GradeMap

Grade 2 English Language Arts: how to help at home

What your child learns in Grade 2 english language arts in the Manitoba Curriculum, and simple things to try at home.

The Big Ideas this year

Easy ways to practise english language arts at home

What each unit covers

  1. Rhyme Time

    Hearing rhymes and spotting word families (-at, -ig, -op). Both help with reading and spelling new words.

  2. Sound Detectives

    Letter teams that make one sound (sh, ch, th, wh, ee, ai, oa) and clapping syllables.

  3. Super Sentences

    Starting sentences and names with capitals, and choosing a period, question mark or exclamation mark.

  4. Story Builders

    Reading short stories, then naming the character and setting, explaining why things happened, and retelling events in order.

  5. Word Power

    Building compound words, finding opposites and spelling plurals (-s and -es).

  6. Build Sentences

    Telling the four sentence types apart, spotting complete sentences, and joining two ideas into a compound sentence.

  7. Word Pictures

    Spotting similes (comparisons with like or as) and repeated consonant sounds, and what they add to a text.

  8. Reading Detectives

    Reading short texts to work out who is telling the story, what will happen next, how characters feel, and how things are the same and different.

  9. Text Features

    Using a table of contents, charts and icons to find information, and following order words in steps and journal entries.

What the report card levels look like at home

Level 1
Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
Level 2
Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practising the tricky parts.
Level 3
Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
Level 4
Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.

Your child’s teacher decides the level on the report card. Read the Manitoba report card guide.

Common questions

How can I help my Grade 2 child with english language arts?

Take turns reading a page aloud, and chat about what happened and why. Keep a short journal, with one or two sentences a day to start. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.

What does my child learn in Grade 2 english language arts in Manitoba?

The Manitoba Curriculum Grade 2 english language arts units include rhyme time, sound detectives, super sentences, story builders, word power, build sentences.

Free printable Grade 2 english language arts practice sheet

Questions from every unit, with an answer key.

Get the sheetPractise in Gradelings