Reading Levels and New Strategies to Introduce in Lessons

Pre K Early
K Pre-

Uses meaning cues from: Pictures Personal experience Context

Leve lA

Phonological /Phonemic Awareness Rhyming Segmenting and blending Sentences Syllables Onset-rime phonemes

Kdg. Leve lA& B

Comprehension Predict, confirm/ self-correct for meaning (meaningful substitutions). Interact with a variety of texts. Respond personally to texts. Express opinions about texts (authors, illustrators). Answer literal questions. Recount or illustrate a main topic. Make simple inferences about characters. Sequence text ideas. Comprehension Use pictures and words to predict meaning. Retell Self-correct to make sense. Begin to ask questions of text. Begin to understand and respect diversity.

Phonics (soundsymbol relationship) Phoneme substitution/ manipulation Use onset-rime patterns to solve words Begin to use initial consonant sounds to solve words.

b,d,f,g,h,j,k,l,m,n,p,r,s,t ,v,w,z q, y,

Concepts About Print Identify Front/back (of book) Top/bottom (pictures) First/last (print) Letters Spaces words Regard reading as a source of interest, enjoyment and information. Select appropriate (interesting) texts. Pay attention to print (print carries message). Exhibit readinglike behavior. Concepts About Print Left-to-right movement Return sweep Match 1-1 (spoken-printed word). Sound-symbol relationship. Begin to selfcorrect Distinguish capital/lower case letters. Punctuation (. ? !)

Oral Language Be easily understood. Speak in expanding sentences. Connect ideas. Expand oral vocabulary. Express feelings/ experiences. Ask/respond to questions. Express opinions.

Kdg. Early
Gr. 1 Level C

Phonemic Awareness/Phonics (sound-symbol relationship) Phoneme segmenting and blending Use initial and final consonant sounds to solve words.

Initial Consonants Digraphs

Concepts About Print Control 1-1 matching even on longer words Reread to selfcorrect Recognize some basic text forms Recognize basic text components

Vocabulary Begin to recognize some high frequency sight words in texts. Recognize some personally significant words. Use visual cues to predict words that might be in a book. Use oral language patterns to predict, confirm/selfcorrect. Retell major story ideas. Personally use text language. Vocabulary Use known words as anchors. Recognize more high-frequency sight words.

 sh, th, ch, wh Initial Consonant Blends 2 letter r- br, cr, dr, fr, gr, pr, tr s- sc,sk, sl, sm, sn, sp, st, sw l bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl Consonants in Final Position b,d,f,g (leg), k, l, m, n, p, s, t, x, z
Short Vowels a,e,i,o,u Decode CVC and some CCVC words Phonemic Awareness/ Phonics Know and use most short vowels. Use consonants and blends to decode words

Understand uses of capital letters.

Early Gr. 1 Leve l D

Comprehension Monitor by integrating visual (pictures/print) cues with meaning. Reread to confirm or problem solve. Retell.

Consonant Digraphs in Medial and Final Positions th (mother/math), sh (wish), ch (lunch), ng (swing), ck (chicken, truck), nk (think) Long Vowels a- with e marker (ame) e- (ee) see/three i with e marker (ite) o- with e marker (oke) u with e marker (ute)
Alternative C, G sounds. Use parts of words (chunks) to predict and check meaning. Decode VCE words (ice, cake). Decode VCC words (rack, mash). Phonics Decodes slightly longer words

Fluency Move away from finger pointing. Read in phrases when rereading (begin to apply punctuation cues (.?!).

Vocabulary Use vocabulary of the book for retelling. Many highfrequency (sight) words

Early Gr. 1 Leve l E

Comprehension Begin to make personal connections to texts. Make and check predictions integrating visual, meaning and syntactic cues. Revise predictions. Identify main idea. Retell with more memory of details. Continue to develop understanding and respect for diversity.

Final Consonant Blends st (fast), nd (send), nt (plant), mp (jump), sk (ask) ft (soft), ld (world), lt (melt), rd (hard), rt (heart)
Decodes VVC words

Fluency Finger-point only on hard words. Include phrasing in first reading when possible. Sound more fluent, especially while rereading.

