CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.1a

ELAKindergartenComprehension and Collaboration

The Standard

Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns speaking about the topics and texts under discussion).

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students follow simple group discussion rules. They listen while others speak, wait for a turn, and talk about the shared topic or text.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students wait for their turn and listen while a classmate speaks. They share a related idea or respond to what the classmate said.
Common Misconceptions: Students may call out, interrupt, or begin a new topic while someone else is speaking. Some think listening means staying quiet, even when they are not looking at or responding to the speaker.
How to Assess It: Show a picture and ask pairs to discuss what they notice for one minute. Check whether each student waits, listens, and responds after a partner finishes.

Lesson moves

Pass a talking stick around a circle, and let only the student holding it share one detail about a read-aloud.
Ask, “How can you show a classmate you are listening?” and record students’ ideas on a discussion rules chart.
Play Turn-Taking Toss, where partners roll a ball back and forth before sharing one related sentence each.
Practice taking turns while pairs choose classroom jobs, then name one idea their partner shared.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.1a, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

Learning progression

Mastery here sets students up for these next.

Keep exploring

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