children’s books sorted by drawing levels
what are “dra 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 the “developmental reading assessment” system, commonly known as “dra”.
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: Leveling books by dra
- accuracy: how many words can be 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 may be too easy and the child may be ready to go to the next level (assuming he does well in 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 (ideal range varies by reading level. note: this is less important in the early stages (a-e). of fact, many districts don’t consider reading speed/fluency until level f.
- comprehension: do they understand what they just read? (the required depth of comprehension varies by reading level, from simply remembering the facts of the story in the lower levels to discussions/p deeper perspectives at higher levels)
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once the ‘test’ is done, the teacher will use the above criteria to determine which of the dra levels best matches your child’s current reading ability. Levels range from 2 to 70, with children typically starting at 2 in kindergarten and ideally progressing through the alphabet levels to level 70 in middle 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 up. 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 level system as dra
See Also: 2013 Notable Children’s Books | Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)
The result of all this leveling is that children can be given 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 dra level (teachers call them “well-fitting books”) see much greater improvements in reading ability and reading enjoyment! Reading level books daily is crucial for reading success!
I hope this brief explanation 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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