Explanations of Reading Levels
Explanations of Reading Levels
You may hear your child's teacher speak about their growth as a reader during the year. The goal is to develop independence as a reader, being able to read any material that is at their reading level, both fiction and non-fiction. The following information is to help you understand better the stages that a child will 'travel through on the road' to becoming an independent reader.
EMERGENT READERS
use mostly information from pictures
may attend to and use some features of print
may notice how print is used
may know some words
use the introduced language pattern of books
respond to texts by linking meaning with their own experience
are beginning to make links between their own oral language and print
EARLY READERS
rely less on pictures and use more information from the print
have increasing control of early reading strategies
know several frequently used words automatically
read using more than one source of information
read familiar text with phrasing and fluency
exhibit behaviors indicating strategies such as monitoring, searching, cross-checking and self-correcting
TRANSITIONAL READERS
have full control of early strategies
use multiple sources of information while reading for meaning
integrate the use of cues
have a large core of frequently used words
notice pictures but rely very little on pictures to read the text
for the most part, read fluently with phrasing
read longer, more complex text
INDEPENDENT READERS
use all sources of information flexibly
solve problems in an independent way
read with phrasing and fluency
extend their understanding by reading a wide range of texts for different purposes
read for meaning, solving problems in an independent way
continue to learn from reading, read much longer, more complex texts
read a variety of genre