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Have you ever wondered what skills your child is expected to master in each grade when it comes to writing?  We ask because, it is difficult for a parent to know what your child is learning in school and what to expect of your child at various ages and stages.   To ease your mind about what your writer should and should not know at each grade level, we interviewed both reading and writing teachers and reviewed state standards documents.  We created a list of general grade-level guidelines that relate specifically to Think It Ink It Publishing.  This list does not include all writing standards for each grade level for every state.

At the same time as we offer this information remember that when it comes to the writing process, it’s important that your child feel supported and that his or her ideas are nurtured.  What is important about writing and the writing process is that children practice writing, revise their work, have the opportunity to express themselves, and enjoy writing. Enjoyment will ultimately lead a child to want to write more, which leads to practice, which results in better writing, which will lead to enhanced literacy skills.

 
By the end of the year for each grade level, students writing skills are expected to include the following:

  • Write sentences that are easy to read aloud.
  • Use vocabulary words in their writing that they also use when speaking.
  • Include words from books that are read to them into their writing.
  • Write words that an adult (who knows what the child is writing about) can read. 
  • Write words that they themselves can read once their story is written.
  • Leave spaces between the words that they write.
  • Know that they should write from left to right and top to bottom.
  • Write words using the sounds that they hear when a word is spoken as the letters that they write (phonetically/invented spelling).
  • Know all of the upper-case letters.
  • Begin to use correct sequences and direction of movement as they write their letters.
  • Use fine motor skills with more control such that their fingers are flexible enough to control the writing tool.

  • Change the structure for the beginnings of each sentence rather than just repeating the same line and changing one or two words. 
  • Write simple sentences.
  • Use vocabulary words in their writing that they also use when speaking.
  • Use a more expressive or specific word when asked.
  • Write using new words that they have learned. 
  • Spell “high frequency words” or common words (like “the,” “of,” “is,” “said”) correctly.
  • Write words that they themselves and others can read.
  • Know how to figure out how to spell words correctly (using techniques such as segmenting, sounding out, and matching to familiar words and word parts). 
  • Spell some familiar words and word-endings correctly.
  • Know and write all of the upper- and lower-case letters.
  • Write letters using the appropriate sequence and direction of movements.
  • Have some awareness of and interest in punctuation such as capitalization of first words in sentences, proper names and “I”.  Punctuate endings of a sentence using periods, exclamation points, question marks, and quotation marks.

  • Use the typical patterns of spoken language with transition words and phrases in their writing (like “and,” “for example,” “first,” “in conclusion”).
  • Write with varying sentence patterns and lengths to slow down or speed up reading.
  • Use expressive vocabulary to more accurately describe what they are writing (i.e., a hummingbird instead of a bird) so that the story is unique, engaging, and lively.
  • Write a number of sentences that support a topic.
  • Write words with fewer incorrect spellings. 
  • Have even more strategies to spell unfamiliar words. 
  • Spell most endings, plurals and verb tenses correctly.
  • Use correct spelling patterns and rules most of the time.
  • Use capital letters for the pronoun “I,” the beginning of a sentence, and proper nouns (like names, days, months).
  • Punctuate endings of sentences using periods, question marks, and exclamation marks for emphasis accurately.
  • Use quotation marks almost accurately.
  • Use apostrophes to correctly punctuate contractions.
  • Use commas to punctuate items in a series, and dates.
  • Write clearly.

  • Incorporate transitional words and phrases in their writing (like “therefore,” “then,” “however,” “especially,” “because”).
  • Write with varying sentence patterns and lengths to slow down or speed up reading or to create a mood.
  • Write simple and compound sentences.
  • Use more precise, vivid and expressive words showing their vocabulary.
  • Notice when words do not look correct and use strategies to correct the spelling.
  • Spell all familiar words that are often seen in print (high-frequency words like “a,” “and,” “jump,” “little,” “run”) correctly.
  • Spell words with short vowels and common endings correctly.
  • Spell most endings, including plurals and verb tenses, correctly.
  • Use correct spelling patterns and rules such as consonant doubling, dropping “e” and changing “y” to “i."
  • Use capital letters for the beginnings of sentences, proper nouns (like names, days, months), titles, names of places, and abbreviations. 
  • Use periods, question marks, exclamation points, and other end-punctuation correctly nearly all of the time.
  • Use commas and quotation marks almost accurately.
  • Use apostrophes to punctuate contractions and singular possessive’s.

  • Know how to use subject/verb agreement.
  • Identify and use nouns, verbs, and personal pronouns.
  • Know literacy concepts such as simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia, alliteration, idioms, and hyperbole.
  • Use correct capitalization, commas, spelling, paragraph indentation, and apostrophes (for possessives and contractions).
  • Know how to punctuate dialogue in more complex sentences (like indent for each new speaker).
  • Know how and when to use paragraphs.

  • Know how to use transitions between and within paragraphs.
  • Use literal and figurative language to tell a story.
  • Use time structures in narrative texts (Flashbacks, etc.).
  • Use capital letters correctly for place names, holidays, languages, historical events, organizations, titles, abbreviations, words used in names.  Understand and use complex capitalization (like after a colon that begins an independent clause). 
  • Use commas between independent clauses joined by “and,” “but” or “or,” and in dialogue, correctly.
  • Use colons, semicolons, dashes, and apostrophes for missing letters.

  • Write a narrative piece that includes well-developed characters and plot.
  • Use grammar and write paragraphs accurately.
  • Write material that is readable to a wide audience.
  • Organize writing in a logical sequence that is clear, includes focused ideas and details that support the topic.
  • Write using a strong vocabulary that is original, varied, and natural.
  • Use precise nouns and modifiers.
  • Use energetic verbs.
  • Choose appropriate voice for the content and story.
  • Spell accurately.
  • Spell commonly misspelled words correctly.
  • Use accurate punctuation, capitals.

 
PBS Ready to Learn Online Parents Guide to Development
NYC Standards
Arizona Department of Education – Standards Based Teaching and Learning
Nebraska Reading/Writing Standards
Seattle Public School Standards




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