Proficiency Description
Phonics
•Ability to associate a sound with a given symbol.
•Ability to decode nonsense words.
Level 1
•Ability to use and understand single words in oral discourse.
•Ability to use and understand simple, memorized written English with visual support.
Level 2
•Ability to use and understand single words and chunks in oral discourse.
•Ability to use most common vocabulary.
Level 3
•Ability to use and understand phrases and short sentences in oral discourse.
•Ability to use and understand simple written English with instructional support, but errors often impede meaning.
Level 4
•Ability to use high frequency vocabulary.
•Ability to use and understand a series of related sentences in oral discourse
Level 5
•Ability to use and understand simple written English but errors at times impede meaning.
•Ability to use general and some specialized vocabulary.
Level 6
•Ability to use and understand simple written English but errors at times impede meaning.
•Ability to use general and some specialized vocabulary.
Level 7
•Ability to use and understand a variety of complex sentences in oral discourse.
• Ability to use and understand written English at grade level with instructional support.
Level 8
•Ability to use some specialized and technical vocabulary.
•Ability to use and understand a variety of linguistically complex sentences in oral discourse.
Level 9
•Ability to use and understand written language approximate to English peers.
• Ability to use specialized and technical vocabulary at grade level.
Level 10
•Ability to use and understand written language correctly to English peers.
• Ability to use specialized and technical vocabulary at grade level.
Stages of Development
Early Emergent Readers
(Levels aa-C)
Early Emergent readers are beginning to learn sound/symbol relationships--starting with consonants and short vowels--and are able to read CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words, as well as a number of high-frequency words.
•Strong picture support •Carefully controlled text
•Repetitive patterns •Controlled, repeated vocabulary
•Wide letter spacing •Familiar concepts •Limited text on a page
Emergent Readers
(Levels D-J)
Emergent readers are developing a much better grasp of comprehension strategies and word-attack skills. They can recognize different types of text, particularly fiction and nonfiction, and recognize that reading has a variety of purposes.
•Increasingly more lines of print per page
•More complex sentence structure
•Less dependency on repetitive pattern and pictures•Familiar topics but greater depth
Early Fluent Readers
(Levels K-P)
These readers are experiencing a greater variety of text and are able to recognize different styles and genres. Independence often varies with the type of text being read.
•Longer sentences •More text per page
•Richer vocabulary •Greater variation in sentence pattern
•Less reliance on pictures •More formal and descriptive language
Fluent Readers
(Levels Q-Z)
These readers read a wide range of text types and do so independently. They will continue to refine and develop their reading skills as they encounter more difficult reading materials. But for the most part, they are capable of improving their reading skills and selection of materials independently through increased practice.
•More text •Less familiar, more varied topics
•Challenging vocabulary More complex sentences
•Varied writing styles •More description