Reading Skills Resources

Reading Skills Levels 1 - 5

The core skill of Reading recognises the degree to which a reader can:

* Critically evaluate the purpose of a text
* Critically reflect on meaning
* Interpret and analyse texts
* Source, sort and categorise information from a range of texts
* Understand specialised vocabulary and the grammatical expression of ideas

Reading takes into account performance in deriving meaning from different text types, including developing a critical awareness of the purpose of these texts. In order to actively engage with texts, readers also need to develop and manage the conventions of reading.
Readers employ different strategies according to the type of text that is being read e.g. continuous and non-continuous text:

* Continuous texts are defined as those where sentences are organised into paragraphs, pages, sections, chapters
* Non-continuous texts are defined as those where information is organised in graphic or diagrammatic form and include lists, tables, graphs, maps, forms

Reading outcomes at Level 1
Identifies personally relevant information and ideas within highly familiar contexts
Uses a limited range of decoding strategies to identify specific information in explicit and highly familiar texts

Reading outcomes at Level 2
Identifies and interprets relevant information and ideas within familiar contexts
Uses a number of reading strategies to identify and interpret relevant information within familiar text types

Reading outcomes at Level 3
Evaluates and integrates facts and ideas to construct meaning from a range of text types
Selects and applies a range of reading strategies as appropriate to purpose and text type

Reading outcomes at Level 4
Interprets and critically analyses structurally complex texts containing some ambiguity
Applies appropriate strategies to support understanding of a range of complex texts

Reading outcomes at Level 5
Critically organises, evaluates and applies content from a range of structurally complex texts
Draws on a repertoire of strategies to maintain understanding throughout complex texts