Reading Developmental Stages

As students progress to become independent readers, they will follow 5 Developmental Stages. They are derived from the First Steps Reading Continuua and are based on extensive cognitive and developmental research. Most second graders will fall somewhere between the experimental and early reading stages. Children are assessed in their reading as we look for certain "indicators" of success. As teachers, we are able to use these indicators to create personalized reading plans for all of our learners that guide our individual and group instruction. The program allows us to advance students of all reading levels forward to become better at decoding and analyzing texts. The focus is not on moving quickly through all the stages, but for a reader to demonstrate each of its indicators independently and consistently. The parent tips below each stage will help your child to build a concrete foundation, which is critical in their growth as readers.