Developmental Stages of Reading

Emergent Readers
Pre-Reading to Step 2 (Book Levels A-B)

• Develop the ability to hear separate sounds in words (phonemic awareness)
• Know most letter names and associated sounds
• Read familiar text orally, matching word-by-word (often following with their finger)
• Use information from pictures for understanding and for support in words solving

Early Readers
Step 2 to Step 6 (Book Levels B-I)

• Recognize many high frequency words automatically
• Use letter-sound information along with meaning and language to solve words
• Read easy text with some fluency and attention to punctuation
• Develop the ability to make inferences and interpret text using various strategies

Transitional Readers
Step 6 to Step 9 (Book Levels I-M)

• Use multiple sources of information flexibly while reading for meaning
• Begin to sustain silent reading of longer texts
• Use pictures for information but do not overly rely on them for comprehension
• Build meaning as they read stories, connecting earlier and later parts of a text

Self-extending Readers
Step 9 to Step 12 (Book Levels M-P)

• Problem solve words flexibly with minimal disruption of the flow of reading
• Sustain reading of texts independently over several days
• Try out multiple strategies to support comprehension in difficult text (e.g., test out own understanding by paraphrasing or self-questioning)
• Incorporate new information into their own understanding of a topic while reading nonfiction text