Which reading stage is your child in?

Learning to read is a process that can take years, and although each child learns at his own pace, most progress through four basic reading stages. Read the descriptions that follow to find the one that best describes your child. Then put that information to use with our stage-specific reading articles that offer tips on how to choose great books, master reading skills, and more.

Signs of a Pre-Reader

Your child is probably a pre-reader, also called a pre-emergent reader, if he does most of the following:

• Plays with books as toys but doesn't yet understand that they contain stories.

• Has been exposed to books and enjoys hearing them, but doesn't yet comprehend that the pages contain words that correspond to a story.

• Is attracted to the bright colors and illustrations found in books, but doesn't understand that the pictures depict a story.

• Can't identify any words or letters on the pages.

Rough age guideline for a pre-reader: 2 to 4 years old

Signs of a Beginning Reader

Your child is probably a beginning reader, also known as an emerging reader, if he does most of the following:

• Needs pictures on each page to help tell the story.

• Has trouble answering questions about the story.

• Memorizes books and tries to read them again and again.

• Reads aloud unexpressively and doesn't stop for punctuation.

• Comes across an unknown word and is able to sound out the beginning, but then makes up the rest or skips over it.

Rough age guideline for a beginning reader: 4 to 6 years old

Signs of an Intermediate Reader

Your child is probably an intermediate reader, also known as a developing reader, if he does most of the following:

• Reads smoothly most of the time with few mistakes but must stop sometimes to sound out words.

• Uses pictures as well as context clues from the rest of the sentence to figure out the meaning of a story.

• Comes across an unknown word, sounds it out, and can usually figure out the meaning based on context.

• Can answer simple questions about the story.

• Reads aloud expressively sometimes and pauses for most punctuation.

• Enjoys new books, reading easier ones independently and more difficult ones with an older child or adult.

Rough age guideline for an intermediate reader: 6 to 8 years old