Characteristics of Early Emergent Readers (Reading at Level A):
Just beginning to learn how print works
Just beginning to learn the alphabetic principle – the relationship between letters and sounds
Learning to use 1:1 matching
Learning to follow text from left to right
Differentiating between print and pictures
Beginning to notice each letter’s distinct features
Learning some easy, high‐frequency words
Characteristics of Early Emergent Readers (Reading at Level B):
Recognize and apply repeating language patterns
Stronger awareness of left‐to‐right directionality
Stronger awareness of 1:1 matching
Learning concept of return sweep (moving from one line of text to the next)
Able to distinguish and identify more letters according to their distinct features
Developing stronger understanding of the connection between sounds and letters
Expanding their core of easy, high‐frequency words
Characteristics of Early Emergent Readers (Reading at Level C):
Begin to move smoothly across the printed page when reading
Begin to use some expression when reading
Eyes are taking over the process of matching the spoken word to the printed word (removal of finger tracking)
Developing phrased reading
Noticing dialogue and punctuation and reflecting this with the voice
Developing a larger core of high‐frequency words
Consistently monitoring reading and cross‐checking one source of information against another; self‐correcting
Characteristics of Early Emergent Readers (Reading at Level D):
Eyes can track print over two to six lines per page
Can process texts with fewer repeating language patterns
Voice‐print match is smooth and automatic; finger pointing is rarely needed, if ever
Notices and uses a range of punctuation and read dialogue, reflecting the meaning through phrasing
Can solve many regular two‐syllable words, usually with inflectional endings (‐ing).
Consistently monitors reading and cross‐checks one source of information against another; self‐corrects,
Characteristics of Emergent Readers (Reading at Level E):
Flexible enough to process texts with varied placement of print and a full range of punctuation
Attend to more subtle ideas and complex stories
Solve longer words with inflectional endings
Read sentences that carry over 2‐3 lines or over two pages
Rely much more on the print; pictures are becoming less supportive
Left‐to‐right directionality and voice‐print match are automatic
Oral reading demonstrates fluency and phrasing with appropriate stress on words
Read without finger pointing, brining in finger only at point of difficulty
Recognize a large number of high‐frequency words
Characteristics of Emergent Readers (Reading at Level F):
Beginning to build knowledge of the characteristics of different genres of texts
Read stretches of both simple and split dialogue
Recognize a large number of high‐frequency words quickly and automatically
Use letter‐sound information to take apart simple, regular words as well as some multisyllable words
Process and understand text patterns that are particular to written language
Beginning to read fiction with more well‐developed characters
Left‐to‐right directionality and voice‐print match are completely automatic
Read without pointing and with appropriate rate, phrasing, intonation, and stress
Characteristics of Developing Readers (Reading at Level G):
Able to internalize more and deeper knowledge of different genres
Early reading behaviors now completely automatic
Recognize a large number of high‐frequency words
Able to attend to more complex story lines and ideas
Use a range of word‐solving strategies (letter‐sound information, making connections between words, using word parts) to read unknown words
Read texts with some content‐specific words
Demonstrate appropriate rate, phrasing, intonation, and word stress
Characteristics of Developing Readers (Reading at Level H):
Encounter more complex language and vocabulary
Read longer, more literary stories
Able to process a great deal of dialogue and reflect it through appropriate word stress and phrasing
Solve a large number of multisyllable words, plurals, contractions, and possessives
Able to read a larger and larger number of high‐frequency words
Able to think at increasingly deeper levels
Solve words with complex spelling patterns
Begin to read more new texts silently, to achieve efficient and smooth processing
Characteristics of Developing Readers (Reading at Level I):
Able to process mostly short texts (8-16 pages); some easy illustrated chapter books
Able to sustain attention and memory over longer periods of time
Can process longer (ten words or more) and more complex sentences
Have a large sight‐word vocabulary
Able to use word‐solving strategies for complex spelling patterns, multisyllable words, and words with inflectional endings, plurals, contractions, and possessives
Read many texts silently, following text with their eyes and without pointing
Oral reading reflects appropriate rate, stress, intonation, phrasing, and pausing
Characteristics of Developing Readers (Reading at Level J):
Able to process a variety of texts (short fiction texts, short informational texts, and longer narrative texts that have illustrations and short chapters)
Adjust reading strategies as needed to process different genres
Process increasingly more complex sentences
Have a large, expanding sight‐word vocabulary
Able to quickly apply word‐solving strategies for complex spelling patterns, multisyllable words, and words with inflectional endings, plurals, contractions,
