If your child is in the Kumon Reading Program, you may be wondering how his or her Kumon studies correlate with the Common Core State Standards Initiative. There are in fact Common Core text categories which include stories, poetry and informational text that are seen in the Kumon Recommended Reading List, the Read Aloud List, and the worksheets.
Here are a few features of the Kumon Reading Program with elements related to the Common Core:
Recommended Reading List
The Common Core Standards provide a list of sample texts for teachers and administrators, allowing them to use their own discretion when selecting books with similar complexity, quality and range for their classrooms. When comparing the Common Core’s current sample texts to the Kumon Recommended Reading List and excerpts featured in the worksheets, many of the titles and authors are the same. Therefore, many books from our reading list and excerpts fit within a Common Core text category.
Advanced Study
The Common Core emphasizes the importance of reading books that steadily increase in complexity. Kumon’s goal is for students to advance beyond their school grade level while building the reading skills necessary to succeed in any program or standards-based curriculum. Students who are studying ahead of grade level are exposed to advanced literary texts, staying a step ahead of Common Core expectations.
Variation in Reading Ability
In Kumon, students progress at their own pace, developing reading skills independently. This emphasis on individuality encourages Kumon Students to improve their reading ability, helping them achieve success through independent learning. In the Common Core’s organization of literature, the sample texts are grouped in grade-level ranges to allow for reading-ability variation. This flexibility is similar to Kumon’s philosophy for each student to develop reading skills individually.
To view the Common Core Standards sample texts and to learn more information about the new curriculum, visit corestandards.org.
Past articles from Kumon:
Past articles from Kumon:
- Kumon and the Common Core
- Reading Proficiency in Third Grade
- To Have and to Hold...A Pencil
- Motivation and Enjoyment
- Activities to Make Math Fun for Children
- Summer Learning Slide
