The Stages of Learning to Read

Reading is a complex skill and like learning to ride a bike or guitar learning to read has stages.

In 1983 Jeanne Chall identified 6 stages of learning to read.

This is a helpful framework.

Stage 0          Pre reading stage. Children begin noticing the print around them.

Stage 1          Recognising the Alphabet Principle. Letters represent speech sounds.  

Stage 2           Mastering letter/sound relationships and grammar.

STAGES 0 – 3  ARE THE LEARNING TO READ STAGES

Stage 3           Developing thinking and comprehension. Reading to learn.

Stages 4&5    Developing Analytical and Synthetic reasoning.

According to Chall for most children stages 1 and 2 need to be explicily taught.

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