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The Stages of Reading Development
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Introduction The twin concepts of fluency and comprehension, the related experience of absorption, and the concept
of critical consciousness are central to understanding the stages of reading development. This overview
explores these fundamental ideas, in order to provide a foundation for understanding the four stages of
reading development that inform Institute of Reading Development’s curricula.
Fluency and Comprehension Fluency means that the reading process is automatic, that the reader recognizes the overwhelming
majority of words by sight and does very little conscious decoding. (Decoding refers to the process in
which a reader consciously uses phonics and other related skills to figure out the pronunciation of a
printed word.) Fluent readers read smoothly, linking words together into meaningful phrases rather than
reading word by word. Because fluent readers recognize almost all words by sight, they focus on the
meaning of the text, rather than lower order decoding processes.
Fluency is not the same as comprehension, but it is a precondition for comprehension. Pre-fluent or
disfluent readers must use much of their conscious attention and cognitive ability to decode, i.e., to read
the words in the text, and thus have less energy available to focus on meaning. While pre-fluent readers
work to construct meaning from text on a basic level, it is not until they reach fluency that solid
comprehension is possible.
Comprehension is not simply a matter of connecting meaning to individual words and phrases. A skilled
reader with strong comprehension engages in a number of cognitive processes that are developed as a
result of substantial independent reading as well as training. These include: following a sequence of
action or thought, anticipating outcomes, visualizing, synthesizing and recognizing main events, and
distinguishing main ideas from subordinate details. Most importantly, good comprehension is
characterized by high level cognitive processes: in nonfiction this involves understanding a work's
overarching message through comprehension of its various parts and their relationship to one another
and to the work as a whole; in literature this involves participation in a story at the level of plot and
meaning through identification and absorption.
The development of reading fluency and good comprehension in children’s novels opens the portals to
the worlds of imaginative children's literature. With practice, i.e., lots of reading in children’s novels, a
child achieves the levels of fluency and comprehension required to support identification and absorption.
The defining experience of reading fluency in children’s novels, as understood by the Institute of
Reading Development, is absorption; a child identifies with the author's main character, and
imaginatively participates in the character's adventures and experiences. The author's world comes alive;
in the mind of the child it is real, just as the main character's experiences are real. There is no sense of
duality, no sense that "I am reading," no sense of identity outside the identity of the main character.
Rather, there is an effortless flow of experience, the character's experience in the imaginatively recreated
world of the book.
Children who achieve fluency in children’s novels relatively early and who read widely during the late
elementary and middle school years experience significant benefits in three areas: character formation,
as they appropriate the positive values embodied in great children's literature; cognitive development, as
they learn how to handle increasingly complex vocabulary, sentence structures, plot devices,
characterization, implied meaning, and other language and literary structures; and cultural literacy, as
they absorb basic knowledge about our society and the world we live in. These benefits pave the way for
a child’s long-term academic success.
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The development of high levels of fluency and comprehension is also the basis for all subsequent
reading development, including reading for concepts and information. The same capabilities of fluency
and comprehension that result in absorption in literature also enable the relatively automatic and
accurate flow of understanding while reading for information in nonfiction.
Critical Consciousness Critical consciousness, the ability to think abstractly and analytically about both text and the reading
process itself, first makes its appearance in middle school and then continues to develop into
adulthood.
An example of a kind of reading dependent on this critical faculty is the process of reading a section in
a chapter of a textbook. First, as a result of an initial chapter preview, the reader must be aware of how
the section contributes to the overall message of the chapter. Second, the reader must preview the
section to determine what it is about, how it is divided into subsections and what each subsection is
about, and how the subsections work together to convey the overall message of the section. Then, the
reader must do a close reading of each subsection. While reading each subsection, the reader must
recognize or synthesize its main ideas and relate them to the focus of the subsection itself, and relate
the details of the subsection to the main ideas. The entire process is highly conscious; the reader's goal
is to control the learning process in order to make it as effective as possible.
STAGE 1: LEARNING TO READ This stage begins when children are 4 or 5 years old and start to learn their letters. It is completed
when children achieve fluency in Easy Readers, books written with a controlled vocabulary and simple
sentences. Most students achieve the goals of Stage 1 at some point during second grade, although a
few children complete this stage as early as mid-first grade or as late as mid-third grade.
For most of Stage 1, children's central focus is learning to decode. This means learning the alphabet
and the sounds that letters make, learning to distinguish sounds in speech, and learning to sound out
words. As this process gets underway, children also have to focus on reading connected text, i.e.,
reading Easy Readers at the right level of difficulty in order to develop the facility and automaticity
that leads to fluency. As fluency develops, children's attention starts to shift toward meaning, toward
comprehension of the stories they are reading.
Underlying and supporting the entire stage is the regular experience of hearing stories read aloud.
Reading aloud to children provides them with the experience of absorption in a story and identification
with characters, something they will not be able to do on their own until they attain a high level of
fluency, several years later. The result is that the foundation for a lifelong relationship with books is
established before a child can read a single word. Developing a strong and positive relationship with
books is its own reward; it also provides the motivation for tackling the challenging task of learning to
read. Not surprisingly, children who are read to a lot in their early years learn to read more quickly and
easily.
STAGE 2: DEVELOPING INDEPENDENT READING SKILLS This stage begins when children achieve fluency in Easy Readers, usually at some point during second
grade. By the time children enter Stage 2, some have already made the transition from oral to silent
reading, and the rest will make that transition in the upcoming year. Stage 2 is completed when
children achieve fluency in children’s novels, usually in third or fourth grade, although some students
complete this stage as early as second grade or as late as fifth.
The central focus during this stage is to do a lot of reading in books at the right level of difficulty,
progressing from Easy Readers to chapter books, which are considerably longer and without the
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controlled vocabulary and simple sentences of Easy Readers. Reading practice and skill development
at this stage are both primarily focused on fluency development. Students learn how to decode long
words, i.e., words of three syllables or more, as the percentage of these words jumps from 1-3% in
Easy Readers up to around 5-8% in children’s novels. Students also practice oral reading in order to
develop oral reading fluency. The phrasing, automaticity, and focus on meaning in oral reading then
transfers to the silent reading process.
Note that fluency not only describes a functional level of reading process, it also characterizes the
relationship of reader to text, i.e., a reader is only fluent in relation to a certain level of text. For
example, a child who is fluent in Easy Readers is not necessarily fluent in chapter books, and a child
fluent in chapter books is not necessarily fluent in children’s novels.
As fluency continues to develop in this stage, primarily as a result of reading practice, comprehension
becomes both an instructional and a developmental focus. As children achieve fluency in chapter
books, both the level of reading skill and the story substance are sufficient to support the experience of
identification and absorption that until now was only available when being read to. (While children
may experience identification and absorption earlier, in Easy Readers, it tends to be limited both by the
material and by their less developed reading skill).
STAGE 3: READING WITH ABSORPTION This stage begins when children achieve fluency in children’s novels, usually in third or fourth grade,
although some students begin earlier and others later. The focus of this stage of reading development is
to do a great deal of reading in children’s novels at gradually increasing levels of difficulty, a process
which enables a child to develop the levels of fluency and comprehension required to support
identification and absorption. The achievement of identification and absorption at the core of the
reading process, i.e., at a level of automaticity, is the capstone of all of the early stages and substages
of reading development. It is also the foundation of all subsequent reading development.
When students read with identification and absorption, the process is both transparent for the author's
vision and intrinsically pleasurable. It is transparent in the sense that the text evokes in the reader’s
mind an accurate representation of the story. No skill deficit or process flaw interferes with the
accuracy of the reader’s experience. The process is intrinsically pleasurable because it is an effortless
experience of participation. No sense of labor or struggle interferes with the flow of experience.
