First grade students read from age-appropriate books with assistance from an adult to acquire information and facts. They learn how to tell the difference between fiction and non-fiction literature. At this age they are formally introduced to the library or media center and begin learning how to access materials with teacher support. Students also start learning how to use a basic dictionary to build vocabulary and research skills.
Children continue to build on understanding differences between fiction and non-fiction in this standard. They read literature with real and imaginary plots. First graders use a variety of strategies while reading literature. They learn how to pre-read by scanning the pictures and predicting what they think the story may be about. While reading the story, they are encouraged to keep predicting what will happen next and draw conclusions on why the specific events happened. Children are also required to be able to identify main characters, where the story takes place and the basic plot of a story by retelling what they read to an adult.
Students begin to pull apart text more in depth in the third reading standard while continuing to build on pre-reading and prediction strategies. They are required to pinpoint and describe the main themes of a story while drawing conclusions as to why each event occurred. After identifying the characters in the story, first graders are asked to explain how specific characters complemented the story and describe their purpose. They also begin to compare the characters to a person or other story that they are familiar with to determine similarities and differences. The students then work on using what they comprehend about the story to change specific events and come up with an alternate ending. This encourages creativity and supports first graders to stick to the appropriate topic.
Teachers encourage students to become excited about reading and first graders are typically eager and motivated when they start to build their reading skills. This standard focuses on sharing literature experiences with other adults and peers. First graders build social skills by reading together to understand text. Children learn about cultural differences in literature and are encouraged to explore more about authors and their writing styles.
While not listed in each specific reading standard, first grade students in New York continue to build age-appropriate vocabulary to keep developing reading skills. Students also carry on with decoding single and multiple letter sounds to blend letter sounds together and read words. First graders work on reading fluency and are expected to read 300 to 500 commonly used words that are decodable with letter sounds or must be memorized by the end of the school year. Teachers aim to have each child read 71 words per minute out loud by the completion of first grade.