Vocabulary Continue to acquire highfrequency words. Uses new vocabulary, especially when reading nonfiction. Express personal response and opinion of text.

(Long Vowel Combinations) a ay/ai

e- ea,y i igh,y o- ow/oa u- ew,ue

Grad e1 Leve l F Comprehension Makes and checks predictions integrating text info. with personal knowledge. Text-text connections (characters, events, illustrations, language). Make inferences using own experience and text clues. Generate questions to guide research. Locate information with assistance. Interact with new information. Reads compound words Phonics Use short and long vowel sounds more flexibly. Decoding more two and three syllable words. Begins to use vowel + r combinations. Fluency Note commas and use them for phrasing/pausing . Begin to use more intonation. Move more quickly through text. Read most sight words in text easily. Vocabulary Notice new words and figures out meaning, using the picture for support. Learn new words, especially when reading nonfiction. Note differences in language conventions, text characteristics, and types of print.

Grad e1 Leve l G & Leve lH

Comprehension Follow written directions. Answer literal questions using one area of text. Identify character traits from contextual clues. Use text features for content, locations, and information.

Phonics

Three Letter s Blends scr, spl, spr, squ, str Short Vowel Combinations oo, aw, ea (bread) R-influenced vowels ar, er, ir, ur, or
Decoding more two-andthree-syllable words

Make concrete comparisons, with general reference to the text.

Fluency Move more quickly through longer text (may hesitate on longer words). Consistently apply punctuation cues ( .?!) to express meaning. Use more intonation and expression.

Grad e1 Leve l I

Early mid Grad

Retell with main events, general details, sequence and story elements. Express preferences /opinions with general reasons. Comprehension Personally connect to characters and topics. Begin to learn how to build schema on less familiar topics. Describe general purpose of simple text forms. Retell with increasing detail using graphic organizers. Comprehension Read widely (expands reading in a variety of

Vocabulary Pay attention to new vocabulary while reading. Use new words in retelling and conversation. Rereads to get meaning of new words. Use obvious text clues, and background knowledge to understand new words.

Phonics

Vowel Diphthongs oi, oy, ou (house), ow (cow)

decodes most one-andtwo-syllable words easily

Fluency Use character voices (attend to quotation marks). Begin to transition to silent reading. 40-60 Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM) Fluency Process text more smoothly.

Vocabulary Pay more attention to new words and try to figure out their meaning. Discover specialized vocabulary in nonfiction.

Phonics Integrate cueing systems (pragmatic, semantic,

Vocabulary Pays attention to new words and

e2 Leve l J & Leve lK

genres) for background information. Move more flexibly from fiction to nonfiction. Comprehend text read over several days. Infer, predict and analyze characters. Use text features (pictorial, typographical, and organizational) to determine content, locate topics, and obtain information. Summarize and extend text. Retell with thorough detail and sequence.

syntactic, graphophonic) less consciously. Flexibly use selfcorrecting strategies. Decodes longer words (two-three syllables) easily. Decodes two-four vowel combinations (ou, igh, ough, etc.) more easily on longer words.

Other combinations ph phone, graph gh cough, laugh, gh thought

Decode silent letters kn, wr, gn. May use pronunciation guide.

Reads in phrases and with expression over longer text. Reads silently most of the time except to solve a word or clarify meaning. Mastery of 300 sight words. 50-80 Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM)

Mid Grad e2 Leve l L

End of Grad e2 Leve l M

Comprehension Figures out whos talking when reading more complex dialogue. Empathizes with literary characters (recognizes emotions). Deeper understanding of multiple characters. Comprehends longer chapters. Greater range of genre understood. Uses features/ structures. Comprehension Describe characteristics of text forms. Recognizes elements of story and plot. Builds schema for unfamiliar topics when reading. Use text clues and personal experience to make inferences about characters Understands subtlety of plot and humour. Visualizes, as pictures are included less. Interpret relationships among ideas (causeeffect) Identify main idea and supporting details (may use graphic organizer)

Phonics Decodes more multisyllabic words and many words with two-four vowel combinations within those longer words (eigh, augh, etc.) Decodes silent letters on longer words (kn, wr, gn, etc.)

