Get help with English Language Arts 1
Most tutoring makes your child sit through material your child already knows. MapleMind flips that: pick the exact skill that's causing trouble — any of the 18 below — and the tutor teaches just that one, step by step, as many times as it takes. Ask questions in plain words, any time of day, in English, French, or 12 other languages.
The official Alberta English Language Arts 1 curriculum
Alberta defines English Language Arts 1 by strands and outcomes. MapleMind teaches the same curriculum reorganized for one-skill-at-a-time tutoring — the table shows exactly where every official strand lands, and the ministry's own wording is quoted under each unit below.
Official source Alberta's official programs of studyRead it on the government site — alberta.ca ↗| Official strand | Outcomes | Where MapleMind teaches it |
|---|---|---|
| Text Forms & Structures | 1 | How Messages Are Made |
| Oral Language | 1 | Listening and Talking |
| Vocabulary | 1 | Playing with Words |
| Phonological Awareness | 1 | Sounds in Words |
| Phonics | 1 | Letters and Their Sounds |
| Fluency | 1 | Reading Smoothly |
| Comprehension | 1 | Understanding Stories |
| Writing | 1 | Writing My Own Messages |
| Conventions | 1 | Writing Rules That Help |
Every skill below, taught one on one.
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How MapleMind teaches English Language Arts 1 — every unit, lesson, and skill
Every skill below runs as a short session: a plain-words lesson, a worked example, solving it together, then a five-question skill check that earns up to three stars. Guided Mode keeps it teaching instead of answer-handing — turning it off needs a parent's password.
Unit 1How Messages Are MadeOfficial strand · Text Forms & Structures
Organizing idea: messages are put together in different ways for different reasons. Noticing that a story, a list, a sign and a letter each look different, and that people make them that way on purpose.
Different Kinds of Messages
- A story, a list, a sign1.TF.1 — Notice that messages come in different shapes — a storybook, a shopping list, a stop sign, a birthday card — and that each one looks the way it does for a reason.
- Why it looks that way1.TF.1 — Match a kind of message to what it is FOR — a list helps us remember, a sign warns us, a story is for enjoying — and see that people organize messages on purpose.
The official wording — 1 outcome in this unit
- 1.TF.1
Students examine ways that messages can be organized and presented for different purposes.
Unit 2Listening and TalkingOfficial strand · Oral Language
Organizing idea: we share ideas by listening and speaking. Being a good listener, taking turns to talk, and telling a story or some news so others understand.
Good Listening and Sharing Stories
- Being a good listener1.OL.1 — Listen carefully when someone else is talking — look at them, keep your body still, and wait for your turn — so you understand what they share.
- Telling your story or news1.OL.1 — Speak clearly to tell a short story or share some news, keeping it in order (what happened first, next, and last) so a listener can follow along.
The official wording — 1 outcome in this unit
- 1.OL.1
Students develop listening and speaking skills through sharing stories and information.
Unit 3Playing with WordsOfficial strand · Vocabulary
Organizing idea: words are built from parts and carry meaning. Learning what new words mean, and hearing how a little ending like "-s" changes one word into many.
What Words Mean and How They Change
- What does this word mean?1.V.1 — Figure out what a new word means using the picture and the rest of the sentence, and use the new word when you talk.
- One dog, two dogs1.V.1 — Hear how adding "-s" makes a word mean more than one (cat → cats), so a tiny change to how a word is formed changes its meaning.
The official wording — 1 outcome in this unit
- 1.V.1
Students analyze word formation and meaning.
Unit 4Sounds in WordsOfficial strand · Phonological Awareness
Organizing idea: spoken words are made of sounds we can hear and play with. Clapping syllables, finding words that rhyme, and hearing the first sound in a word — all with our ears, no letters yet.
Rhymes, Claps, and First Sounds
- Rhyming and clapping syllables1.PA.1 — Hear when two words rhyme (cat and hat, sun and fun) and clap the beats (syllables) in a word — one clap for "dog", two for "rab-bit".
- Hearing the first sound1.PA.1 — Say the very first sound you hear in a word ("sun" starts with /s/) and change a sound to make a new word (change /c/ in "cat" to /h/ and get "hat") — all just by listening.
The official wording — 1 outcome in this unit
- 1.PA.1
Students manipulate sounds in words in oral language.
Unit 5Letters and Their SoundsOfficial strand · Phonics
Organizing idea: letters stand for sounds, and blending those sounds reads a word. Learning the sound each letter makes, and sounding out simple words like c-a-t.
Sounding Out Words
- The sound each letter makes1.PH.1 — Match each letter to the sound it makes — "s" says /s/, "m" says /m/ — and understand that a letter and its sound are not the same thing (the letter is what we see, the sound is what we say).