Read silently during independent reading
Oral reading reflects appropriate rate, stress, intonation, phrasing, and pausing
Characteristics of Developing Readers (Reading at Level K):
Able to accommodate the higher‐level processing of several fiction texts with multiple episodes connected to a single plot
Read about and understand characters that are increasingly more complex
Able to process a great deal of dialogue within a story
Challenged to read stories based on concepts that are distant in time and space and reflect diverse cultures
Have a large, expanding sight‐word vocabulary
Able to quickly apply word‐solving strategies for complex spelling patterns, multisyllable words, and words with inflectional endings, plurals, contractions, and possessives
Read silently during independent reading
Oral reading fully demonstrates all aspects of fluent reading
Characteristics of Developing Readers (Reading at Level L):
Able to process easy chapter books, including some series books, with more sophisticated plots and few illustrations, as well as shorter informational texts
Adjust reading to process a variety of genres
Understand that chapter books have multiple episodes connected to a single plot
Bring background knowledge to new reading in order to process and learn new information
Begin to recognize themes across texts (friendship, courage)
Able to understand some abstract ideas
Able to see multiple perspectives of characters through description
Read silently during independent reading
Oral reading fully demonstrates all aspects of fluent reading
Characteristics of Developing Readers (Reading at Level M):
Know the characteristics of a range of genres
Developing preferences for specific forms of reading (mysteries, biographies)
Can understand and process narratives with more elaborate plots and multiple characters that develop and change over time
Able to identify and use underlying organizational structures (description, compare and contrast, problem and solution, cause and effect) to help navigate through text
Word solving is smooth and automatic with both oral and silent reading
Can read and understand descriptive words, some complex content‐specific words, and some technical words
Characteristics of Early Independent Readers (Reading at Level N):
Know the characteristics of and can process the full range of genres
Developing preferences for specific forms of reading (mysteries, biographies)
Can understand and process narratives with more elaborate plots and multiple characters that develop and change over time
Able to identify and use underlying organizational structures (description, compare and contrast, problem and solution, cause and effect) to help navigate through text
Word solving is smooth and automatic with both oral and silent reading
Reader will slow down to problem solve or search for information, then resume normal reading pace
Most word solving is unconscious and automatic; little overt problem solving needed
Characteristics of Early Independent Readers (Reading at Level O):
Know the characteristics of and can process the full range of genres
Read a wide range of texts: chapter books, shorter fiction and informational text, including special forms such as mysteries, series books, and short stories
Able to identify and use underlying organizational structures (description, compare and contrast, problem and solution, cause and effect) to help navigate through text
Able to process lengthy, complex sentences, containing prepositional phrases, introductory clauses, and lists of nouns, verbs, or adjectives
Solve new vocabulary words, some defined in the text and some unexplained
Most word solving is unconscious and automatic; little overt problem solving needed
Can read and understand descriptive words, some complex content‐specific words, and some technical words
Word solving is smooth and automatic with both oral and silent reading
Characteristics of Early Independent Readers (Reading at Level P):
Read a wide range of texts: chapter books, shorter fiction and informational text, including special forms such as mysteries, series books, and short stories
Able to identify and use underlying organizational structures (description, compare and contrast, problem and solution, cause and effect) to help navigate through text
Able to process lengthy, complex sentences, containing prepositional phrases, introductory clauses, and lists of nouns, verbs, or adjectives
Solve new vocabulary words, some defined in the text and some unexplained
Most word solving is unconscious and automatic; little overt problem solving needed
Can read and understand descriptive words, some complex content‐specific words,
Word solving is smooth and automatic with both oral and silent reading
Characteristics of Developing Independent Readers (Reading at Level Q):
Automatically read and understand a full range of genres, including biographies, hybrid genres, fiction with elaborate plots and complex characters, informational texts, etc
Able to process lengthy, complex sentences, containing prepositional phrases, introductory clauses, and lists of nouns, verbs, or adjectives
Solve new vocabulary words, some defined in the text and some unexplained
Most reading is silent, but fluency and phrasing in oral reading are well‐established
Readers are challenged by many longer descriptive words and by content‐specific/technical words
Able to take apart multisyllable words and use a full range of word‐solving skills
Read and understand texts in a variety of layouts and formats