The development of high levels of fluency and comprehension does more than provide the basis for the
habit of reading for pleasure. This achievement is also the basis for all subsequent reading
development, including reading for concepts and information. The same capabilities of fluency and
comprehension that result in absorption in literature also enable the relatively automatic and accurate
flow of understanding while reading for information in nonfiction.
STAGE 4: CRITICAL READING Children undergo transformational physical, emotional, and cognitive changes starting in middle
school and continuing through high school and into adulthood. These changes bring in their wake a
new cognitive capability that first appears in middle school and that continues to grow throughout the
secondary and postsecondary years. This capability is critical consciousness, the ability to stand back
and reflect on one’s own experience, to think abstractly and analytically. When brought to bear on the
process of reading, this capability allows students to enter a new stage of reading development in
which a new, critical dimension of experience is added to the basic substrata of experiences that are
already present as a result of previous developments in reading ability.
When a student who has achieved the goals of the third stage of reading development enters Stage 4,
the opportunity exists for a much more effective reading process to develop. A student with a strong
reading background who reads with solid levels of fluency and comprehension will experience a
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relatively automatic and accurate flow of understanding while reading, whether reading a novel or a
textbook. But the challenges of reading a textbook are different; a relatively automatic, accurate flow
of understanding is not enough.
The new critical reading faculty needs to be trained in order to become most useful. Training in critical
reading is based on metacognitive techniques in which the reader learns to exercise conscious control
of the reading process based on one’s purpose as a reader and the demands of the text. Students
develop: the ability to recognize how material is organized; the ability to determine and synthesize
main ideas; the ability to relate details to main ideas; the ability to monitor comprehension and adjust
reading rate or reread when necessary; the ability to take notes; the ability to study notes for a test.
Early Grade:
Program Goals The Reading Readiness Program for kindergarten and pre-kindergarten students lays the foundation for
the reading instruction children receive in kindergarten and beyond. It also provides parents with
guidance for supporting their child as he or she learns to read.
The program prepares children for learning to read in two ways. First, children build reading readiness
skills in three key areas: phonemic awareness (distinguishing the sounds that make up spoken
language), letter recognition, and phonics (the relationship between letters and the sounds they stand
for). Each class includes formal phonics instruction as well as games and activities in these areas that
are fun and productive.
Second, this program helps children develop an enduring love of books and reading. Learning to read
is hard work, and children who love books are more motivated and confident about facing this task.
Read-aloud and enrichment activities deepen children’s love of books and build comprehension,
allowing children to get absorbed in stories even before they are able to read on their own.
The Reading Readiness Program also provides parents with the support they need to make sure their
child gets off to a strong start in reading. Parents attend each class with their child and participate in a
variety of activities in all of the reading readiness areas described above.
Phonics Phonics instruction teaches children the relationship between letters and the sounds that they stand for.
For example, the letter m stands for the sound /m/ we hear at the beginning of the word mouse. (A
letter between slashes indicates the sound that letter stands for). In order to become a successful reader,
children must develop skill, confidence and experience using phonics to sound out words encountered
in the course of reading. Students learn phonics through in-class instruction and activities and by
working at home with a phonics workbook and CDs.
Students receive a phonics workbook called The Tale of Pole and Vole and the Magic Bag, which
features an engaging adventure story with interesting characters and delightful illustrations. This
workbook and its three accompanying CDs contain phonics instruction appropriate for first graders.
Each week in class, children begin one of the four-page lessons under the direction of the teacher, and
complete the lesson at home during the week. During the program, children complete several lessons
in the workbook. After the class ends, they continue to work through the Magic Bag workbook until it
is completed.
Comprehension Because reading is a new skill, beginning readers tend to focus more on the mechanical process of
sounding out words than on understanding and enjoying the story. To develop comprehension and
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deepen children’s engagement with books, the teacher leads the class in the following comprehension-
building activities each week. These activities are also great for parents to incorporate into home
practice. They needn’t include them in every session; simply reading aloud to a child and having him
spend time reading independently on a regular basis is the most powerful way to help him become a
good reader. Parents should follow their child’s lead, do what is comfortable, and have fun.
Discussion: At this age, young readers need to learn not only how to read the words on a page but also how to
understand what is happening in a story, so the teacher leads the class in comprehension-building
discussions each week.
Through discussion, children learn to create mental pictures of a story, anticipate events, and
understand why things happen as they do. Talking about books also encourages children to identify
with characters and relate stories to their own lives. Participating in discussions helps them gain
confidence in their opinions and in expressing themselves.
When reading at home, parents can encourage their son or daughter to respond to the characters and
story. Use the teacher’s discussions as a model, they can try asking questions like: What’s going on in
the pictures? What do you think will happen next? What would you do if you were the character? Has
anything like this ever happened to you?
Dramatization: A dramatization is acting out all or part of a story. Dramatization enhances comprehension and helps
children identify with characters by allowing them to “live” inside the story. Each week, the teacher
leads the class in dramatizing all or part of a book. At home, dramatizations can be as simple as acting
out a couple of pages. Or, if this is an activity that parents and their children really enjoy, they can act
out the whole story. They can use different voices, facial expressions, or even improvise props and
costumes. Siblings, friends, and family pets can also be great additions to the action.
Story Dictation: Each week the teacher assigns a story dictation that relates to the book read in class. Children respond
to the prompt by making up a story. Parents write down what their child tells them, and the child
illustrates the story in the space provided on the home practice pages. Then, parents read the story
aloud in a way that allows the child to see the words as they’re read. When children see their own
stories written down, they feel pride of authorship and begin to develop a connection to the written
word.
Assisted and Independent Reading All children need support as they learn to read. Since every child is unique, the level of support each
child needs will vary. In this program, the teacher works with parents and children, demonstrating
different levels of assistance for beginning readers. Parents try out these techniques and receive
guidance from the teacher about what works best for their child.
Each week in class, the teacher begins by reading a carefully selected Easy Reader aloud. Easy
Readers are written specifically for beginning readers, with controlled vocabulary and easy sentences.
They are also a lot of fun. Listening to a story read aloud before reading it independently is important;
it is easier for children to read a book on their own when they are familiar with the story. The teacher
then guides reading practice in the same book, modeling ways of offering reading support. These are
described below.
Assisted Reading
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Assisted reading is a process that provides substantial support for children. This support is like training
wheels for independent reading; it’s a way to help children experience success as readers before
they’re fully able to do so on their own. This is important because success is a great confidence
booster, and provides powerful motivation for learning to read.
To use assisted reading, parents read a page or part of a page aloud at a slow pace, while their child
follows along with the words on the page. Then, the child reads these same lines independently. Since
the child has just heard the parent read, he or she is left with a memory trace to help correctly read the
words.
Using assisted reading, parents can offer their child varying levels of support, depending on their needs
and skill level. To provide more support, parents read 1-3 lines of text aloud at a time before having
their child read the same lines. To provide less support, they read an entire page or two facing pages
aloud before having the child read the same page or pages.
Independent Reading with Support As children’s reading skill improves and their confidence increases, they need less support from their
parents. Some children at this age are already ready for less support than assisted reading provides.
These children can benefit from a process called independent reading with support.
During independent reading with support, a child will independently read one or more pages at a time,
without having heard the text immediately beforehand. Focusing on a small amount of text breaks the
work of independent reading into manageable chunks. It helps a child go at a good pace and build
stamina. The parent provides support by listening, offering encouragement, and stepping in to provide
a word when their child gets frustrated.
This process is a stepping stone to independent reading. Children will gradually read more and more
pages at a time, and need less and less support. Parents should follow their child’s lead, and the child
will learn to read quickly and confidently, with a minimum of frustration and struggle.
