Readiness Skills for Kindergarteners - A Recommended List
This list is from The Home School Manual on page page 138. It was originally compiled by the editors of The World Book Encyclopedia (1997). "They surveyed over 3,000 kindergarten teachers in the US and Canada asking them to list what they would like to see children coming into their classrooms be able to do."
It seems to be a really comprehensive list of things for kids to master by age 5. Although I don't believe in pushing a child to master all of these skills by then, most kids are so ready and eager to absorb information as much as possible from parents or caregivers who are willing to spend time and effort to teach them.
Readiness Skills for Kindergarteners - A Recommended List
Size
- understands big and little, long and short
- matches shapes or objects based on size
Colors and Shapes
- recognizes and names primary colors
- recognizes circles, rectangles
Numbers
- counts orally through 10
- counts objects in one-to-one correspondence
- understands empty and full, more and less
Reading Readiness
- remembers objects from a given picture
- knows what a letter is
- has been read to frequently (or daily)
- looks at books or magazines
- identifies part of the body
- identifies objects that have a functional use
- knows common farm and zoo animals
- pronounces own first name, last name
- expresses self verbally
- identifies other children by name
- tells the meaning of simple words
- repeats a sentence of 6-8 words
- completes incomplete sentence with proper word
- has own books
- understands that print carries a message
- pretends to read
- uses left-to-right progression for English (right-to-left for Arabic)
- answers questions about a short story
- tells the meaning of words heard in a story
- looks at pictures and tells a story
- prints own first name
Positions and Direction
- understands up and down, in and out, front and back, over (on) and under, top, bottom, middle, beside and next to, hot and cold, fast and slow
Time
- understands day and night
- knows age and birthday
Listening and Sequencing
- follows simple directions
- listens to a short story
- listens carefully
- recognizes common sounds
- repeats a sequence of sounds, of orally-given numbers
- retells simple stories in sequence
Motor Skills
- is able to run, walk a straight line, jump, hop, alternate feet walking down stairs, march, stand on one foot 5-10 seconds, walk backwards for five feet, throw a ball
- pastes objects
- clasps hands
- matches simple objects
- touches fingers
- able to button
- builds with blocks
- completes simple puzzles (5 pieces or less)
- draws and colors beyond a simple scribble
- able to zip
- controls pencil and crayon well
- handles scissors well
- able to copy shapes
Social-Emotional Development
- can be away from parents 2-3 hours without being upset
- takes care of toilet needs independently
- feels good about self
- is not afraid to go to school
- cares for own belongings
- knows full name
- dresses self
- knows how to use handkerchief or tissue
- knows own sex
- brushes teeth
- crosses a residential street safely
- asks to go to school
- knows parents' names, home address, phone number
- enters into dinner table conversation
- carries a plate of food
- maintains self-control
- gets along well with other children
- plays with other children
- recognizes authority
- shares with others
- talks easily
- likes teachers
- meets visitors without shyness
- puts away toys
- able to stay on a task, to work independently
- helps family with chores
It seems to be a really comprehensive list of things for kids to master by age 5. Although I don't believe in pushing a child to master all of these skills by then, most kids are so ready and eager to absorb information as much as possible from parents or caregivers who are willing to spend time and effort to teach them.
Readiness Skills for Kindergarteners - A Recommended List
Size
- understands big and little, long and short
- matches shapes or objects based on size
Colors and Shapes
- recognizes and names primary colors
- recognizes circles, rectangles
Numbers
- counts orally through 10
- counts objects in one-to-one correspondence
- understands empty and full, more and less
Reading Readiness
- remembers objects from a given picture
- knows what a letter is
- has been read to frequently (or daily)
- looks at books or magazines
- identifies part of the body
- identifies objects that have a functional use
- knows common farm and zoo animals
- pronounces own first name, last name
- expresses self verbally
- identifies other children by name
- tells the meaning of simple words
- repeats a sentence of 6-8 words
- completes incomplete sentence with proper word
- has own books
- understands that print carries a message
- pretends to read
- uses left-to-right progression for English (right-to-left for Arabic)
- answers questions about a short story
- tells the meaning of words heard in a story
- looks at pictures and tells a story
- prints own first name
Positions and Direction
- understands up and down, in and out, front and back, over (on) and under, top, bottom, middle, beside and next to, hot and cold, fast and slow
Time
- understands day and night
- knows age and birthday
Listening and Sequencing
- follows simple directions
- listens to a short story
- listens carefully
- recognizes common sounds
- repeats a sequence of sounds, of orally-given numbers
- retells simple stories in sequence
Motor Skills
- is able to run, walk a straight line, jump, hop, alternate feet walking down stairs, march, stand on one foot 5-10 seconds, walk backwards for five feet, throw a ball
- pastes objects
- clasps hands
- matches simple objects
- touches fingers
- able to button
- builds with blocks
- completes simple puzzles (5 pieces or less)
- draws and colors beyond a simple scribble
- able to zip
- controls pencil and crayon well
- handles scissors well
- able to copy shapes
Social-Emotional Development
- can be away from parents 2-3 hours without being upset
- takes care of toilet needs independently
- feels good about self
- is not afraid to go to school
- cares for own belongings
- knows full name
- dresses self
- knows how to use handkerchief or tissue
- knows own sex
- brushes teeth
- crosses a residential street safely
- asks to go to school
- knows parents' names, home address, phone number
- enters into dinner table conversation
- carries a plate of food
- maintains self-control
- gets along well with other children
- plays with other children
- recognizes authority
- shares with others
- talks easily
- likes teachers
- meets visitors without shyness
- puts away toys
- able to stay on a task, to work independently
- helps family with chores
Labels: homeschooling
posted by Jiru at
5:34 AM
