Developmental Reading Stages

Early Emergent Reader

Emergent Reader

Early Fluency Reader

Early Emerging Reader

• uses picture for clues
• talks while looking at books
• tells stories from pictures
• retells a simple story which is read to them
• knows names of letters
• identifies consonant sounds at beginning and end of words
• reads by rote or memory
• recognizes some common words 
• enjoys simple  books that repeat
• reads favorite books over and over
• generally connects print and spoken words

adapted from Wright Group/McGraw Hill

Emerging Reader

• knows that text does not change from one reading to the next
• matches spoken word with print
• makes predictions
• identifies main characters
• identifies setting
• differentiates between fact and fiction
• identifies high frequency words
• some awareness of medial vowel sounds
• uses context clues
• begins to self correct
• notices punctuation
• begins to pause and use appropriate inflection for punctuation
• reads phrases
• selects a variety of books
• consistently reads own writing
• perceives patterns in print

adapted from Wright Group/McGraw Hill

Early Fluency Reader   

• independently reads aloud unfamiliar, developmentally appropriate text with accuracy and comprehension
• recognizes plot of story                                  
• recognizes problem and solution in a story
• uses a variety of clues to decode unfamiliar words
• identifies blends, digraphs, diphthongs
• applies vowel rules to sound out words
• uses punctuation correctly
• reads with expression
• consistently uses punctuation
• reads smoothly
• selects a wide variety of books
• may select chapter books
• silent sustained reading at least 20 minutes
• confident
• enjoys sharing favorite books
• enjoys challenges 
• selects reading during free time

adapted from Wright Group/McGraw Hill