Reading: Foundational Skills Report Card Comments, Grades K-2
Foundational skills are the building blocks of reading words: hearing and blending sounds, matching letters to sounds, sounding out words, knowing sight or heart words, and reading aloud smoothly with expression and self-correction.
Below are 13 sample sentences for Grades K-2: two strengths and one next step for each of the 4 comment levels (Exceeds the standard / Meets the standard / Approaching the standard / Beginning), plus a tip for families. They are a small selection from the 161 reading: foundational skills sentences in the full pack. Copy one, then add a detail only you know about the student.
Jump to: Exceeds the standard · Meets the standard · Approaching the standard · Beginning · Writing tips
Fills in the name and pronouns on this page. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Exceeds the standard E
Strengths
- With silent e words and vowel teams such as "cake," "rain" and "boat," [Name] reads accurately and applies the patterns to new words with confidence.
- [Name] notices right away when a word does not make sense in a sentence and goes back to fix it without losing the flow of reading.
Next step
- Reading aloud to a younger buddy or to the class at the carpet would give [him/her/them] a chance to show expressive reading and model sounding out.
Meets the standard M
Strengths
- [Name] knows the sounds of the letters of the alphabet and uses them regularly to sound out short, unfamiliar words.
- Most common words are familiar to [Name] at a glance, which helps keep [his/her/their] reading moving along smoothly.
Next step
- [He/She/They] can grow further by learning a few new sight words each week and spotting them in books from the take-home folder.
Approaching the standard A
Strengths
- In phonics, [Name] is making progress with CVC words like "pig" and "fox" and can read them accurately when tapping out each sound.
- [Name] is learning to use the sound patterns taught in class to work out new words instead of guessing from the first letter.
Next step
- A goal is to learn the digraphs "sh," "ch" and "th" by matching each one to a picture card and finding them in decodable books.
Beginning B
Strengths
- With magnetic letters and one-on-one guidance, [Name] is beginning to blend two or three sounds together to read short words like "at" and "sat" aloud.
- In one-on-one reading, [Name] is working toward recognizing common words quickly so that [his/her/their] reading can flow more easily.
Next step
- Using sound boxes and magnetic letters to build and read words like "sat" and "pin" is the next step in [his/her/their] phonics learning.
Support at home
- Rereading a favorite book or poem several times is a simple way to build smoother, more expressive reading at home.
How to write reading: foundational skills comments for Grades K-2
- Quote one or two real words the child read or missed, such as blending s-t-o-p or mixing up b and d. Families can then practice exactly that pattern with a decodable book from the take-home folder.
- Separate the parts: a kindergartner may rhyme and clap syllables well yet still be learning letter sounds. Name which piece is secure and which is growing, rather than giving one verdict on reading.
- Mention heart words by example, like was, said or of, and whether the child reads them instantly inside a book or only on flash cards. That difference shows families what to practice next.
Watch out: Putting a words-per-minute figure or a reading assessment result in the comment. Families cannot act on a number alone. Describe what the reading sounds like and name one strategy, such as tapping out sounds.
At the top of the scale, describe accurate, independent work and how the child extends it, such as choosing harder books or explaining a strategy to a partner. For Meets, use steady words like usually or as taught in class; for Approaching, say what happens with reminders or a model; for Beginning, name what is emerging and the support in place. Describe the skill in action, not the mark.
What Reading: Foundational Skills covers
In these comments, reading: foundational skills covers these behaviours:
- hears, blends and segments the sounds in spoken words (phonological awareness, mainly K-1)
- knows letter sounds and uses phonics and word analysis to decode words, including multisyllabic words in grades 3-5
- recognizes high-frequency and irregular words
- reads with accuracy, appropriate rate and expression (fluency) and self-corrects
More US standards-based K-5 comments
- Reading: Foundational Skills, Grades 3-5
- Reading: Comprehension, Grades K-2
- Writing, Grades K-2
- Speaking and Listening, Grades K-2
- Math: Number and Operations, Grades K-2
- Math: Measurement and Geometry, Grades K-2
- Science, Grades K-2
- Social Studies, Grades K-2
- Opening and closing sentences
- All US standards-based K-5 skills and grade bands
- Build a comment with the comment picker
How these sentences were made, and what has been checked: About these comments.