Skills Checklist: Make The Transition Into First Grade Easier

Is your child headed for the “big school” with a full day of First Grade in Bergen or Passaic County? Give your child a positive experience in their new school and help them build their confidence by equipping them with the skills they need to shine. Whether they have attended kindergarten or not, is helpful for children to have certain skills before they arrive in the classroom. You can use this summer to help your child begin to learn or enhance these skills so that they feel more comfortable and sure of themselves when they start First Grade and a full day in the classroom. We realize that all children are unique, have different learning styles and maybe at different levels. These skills represent a basic benchmark that you can utilize to help your child in the transition process into First Grade.

Social Skills

  • Learn to follow simple rules and instructions
  • Learn to feel confident within themselves and realize the need to be able to deal with change
  • Learn to use resources and materials without being careless
  • Learn how important it is to focus and maintain attention until a task is done, and while listening to the teacher
  • Develop the ability to participate effectively in group activities
  • When conflicts arise, learn words that help to resolve the problem and use those words with respect
  • Learn to be comfortable and familiar with adults and ask for help when needed

Writing Skills

  • Write their own names and some basic words
  • Tell a story, when given a picture
  • Holds pens and pencils properly
  • Recite the alphabet in order
  • Know both capitals and lowercase letters
  • Sound out the letters phonetically
  • Understands the difference between a period and a question mark

Reading Skills

  • Be able to retell the story read by the teacher
  • Be able to tell the difference between fact and fiction: real and make believe
  • Understands the link between written and spoken words
  • Repeat simple rhymes: one fish two fish red fish blue fish!
  • Make predictions about what will happen next in the story (these can be prompted by pictures)
  • Identify the setting of a story
  • Relate a story to their own lives

Language Skills

  • Sort objects e.g. by color, size etc
  • Sing songs
  • Ask questions in class and participate
  • Attempt to use complete sentences

Math skills

  • Verbally count to 30, write numbers to 20 and add objects to a total of 10
  • See patterns in numbers
  • Understand how to use a ruler and a thermometer
  • Identify basic shapes: circle, square, triangle
  • Identify money: penny, nickel, dollar bill
  • Know the days of the week and months in a year
  • Be able to tell time on an analog clock

Social Studies

  • Know basic history and important historical figures: George Washington first President, Obama current President
  • Understands that there are different cultures and traditions in the world
  • Knows the basic symbols of their country: US Flag, Eagle, etc.

Science Skills

  • Displays curiosity and likes to explore and observe
  • Describe the weather
  • Have a basic understanding of helping the environment, reducing pollution, recycling and conserving nature and wildlife

It is important for young students to be able to learn these skills to be comfortable and easily move ahead in First Grade. Without knowing these skills, students may fall behind, as well as start to socially slip; become quiet and withdrawn in the classroom. Take this summer to start to teach your student these skill sets. Tutor Doctor North Jersey and Rockland can help with any skill set that might be a struggle for your young student. Start this new school year with confidence and strength!