Home of the Dolphins

Fort Belvoir Elementary School

5970 Meeres Rd.
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060

ph: (703) 781-2700
fax: (703) 781-2797

email web curator: Kathy.Murdock@fcps.edu
Last updated: June 26, 2007

Beginning Reading: Reading Levels

What characteristics does my child show?

Emergent Literacy

• Display knowledge of concepts about print (front-to-back, top-to-bottom, left-to-right, return sweep)
• Begin to use pictures to predictOften invent textSometimes match voice to print with one-to-one correspondencesIdentify some known wordsLocate some known words
• Focus on some print detail (including some letters/sounds)

Novice

• Use pictures for clues to the meaning of the text
• Match voice print with one-to-one correspondence
• Begin to monitor cues (sometimes without prompting)
• Begin to self-correct

Apprentice Literacy

• Monitor their own reading
• Use meaning, language structure, and phonics/visual (letter-sound) cues
• Search the print, check, and correct own reading more frequently (sometimes without prompting)
• Recognize some high-frequency words

Developing Literacy

• Read a representative book with at least 90% accuracy and 1:5 self-correction rate
• Use a balance of cues
• Cross-check one cue against another
• Self-monitor
• Recognize many high-frequency words

Independent Literacy

• Make/confirm/revise predictions when reading
• Make connections between what is already known and what is read
• Use a balance of cues, cross-check, and self-monitor
• Recognize most high-frequency words
• Discuss and express ideas about literature
• Build background knowledge by reading informational books (Characters, Setting, Problems and Solution)
• Rely on message in print to read the story