Reading Readiness Booklist The Reading Readiness Booklist helps parents choose wonderful books that their son or daughter will
be excited about reading. Books in the section called Picture Books for Reading Aloud are ideal for
four- and five-year-olds, and they are among the best books in children’s literature. These books offer
engaging stories and characters that capture children’s imagination. They also contain rich illustrations
that are not only fun to look at, but contribute a great deal to children’s comprehension of the story.
Most children enjoy the books in the Poetry and Nursery Rhyme Books section as well. Parents can
also choose from the books listed under Readiness Books for Shared Reading in the booklist. These are
Alphabet Books, Counting Books, Labeling Books, and Wordless Books. Books in this section are
especially appropriate for kindergartners.
Once children begin learning to read, parents can choose books from the First Readers section. This
section contains the first books that children read using phonics to sound out words (usually in mid-to-
late kindergarten).
Reading Aloud from Picture Books and Children’s Novels First graders need experience with two kinds of books: those for independent reading (Easy Readers)
and those they listen to parents read aloud (picture books). Easy Readers have controlled vocabulary
and simple sentences that are appropriate for beginning independent readers. On the other hand, the
rich storylines and lovely illustrations found in picture books like Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild
Things Are make them ideal for reading aloud.
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Why should parents continue to read aloud to their child even after the child is able to read
independently? During independent reading, most of a beginning reader’s attention is focused on
sounding out words. Listening to books read aloud allows children to become absorbed in great stories
without simultaneously having to work at decoding. The listening comprehension children develop in
this way translates directly into strong reading comprehension when they learn to read independently.
Reading aloud to children also builds a love of books and motivates them to learn to read on their own.
All children are ready to hear children’s novels read aloud at some point in first grade; many are ready
in the summer before first grade. The experience of listening to these longer stories read aloud over the
course of multiple sessions is extremely valuable for young readers. It allows children to become
completely absorbed in a story and to identify with its characters. It also helps them build the stamina
necessary to sustain interest in a story over several sessions. It is one of the richest experiences parents
can provide for their child.
In class, the teacher reads aloud from a great picture book each week. At home, parents can choose
books from the picture book and children’s novels sections of the booklist, where they will find some
of the very best books for reading aloud.
Book Enrichment Activities To deepen students’ engagement with books, the teacher leads the class in an enrichment activity each
week. The activities are also great for parents to include in their home reading.
Dramatization: A dramatization is acting out all or part of a story. Dramatizing books enhances comprehension and
helps kids identify with characters, allowing them to “live” inside the story. Children get to dramatize
several books during this program, and this is a great activity to try at home. Dramatizations can be as
simple as taking a couple of pages and acting them out. Or, if this is an activity that parents and their
children really get excited about, they can act out the whole story. They can use different voices, facial
expressions, or even props and costumes. Siblings, friends, and family pets can also be great additions
to the action.
Story Dictation: An enjoyable way to reinforce a child’s connection with a book is to do some story-writing. Each
week, the teacher assigns a story dictation that relates to the book read in class. Children respond to the
prompt by making up a story. As the child tells the story, the parent writes down the words. Then the
child illustrates the story in the space provided on the home practice pages. The parent reads the story
aloud in a way that allows the child to see the words as they are read. When children see their own
stories written down, they feel pride of authorship and begin to develop a connection to the written
word. The teacher often reads a few completed stories out loud at the next class.
Choral and Shared Reading: Choral reading and shared reading are ways for children to participate in reading before they are
actually ready to do so on their own. In choral reading, children chime in as the teacher reads familiar
or repeating lines in a story. In shared reading, children jump in to provide the next word in a familiar,
repeating, or rhyming line in a story. (Children are not actually reading words during choral and shared
reading, though this may begin to happen once a child starts learning to read.)
Parents can incorporate choral and shared reading into their reading at home. These activities work
best with repeating lines and in favorite books that a child knows by heart. Another variation is to read
a line, then ask the child to “echo” the same line back.
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Art Projects: Great picture books, like the ones read in class, engage children as much through the beautiful
illustrations as through the story. As a result, they can inspire very creative art work from young
children. The teacher leads the class in making Wild Thing masks in response to Maurice Sendak’s
classic picture book, Where the Wild Things Are. Whenever children’s imagination is captured by the
visual world of a book, creating artwork of their own helps them deepen their connection to the story.
Home Practice The Program Guide that parents receive at class contains general guidance for home practice as well as
specific week-by-week directions. The most important thing for parents to keep in mind about home
practice is that it should be enjoyable for them and for their son or daughter. Parents should feel free to
slow down, have their child take breaks, or change the order of activities.
Each week’s home practice is broken up into four sessions spread out over four days. Children and
their parents engage in several activities explained below.
Reading a book aloud. Parents use the Reading Development Booklist to select books.
Encouraging the child to spend time with a book on his or her own
Completing lessons in the Pole and Vole Stories phonics program
Doing a story dictation
Playing a phonemic awareness or letter recognition game
Reading Books Aloud Parents begin each home practice session by reading a book to their child and talking about it together.
They spend 15 or 20 minutes with the book, or as long as it takes to finish the book in one sitting. This
is at the parent’s discretion, though. If the book is especially long, or if the child is tired or restless,
they can shorten the reading time.
Children may want to hear a favorite book read again and again. This is something parents should feel
free to do; it is not necessary, but it can be a lot of fun.
Independent Time with Books After finishing reading a book together, a parent can make the book available to the child and
encourage him or her to spend some independent time looking at the book. Of course, if a child is
uninterested in this right now, there’s no need to force it. If parents simply keep reading aloud to their
child, the child will begin to reach for books on his own when he is ready.
Pole and Vole Stories Phonics Lessons Each week, the teacher gives an assignment from the Pole and Vole Stories phonics program to
complete during two of the home practice sessions. Children learn, practice, and review letters and
their corresponding sounds by using the Pole and Vole Stories workbook and the accompanying audio
CDs.
Phonemic Awareness and Letter Recognition Games All children need time and repetition to truly solidify their knowledge of letters and letter sounds.
Phonemic-awareness and letter-recognition games are a great way to practice. Parents can try out some
of the games from class and see which ones their child likes best. Directions for the games are also
included in the Program Guide.
Story Dictation
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During some weeks, after thinking about the characters and events of the story read in class, children
will make up their own story. They are the author and illustrator, and their parents do the writing. Story
dictation is an enjoyable way for children to be imaginative and put themselves inside the story read in
class.
Grade-1
Program Goal
irst grade is an exciting year for young readers. Children receive intensive phonics instruction and take
steps toward becoming independent readers. To meet the needs of entering first graders, the Beginning
to Read Program has three primary goals.
The first goal is to build the phonics skills that children need to successfully learn to read. The program
integrates in-class phonics instruction with independent reading practice, giving students a chance to
apply their phonics under the teacher’s guidance. Students also learn phonics in a self-paced workbook
and audio program that supports skill development throughout first grade.
The second goal is to show parents how to support their child’s independent reading. The first half of
each class is structured as a workshop. The teacher demonstrates different levels of assistance for
beginning readers, and parents try out these techniques with their children.
This program also provides parents with concrete guidance about choosing books at the right level for
their child. The teacher provides parents with a Book-Level Recommendation to guide their selection
of books throughout the upcoming year. This recommendation works hand-in-hand with the Reading
Development Booklist, which contains hundreds of the best children’s books, divided into levels of
difficulty.
The final goal of the program is to help children develop a strong, positive relationship with books. In
class, students practice reading in Easy Readers (books written with a controlled vocabulary and
simple sentences) and receive the assistance and encouragement they need to experience success and
build confidence. Students also build comprehension and develop a love of reading by listening to
books read aloud and participating in book discussions and enrichment activities.
