Common Planner
K–12 Standards

English Language Arts

Other Tennessee Early Learning Developmental Standards sets

Reading Standards Key Ideas and Details:

  • 1

    Read closely to determine what a text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

    1. 1.

      With modeling, prompting, and support, ask and answer questions about informational text read aloud.PK.RI.KID.1

    2. 1.

      With modeling, prompting, and support, ask, and answer questions about a story read aloud. PK.RL.KID.1

  • 2

    Determine central ideas or themes of a text, analyze their development, and summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

    1. 2.

      With prompting and support, orally identify a main topic and retell details of texts, discussions, and activities.PK.RI.KID.2

    2. 2.

      With prompting and support, orally retell familiar stories including details.PK.RL.KID.2

  • 3

    Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

    1. 3.

      With prompting and support, orally identify the connection between information in a text to personal experience or other text.PK.RI.KID.3

    2. 3.

      With prompting and support, orally identify characters, settings, and events from a familiar story. PK.RL.KID.3

Reading Standards Craft and Structure

  • 4

    Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.

    1. 4.

      With prompting and support, answer questions about the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to pre-K topic or subject area.PK.RI.CS.4

    2. 4.

      With prompting and support, respond to questions about the meaning of unknown words in a story. PK.RL.CS.4

  • 5

    Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of a text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.

    1. 5.

      Recognize various text features. PK.RI.CS.5

    2. 5.

      Recognize common types of text. PK.RL.CS.5

  • 6

    Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.

    1. 6.

      With prompting and support, answer questions about who is presenting ideas or information in a text. PK.RI.CS.6

    2. 6.

      With prompting and support, answer questions about who is telling a story.PK.RL.CS.6

Reading Standards Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

  • 7

    Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text. 

    1. 7.

      With prompting and support, orally describe the relationship between illustrations and the text in which they appear.PK.RI.IKI.7

    2. 7.

      With prompting and support, orally describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear.PK.RL.IKI.7

  • 8

    Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of evidence.

    1. 8.

      This standard begins in Kindergarten. PK.RI.IKI.8

    2. 8.

      Not applicable to literature.PK.RL.IKI.8

  • 9

    Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches an author takes.

    1. 9.

      With prompting and support, orally identify basic similarities and differences between two texts on the same topic.PK.RI.IKI.9

    2. 9.

      With prompting and support, orally compare and contrast the experiences of characters in a story to personal experience or to the experiences of characters in another familiar story.PK.RL.IKI.9

Reading Standards Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

  • 10

    Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently. 

    1. 10.

      Listen and respond to informational texts of appropriate complexity for pre-K. PK.RI.RRTC.10

    2. 10.

      Listen and respond to stories and poems of appropriate complexity for pre-K. PK.RL.RRTC.10

Foundational Literacy Standards Print Concepts

  • 1

    Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.

    1. 1

      Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.PK.FL.PC.1

      1. a

        Handle books appropriately, right-side-up, turning pages one at a time, and front to back.PK.FL.PC.1.a

      2. b

        Recognize that spoken words can be written and read.PK.FL.PC.1.b

      3. c

        With guidance and support, understand that words are made up of alphabet letters.PK.FL.PC.1.c

      4. d

        Recognize familiar uppercase letters and some of the most common lowercase letters.PK.FL.PC.1.d

      5. e

        Distinguish between pictures and words.PK.FL.PC.1.e

Foundational Literacy Standards Phonological Awareness

  • 2

    Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).

    1. 2

      Demonstrate increasing understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes) through oral language and with guidance and support. PK.FL.PA.2

      1. a

        Recognize and discriminate between rhyming words in spoken language.PK.FL.PA.2.a

      2. b

        Begin to pronounce and identify syllables in familiar words and words in a sentence.PK.FL.PA.2.b

      3. c

        Begin to blend and segment onsets and rhymes of single-syllable spoken words. PK.FL.PA.2.c

      4. d

        Begin to isolate and pronounce the initial, final, and/or medial vowel sounds (phonemes) in two- and three-phoneme (VC or CVC) words, excluding CVC words ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.PK.FL.PA.2.d

      5. e

        Identify whether or not two words begin or end with the same sound.PK.FL.PA.2.e

Foundational Literacy Standards Phonics and Word Recognition

  • 3

    Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when decoding isolated words and in connected text.

    1. 3

      Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when decoding isolated words and in connected text.PK.FL.PWR.3

      1. a

        Begin to demonstrate knowledge of one-to-one letter sound correspondence by producing the most frequent sound for familiar consonants.PK.FL.PWR.3.a

      2. b

        Recognize high-frequency words by sight, including own name and other familiar words in the environmentPK.FL.PWR.3.b

      3. c

        Begin to decode regularly spelled CVC words.PK.FL.PWR.3.c

Foundational Literacy Standards Word Composition

  • 4

    Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when encoding words; write legibly.

    1. 4

      Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when encoding words. PK.FL.WC.4

      1. a

        Begin to recognize the difference between upper and lowercase letters.PK.FL.WC.4.a

      2. b

        Begin to print the distinctive features of letter forms (circle, line, diagonal, crossed lines, etc.). PK.FL.WC.4.b

Foundational Literacy Standards Fluency

  • 5

    Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

    1. 5

      Interact with text to support comprehension.PK.F.5

      1. a

        Use illustrations to retell story events in familiar picture books.PK.F.5.a

Foundational Literacy Standards Sentence Composition

  • 6

    Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when speaking and conventions of standard English grammar and usage, including capitalization and punctuation, when writing.

