How to Use This
How to Use This: Work through each section and check off skills your child has mastered. 'Phonological awareness' is the ability to hear and manipulate sounds in spoken words -- it is the strongest predictor of reading success and does not require any letters or print.
Reading readiness isn't about age -- it's about whether these foundational skills are in place. Most children develop these between ages 3-6, but the timeline varies widely.
Print Awareness
Holds a book right-side up— Understands the physical orientation of printed materials.
Knows print goes left-to-right, top-to-bottom— Follows along when you point to words while reading.
Recognizes that print carries meaning (not pictures alone)— Points to words on signs and asks 'what does that say?'
Can identify the front and back of a book— Understands basic book structure.
Understands that spaces separate words— Beginning to see individual words as units, not a stream of letters.
Phonological Awareness
Recognizes and produces rhyming words— Can tell you 'cat' and 'hat' rhyme. Generates rhymes during play.
Claps out syllables in words— 'Wa-ter-mel-on' = 4 claps. Start with their own name.
Identifies the first sound in a word— 'What sound does 'ball' start with?' /b/
Blends sounds together to make a word— '/c/ /a/ /t/ = cat.' This is the foundation of decoding.
Segments words into individual sounds— 'Cat = /c/ /a/ /t/.' Harder than blending. Critical for spelling.
Detects and manipulates sounds (delete, substitute)— 'Say 'cat' without the /c/' = 'at.' Advanced phonological skill.
Letter Knowledge
Recognizes and names most uppercase letters— Can point to and name letters when shown out of order.
Recognizes and names most lowercase letters— Lowercase is harder. b/d and p/q confusion is normal until age 7.
Knows the sound that most letters make— Letter-sound knowledge is a stronger predictor of reading than letter naming.
Can write some letters (even imperfectly)— Motor practice with letters reinforces recognition. Perfection isn't the goal.
Vocabulary & Language
Uses and understands 2,000+ words (age 4-5 typical)— Vocabulary size is the strongest long-term predictor of reading comprehension.
Speaks in complete sentences (5+ words)— Oral language complexity predicts written language understanding.
Asks and answers 'why' and 'how' questions— Shows causal thinking and ability to process complex information.
Follows 2-3 step verbal directions— Requires working memory and language processing together.
Uses past and future tense correctly most of the time— Tense markers show grammatical development supporting comprehension.
Narrative Skills
Retells a simple story with beginning, middle, end— Narrative structure understanding predicts reading comprehension.
Makes predictions about what will happen next in a story— Shows active engagement and inference-making.
Connects story events to their own life— 'That happened to me too!' Shows comprehension and schema building.
Creates original stories during play— Inventive storytelling builds the narrative brain pathways used in reading.
Most children read-ready
Ages 5-7. There is wide normal variation.
Phonological awareness
The #1 predictor of early reading success.
Letter knowledge
Letter-sound knowledge matters more than letter naming.
Vocabulary
Best built through conversation and read-alouds, not flashcards.
Reading Readiness
If your child is 5+ and most boxes are unchecked, that's useful information -- not a diagnosis. Talk to their teacher or pediatrician. Early intervention for reading readiness is highly effective.
Next Steps
Next Steps: For unchecked items, incorporate targeted activities into daily play -- rhyming games for phonological awareness, pointing to words during read-alouds for print awareness. Use the Daily Read-Aloud Tracker and the Dyslexia Early Warning Signs Checklist if concerns persist.
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