Phonics Phonics instruction teaches children the relationship between letters and the sounds that they stand for.
For example, the letter m stands for the sound /m/ we hear at the beginning of the word mouse. (A
letter between slashes indicates the sound that letter stands for). In order to become a successful reader,
children must develop skill, confidence and experience using phonics to sound out words encountered
in the course of reading. Students learn phonics through in-class instruction and activities and by
working at home with a phonics workbook and CDs.
Students receive a phonics workbook called The Tale of Pole and Vole and the Magic Bag, which
features an engaging adventure story with interesting characters and delightful illustrations. This
workbook and its three accompanying CDs contain phonics instruction appropriate for first graders.
Each week in class, children begin one of the four-page lessons under the direction of the teacher, and
complete the lesson at home during the week. During the program, children complete several lessons
in the workbook. After the class ends, they continue to work through the Magic Bag workbook until it
is completed.
Comprehension
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Because reading is a new skill, beginning readers tend to focus more on the mechanical process of
sounding out words than on understanding and enjoying the story. To develop comprehension and
deepen children’s engagement with books, the teacher leads the class in the following comprehension-
building activities each week. These activities are also great for parents to incorporate into home
practice. They needn’t include them in every session; simply reading aloud to a child and having him
spend time reading independently on a regular basis is the most powerful way to help him become a
good reader. Parents should follow their child’s lead, do what is comfortable, and have fun.
Discussion: At this age, young readers need to learn not only how to read the words on a page but also how to
understand what is happening in a story, so the teacher leads the class in comprehension-building
discussions each week.
Through discussion, children learn to create mental pictures of a story, anticipate events, and
understand why things happen as they do. Talking about books also encourages children to identify
with characters and relate stories to their own lives. Participating in discussions helps them gain
confidence in their opinions and in expressing themselves.
When reading at home, parents can encourage their son or daughter to respond to the characters and
story. Use the teacher’s discussions as a model, they can try asking questions like: What’s going on in
the pictures? What do you think will happen next? What would you do if you were the character? Has
anything like this ever happened to you?
Dramatization: A dramatization is acting out all or part of a story. Dramatization enhances comprehension and helps
children identify with characters by allowing them to “live” inside the story. Each week, the teacher
leads the class in dramatizing all or part of a book. At home, dramatizations can be as simple as acting
out a couple of pages. Or, if this is an activity that parents and their children really enjoy, they can act
out the whole story. They can use different voices, facial expressions, or even improvise props and
costumes. Siblings, friends, and family pets can also be great additions to the action.
Story Dictation: Each week the teacher assigns a story dictation that relates to the book read in class. Children respond
to the prompt by making up a story. Parents write down what their child tells them, and the child
illustrates the story in the space provided on the home practice pages. Then, parents read the story
aloud in a way that allows the child to see the words as they’re read. When children see their own
stories written down, they feel pride of authorship and begin to develop a connection to the written
word.
Assisted and Independent Reading All children need support as they learn to read. Since every child is unique, the level of support each
child needs will vary. In this program, the teacher works with parents and children, demonstrating
different levels of assistance for beginning readers. Parents try out these techniques and receive
guidance from the teacher about what works best for their child.
Each week in class, the teacher begins by reading a carefully selected Easy Reader aloud. Easy
Readers are written specifically for beginning readers, with controlled vocabulary and easy sentences.
They are also a lot of fun. Listening to a story read aloud before reading it independently is important;
it is easier for children to read a book on their own when they are familiar with the story. The teacher
then guides reading practice in the same book, modeling ways of offering reading support. These are
described below.
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Assisted Reading Assisted reading is a process that provides substantial support for children. This support is like training
wheels for independent reading; it’s a way to help children experience success as readers before
they’re fully able to do so on their own. This is important because success is a great confidence
booster, and provides powerful motivation for learning to read.
To use assisted reading, parents read a page or part of a page aloud at a slow pace, while their child
follows along with the words on the page. Then, the child reads these same lines independently. Since
the child has just heard the parent read, he or she is left with a memory trace to help correctly read the
words.
Using assisted reading, parents can offer their child varying levels of support, depending on their needs
and skill level. To provide more support, parents read 1-3 lines of text aloud at a time before having
their child read the same lines. To provide less support, they read an entire page or two facing pages
aloud before having the child read the same page or pages.
Independent Reading with Support As children’s reading skill improves and their confidence increases, they need less support from their
parents. Some children at this age are already ready for less support than assisted reading provides.
These children can benefit from a process called independent reading with support.
During independent reading with support, a child will independently read one or more pages at a time,
without having heard the text immediately beforehand. Focusing on a small amount of text breaks the
work of independent reading into manageable chunks. It helps a child go at a good pace and build
stamina. The parent provides support by listening, offering encouragement, and stepping in to provide
a word when their child gets frustrated.
This process is a stepping stone to independent reading. Children will gradually read more and more
pages at a time, and need less and less support. Parents should follow their child’s lead, and the child
will learn to read quickly and confidently, with a minimum of frustration and struggle.
Reading Development Booklist Parents in this program receive the Reading Development Booklist, which lists the very best books for
first graders’ independent reading, divided into sections of gradually increasing difficulty. To help
parents decide which booklist section to choose from for independent reading, the teacher provides
parents with a Book-Level Recommendation. This recommendation helps parents understand where
their child is as a reader and points them toward the appropriate level of books for independent
reading.
It’s important that children practice reading in books at the appropriate level, since confidence and
success are dependent on independent reading that is manageable. Once a child begins reading at a
particular level, he or she should read and re-read 15-30 books from that list. Re-reading books is an
important part of reading development, since repeated practice with a familiar book gives children
confidence and support in independent reading. Children can read the same book over several sessions
or they may enjoy returning to a book several weeks later. Parents should follow their child’s lead.
Before advancing to the next booklist, the child should be comfortable, confident, and relatively
accurate when reading books at each of the earlier levels.
Reading Aloud from Picture Books and
Children’s Novels
The Stages of Reading Development
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First graders need experience with two kinds of books: those for independent reading (Easy Readers)
and those they listen to parents read aloud (picture books). Easy Readers have controlled vocabulary
and simple sentences that are appropriate for beginning independent readers. On the other hand, the
rich storylines and lovely illustrations found in picture books like Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild
Things Are make them ideal for reading aloud.
Why should parents continue to read aloud to their child even after the child is able to read
independently? During independent reading, most of a beginning reader’s attention is focused on
sounding out words. Listening to books read aloud allows children to become absorbed in great stories
without simultaneously having to work at decoding. The listening comprehension children develop in
this way translates directly into strong reading comprehension when they learn to read independently.
Reading aloud to children also builds a love of books and motivates them to learn to read on their own.
All children are ready to hear children’s novels read aloud at some point in first grade; many are ready
in the summer before first grade. The experience of listening to these longer stories read aloud over the
course of multiple sessions is extremely valuable for young readers. It allows children to become
completely absorbed in a story and to identify with its characters. It also helps them build the stamina
necessary to sustain interest in a story over several sessions. It is one of the richest experiences parents
can provide for their child.
In class, the teacher reads aloud from a great picture book each week. At home, parents can choose
books from the picture book and children’s novels sections of the booklist, where they will find some
of the very best books for reading aloud.
Home Practice Beginning readers need a lot of practice and support in order to succeed at independent reading. Home
practice sessions make independent reading a habit and help students develop the skills and confidence
needed to be successful at it. Students work hard and sometimes struggle, but home practice should
also be a lot of fun. Becoming absorbed in books and getting to share that experience with a parent
makes students excited to become readers.
