As you are no doubt aware, learning to read was the primary focus of first grade. In second grade, we are now developing complex comprehension strategies to help us understand what we are reading. Many of the terms that teachers commonly use in primary grades to discuss reading can be confusing as they are often sprinkled with “alphabet soup.” I have provided a glossary of literacy terms used to better acquaint you with definitions of common assessments and skills:

Second Grade Assessments:

1. BPST III (Basic Phonics Skills Test): This assessment tool was developed by Dr. John Shefelbine at CSUS and is administered to each student. There are a total of 91 points. The student is asked to produce 21 consonant sounds and 5 short vowel sounds and is required to read several short vowel words with and without consonant blends and consonant digraphs as well as words with long vowel spelling patterns, words with r-controlled vowels, words with diphthongs, words with inflectional endings, words with affixes, and multisyllabic words.

3. Johnston Spelling Inventory: This assessment tool, developed by Francine Johnston, is used to determine how the student uses spelling patterns and rules to spell new words. It is administered whole-class. We use this assessment to determine the student’s developmental spelling stage. The total for this assessment is 58 points for 25 dictated words. Points are given for specific spelling patterns, rather than the correct spelling for the entire word.

4. High Frequency Words: Developed by Rebecca Sitton, these words are the most common in the English language and are characterized by irregular spellings. In first grade, there were 100 sight words that should be read and spelled with automaticity. In second grade we are adding 100 MORE sight words your child needs to know. Having automaticity with these words frees time for the reader to concentrate on comprehension.

Literacy Terms:

1. Phoneme: the smallest unit of a spoken language. English has about 41 phonemes. Phonemes combine to form syllables and words. Example: /t/ is the sound the letter t produces and /kw/ is the sound the letter q produces.

2. Grapheme: a unit of written language. Example: /shun/ is spelled tion and Long E is spelled e_e, ee, ea_, or _y.

3. Consonant Blend: A combination of two or three consonants in which each consonant keeps its original sound. Blends may be at the beginning or end of a word. Example: truck, straw, honk, damp.

4. Consonant Digraph: A combination of consonants that makes a different sound than one made by combining the sounds of each individual consonant. Example: /sh/, /wh/, /ch/, /th/ (2), /ph/, /_ng/.

5. Diphthong: A type of phoneme that is formed by combining two vowel sounds. Example: cow, trout, boy, soil.

6. R-Controlled Vowel: Words with vowels followed by the letter “r” are often pronounced differently. Example: car, fern, bird, torn, hurt.

7. Inflectional Ending: Any suffix added at the end of the word. Example: sitting, messes, kicked.

8. Multisyllabic Word: Words with more than one syllable. Example: mat is a one-syllable word, but mat-ter is a two-syllable word. Dif-fer-ent is a three-syllable word.

9. Fluency: This term describes the speed with which a student reads an oral passage. Accuracy of decoding and expression (prosody) in oral reading is also assessed. The end of year minimum goal is for a first grader to read 60 correct words per minute (cwpm). In general, when a student achieves grade-level fluency, s/he will be able to devote more time to comprehension.

10. Decoding: This term refers to a student’s ability to “sound out” or recognize words in text. A student’s ability to decode does not necessarily indicate comprehension or expression.

11. Expression (Prosody): This term is used to describe how meaningfully a student reads a passage. For example, does the student sound like a robot, reading slowly, sound by sound? Or does the student read with natural speed and appropriate emotion?

12. Reading Comprehension: This term is often used to describe how the student makes meaning out of written material. Comprehension can take several forms. Literal comprehension is the ability to recall details directly from the text, and may include information about characters or story order, for example. Inferential comprehension, however, requires the reader to look beyond the words in a text and make a connection with prior knowledge or use clues in the text to draw a conclusion.

13. Frustration Reading Level: This level of reading describes a student who is unable to read the text with adequate word identification (less than 90%) or comprehension. Signs of difficulty and tension are evident. The oral reading lacks fluency and expression; a word-for-word halting style is common as well as sound by sound decoding.

14. Instructional Reading Level: This is the level of reading at which a student can read with assistance from the teacher. Word identification accuracy is usually at 95%.

15. Independent Reading Level: This is the level of reading that describes a student who can successfully read without assistance. Fluency is present, and there are no overt signs of tension. Word identification is 98% or higher and comprehension is excellent.