- Blending c-a-t into "cat"1.PH.1 — Say each letter sound in a short word and slide them together to read it: /c/ /a/ /t/ → "cat" — sounding it out, not guessing from the picture.
The official wording — 1 outcome in this unit
- 1.PH.1
Students recognize and analyze letters and sounds in words.
Unit 6Reading SmoothlyOfficial strand · Fluency
Organizing idea: practice makes reading smooth and clear. Reading known words quickly and correctly, and reading a little sentence in a smooth, story-telling voice.
Reading with a Smooth Voice
- Reading the words correctly1.F.1 — Read simple, familiar words correctly and not too fast — getting the words right matters more than racing through them.
- Reading with a story voice1.F.1 — Read a short sentence smoothly and with expression — stopping at the period and letting your voice go up at a question mark — so it sounds like talking, not robot words.
The official wording — 1 outcome in this unit
- 1.F.1
Students apply accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression in the development of fluency.
Unit 7Understanding StoriesOfficial strand · Comprehension
Organizing idea: reading and listening are for understanding the meaning. Telling who is in a story and what happens, and answering questions about a text you have heard or read.
Who, What, and What Happened
- Characters and what happens1.C.1 — After a story, tell who is in it (the characters) and what happens — the beginning, the middle, and the end.
- Answering questions about a story1.C.1 — Answer simple questions about a story or picture book ("Why was the bear sad?") using what the text and pictures show, not just a guess.
The official wording — 1 outcome in this unit
- 1.C.1
Students investigate meaning communicated in texts.
Unit 8Writing My Own MessagesOfficial strand · Writing
Organizing idea: we make messages by planning, printing, and sharing them. Printing letters and simple words to share an idea, and drawing-then-writing a short sentence about it.
Printing Words and Sentences
- Printing letters and words1.W.1 — Print letters and simple words to put an idea on paper, sounding out a word to help you spell it (writing "sun" as s-u-n).
- Drawing then writing a sentence1.W.1 — Think of an idea, draw it, then write a short sentence about your picture — planning first is part of writing a message.
The official wording — 1 outcome in this unit
- 1.W.1
Students create messages through the application of writing processes.
Unit 9Writing Rules That HelpOfficial strand · Conventions
Organizing idea: little rules help our writing make sense. Starting a sentence with a capital letter and ending it with a period, and spelling small words the way we sound them out.
Capitals, Periods, and Spelling
- Capital letters and periods1.CV.1 — Start a sentence with a capital letter and finish it with a period, so a reader knows where the sentence begins and where it stops.
- Spelling small words1.CV.1 — Spell small, familiar words by saying the sounds and writing a letter for each one, and print a few common words (like "the" and "and") from memory.
The official wording — 1 outcome in this unit
- 1.CV.1
Students examine and apply use of grammar, spelling, and punctuation in oral and written language.
Printable workbook · A keepsake of the year
A English Language Arts 1 workbook worth keeping
Built from the same official curriculum as this page. Before and after each skill above, your student colours in how sure they feel — so the two of you can see, on one page, what's clicking and what needs another look. It's a quiet way to follow how the year is really going.
By June it's full of their own handwriting: units worked through, confidence grown, a mid-year check-in, notes from parent-teacher night, and a certificate at the end. Less a worksheet, more a record of the year worth keeping on the shelf.
Instant download · see every page, reviews and the full description · five or more workbooks are $2.99 each
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Common questions
Can MapleMind help my child with English Language Arts 1?
Yes. MapleMind's AI tutor covers all 18 skills in Alberta's English Language Arts 1 — your child picks the exact skill, and the tutor teaches it step by step: a short lesson, a worked example, solving together, then a skill check to show it stuck.
Is MapleMind aligned to Alberta's official curriculum?
Yes. Every skill in this course maps to an official outcome code from Alberta's Grade 1 English Language Arts curriculum, and the ministry's own wording is quoted under each unit on this page — with the official government source linked so you can check it yourself.
What does MapleMind cost?
It's free to start — 5 tutoring chats and a practice quiz every day, no credit card. A Pro subscription ($9.99/month or $49.99/year CAD, 7-day free trial) unlocks unlimited tutoring, practice, and exam simulations.
What if my child is stuck on just one topic?
That's the point of skill-level tutoring: open English Language Arts 1 in the app, tap the exact skill from the list on this page, and the tutor teaches just that — no wading through lessons your child doesn't need.
Does MapleMind work in French or other languages?
Yes — 14 languages, including French. Both the app and the tutor's explanations switch to the language your child chooses.
Where can I see the official Alberta curriculum for English Language Arts 1?
The official source is linked on this page — Alberta's official programs of study. The outline here follows it: every MapleMind skill carries its official outcome code, and the ministry's own wording is quoted under each unit.
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