Developmental Stages for Acquisition of Literacy Skills

Jane M. Flynn, Ph.D.

La Crosse Area Dyslexia Research Institute, Inc.
c. 1997

The following pages present a developmental sequence for listening, speaking, reading, spelling, and writing skills from
preschool through high school. You may use these charts as a guideline for what kinds of literacy experiences to offer your
students. Keep in mind, however, that these represent the normal, or average, kinds of literacy developments in children,
especially for children raised in mainstream, middle-class homes. Children who come from different preschool literacy
traditions or who have learning disabilities will have uneven development or lack of skill development in one or more areas.
For these children, the charts will help you identify missing experiences or skills and provide them for your students who need
early intervention or remediation.

Also keep in mind that the age/grade designations for different stages indicate when MOST children will enter a particular
stage. Many may enter a stage earlier, and many children who will be normal readers and writers may enter a stage later. If,
however, your children are more than one grade delayed, e.g., in 3rd grade and still in Accuracy Reading/Spelling by Sound,
you should be concerned.

ORAL LANGUAGE
Emerging Language
Overgeneralizes (He goed
home.)
Simple descriptions of
past events
Asks how and why questions
Interacts in lapreading sessions:
Notices details and shows
interest in pictures
Labels things
Labels actions
Asks questions about
whats happening
Answers prediction
questions
Relates story to own life
Expresses preferences for
some stories and story
types
reads story using pictures
Preschool Stage (Age 2-Kindergarten)
READING SPELLING WRITING
Print Concepts and Phonological Imitative Spelling Imitative Writing
Awareness Stage
Concepts about Print Imitates writing Assigns meaning to own writing
Holds book right side up motions (scribbles)
Understands that story goes from Understands that drawing and
front to back Understands that writing are different
Imitates adult reading using symbols represent
pictures things Recognizes and attempts to write
(AI2b) own name
Retells familiar story
Reads familiar signs
Reads what (s)he Thinks that own writing can be read
Understands that print goes from has written by others
left to right and top to bottom
Points to some words as story is Copies print from the environment
read
Sense of directionality develops
Phonological awareness random placement of
plays with the sounds of symbols or marks
language (hot, tot, pot)
horizontal scribbles or marks
Understands the concept of
word in a spoken sentence and
can count words heard
Can count, delete, and add
syllables in compound words and
two-syllable words
Can substitute and delete
beginning and ending sounds in
a spoken word
Stage One (Kindergarten-1st Grade)
Social Language Reading Accuracy Phonetic Spelling Early Writing

Most grammatical Phonological awareness/Phonics Spelling by Sound Consistent left to right and top to
rules mastered Can count, delete, and substitute bottom writing
sounds in spoken words Represents syllables or words
Uses language to with single letters (ICU) Sentences often begin with I
Segments spoken words by sound
request, control, Writes beginning and ending
explain, compare, Distinguishes voiced and unvoiced Uses repeating sentence patterns (I
consonants consonants (no vowels)
and seek info Substitutes consonants (p 4 b) like..., I like...)
Distinguishes long vowel sounds in
spoken words Omits nasals and liquids
Engages in Bed-to-bed stories
Begins to distinguish short vowel (m,n,l)
classroom
sounds in spoken words may write chr 4 tr, jr 4 dr
interactions Uses complete but simple sentences
Matches letter sounds to letters Represents vowels, but
Participates in Show (phoneme to grapheme match) substitutes short vowels Inconsistent capitalization and
and Tell Builds one-syllable words sound-by- Unmarked long vowels (bot 4 periods
Event-centered sound (e.g., m-a-t) boat)
narratives--who, Substitutes letters in dictated one- Represents most sounds in Uses simple forms of writing--letters,
when, where, syllable words (e.g., change mat to one and two-syllable words messages, stories
what fat)
bed-to-bed Decodes one-syllable words in Spelling by Pattern K-1st grade genres
stories reading, sometimes confusing short Begins with overuse of silent e Narratives
vowels Some representation of vowel Informational (science, etc.)
Decodes words with beginning and teams in spelling (ay, ai) Functional (directions)
ending blends Responses to literature
Begins to master vowel teams (a-e,
ee, etc.)
Able to track sounds in one and two-
syllable words and select symbol
that represents each

Sight word recognition

Recognizes many words as
logographs (Mom. Dad. love, etc.)
Needs 7-10 exposures to recognize
words on sight
Masters first grade Dolch (sight)
words

Oral reading
Reads slowly, often without
expression or proper phrasing
Effortful decoding, inconsistent word
recognition

ComprehensionKgtn.
(Fall) Connect (Text-to-Self)
(Spring) Visualize

Comprehension1st grade
(Fall) Connect, Visualize
(Spring) Question
 Stage Two: Fluency (2nd-3rd Grade)
Language for Learning Reading Fluency
Aware of audience and Decoding and word
intent when speaking recognition automatic
Converses with a variety Reading speed increases
of audiences (teachers, (90-110 wpmc)
peers)
Phrasing and
Uses tone, gestures, expressiveness improves
pace, intonation to
enhance meaning Comprehension2nd grade
Connect can be made by same letters
Uses language to Question
cooperate with peers Visualize
(Spring) Infer
Uses vocabulary specific
to the task, e.g.,
Comprehension3rd grade
description, comparison
Connect
Retellings are logical, Question
sequenced, on topic Visualize
Infer
Predicts and recalls Transform (analyze R-controlled vowels in one-syllable
and synthesize)
Phonic Spelling Basic Narrative Writing
Spelling by Pattern Uses basic sentence patterns
Understands that the same sound Statements
can be made by different letters
Questions
-k, c, ck, ch
Interrogatives
-vowel teams
-g, j, dge, ge
-ch, tch, ture
Joins sentences, often overusing
Understands that different sounds and
-ow, ough, g, c, oo, s Generally capitalizes beginning of
-ed sentences
Understands open and closed
Inconsistent punctuationperiods,
syllables in one-syllable words and
questions marks, exclamations
when adding endings (go-got, get-
getting, bat-batted)
Usually uses consistent tense and
silent letters (kn) correct subject-verb agreement
Titles work appropriately
words
(ir, ur, er) Writes in first of third person
R-influenced vowels (or, ar, ere, ear,
are, air Begins to use narrative form (e.g.,
follows Story Grammar Plot)
Understands some syntax endings (-
ed, -ing) Includes many details, time
sequence in narratives
Proofreads for spelling and word
choice

