First and Second Grade

During the first and second grades, reading development significantly increases. Children transition from foundational phonics and sight word recognition to more fluent and independent reading. Children use phonics and context clues as they learn to decode unfamiliar words. Reading fluency improves with greater speed and expression. Comprehension is enhanced as they learn to identify the main idea and details. By the end of second grade, most children can read longer books independently with increased vocabulary and comprehension. Writing skills continue to develop with better attention to punctuation and spelling.