HomeAcademics & ActivitiesAcademic Skills

Your child and reading: A grade-by-grade guide

Keep tabs on what kids should be learning in reading, from kindergarten through fifth grade.

By GreatSchools Staff

Are your kids reading at grade level? Are there any gaps in their phonics or comprehension? Since learning to read is a long and complex process, some students hit college only to discover their skills aren't where they should be.

How do you know if your children are on track? Our grade-by-grade guidelines give you all the details you need to assess their aptitude:

Phonic fun: Kindergartners link letters to sounds and master their first sight words.

Breakin' it down: First graders learn new ways to sound out words and decode their meanings.

What's the story? Second graders tackle short chapter books and basic research projects.

Tool for exploration: Third graders make the switch from learning to read to reading to learn.

Testing, testing: Fourth graders prepare for state exams by reading passages and answering questions.

Analyze this! Fifth graders learn to identify themes, make inferences, and draw conclusions.