Stages of Development
Early Emergent Readers
Emergent Readers
Early Fluent Readers
Fluent Readers
EARLY EMERGENT READERS
Aspiring readers are just beginning to
grasp the basic concepts of book and print. They are acquiring a
command of the alphabet with the ability to recognize and name upper-
and lowercase letters. They are also developing many phonological
awareness skills, such as recognizing phonemes, syllables, and rhyme.
Early Emergent readers are beginning to learn sound/symbol
relationships--starting with consonants and short vowels--and are able
to read CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words, as well as a number of
high-frequency words.
Books at this level have:
Strong picture support
Carefully controlled text
Repetitive patterns
Controlled, repeated vocabulary
Natural language
Large print
Wide letter spacing
Familiar concepts
Limited text on a page
EMERGENT READERS
Readers at this stage have developed an
understanding of the alphabet, phonological awareness, and early
phonics. They have command of a significant number of high-frequency
words.
Emergent readers are developing a much better grasp of comprehension
strategies and word-attack skills. They can recognize different types
of text, particularly fiction and nonfiction, and recognize that
reading has a variety of purposes.
Books at this stage have:
Increasingly more lines of print per page
More complex sentence structure
Less dependency on repetitive pattern and pictures
Familiar topics but greater depth
EARLY FLUENT READERS
At this stage, reading is more
automatic, with more energy devoted to comprehension than word attack.
Readers are approaching independence in comprehending text.
These readers are experiencing a greater variety of text and are able
to recognize different styles and genres. Independence often varies
with the type of text being read.
Books at this stage have:
More pages
Longer sentences
More text per page
Richer vocabulary
Greater variation in sentence pattern
Less reliance on pictures
More formal and descriptive language
FLUENT READERS
Readers have successfully moved from
“learning to read” to “reading to learn.” Their reading is automatic
and is done with expression and proper pauses. Their energy is devoted
to understanding, and they have good command and use of the various
comprehension strategies.
These readers read a wide range of text types and do so independently.
They will continue to refine and develop their reading skills as they
encounter more difficult reading materials. But for the most part,
they are capable of improving their reading skills and selection of
materials independently through increased practice.
Books at this stage have:
More text
Less familiar, more varied topics
Challenging vocabulary
More complex sentences
Varied writing styles
More description
Source: Reading A-Z