The Program Guide that parents receive at the first class contains general guidance for home practice
as well as specific week-by-week directions. Each week’s home practice is broken up into four
sessions spread out over four days, and includes the activities explained below.
Independent Reading Parents begin each home practice session by reading an Easy Reader aloud to their child. The child
then spends time reading the same book independently. Parents use the assisted and independent
reading techniques they’ve practiced in class to provide support for their child’s reading.
In the first class, parents receive two books to get them started. During the first two weeks of practice,
the child reads both a First Reader and an Easy Reader 1 book. Most children at this age enjoy First
Readers, even those who can read Easy Readers 1. In fact, most children who can read Easy Readers 1
can productively spend some time reading First Readers. Doing so will build both confidence and skill.
If the Easy Reader 1 book that the child tries in the first week of home practice is too hard—if it’s an
uncomfortable, frustrating experience—the child should read the First Reader for his or her final Week
1 home practice session. The parent can have the child give the Easy Reader 1 book another try during
the second week of home practice. After the second week of class, parents select books from either the
First Readers or Easy Readers 1 section of the Reading Development Booklist.
Completing the Homework Questionnaire
The Stages of Reading Development
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In the first week of the program, parents complete an online homework questionnaire about their
child’s experience with independent reading in First Readers and Easy Readers 1. The information
parents provide helps the teacher assess the child’s reading level. In the fourth week of class, the
teacher makes a recommendation about which level of Easy Readers the child should be reading in the
booklist.
Pole and Vole and the Magic Bag Phonics Lessons Each week, students complete a lesson in the Pole and Vole and the Magic Bag phonics workbook.
The teacher instructs the class on the word family and letters that are featured in that week’s lesson,
and students then do some work in the Magic Bag in class. They complete the lesson at home.
Grade-2
Program Goals During second grade, children build on the phonics and decoding skills learned in first grade and learn
new word-attack skills. As children become stronger independent readers, they move toward fluency in
Easy Reader books (books written with a controlled vocabulary and simple sentences).
The first goal of this program is to build the strong phonics and word-attack skills children need to
achieve fluency. The program integrates in-class skills instruction with independent reading practice
that gives students a chance to apply these skills under the teacher’s guidance. Students also use a self-
paced workbook and audio program to learn advanced phonics and word-attack skills, including
contractions, compound words, syllables, and prefixes and suffixes.
The second goal is to develop students’ fluency and comprehension. Fluent readers read words easily
and accurately, without having to sound out each word. They are able to devote their full attention to
the story itself, so fluency leads directly to stronger comprehension, as well as a love of reading. In
class, children practice independent reading in carefully selected books and participate in
comprehension-building class discussions and fluency-training exercises.
Children this age need to read extensively in order to strengthen their reading skills and achieve
fluency. The third goal of the program is to guide students’ reading in books at the appropriate level of
difficulty and provide support to help them experience success and confidence as readers. The teacher
gives parents a Book-Level Recommendation to guide their selection of books for their son or daughter
throughout the upcoming year. This recommendation works hand in hand with the booklist in the
Program Guide, which contains hundreds of good books divided into levels of difficulty.
Phonics and Word-Attack Skills Phonics instruction teaches children the relationship between letters and the sounds that they stand for.
For example, the letter m stands for the sound /m/ we hear at the beginning of the word mouse. (A
letter between two slashes indicates the sound that letter stands for). In kindergarten and first grade,
children learn to sound out simple words using phonics. As children progress in their reading
development, they encounter increasingly challenging words that require more advanced phonics
skills. For example, they must learn that the long a sound /ā/ can be written with the letters ai, as in
snail, and with the letters ay, as in tray.
Children also need to develop other word-attack skills and strategies to read longer and more difficult
words. In particular, they must learn how to work with contractions and compound words and how to
divide long words into smaller word parts, such as syllables and common prefixes and suffixes. For
example, basket can be divided into two syllables, bas•ket; darkness is made up of dark and the suffix -
ness.
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In order to become successful readers, children must develop skill, confidence and experience with
these phonics and word-attack skills. This reading program teaches these skills through in-class
activities and home practice in a phonics workbook.
Workbook and Audio Program Students receive a phonics and word-attack workbook called Pole and Vole and the Quest for the Book
of Language, which features an engaging adventure story with interesting characters and delightful
illustrations. This workbook and its three accompanying CDs contain phonics and word-attack
instruction appropriate for second graders. What makes this phonics program both unique and effective
is the inclusion of a story line with connected text that incorporates the same phonics and word-attack
elements the children are learning about in the skills portion of the workbook.
Each week, students complete a two-to-four-page phonics unit. The teacher begins each unit in class,
and then provides step-by-step directions about which CD tracks students should listen to and which
pages to complete at home. During the course, students complete the first sixteen pages of Pole and
Vole and the Quest for the Book of Language. After the program ends, they continue to work through
the workbook until it is completed.
Comprehension Comprehension is the ability to understand a story. Young readers need to learn not only how to read
the words on a page but also how to understand what is happening in a story. However, because
reading is a new skill, beginning readers tend to focus more on the mechanics of sounding out words
than on understanding and enjoying the story. As second graders move toward fluency in Easy Reader
books, the process of reading becomes more automatic and effortless, so they are better able to focus
on comprehension. In the Building Fluency Program, students work on comprehension by discussing
the stories they have read.
Through discussion, children learn to create mental pictures of a story, anticipate events, and
understand why things happen as they do. Talking about books encourages children to identify with
characters and relate stories to their own lives, and participating in discussions also helps them gain
confidence in their opinions and in expressing themselves. The teacher leads the students in
comprehension-building discussions during each class. As a part of these discussions, he or she will
introduce the concept of a story’s beginning, middle, and end. This simple framework helps children
think about how stories are structured, which aids in comprehension. When reading at home, parents
can encourage their son or daughter to respond to the characters and story. They can try questions like:
What’s going on in the pictures? What do you think will happen next? What would you do if you were
the character? Has anything like this ever happened to you?
Fluency Building A fluent reader recognizes most words by sight and is able to read with the ease, smoothness, and
rhythm of natural speech. The achievement of fluency is an important milestone for young readers;
once readers no longer need to focus on sounding out each word, they are much more able to turn their
attention to meaning. Second graders are working toward fluency in Easy Reader books. Once they are
able to read Easy Readers fluently, they’ll then progress toward fluency in more difficult books.
The best way to develop fluency is to build decoding skills and do a lot of independent reading in
books at the appropriate level of difficulty. In addition to providing support for this independent
reading, the teacher also provides fluency training in class. In this process, the teacher reads aloud a
passage from the class book, modeling a fluent reading for the class. Students then practice reading this
The Stages of Reading Development
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passage along with the teacher, line by line and as a whole, using the teacher’s pacing and expression
as a model.
Students are able to hear the smoothness and rhythm of the teacher’s fluent reading and replicate it in
their practice. With the teacher’s support, even the weakest readers are able to experience the fluent
reading they’ll achieve later on their own. As students get better at reading aloud fluently, the progress
they make transfers to their independent reading.
Independent Reading All children need support as they move toward fluent reading. Since every child is unique, the level of
assistance needed by entering second graders varies widely. In class, the teacher will guide students’
independent reading in carefully selected books, ensuring that each child gets the appropriate support
to succeed as a reader. By doing a lot of independent reading with the right amount of support, second
graders consolidate the skills they learned in the first grade and progress smoothly to fluent reading.
In Class Each week in class, the teacher reads an Easy Reader book aloud, then leads the class in independent
practice in the same book. To progress smoothly toward fluency, second graders need to experience
successful independent reading. Easy Readers are written specifically for early readers, with controlled
vocabulary and manageable sentences. They are also a lot of fun.