Fluency Sustain fluency while reading longer sentences and longer texts. Read character voices with greater intonation. Read more rapidly with phrasing and limited selfcorrecting.

uses context of words and pictures to determine meaning. Starting to read and understand idioms and figurative language. Understands meanings of homophones and homographs. Uses prefixes and suffixes to determine word meanings. Read widely (expands reading in a variety of genres) for vocabulary exposure. Vocabulary Understands more difficult vocabulary. Understands idioms and figurative language in text. Use prefixes and suffixes to figure out word meanings.

Phonics Decodes longer words with more complex phonics patterns Uses letter sounds flexibly and fluently (sounds of c, g, and vowels, etc.) Use affixes, roots, compounds, syllables. Solve words with analogy with known words.

Fluency Vary reading rate depending on the type of text read. 70-100 Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM)

Vocabulary Prefixes and suffixes used for determining meaning. Understands more sophisticated vocabulary and more complex language structures. Reads and understands many new vocabulary words, especially in nonfiction.

Grad e3 Leve l N Leve l O Leve l P

Comprehension Use context clues, prior experience, and knowledge of text forms to verify and adjust predictions. Make self-text, world-text, texttext connections. Generate questions for research (be aware of personal purpose for reading: reflect on own research process). Use text features (e.g., captions, charts/diagrams, font, glossaries) to preview and locate information. Skim small amount of text to answer literal questions. Seek information from a variety of texts. Identify story elements (setting, characters, events, problem/ resolution, and, when clearly stated, overall theme). Recognize some elements of an authors style/technique (e.g., descriptive language). Visualize characters, settings, situations. Identify principle of order (time, cause-effect, space). Reflect, discuss and ask questions about the text after reading. Discuss personal reaction (emotional). Discuss opinion about texts giving reasons. Question accuracy of information (compare with background knowledge). Distinguish between fact and opinion. Identify point of view in text. Identify prejudice, bias, and stereotyping.

Phonics Decode most two-four syllable words easily. Use letter sounds flexibly and fluently. May miscue simple words (like a and the) when reading more fluently, words that dont change the meaning. Describe processes and strategies used. Meaningfully recognize text features in various forms.

Fluency Sustain fluency on longer texts with more complex sentences and wider range of punctuation and text nuances. Read more rapidly with phrasing and limited selfcorrecting on longer text. Use intonation and expression to match mood, characters, type of text, etc. (interpretive reading). Read familiar passages fluently with phrasing and expression to convey sense of text to audience (may hesitate occasionally with unfamiliar words). 90-120 Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM)

Vocabulary Understand more sophisticated vocabulary and more complex language structures in longer texts. Use context clues and background knowledge to explain the meaning of new vocabulary, as well as some simple descriptive/figurati ve words and sentences. Use wider range of prefixes and suffixes to determine meaning of new words. Use dictionary or on-line reference to find and deepen meaning. Read a wide variety of words with automaticity.

These lists are meant to be used cumulatively. Items are not repeated in further levels but should be retaught wherever mastery appears weak. Items listed are drawn from Atlantic Canada English language arts curriculum, Elementary K-3; Reading and Writing Achievement Standards; and Language Skills and Strategies K-3. The structure reflects the table Reading Levels and What to Focus on in Lessons by Debbie Diller and categorizes the items to reflect the Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency and Extended Vocabulary of the CAF table. Works Cited Boushey, G., and J. Moser. The CAF Book. Portland, ME. Stenhouse: Markham, ON: Pembroke, 2009. Print.

Diller, D. Making the Most out of Small Groups, Differentiation for All. Portland, ME. Stenhouse: Markham, ON: Pembroke, 2007. Print. New Brunswick Department of Education Curriculum Document. Atlantic Canada English language arts curriculum, elementary K-3. NB: New Brunswick Department of Education Curriculum Document, 1998. Print. Reading and Writing Achievement Standards, by the end of Entry, New Brunswick Department of Education, Educational Programs & Services, May 2004. Web. New Brunswick School District 6, K-3 Word Work, Language Skills and Strategies K-3. June, 2011