ARM 10.53.416. ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND LITERACY STANDARDS FOR FIRST GRADE

(1) Foundational reading standards for first grade are that each student will be able to: (a) understand phonemic awareness by: (i) distinguishing long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words; (ii) orally blending phonemes in complex single-syllable words; and (iii) orally segmenting phonemes in complex single-syllable words; (b) demonstrate decoding skills by: (i) demonstrating knowledge of phoneme-grapheme relationships between consonant digraph and trigraph graphemes and their most commonly occurring phonemes; (ii) demonstrating knowledge of phoneme-grapheme relationships between common vowel graphemes and long vowel phonemes; (iii) demonstrating knowledge of phoneme-grapheme relationships between common r-controlled vowel graphemes and phonemes; (iv) decoding regularly spelled one-syllable words; (v) decoding regularly spelled two-syllable words comprised of closed syllables following basic patterns, by breaking the words into syllables; (vi) decoding words with inflectional endings; and (vii) reading decodable texts accurately and with automaticity; (c) demonstrate encoding skills by: (i) encoding one-syllable words that follow regular spelling patterns; (ii) encoding two-syllable words comprised of closed syllables that follow regular spelling patterns; (iii) encoding words with inflectional endings, focusing on words that retain their root spelling when an inflectional ending is added; and (iv) printing upper and lowercase letters with automaticity. (2) Vocabulary standards for first grade are that each student will be able to: (a) use word learning strategies to determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases; (b) develop and apply expanding word knowledge through shared reading and classroom conversation; and (c) ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text, including those with cultural significance to Montana Indigenous Peoples. (3) Fluency standards for first grade are that each student will be able to: (a) read grade-appropriate texts with sufficient accuracy, rate, and expression to support comprehension; and (b) read common high-frequency words with accuracy and automaticity. (4) Reading comprehension standards for first grade are that each student will be able to: (a) ask and answer questions about key details in text read aloud and presented through other media, including texts by and about Montana Indigenous Peoples; (b) retell a story; (c) participate in discussions about the central ideas and key details in a text, including those by and about Montana Indigenous Peoples; (d) during or after a shared reading or listening experience, describe elements within stories and connections between events or ideas in informational text; (e) identify basic text features and explain the differences between text that tell stories and texts that provide information; and (f) identify character point of view in shared reading stories, including texts by and about Montana Indigenous Peoples. (5) Writing standards for first grade are that each student will be able to: (a) write an opinion piece providing one or more supporting reasons; (b) write an informative statement that introduces a topic and includes one or more facts about the topic; (c) write a narrative that introduces a clear beginning, middle, and end, including details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings; (d) develop and strengthen writing by using a process including planning, drafting, and implementing feedback; (e) with prompting and support, form and expand simple sentences orally and in writing; and (f) demonstrate grade-level appropriate command of the conventions of standard English grammar, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. (6) Research and inquiry standards for first grade are that each student will be able to: (a) participate in shared research and writing projects, finding at least one topic to learn more about; (b) recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources on a topic; and (c) with guidance, participate in shared research, using grade-appropriate sources and diverse cultural perspectives, including those by and about Montana Indigenous Peoples. (7) Speaking and listening standards for first grade are that each student will be able to: (a) participate in structured discussions and routines with a variety of partners; practice taking turns and listening to others; and (b) demonstrate grade-level appropriate command of the conventions of standard English grammar when speaking.