Mastery of School
Language
Shares ideas, offers advice,
opinions, and information
Differentiated language by
task (report, storytelling,
interview)
Able to orally develop a
curriculum topic
Draws conclusions, makes
inferences, justifies and
explains
Listens to draw inferences,
evaluate, and make
judgments
Summarizes main idea
from speech or text
Interprets whether a
message has been
understood
Participates in group
discussions (Book Club,
Literature Circles, Grand
Discussions)
Stage Three: Reading for Information (3rd-8th Grade)
Reading for Meaning
Accuracy and fluency well
established (115-125 wpmc)
Uses all meaning-making strategies
easily and appropriately
context
phonological knowledge
semantic knowledge
text structure
Finds main idea and supporting
details
Understands story grammar plot
Predicts, sequences, compares,
draws conclusions, reacts to
emotions of characters
Recognizes tone, mood, authors
purpose in narrative works
Semantic-Syntactic Differentiated Writing
Spelling
Understands that syntax, not
sound, can determine spelling Uses a variety of simple,
homophones compound, and complex
(steel, steal) sentences
sign, signal
Uses correct punctuation
Understands that meaning
rather than sound can Writes dialogue in
determine spelling narratives
ed
Uses paragraphs to signal
or, er, ar
related sentences
Uses open-closed pattern
Uses headings to organize
knowledge to double
expository writing
consonants in adding endings
(pin-pinning)
Uses a variety of linking
words, varied vocabulary,
Uses open-closed syllable
adjectives, adverbs, similes
pattern to drop e and y to i
and metaphors
patterns correctly (come-
coming, story-stories,
Considers audience in
alternate-alternating)
developing background
information
Masters common prefixes,
suffixes, and roots
Develops unique voice
(re-, un-, pre-)
Writes stories, reports,
Uses spelling resources
procedures, and
(spell checker, dictionary)
explanations
Uses writing process to
plan, organize, draft, edit,
and publish work
Appreciates and can imitate
authors styles
 Stage Four: Multiple Perspectives (8th Grade-Adult)

Language for Varied Reading with Multiple Perspectives Advanced Semantic- Expert Writing
Environments Responds to narrative and expository text at Syntactic Spelling
all levels
Selects language literal Understands syllable Differentiates writing form
according to audience and interpretive/applied juncture based on open- by audience and purpose
purpose (friends, work) evaluative/critical closed
creative/personal Writes to define, clarify,
Persuades, debates Understands that some develop ideas, and express
words must be learned as creativity
Recognizes and interprets authors
Explains own position on exceptions (robin, ever,
purpose
controversial issues habit, balance) Masters topic sentence-
informative
supporting details
Draws conclusions and persuasive Refines meaning basis for paragraph form
makes inferences from opinion spelling patterns (root
oral and written text constancy, word families) Organizes paragraphs to
Understands figurative language sign, signal, create a logically-sequenced
Expresses independent, insignia text
critical thinking Masters content-area vocabulary major, majority
Researches topics to
Formulates hypotheses, Interprets text/vocabulary with multiple Perfects knowledge of include relevant details in
critiques, evaluates, and meanings stress (homographs) writing
influences others perfect, perfect
Employs appropriate pre-reading Writes a wide range of
strategies oppose, opposition
Uses concrete examples forms--poetry, narrative,
to illustrate/explain KWL, vocabulary graphic organizer essay, persuasive, editorial,
Able to sort by number of
abstract ideas Vocabulary frames expository
syllables, by syllable
Establishing purpose (6 types) patterns, and by stress
Extemporaneous Choosing reading rate Develops a topic fully and
patterns
speeches Employs appropriate strategies during keeping audience and
reading purpose in mind
Understands vowel
Self-questioning, Questioning the alternation
Author Writes a range of
divine, divinity
expository text--cause-
SQ3R, EA2R image, imagine effect, sequence,
Find and record main idea (topic receive, reception comparison
sentence)
SKRAWL notes Learns Latin and Greek Accurately uses a wide
KU RAPT notes affixes and roots range of punctuation
HUG (Highlight, underline, gloss)
Story, text mapping Uses syllabication and Edits and evaluates own
Patterns of organization (sequence, pattern knowledge to spell writing
cause/effect, compare/contrast, unfamiliar polysyllabic
etc.) words

Employs appropriate post-reading strategies Uses a range of spelling

Uses print and electronic
Self-summary (SQ3R)
resources (spell checker,
Prepare questions dictionary, thesaurus)
Participate in discussion (comment,
 elaborate, question)
Article summaries, maps, matrices

Reads critically
Identifies purpose of article
Judges authors authority on
subject
Evaluates logic
Identifies bias
Cites evidence and evaluates worth
Identified authors stake in subject
(gain)
Applies to own life and to society