As the teacher reads, he or she may encourage the students to look at the pictures and predict what
might happen next, but mostly children simply listen to and enjoy the story. Listening to a story read
aloud before reading it independently is useful; it is easier for children to read a book on their own
when they are familiar with the story.
After hearing the book read aloud, students practice reading independently in the same book. The
teacher uses a process called assisted reading to begin each independent reading session. During
assisted reading, the teacher reads an entire page, or two facing pages, aloud to the class and students
follow along as the teacher reads. After listening to the teacher read, students read the same page or
pages to themselves. Hearing the text directly before they read it independently leaves a memory trace
to support young readers.
After working through a few pages using assisted reading, the teacher then leads students in guided
independent reading. During this time, each student reads at his or her own pace, pausing occasionally
for class-wide discussion of the story. Breaking the reading period up in this way helps students pace
themselves, build stamina and focus on the meaning of the story. The teacher also provides support on
an individual basis, stepping in when a child gets stuck on a word or needs additional assisted reading.
At Home Independent reading practice is a key component of learning to read, so we encourage parents to make
it a regular part of their son or daughter’s schedule. They begin each independent reading session by
reading an Easy Reader aloud, as the teacher does in class. Then, the child reads the same book
independently.
Children in second grade need varying levels of support for their independent reading. Depending on a
child’s needs, parents can use assisted reading, as described above. If their child requires less support,
they may simply stay within earshot as their child reads and only step in when he or she asks for help
on a difficult word.
Reading Development Booklist
The Stages of Reading Development
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Parents receive a booklist that lists the very best books for second graders’ independent reading,
divided into sections at gradually increasing levels of difficulty. To help parents decide which books to
use for independent reading, the teacher provides them with a Book-Level Recommendation for their
son or daughter. This recommendation helps parents to understand where their child is on the path to
reading fluency and guides them in selecting excellent books at the right level for independent reading
from the booklist.
It’s important that children practice reading in books at the appropriate level, since confidence is best
built by success. Once a child begins reading at a particular level, he or she should read and re-read
many books from that list. Re-reading books is an important part of reading development; repeated
practice with a familiar book gives children confidence and support in independent reading. Children
can read the same book over several sessions, or they may enjoy returning to a book several weeks
later. Before advancing to the next booklist, the child should be comfortable, confident, and relatively
accurate when reading books at the previous level.
Reading Aloud from Children’s Novels It’s important to continue reading aloud to children even after they are able to read independently.
During independent reading, much of a young reader’s attention is focused on sounding out words,
rather than on the story. Listening to books read aloud allows children to experience absorption in
great stories without having to focus on the mechanics of reading.
Sometimes, parents will read aloud to prepare their son or daughter for independent reading in an Easy
Reader. At other times, they will read aloud from picture books or children’s novels, without the
expectation of independent reading afterwards. While entering second graders will not be ready to read
children’s novels on their own for some time, the experience of listening to longer stories read aloud
over the course of multiple sessions is extremely valuable for young readers. Listening to books read
aloud allows children to become absorbed in great stories, builds their comprehension, and helps them
develop the stamina necessary to sustain interest in a story over several reading sessions.
Children’s novels have intriguing, exciting stories, and characters who overcome real challenges and
change as a result. When parents read a children’s novel aloud, their child gets to experience the story
by identifying with the main character and imaginatively sharing his or her world. Children become
fully absorbed in these stories because they deal with relevant themes—like growing up, becoming
independent, facing fear, and being true to oneself—in a creative way. The wonderful thing for parents
is that by reading to their child from these books, not only are they providing food for the soul, they are
sparking the child’s motivation to read books like this independently one day. In that way, parents are
setting their child firmly on the path to becoming a lifelong reader.
Two read-aloud sessions are scheduled as a part of each week’s home practice. However, parents can
read aloud to their child from children’s novels at other times as well. Reading aloud from a children’s
novel makes for a lovely bedtime ritual.
Home Practice Young readers need a great deal of practice and support in order to achieve fluency. This program’s
home practice sessions are designed to help students develop the skills and confidence needed to find
that success, and to make independent reading a habit. Students work hard and sometimes struggle, but
home practice should also be a lot of fun. Becoming absorbed in books and getting to share that
experience with a parent makes children excited about reading.
The Stages of Reading Development
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The program guide that parents receive at the first class contains general guidance for home practice as
well as specific week-by-week directions. Each week’s home practice is broken up into four sessions
spread out over four days, and includes the activities explained below.
Independent Reading Parents begin each home practice section by reading an Easy Reader aloud to their child. The child
then spends time reading the same book independently. If needed, parents can use assisted reading to
support their child’s reading.
In the first class, students receive two books to get them started. During the first two weeks of practice,
students read both an Easy Reader 1 book and an Easy Reader 2 book. If the Easy Reader 2 is too
hard—if it’s an uncomfortable, frustrating experience for the child — the child reads the Easy Reader
1 book for the rest of that week’s home practice. The child can give the Easy Reader 2 another try
during the second week of the program. After the second week of class, parents select books from
either the Easy Readers 1 or Easy Readers 2 section of the booklist.
Completing the Homework Questionnaire In the first week of the program, parents complete an online homework questionnaire about their
child’s experience with independent reading in Easy Readers 1 and Easy Readers 2 books. The
information parents provide helps the teacher assess the child’s reading level. In the fourth week of
class, the teacher makes a recommendation about which level of Easy Readers the child should be
reading.
Pole and Vole and the Quest for the Book of Language Phonics
and Word-Attack Program Each week, students complete a two- to four-page unit in the Pole and Vole and the Quest for the Book
of Language phonics and word-attack program. The teacher instructs students on the skill or phonics
element featured in the lesson for that class, and the students then do some in-class exercises in the
Quest workbook. At home, students review what they have finished already, and then complete the rest
of the assigned pages and accompanying audio.
Reading Aloud from a Children’s Novel Twice a week, parents read aloud to their child from a book selected from the Children’s Novels for
Reading Aloud booklist section. If listening to longer books read aloud is new to a child, parents may
want to begin with a shorter novel. In addition to the general Children’s Novels for Reading Aloud list,
the booklist includes three specialty lists: Folk and Fairy Tales, Bible Stories, and Stories from Diverse
Sacred Traditions. Grade-3
Program Goals Third grade is an important period of transition for young readers. Between mid-second and mid-third
grade, nearly all children achieve fluency in Easy Readers, books written with a controlled vocabulary
and simple sentences. Young readers then enter a transition period in which they consolidate the
reading skills they’ve already learned and move toward fluency in children’s novels. Fluency in
children's novels opens the portal to the world of imaginative children’s literature.
The first goal of this program is to help students build their long-word decoding skills. As children
begin to read more difficult books, they encounter longer and harder words. Reading these words is
one of the biggest challenges children face at this stage of reading development. Using the workbook
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Long-Word Decoding for Third Graders in class and at home, students learn skills and strategies for
reading long words with confidence and ease.
The second goal of the program is to develop the fluency and comprehension children need to
successfully read the more difficult books they encounter in third grade. Students also build the
stamina to read independently for longer stretches of time. In class, students practice independent
reading in carefully selected books and participate in comprehension-building class discussions and
fluency-training exercises.
Most importantly, children this age need to read extensively in order to solidify their reading skills and
achieve fluency in children’s novels. The third goal of the program is to guide students’ independent
reading in books at the appropriate level of challenge and provide support to help them experience
success and confidence as readers. Most children at this level benefit from reading extensively in
chapter books, which fall between Easy Readers and children’s novels in terms of difficulty. The
teacher provides parents with a Book-Level Recommendation to guide their selection of books for their
son or daughter’s independent reading throughout the coming year. Parents also receive guidance on
reading aloud from children’s novels. Successful independent reading and the positive experience of
listening to children’s novels read aloud lays the groundwork for a lifelong love of reading.
