I urge you to take time to read through the five Stages of Reading and Spelling Development listed here. I know its dense, with loads of info, but I pray it will be well worth your time.
Knowing which developmental stage your child is in will help you to target his/her need for instruction. Even if you are using a curriculum that helps you to teach reading, sometimes certain skills or strategies are not introduced at the developmentally appropriate time, which can cause frustration on your child’s part–as well as yours!
**Please also keep in mind that just because your child is 3rd grade age, it does not necessarily mean she is developmentally on the same level as an average 3rd grader.
- Stage 1: Let’s Learn Our ABC’s
- Stage 2: Now I Know my ABC’s
- Stage 3: Looking for Patterns
- Stage 4 & 5: Looking for Meaning