Consistently search for information in illustrations and increasingly complex graphics
Characteristics of Developing Independent Readers (Reading at Level R):
Understand perspectives different from their own as well as settings and people far distant in time and space
Able to process lengthy, complex sentences, containing prepositional phrases, introductory clauses, and lists of nouns, verbs, or adjectives
Solve new vocabulary words, some defined in the text and some unexplained
Most reading is silent, but fluency and phrasing in oral reading are well‐established
Able to take apart multisyllable words and use a full range of word‐solving skills
Read and understand texts in a variety of layouts and formats
Consistently search for information in illustrations and increasingly complex graphics
Characteristics of Developing Independent Readers (Reading at Level S):
Able to process lengthy, complex sentences, containing prepositional phrases, introductory clauses, and lists of nouns, verbs, or adjectives
Solve new vocabulary words, some defined in the text and some unexplained
Most reading is silent, but fluency and phrasing in oral reading are well‐established
Readers are challenged by many longer descriptive words and by content‐specific/technical words
Able to take apart multisyllable words and use a full range of word‐solving skills
Read and understand texts in a variety of layouts and formats
Consistently search for information in illustrations and increasingly complex text
Characteristics of Independent Readers (Reading at Level T):
Automatically read and understand a full range of genres, including biographies on less well‐ known subjects, hybrid genres, fiction with elaborate plots and complex characters, informational texts, etc.
Able to read longer texts and remember information and connect ideas over a long period of time (a week or two)
Read and interpret complex fantasy, myths, legends that contain symbolism
Understand perspectives different from their own
Understand settings and people far distant in time and space
Readers are challenged by many longer descriptive words and by content‐specific/technical words
Read and understand texts in a variety of layouts and formats
Characteristics of Independent Readers (Reading at Level U):
Read and interpret complex fantasy, myths, legends that contain symbolism
Understand perspectives different from their own
Understand settings and people far distant in time and space
Most reading is silent, but fluency and phrasing in oral reading are well‐established
Able to take apart multisyllable words and use a full range of word‐solving skills
Read and understand texts in a variety of layouts and formats
Able to search for and use information in an integrated way, using complex graphics and texts that present content requiring background knowledge
Characteristics of Independent Readers (Reading at Level V):
Read and interpret complex fantasy, myths, legends that contain symbolism
Able to read and interpret more abstract forms of literature (satire)
Understand perspectives different from their own
Understand settings and people far distant in time and space
Readers can be very expressive when presenting poetry or readers’ theater
Read and understand texts in a variety of layouts and formats
Able to search for and use information in an integrated way, using complex graphics and texts that present content requiring background knowledge
Characteristics of Independent Readers (Reading at Level W):
Able to read longer texts and remember information and connect ideas over many days of reading
Read and interpret complex fantasy, myths, legends that contain symbolism and classical motifs (“the quest’)
Encounter mature themes that expand their knowledge of social issues
Able to read and interpret more abstract forms of literature (satire), and literary devices, such as irony
Understand multidimensional themes on several different levels
Understand settings and people far distant in time and space
Readers can be very expressive when presenting poetry or readers’ theater
Characteristics of Independent Readers (Reading at Level X):
Understand and process a wide range of texts, including all genres
Able to read very long texts with complex sentences and paragraphs, with many multisyllable words
Understand and respond to mature themes such as poverty and war
Able to read and interpret more abstract forms of literature (satire), and literary devices, such as irony
Read and understand texts with multidimensional characters, texts that can be interpreted on several levels, and that are developed in complex ways
Most reading is silent; fluency and phrasing in oral reading is well‐established
Challenged by a heavy load of content‐specific and technical words that require using embedded definitions, background knowledge, and reader’s tools (glossaries, indexes, etc.)
Apply prior understandings in a critical way when reading both fiction and nonfiction texts
Characteristics of Independent Readers (Reading at Levels Y/Z):
Understand and process a wide range of texts, including all genres
Identify classical motifs such as “the quest” and moral issues
Read and understand texts with multidimensional characters, texts that can be interpreted on several levels, and that are developed in complex ways
Most reading is silent; fluency and phrasing in oral reading is well‐established
Challenged by a heavy load of content‐specific and technical words that require using embedded definitions, background knowledge, and reader’s tools (glossaries, indexes, etc.)