The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) has followed the national trend in setting high expectations, or standards, as a basis for teaching your child. By setting standards, DoDEA provides parents and teachers with guidance on what we want children to learn. Standards spell out exactly what skills and knowledge we expect your child to be able to do and understand. Research shows that children do better if high expectations are set.

        Your child was exposed to the beginning stages of reading at a very early age. When you first read to your child, he learned that the "squiggles" on the page caused you to say certain words. You were helping your child get ready to start school when you sang the alphabet song, or played with games or toys that emphasized letter names and sounds. In the first grade, your child will learn that letters and spelling patterns represent sounds that make up words. This is an exciting time for your child, as he will gain independence in learning.

        Developmentally, your child may mature at a slower or faster pace than others at his age level. We know that a child's strengths and weaknesses will influence how he receives and processes information. Given this factor, we see standards as a "road map" to gauge how a child is progressing across the system. It would be unrealistic to expect all children in a classroom to reach these expectations at the same time. Research indicates that while some children will meet the standards early in the school year, others won't satisfy them until later in the year. What is important is that each child-your child-has the confidence and encouragement to work toward meeting these standards.

        This booklet reflects only some of DoDEA's standards or expectations for English/reading/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies for Grade 1. You, the parent, play an important role in your child's education. Rather than guessing at what your child is expected to learn in first grade, work with his classroom teacher and the school to gain a better understanding of how to help him master first grade skills.

Some suggestions on how to help your child meet the DoDEA standards:

Take an Active Interest in Your Child's Daily Life
        Your child will be excited when he comes home from school each day. Take time to talk with him about his school experiences. Make it obvious that what he has to say is important. Ask yourself how you can help him make these daily activities meaningful. A good way to help with developing understanding is to ask questions or have your child explain how the activities were completed. When you listen, help your child use descriptive words (e.g., not just "butterfly," but "a colorful butterfly," "a soft butterfly," "a new butterfly") so that you are improving his vocabulary and expressive skills. If your child uses inappropriate grammar or plurals, repeat what he has said correctly (e.g., Your child says, "The mouses ran down the wall," and you say, "Yes, the mice ran down the wall." This method is far more effective than correcting your child outright by saying, "It's not mouses, it's mice."). Your enthusiasm in listening to your child talk about his learning experiences will result in his having a positive attitude towards school.

Review Schoolwork
         Your child will be proud of his schoolwork. Take time to look at it and to ask questions about how he went about completing it. Praise him and emphasize that he should be proud of his work. If the work is unacceptable, guide him in problem solving how he can make it better. Let him know that making mistakes is a part of work, and that we should learn from our mistakes so that we can do a better job next time. Your child will be thrilled when you display his work in your home, e.g., hanging his work papers on the refrigerator.

Encourage Curiosity and Motivation
        First graders who come to school with an array of experiences like speaking, listening, reading, and language are generally prepared to meet the first grade literacy standards. For your child to develop competency in these skills, he needs the motivation and curiosity to learn further. You, as a parent, can help provide the interest and desire to learn more by helping him find answers to his questions. Make learning fun and meaningful. If you child sees purpose in learning, he will be more likely to leap ahead and "discover new worlds."

Promote Understanding
        For your child to fully understand the purpose of learning, he will need to realize how it applies to his own life. Help him make this connection by providing experiences with clocks, money, calendars, following directions, reading signs or directions, writing short notes or lists, and word games.

        What if your child can easily read and sound out words he doesn't know, but then struggles to understand the meaning of a story? Help him gain understanding by telling him to look at the pictures for hints about what is happening, or take short sections of the story and ask him to predict what he thinks will happen next. Talk about the purposes of the characters and describe the relationship between events in the story. It is very important to talk about the story as you read it together, letting your child use his own words to retell the story. The more your child reads, the more words he will learn. Read, read, and read some more each day!

Be Prepared
        Classroom teachers indicate that children who are organized are better equipped to learn. What can you do to help your child be better prepared for school? It's important to structure your daily life so that your child knows that he will have a daily study time. (First graders usually work on schoolwork at home for 2-4 hours per week.) Help your child prepare for the next school day by getting his clothes ready the night before, and by placing any schoolwork he needs to take to school at the door. Right before he goes to bed, read together for at least 20 minutes. If your child is familiar with a daily schedule at home, he will be more organized in school and play.