when writing including text cohesion, sentence structure, and phrasing.

Recall, gather, and organize information and provide a list of relevant sources.

Elaborate to demonstrate understanding of the topic under investigation.

Interact and collaborate with others throughout the writing process.

Fluently write in cursive and manuscript.

Mastered in preschool.

Mastered in grade 3.

Read and spell all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, morphology (e.g., roots and affixes), and etymology to accurately read unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context and out of context.

Read grade-level text with accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

Identify and refer to evidence from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Determine the theme or main idea of a text including those from diverse cultures and how it is conveyed through particular details and summarize the text.

Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.

Compare two characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text.

Determine the meaning of words, phrases, figurative language, academic and content-specific words, and analyze their effect on meaning within a text.

Use context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

Use Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word.

Consult reference materials to find the pronunciation and determine the precise meaning of key words and phrases.

Compare the overall structure in two or more texts using terms such as sequence, comparison, cause/effect, and problem/solution.

Analyze how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a literary text.

Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.

Explain how a narrator's or speaker's point of view influences how events are described.

Draw on information from multiple sources including media to locate an answer to a question or to solve a problem.

Analyze how the visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text.

Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular claims in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which claims.

Not applicable to RL.

Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

Compare stories in the same genre on their approaches to similar themes and topics.

Respectfully acknowledge and respond to comments and claims from multiple perspectives and determine if additional information is needed.

Participate in conversations by asking questions, acknowledging new information, qualifying or justifying responses with reasoning and elaboration, and keeping the discussion on topic.

Investigate information presented in various formats and media in order to make informed decisions and differentiate between fact and fiction.

Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and use relevant descriptions, facts, and details to elaborate on main ideas or themes.

Introduce a topic, state a claim supported by evidence, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer's purpose.

Expand, combine, and reduce sentences for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style to develop the argument.

Use appropriate conventions when writing including text cohesion, sentence structure, and phrasing.

Introduce a topic and group related information in paragraphs and/or sections using organizational structures, produce complex sentences, and text features, including multimedia when useful, to support the writer's purpose.

Develop the topic using relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or examples.

Use precise language and content-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

Use appropriate conventions when writing including text cohesion, sentence structure, and phrasing

Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.

Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, description, and pacing, to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.

Use a variety of transitional words, phrases, and clauses to manage the sequence of events.

Use concrete words, phrases, complex sentences, and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.

Use appropriate conventions when writing including text cohesion, sentence structure, and phrasing.

Gather, summarize, and paraphrase information and provide a list of relevant sources.

Elaborate to demonstrate understanding of the topic under investigation.

Interact and collaborate with others throughout the writing process.

Fluently write in cursive and manuscript.

Mastered in preschool.

Mastered in grade 3.

Mastered in grade 5.

Read grade-level text with accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

When reading texts, including those from diverse cultures, determine the main idea of a text, explain how they are supported by key details and summarize the text.

When reading texts, including those from diverse cultures, determine the theme, how characters respond to conflict or how the speaker reflects upon a topic, and summarize the text.

Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text.

Compare two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text.

Determine the meaning of words and phrases, including figurative language, connotative meanings, and figures of speech. Analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings within a text.

Consistently use context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

Consistently use Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word.

Consult reference materials to find the pronunciation of a word or determine its precise meaning or its part of speech.

Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, or section fits into the overall structure of a text and how it contributes to the development of the main idea.

Analyze how a sentence, paragraph, stanza, chapter, scene, or section fits into the overall structure and how it contributes to the development of theme, main idea, settings, or plot.

Analyze how the author distinguishes a perspective and/or position from that of others.

Explain how an author's perspective develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in multiple texts.

Compare how different mediums, including print and digital media, contribute to the understanding of a text.

Evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not.

Not applicable to RL.

Compare one author's presentation of events with that of another.

Compare texts across different media or genres in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics.

Respectfully acknowledge comments, claims, and evidence from multiple perspectives and identify contradictions when applicable.

Participate in conversations by posing questions, acknowledging new information, qualifying or justifying responses with reasoning and elaboration, and keeping the discussion on topic.

Interpret credible information presented in various formats and media to make informed decisions.

Use visual displays of data, including digital media, to convey information and engage the audience.

Introduce claims supported by evidence from credible sources, and create an organizational structure in which claims are logically grouped to support the writer's purpose.

Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among claims and evidence.

Use appropriate conventions and style for the audience, purpose, and task.

Introduce a topic; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting, graphics, and multimedia when useful.

Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, and examples.

Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.

Use precise language and content-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

Use appropriate conventions and style for the audience, purpose, and task.

Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.

Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, description, and pacing, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.

Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another.

Use precise words, phrases and complex sentences, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events.

Use appropriate conventions and style for the audience, purpose, and task.

Gather, synthesize, and use information from credible sources on the topic.

Generate ideas to demonstrate understanding of the topic under investigation.

Avoid plagiarism by quoting or paraphrasing and provide basic bibliographic information for sources.

Interact and collaborate with others throughout the writing process.

Mastered in grade 5.