In this post, I share a FREE phonics skills continuum for Kindergarten, first, and second grade to help you with Science of Reading-aligned report card comments. This resource, which also includes FREE parent letters about the science of reading, serves as a communication tool for relaying information to caregivers about a student’s progress with the phonics skills you have taught. Finally, I offer details about my kindergarten, first and second-grade phonics screeners that allow you to easily assess your students’ phonics skills.
I often hear from teachers who need help communicating their students’ reading progress to families. These teachers have switched from balanced to structured literacy but their report cards do not yet reflect these new instructional practices.
Parents are accustomed to seeing their child’s reading level listed, but when you’ve moved from leveled readers, the “level” can no longer be the focus. Instead, the emphasis needs to be on a student’s progress with the specific skills they have been taught.
In the past, I have shared resources that help educate families on the science of reading. I now understand you need something more. You need a system for tracking and sharing student progress and growth- one that reflects the skills you teach and instructional practices you are now using in your classroom.
Today I am excited to share a FREE phonics skills continuum for Kindergarten, first, and second grade. This resource serves as a communication tool for relaying information to caregivers about a student’s progress with the phonics skills you have taught. I also offer details about my kindergarten, first and second-grade phonics screeners that allow you to assess your students’ phonics skills.
The Five Pillars of Literacy
Using decades of research, the National Reading Panel has identified five critical areas of reading instruction.
- Phonemic Awareness: the ability to hear and manipulate the smallest sounds heard in spoken language (phonemes).
- Phonics: matching the spoken sounds of English to individual letters or groups of letters that represent those sounds in writing.
- Fluency: the ability to read with speed, accuracy & proper expression.
- Vocabulary: all the words a student needs to recognize and understand when reading.
- Comprehension: the understanding and interpretation of what is read.
While all five pillars of literacy are key to a student’s reading success, the phonics skills continuums I am offering here today only focus on the mastery of phonics. The intention is that you would offer it to families in addition to your progress report or report card.
Phonics Skills Continuum for Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade
The phonics skill continuums I am offering you here today are based on my Science of Reading-aligned K-2 phonics scope and sequence. The continuum is divided up by skills taught at the beginning, middle, and end of the year.
To complete the continuum, simply mark an M in the box if the child has mastered the skill, a D if they are still developing or still working on the skill, and a / if the skill has not yet been taught or assessed. You can simply make a copy of the document and include it with your progress report!
Phonics Screeners and Assessments for Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd Grade
I have heard from many teachers who love the continuum but don’t have access to screeners they need to easily assess these skills. If you find yourself in this situation, no worries! My Phonics Screeners bundle for Kindergarten 1st and 2nd grade has everything you need to assess the skills listed in the phonics continuum.
This bundle of K-2 assessments includes phonics screeners for:
- Phonemic Awareness Screener (for K and 1st grade)
- Letter & Grapheme Identification
- Reading Survey
- Spelling Survey
- Autofill Student Data Trackers and MORE!!
These screeners can be used in a variety of ways! Use as a diagnostic tool at reading benchmark periods (BOY, MOY, EOY), for report cards, to group students for small group instruction, or as a pre-assessment and post-assessment to measure student growth.
Click here to take a closer look at these K-2 Phonics Screeners!
Structured Literacy Information for Families
In addition to the continuums, this resource also includes information to help families and caregivers better understand the Science of Reading and Structured Literacy. You’ll receive a parent cheat sheet that explains commonly used Structured Literacy terms.
You’ll also get a letter that explains the Five Pillars of Literacy. This information is key to helping families understand all that goes into learning how to read.
Drop your email below to instantly receive these free phonics skills continuums
*please consider using a personal email address as strong school filters often block emails
We know that communication with caregivers is essential for student success. I hope that the resources I’ve shared here today make it easy for you to accurately communicate the progress and growth you see in the classroom.
Looking for resources to teach the skills listed in the phonics continuum? Take a look at this blog post, where I share details about my NO PREP, SoR-aligned Phonics Activities Year-Long bundle, and this post where I recommend a variety of engaging phonics activities.
All of these phonics resources follow the same scope and sequence as the phonics continuum, making it easy for you to offer meaningful practice and assess the skills you teach.
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