Long-Word Decoding At this stage of reading development, one of the greatest challenges children face is reading long
words. Often, children who can easily read one- or two-syllable words have trouble with words of
three or more syllables, with prefixes, suffixes and complex spelling patterns. They need new
strategies and skills to attack and decode these longer words.
At the first class, students receive a workbook called Long-Word Decoding for Third Graders. Using
this workbook, children will learn how to recognize prefixes, suffixes, and syllables in long words and
use these word parts to decode the word. They also learn a four-step process for reading multisyllabic
words that they can use in all of their independent reading.
Comprehension As children make the transition from Easy Readers to longer and more difficult books, they need to
develop solid comprehension. A reader with good comprehension is able to create mental pictures of a
story, identify with characters, anticipate events, and understand why things happen as they do. Good
comprehension leads to absorption. When a child is absorbed in a book, he or she enters into the world
of the book and imaginatively participates in a character’s adventures. This experience makes a lasting
impact, and is crucial to a child’s development as a reader.
Students can build good comprehension by thinking about fundamental story elements as they read.
These story elements include:
Where the story takes place
What happens in the beginning, middle, and end of the story
Who the characters are and what they are like
How the characters solve their problems and achieve their goals
The teacher uses the above story elements as a framework for class discussion. Discussing books is a
meaningful way for young readers to improve comprehension and become more absorbed in what they
read. During discussion, students talk about characters, setting, and what is happening in the story. The
teacher also encourages children to relate the story to their own lives. In addition to group discussion,
students participate in one-on-one discussions with a partner during each class. Working in pairs
allows each student more opportunities to express his or her ideas.
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At home, parents can encourage their son or daughter to talk with them about books, asking questions
like: What is going on in the story? Has anything like this ever happened to you? What are the
characters like? What are you enjoying about the book?
Fluency Fluency is the ability to read words easily and accurately, with the rhythm and intonation of natural
speech. Because fluent readers are able to read most words by sight, they don’t need to focus on the
process of decoding. This frees up their attention to focus instead on the story itself. Most entering
third graders have achieved fluency in Easy Reader books, and now must work to build fluency in
more difficult books. The best way to do this is to read widely in books at the appropriate level of
difficulty. Students also benefit from the oral fluency training provided in class.
During fluency training, the teacher reads a short passage aloud to students while they read along.
Students then practice reading the same passage aloud several times in class and at home. In particular,
the teacher asks students to focus on reading smoothly and naturally and on paying careful attention to
punctuation. At this age, children often rush past punctuation marks, which causes confusion and
frequently means having to reread sentences. Learning to pay attention to punctuation helps children
handle complex sentences successfully.
Fluency training provides students with a model of fluent reading. They are able to hear the
smoothness and rhythm of fluent reading in the teacher’s model. They then replicate this fluency as
they practice reading the same passage. As students get better at reading aloud fluently in more
challenging books, the progress they make transfers to their silent reading.
independent Reading In order to become strong readers, children need to develop the habit of regular independent reading in
books at the appropriate level of difficulty. To achieve fluency in children’s novels, children need to
build strong comprehension, strategies for tackling long words, and the stamina to read for longer
periods of time. Most children this age build these skills in chapter books, before moving on to
children’s novels. Independent reading in chapter books helps build skills and stamina and is a central
part of class and of students’ home practice.
Most entering third graders are making or have already made the transition to silent reading. When
they read independently, they may read either silently or aloud, or they may do a little bit of both.
Whatever a child is doing at this stage is fine.
While students do most of their home reading practice independently, parents should make themselves
available to provide assistance as needed. If it is helpful to their child, parents can begin an
independent reading session by reading a few pages aloud before the child reads independently.
Alternately, the parent may only step in when the child gets stuck on a word and asks for help.
Reading Development Booklist In order to progress toward fluency, children need to do a great deal of reading in books at the
appropriate level of difficulty. In order to determine what level is appropriate for each student, the
teacher assesses each child during the first three weeks of class. Parents also complete an online
homework questionnaire during the first week’s home practice. The homework questionnaire provides
the teacher with information about the students’ at-home reading.
In the fourth lesson of the program, the teacher gives parents a Book-Level Recommendation. This
recommendation helps parents understand where their son or daughter is on the path to reading fluency
in children’s novels, and it guides them in selecting excellent books at the right level from the Reading
The Stages of Reading Development
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Development Booklist. The booklist lists the very best books for third graders’ independent reading,
divided into sections at gradually increasing levels of difficulty.
Once a student begins reading at a particular level, he or she should read a number of books from that
list. Before advancing to the next booklist, the student should be comfortable, confident, and relatively
accurate when reading books at the previous level. It’s important that children practice reading in
books at the appropriate level, since confidence is best built by success.
Home Practice Children need a lot of practice and support in order to achieve fluency in children’s novels. This
program’s home practice sessions helps students develop the skills and reading habits that build solid
fluency and comprehension.
The Program Guide that parents receive at the first class contains general guidance for home practice
as well as specific week-by-week directions. Each week’s home practice is broken up into four
sessions spread out over four days, and includes the activities explained below.
Independent Reading Students read independently during each home practice session. In the first class, they receive two
books to get them started: a selection from the Transition to Chapter Books list, Nate the Great and the
Pillowcase, and one from the Chapter Books 1 list, The Chalk Box Kid. Students use both books for
independent reading during the first week of home practice. In later weeks, parents help children
choose books for independent reading using the book selection guidance provided in each week’s
home practice instructions. Once parents receive a Book-Level Recommendation in Week 4, they’ll
select books from the section of the booklist that the teacher recommends.
As students read, parents provide assistance as needed. For example, it can be very helpful for weaker
readers to hear an entire book read aloud before they try it on their own. For other children, listening to
just a few pages of the book read aloud is enough of a boost to get them started. More confident
readers usually prefer to read a book independently from start to finish. Each of these scenarios is
productive; parents should do whatever is most comfortable for the child.
Completing the Homework Questionnaire In the first week of the program parents fill out an online homework questionnaire about their child’s
reading experience. The information they provide helps the teacher assess the child’s reading level. In
the fourth week of class, the teacher gives parents a Book-Level Recommendation to guide their
selection of books for their son or daughter’s independent reading.
Long-Word Decoding Workbook Each week, students learn skills and strategies for reading multisyllabic words and complete a six-page
unit in the Long-Word Decoding for Third Graders workbook. The teacher instructs students in class
and gets them started on the unit. At home, students complete the rest of the unit during two home
practice sessions.
Fluency Training Each week in class, the teacher provides fluency training in a passage from The Chalk Box Kid.
Students then read this same passage aloud twice during each home practice session. They can read it
aloud to a parent, or on their own.
Reading Aloud from a Children’s Novel Twice a week, parents read aloud to their child from a children’s novel. They select a book from the
Reading Development Booklist. Parents and children can choose books from the Children’s Novels 1
The Stages of Reading Development
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list, which is the first list of children’s novels recommended for independent reading, or from one of
the Children’s Novels for Reading Aloud lists. If listening to longer books read aloud is new to the
child, parents may want to begin with a shorter novel. In addition to the Children’s Novels for Reading
Aloud list, the booklist includes a Specialty Children’s Novels list. Books from the fairy and folk tales
section of this list are especially engaging for third graders. Grade-4
Program Goals Fourth and fifth grade is an exciting time for young readers, who have either recently achieved or will
soon achieve fluency in children’s novels. To meet the needs of these students, the Institute of Reading
Development’s program for fourth and fifth graders has three primary goals.
