STAGES of READING

DEVELOPMENT`

The Major Qualitative

Characteristics and How They Are
Acquired

1
 Stage 0:
“Pseudo Reading”

Preschool
(ages 6 months to 6 years)

2
 Stage 0
 MajorQualitative  Pretend reading
Characteristics  Retells story from
pictures
and Masteries by
 Names alphabet
End of Stage letters
 Prints own name
 Plays with books,
pencils, paper

3
 Stage 0
 Being read to by
someone who
responds to child’s
interest
• How
Acquired  Being provided with
books, paper, pencils,
letters, time

4
 Stage 0
 Most can understand
children’s picture
books and stories
read to them

•Relationship  Can understand

of Reading thousands of the
words they hear by
to Listening age 6, but can read
few if any of them

5
 Stage 1:
Initial reading and
decoding

Grade 1 and beginning Grade 2

(ages 6 and 7)

6
 Stage 1
 Major  Learns relation between
letters and sounds and
Qualitative between printed and
Characteristics spoken words
 Able to read simple text
and Masteries containing high-frequency
by End of words and phonically
regular words
Stage  Sounds out new one-
syllable words

7
 Stage 1
 Direct instruction and
practice in letter-sound
relationships
 Reading of simple stories
using simple phonic
•How patterns and high
frequency words

acquired  Being read to at a higher

level to develop
advanced language
patterns, new words, and
ideas

8
 Stage 1
 Child’s reading level
is much below the
language that is
understood when
heard

 At end of stage, most

•Relationship of children understand
Reading to 6,000 or more words
but can read only
Listening about 600.
9
 Stage 2:
Confirmation and
Fluency

Grades 2 and 3
(ages 7 and 8)

10
 Stage 2
 MajorQualitative  Reads simple stories
with increasing
Characteristics fluency
and Masteries by
End of Stage  Learns to consolidate
decoding, sight
vocabulary, &
meaning context to
read stories and
selections

11
 Stage 2
 Direct instruction in
advanced decoding
skills
 Wide reading w/
instructional and
independent materials
 How acquired
 Being read to at
levels above their
own to develop
language, vocabulary
and concepts
12
 Stage 2
 About 3,000 words
can be read

 9,000 or more words

in listening vocabulary

 Relationship of  Listening is still more

Reading to effective than reading
Listening
13
 Stage 3:
Reading for Learning the
New

Grades 4-8
(ages 9-13)

14
 Stage 3:
Phase A & B

A. Intermediate, grades 4-6

B. Junior high school, grades 7-9

15
 Stage 3
 For the first time, may be
 Major responsible for reading
Qualitative independently to
-learn new ideas,
Characteristics -gain new knowledge,
and Masteries -experience new feelings
and attitudes
by End of
Stage  Generally from one
viewpoint

16
 Stage 3
 Reading/studying
textbooks, reference
works, trade books,
newspapers, magazines
 Being exposed to
 How Acquired unfamiliar vocabulary and
syntax
 Systematic study of
words
 Reacting to text through
discussions and writing
 Reading of more complex
fiction, non-fiction, etc.
17
 Stage 3
 At beginning, listening
comprehension is still
more effective than
reading
 By the end, reading
and listening are
about equal
 Relationship of  For good readers,
Reading to reading is more
efficient
Listening
18
 Stage 4:
Multiple Viewpoints

High school, grades 10-12

(ages 15-17)

19
 Stage 4
 Major  Reading widely from
a broad range of
Qualitative complex materials--
Characteristics expository and
and Masteries narrative
by End of
Stage  Able to deal with
multiple viewpoints

20
 Stage 4
 Wide reading and study
of science and
humanities as well as
newspapers and
magazines
How Acquired
 Systematic study of
words and word parts

 Formal and creative

writing
21
 Stage 4
 Reading
comprehension is
better than listening
comprehension of
difficult material

 For poorer readers,

 Relationship of listening
Reading to comprehension may
Listening be equal to reading

22
 Stage 5:
Construction and
Reconstruction

College and beyond

(age 18+)

23
 Stage 5
 Major  Reading is used for
one’s own needs and
Qualitative purposes
Characteristics  Serves to integrate
and Masteries one’s knowledge with
that of others to
by End of synthesize and create
Stage new knowledge
 It is rapid and efficient

24
 Stage 5
 Wide reading of ever
more difficult
materials

How Acquired  Writing papers, tests,

essays that call for
integration of varied
knowledge and points
of view

25
 Stage 5
 Reading is more
efficient than listening

Relationship
of Reading to
Listening
26
 Implications:
 Stage 3 is necessary for the industrial workplace
 Stage 4 is an absolute for the informational age
 Many readers never get beyond Stage 3 and
most reading instruction ends before students
are adept at Stage 3 skills
 Most remediation is done in Stage 1 and Stage 2
as well as Stage 3A
 However, Stage 3A depends so heavily on
adequate Stage 1 & 2 skills that decoding and
fluency may be more important for older
students whose comprehension seems low
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