    1. 6

      Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when speaking, and conventions of standard English grammar and usage, including capitalization and punctuation, when writing with adult modeling, guidance, and support.PK.SC.6

      1. a

        With modeling or verbal prompts, orally produce complete sentences. PK.SC.6.a

      2. b

        Follow one-to-one correspondence between voice and print when writing a sentence or sentence fragment, or when rereading a dictated sentence.PK.SC.6.b

      3. c

        Use frequently occurring nouns and verbs when speaking and in shared language activities.PK.SC.6.c

      4. d

        Form regular plural nouns when speaking and in shared language activities.PK.SC.6.d

      5. e

        Understand and use question words (interrogatives) when speaking and in shared language activities.PK.SC.6.e

      6. f

        With prompting and support, use the most frequently occurring prepositions when speaking and in shared language activities.PK.SC.6.f

      7. g

        With prompting and support, produce and expand complete sentences in shared language activities. PK.SC.6.g

      8. h

        Begin to recognize that a name begins with a capital letter.PK.SC.6.h

Foundational Literacy Standards Vocabulary Acquisition

  • 7

    Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.

Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on pre-K conversations, reading, and content. (1) Identify new meanings for familiar words and apply them accurately. (2) Use the most frequently occurring inflections and affixes as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word.PK.FL.VA.7a

  • 7a

    Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on pre-K conversations, reading, and content. (1) Identify new meanings for familiar words and apply them accurately. (2) Use the most frequently occurring inflections and affixes as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word.PK.FL.VA.7a

With guidance and support from adults, explore word relationships and nuances in word meanings.PK.FL.VA.7b

  • 1

    Sort common objects into categories to gain a sense of the concepts the categories represent. PK.FL.VA.7b.1

  • 2

    Demonstrate understanding of frequently occurring verbs and adjectives.PK.FL.VA.7b.2

  • 3

    Make real-life connections between words and their use. PK.FL.VA.7b.3

  • 4

    Distinguish shades of meaning among familiar verbs describing the same general action. (i.e., jog/sprint)PK.FL.VA.7b.4

Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, being read to, and responding to texts.PK.FL.VA.7c

  • 7c

    Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, being read to, and responding to texts.PK.FL.VA.7c

Writing Standards Text Types and Protocol

  • 1

    Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

    1. 1

      With modeling, prompting, and support, use a combination of drawing, dictating, and/or emergent writing to express a preference, opinion, or idea about a specific topic or text.PK.W.TTP.1

  • 2

    Write information/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. 

    1. 2

      With modeling, prompting, and support, use a combination of drawing, dictating, and/or emergent writing to explain information about a familiar topic or informational text.PK.W.TTP.2

  • 3

    Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

    1. 3

      With modeling, prompting, and support, use a combination of drawing, dictating, and/or emergent writing to narrate a single event.PK.W.TTP.3

Writing Standards Production and Distribution of Writing

  • 4

    Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

    1. 4

      With modeling, guidance, and support, produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.) PK.W.PDW.4

  • 5

    Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. 

    1. 5

      With guidance and support from adults, respond to questions and suggestions from others and add details to strengthen drawing, dictating and/or emergent writing as needed.PK.W.PDW.5

  • 6

    Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.

    1. 6

      This standard begins in Kindergarten.PK.W.PDW.6

Writing Standards Research to Build and Present Knowledge

  • 7

    Conduct short but more sustained research projects based on focus questions, demonstrating new understanding of the subject under investigation.

    1. 7

      With modeling, guidance, and support, participate in shared research and writing projects, such as reading a number of books by a favorite author and expressing opinions about them.PK.W.RBPK.7

  • 8

    Integrate relevant and credible information from multiple print and digital sources while avoiding plagiarism.

    1. 8

      With modeling, guidance, and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.PK.W.RBPK.8

  • 9

    Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

    1. 9

      This standard begins in Grade 4. PK.W.RBPK.9

Writing Standards Range of Writing

  • 10

    Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

    1. 10

      With modeling, guidance, and support from adults, engage routinely in drawing, dictating, and emergent writing activities for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.PK.W.RBPK.10

Speaking and Listening Standards Comprehension and Collaboration

  • 1

    Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with varied partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

    1. 1

      Participate with varied peers and adults in collaborative conversations across activities throughout the day.PK.SL.CC.1

      1. a

        Demonstrate appropriate conversational interactions including taking turns, listening, speaking, answering questions, and wait time.PK.SL.CC.1.a

  • 2

    Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media formats, such as visual, quantitative, and oral formats.

    1. 2

      Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details, or by retelling, acting out, or representing key details through work in centers.PK.SL.CC.2

  • 3

    Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric. 

    1. 3

      With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood.PK.SL.CC.3

Speaking and Listening Standards Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

  • 4

    Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning; the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

    1. 4

      Describe familiar people, places, things, and events, and, with prompting and support, provide additional detail.PK.SL.PKI.4

  • 5

    Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.

    1. 5

      Create representations and extensions of experiences or stories through writing, drawing, and open-ended materials in centers, and discuss them with others.PK.SL.PKI.5

  • 6

    Adapt speech to a variety of contents and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

    1. 6

      With modeling, guidance, and support, express thoughts, feelings, and ideas through speaking. PK.SL.PKI.6

Frequently asked questions

What grade levels do these standards cover?
PRE-K
Where can I read the official document?
Tennessee Early Learning Developmental Standards

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