The first goal of the program is to develop the solid fluency and comprehension necessary for students
to become absorbed in children’s novels. When a reader is absorbed in a book, the world of the story
comes alive, and the reader imaginatively participates in the characters’ adventures. This experience is
the basis for a lifelong love of reading. To attain a high level of comprehension, a reader must have an
understanding of the basic elements of a story such as character, plot, setting, and main events. This
program helps students build comprehension through reading practice in two classic children’s novels,
guided discussions, and written responses to the books.
In order to reach the levels of fluency and comprehension necessary for absorption, children must read
widely in children’s novels. The second goal is to guide students’ independent reading in books at the
appropriate level of difficulty, and provide parents with the support they need to help their child
become confident, successful readers. The teacher provides parents with a Book-Level
Recommendation, which helps them select books for independent reading at the appropriate level of
difficulty for their child.
The third goal of the program is to help students strengthen their long-word decoding skills. Reading
long words can be a challenge for children at this stage of reading development, as they encounter
longer and harder words in the more difficult books they’re reading. A child who can confidently read
words of three or more syllables will read with greater ease and enjoyment. Using the Long-Word
Decoding for Fourth and Fifth Graders workbook in class and at home, students learn skills and
strategies for reading multisyllabic words. They also get ample practice in long-word decoding during
independent reading.
Long-Word Decoding At this stage of reading development, one of the greatest challenges children face is reading long
words. Often, children who can easily read one- or two-syllable words have trouble with words of
three or more syllables, with prefixes, suffixes and complex spelling patterns. They need new
strategies and skills to attack and decode these longer words.
At the first class, students receive a workbook called Long-Word Decoding for Third Graders. Using
this workbook, children will learn how to recognize prefixes, suffixes, and syllables in long words and
use these word parts to decode the word. They also learn a four-step process for reading multisyllabic
words that they can use in all of their independent reading.
Fluency Fluent readers read quickly, smoothly and accurately. Because they don’t need to focus on the
mechanics of reading, children who read fluently are free to focus their attention on the story itself.
Entering fourth and fifth graders have achieved fluency in easier books, and now must work to achieve
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or solidify fluency in more difficult children’s novels. Maintaining fluency is important for young
readers as they progress from one level of book to the next, because it supports good comprehension
and helps a child read with absorption. The best way to do this is to read widely in children’s novels.
Many children this age also benefit from oral fluency training.
During this program, students participate in oral fluency training. During fluency training, the teacher
will read a short passage aloud to students while they follow along. Then, students will practice
reading the same passage aloud several times in class and at home. The teacher asks students to focus
on reading smoothly and naturally and on paying careful attention to punctuation, which can help
children successfully handle complex sentences.
Fluency training provides a model of fluent reading in children’s novels. During fluency training,
students are able to hear the smoothness and rhythm of fluent reading in the teacher’s model. They
then replicate this fluency as they practice reading the same passage. Fluency training gives even the
weakest readers the experience of fluent reading and a strong model for their own independent reading.
As students get better at reading aloud fluently, the progress they make orally transfers to their silent
reading.
Long-Word Decoding At this stage of reading development, one of the greatest challenges children face is reading long
words. Often, children who can easily read one- or two-syllable words have trouble with words of
three or more syllables, with prefixes, suffixes and complex spelling patterns. They need new
strategies and skills to attack and decode these longer words.
At the first class, students receive a workbook called Long-Word Decoding for Fourth and Fifth
Graders. Using this workbook, children will learn how to recognize prefixes, suffixes, and syllables in
long words and use these word parts to decode the word. They also learn a four-step process for
reading multisyllabic words that they can use in all of their independent reading.
Reading Development Booklist In order to develop as readers, children need to do a great deal of reading in books at the appropriate
level of difficulty. At the end of the program, the teacher gives parents a Book-Level
Recommendation. This recommendation guides parents and their children in selecting excellent books
at the right level for independent reading from the Reading Development Booklist. The booklist lists
the very best literature for fourth and fifth graders’ independent reading, divided into sections at
gradually increasing levels of difficulty.
Once students begin reading at a particular level, they read a number of books from that list. Before
advancing to the next list, students should be comfortable and confident reading books at the previous
level. It’s important that children practice reading in books at the appropriate level, since confidence is
best built by success. The Reading Development Booklist guides students’ reading for the year or more
following the program.
In addition to reading independently in books at the level recommended by the teacher, many children
this age continue to enjoy listening to children’s novels read aloud. Others lose interest once they are
able to read these books on their own. Parents should follow their child’s lead; if a parent and child
continue to enjoy reading together, the Reading Development Booklist lists dozens of children’s novels
that are wonderful for reading aloud.
Home Practice
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Students complete home practice assignments each week during the program. The Program Guide
provides parents with general guidance about home practice, as well as week-by-week instructions.
Students complete most of the home practice independently, and parents make themselves available to
provide help as needed.
Each week’s home practice is broken into four sessions. Weekly practice includes the following
activities (explained below):
Independent reading in a children’s novel
Completing online homework questionnaires (parents do this twice over the course of the program)
Main idea exercises
Brief written responses to reading assignments
Watching an interactive Video Companion DVD for each chapter of Henry Huggins and group of
chapters in The Cricket in Times Square
Lessons in Long-Word Decoding for Fourth and Fifth Graders
Independent Reading Independent reading is the cornerstone of each home practice session. During each session, students
read for 30-45 minutes. In the first two weeks of the program, students read Henry Huggins, and in the
remaining three weeks they read The Cricket in Times Square.
Tellbacks At the end of each reading assignment, students give a tellback about what they have just read. This
means that they retell, in their own words, what they remember about what they’ve just read. The
parent’s role is simply to listen. If they’d like to hear more about the story, they can ask general
questions along these lines: What are you enjoying about the book? What do you think is going to
happen next?
Homework Questionnaire During the first and third weeks of home practice, parents fill out an online homework questionnaire
about their child’s reading. The information they provide helps the teacher assess the child’s reading
level. In the fourth week of class, the teacher provides parents with a Book-Level Recommendation,
which guides their selection of books for their child’s independent reading for the next year or more.
Main Event Exercises and Response Questions After some reading sessions in Henry Huggins and The Cricket in Times Square, students complete a
written response question or a main event exercise. Both activities strengthen comprehension. The
response questions engage students in the story, guiding them to think carefully about the characters
and plot and to relate the story to their own lives.
Video Companions In the first class, students receive Video Companion DVDs for Henry Huggins and The Cricket in
Times Square. They use these DVDs during home practice each week.
The Video Companions feature a teacher and students discussing the books. Students watch a Video
Companion segment after reading each chapter in Henry Huggins. For The Cricket in Times Square,
they watch a video companion segment every few chapters. Each segment is roughly 5-10 minutes
long and includes an interactive question-and-answer feature. After some segments, students will
respond in writing to discussion questions featured on the DVD.
The Video Companions serve two primary purposes. First, the DVDs ensure that even weaker readers
have good comprehension of the books, enabling them to fully participate in class discussions. Second,
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the interactive questions for each chapter help students become more engaged and absorbed in the
story.
Fluency Training During the first two classes, the teacher leads the class in fluency training in a passage from a
children’s novel. Students then read this same passage aloud twice during each home practice session.
In weeks 3 and 4, students continue fluency training as a part of home practice.
Long-Word Decoding for Fourth and Fifth Graders Each week, students learn skills and strategies for reading multisyllabic words, and complete a six-
page unit in the Long-Word Decoding for Fourth and Fifth Graders workbook. The teacher instructs
students in class and gets them started on each unit. At home, students complete the rest of the
assignment by doing one page in each of the four homework sessions.