the best books ordered by guided reading levels
what are “guided reading levels”? an explanation for parents:
To break down the daunting task of learning to read into smaller developmental steps, the school uses leveling systems to describe where children are on the reading spectrum and which books are most appropriate for each step in the process. One of the most popular leveling systems is “Guided Reading Levels,” developed in the 1990s by Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell.
If your child’s school uses this system, here’s how it works: Your child’s teacher will read regularly with your child to determine three important components of literacy:
You are reading: Fountas and pinnell level l books
- accuracy: how many words can he read correctly (ideal range is 90-95% of words read correctly. If a child reads more than 95 out of 100 words correctly, the book it may be too easy and the child may be ready to go to the next level (assuming they do well with fluency and comprehension), conversely, if the child reads fewer than 90 out of 100 words correctly, the book may be too difficult (teachers call this “frustration level,” for obvious reasons.)
- fluency: how many words they read per minute (the ideal range varies by reading level. note : This is less important in the early stages (a-e), in fact many districts don’t consider reading speed/fluency until level f.
- comprehension: do they understand what they just learned? read?
- b>(the depth of understanding required varies by reading level, from simply remembering the facts of the story in lower levels to deeper discussions/insights at higher levels)
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once the ‘test’ is done, the teacher will use the above criteria to determine which of the guided reading levels best matches your child’s current reading ability. The levels run from A to Z, with children typically starting at A in kindergarten and ideally progressing through the alphabet levels to the Z level in high school.
How often these tests are given varies from child to child. once a month is a good range, but kids who seem ready are often tested earlier so they don’t stay at one level if they’re ready for a more challenging one. and sometimes with holidays and events and how busy a classroom can get, tests can be given at intervals of more than a month. so… it varies. sorry we can’t be more specific than that. 🙂
so, in addition to determining children’s reading levels, books are also leveled. there are many, many factors that go into how books are leveled. The important thing to know is that the reading level of many popular children’s books has been determined using the same a-z guided reading level system developed by Fountas & pinnell
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The result of all this leveling is that children can receive books that exactly match their current reading ability. This is crucial for reading success!!!
- If books are too difficult, children can easily become frustrated and confused. text structures can be too complex. Unfamiliar types of spelling patterns, punctuation, or words can cause children to question what they already “know.” comprehension definitely suffers.
- If books are too easy, the lack of challenge and interest often means children don’t progress as they should…and may eventually find reading boring.
Children who read books that “fit” their current Guided Reading level (teachers call them “fit books”) see much greater improvements in reading ability and reading enjoyment! Reading level books daily is crucial for reading success!
Hopefully, this brief explanation of guided reading levels has been more helpful than confusing. One last note: We encourage parents to keep in mind that learning to read is a long process that can include leaps and bounds at one point and slow and steady progress at other points. progress is what we all seek, and half the battle with reading is whether the student thinks he is successful in reading. maintaining a positive, encouraging, and upbeat tone is truly an important part of a child’s literacy success. 🙂
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