Stages of Reading Development

 Stages of Reading Development

The quality of reading is not measured by how soon a child begins to read but by how well he or she reads when ready.  

 Students learn in different ways and in synchronization with their own personal growth and development. 

 Reading acquisition  rates can differ from child to child within a single family.  For example,  one child may begin reading at age four while another does not begin reading until age six. Parents may be surprised to notice that both children are reading at the same level at age eight. w

With these thoughts in mind, following are the stages of reading development.

Birth to Kindergarten

Children learn to understand the spoken word, speak learned vocabulary, enjoy looking at picture books, having books read to them, and naming pictures  found in books. 

Kindergarten and Grade One

Students learn the names of the letters and the concepts of sound/symbol and symbol/sound relationships, linguistic patterns, the blending of sounds, and the recognition of certain sight words.

Grads Two and Three

Students expand decoding skills and deriving meaning from text as well as  increase reading fluency.

Grads Four Through Eight

Students learn information that goes beyond their life experiences. They apply expanded vocabulary to interpret and analyze points of view in a variety of contexts.

Grads Nine Through Twelve

Students develop complex language structures, interpret multiple points of view, learn advanced vocabulary and construct their own meanings through analysis and synthsis.

Additional Resources

Please click the redirect page below the title.

The Four Stage approach Here

Center for Improving Literacy

Fact Sheet