Chall’s

 Stages  of  Reading  Development  

Source:  Jeanne  S.  Chall,  Stages  of  Reading  Development.  N.Y.:  McGraw-­Hill  Book  Company,  1983.  
 
Stage   Approximate   Characteristics  and  Masteries   How  Acquired   Relationship  of  Reading  to  Listening  
Age/Grade   by  End  of  Stage  
Stage  0:  Pre-­‐reading   6  months  –  6  years   Child  “pretends”  to  read,  retells  story   Being  read  to  by  an  adult  (or  older   Most  can  understand  the  children’s  picture  books  
when  looking  at  pages  of  book   child)  who  responds  to  and  warmly   and  stories  read  to  them.  They  understand  
“pseudo  reading”   Preschool   previously  read  to  him/her,  names   appreciates  the  child’s  interest  in   thousands  of  words  they  hear  by  age  6  but  can  read  
letters  of  alphabet;  recognizes  some   books  and  reading;  being  provided   few  if  any  of  them.  
signs;  prints  own  name;  plays  with   with  books,  paper,  pencils,  blocks,  and  
books,  pencils  and  paper.   letters.  Dialogic  reading.  
Stage  1:  Initial  reading   6  –  7  years  old   Child  learns  relation  between  letters   Direct  instruction  in  letter-­‐sound   The  level  of  difficulty  of  language  read  by  the  child  
and  sounds  and  between  printed  and   relations  (phonics)  and  practice  in   is  much  below  the  language  understood  when  
and  decoding   1st  grade  and  beginning  2nd   spoken  words;  child  is  able  to  read   their  use.  Reading  of  simple  stories   heard.  At  the  end  of  Stage  1,  most  children  can  
simple  text  containing  high  frequency   using  words  with  phonic  elements   understand  up  to  4000  or  more  words  when  heard  
words  and  phonically  regular  words;   taught  and  words  of  high  frequency.   but  can  read  about  600.  
uses  skill  and  insight  to  “sound  out”   Being  read  to  on  a  level  above  what  a  
new  one  syllable  words.     child  can  read  independently  to  
develop  more  advanced  language  
patterns,  vocabulary  and  concepts.  
Stage  2:  Confirmation   7  –  8  years  old   Child  reads  simple,  familiar  stories   Direct  instruction  in  advanced   At  the  end  of  Stage  2,  about  3000  words  can  be  read  
and  selections  with  increasing   decoding  skills;  wide  reading   and  understood  and  about  9000  are  known  when  
and  fluency   2nd  and  3rd  grade   fluency.  This  is  done  by  consolidating   (instruction  and  independent  levels)   heard.  Listening  is  still  more  effective  than  reading.    
the  basic  decoding  elements,  sight   of  familiar,  interesting  materials  that  
vocabulary,  and  meaning  context  in   help  promote  fluent  reading.  Being  
the  reading  of  familiar  stories  and   read  to  at  levels  above  their  own  
selections.     independent  reading  level  to  develop  
language,  vocabulary  and  concepts.    
Stage  3:     9  -­‐  13  years  old   Reading  is  used  to  learn  new  ideas,  to   Reading  and  study  of  textbooks,   At  beginning  of  Stage  3,  listening  comprehension  of  
gain  new  knowledge,  to  experience   reference  works,  trade  books,   the  same  material  is  still  more  effective  than  
Reading  for  learning  the   4th  –  8th  grade   new  feelings,  to  learn  new  attitudes,   newspapers,  and  magazines  that   reading  comprehension.    
new     generally  from  one  viewpoint.   contain  new  ideas  and  values,    
unfamiliar  vocabulary  and  syntax;   By  the  end  of  Stage  3,  reading  and  listening  are  
  Intermediate  4th  –  6th   systematic  study  of  words  and   about  equal  for  those  who  read  very  well,  reading  
Phase  A     reacting  to  the  text  through   may  be  more  efficient.    
discussion,  answering  questions,  
  Junior  high  school  7th  –  9th    
writing,  etc.  Reading  of  increasingly  
Phase  B   more  complex  text.    
ge  4:  Stage  4:     15  –  17  years  old   Reading  widely  from  a  broad  range  of   Wide  reading  and  study  of  the   Reading  comprehension  is  better  than  listening  
complex  materials,  both  expository   physical,  biological  and  social  sciences   comprehension  of  materials  of  difficult  content  and  
                         Multiple  viewpoints   10th  –  12th  grade   and  narrative,  with  a  variety  of   and  the  humanities,  high  quality  and   readability.  For  poor  readers  listening  
viewpoints.     popular  literature,  newspapers,  and   comprehension  may  be  equal  to  reading  
magazines;  systematic  study  of  words   comprehension.  
and  word  parts.  
     Stage  5:     18+  years  old   Reading  is  used  for  one’s  own  needs   Wide  reading  of  ever  more  difficult   Reading  is  more  efficient  than  listening.    
and  purposes  (professional  and   materials,  reading  beyond  one’s  
     Construction  and                                                College  
    and  beyond   personal);  reading  serves  to  integrate   immediate  needs;  writing  of  papers,  
       reconstruction   one’s  knowledge  with  that  of  others,   tests,  essays,  and  other  forms  that  call  
to  synthesize  it  and  to  create  new   for  integration  of  varied  knowledge  
                                                                                            knowledge.  It  is  rapid  and  efficient.     and  points  of  view.