Making Sense of Leveled Reading Systems

EDC 424

Leveled Reading Systems• Descriptor: Emergent, Early, Transitional, Self-Extending,

Advanced• Grade Level: Grades L-12 • Fountas & Pinnell (Guided Reading): A-Z (A-M Grade K-2)• A to Z.com (Guided Reading): A-M Grade K-2 like F&P • Basal Readers: Readiness, PrePrimer, Primer, Grade 1-8 • Degrees of Reading Power (DRP): Cloze assessments (fill

in the blanks with multiple choice)• Reading Recovery: one-to-one tutoring in Grades K-2• Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) Level: oral

reading accuracy, fluency, and comprehension• Lexile Level: Lexile reader measure and text measure

rated on vocabulary and sentence length

General Leveling Criteria

• Vocabulary, word choice (decodability*) • Repetition or predictability*• Sentence length and complexity• Picture support• Length of book• Subject matter• Age appropriateness/interest level

Decodability (Hoffman et al)the regularity of spelling and phonetic patterns

• Highly decodable: CVC one syllable and high-frequency or sight words

• Very decodable: useful vowel and consonant combinations, compounds, contractions; irregular longer words (characters, sounds)

• Decodable: regular 1-2 syllable words or less common rimes (eigh, irt/urt)

• Somewhat decodable: little attention to spelling regularity or pattern; longer words

• Minimally decodable: range of spelling-sound patterns, longer and irregular spellings, range of derivational affixes

Predictability (Hoffman et al)text’s format, language, and content

• Highly predictable: multiple and strong features (picture support, repetition, rhyming, familiar events or concepts) with few exposures

• Very predictable: many features, but fewer and less strong

• Predictable: 1-2 characteristics about language• Somewhat predictable: particular words or

phrases repeated but not throughout text• Minimally predictable: no or very few features

Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading LevelsWork with a partner to identify key features…

• A&B: • C:• D:• E:• F:• G&H:• I:

Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Levels• A&B: direct link to pictures; print same place; separations

between words; 1-4 lines of text (label/concept books) B = more lines and vocab.

• C: longer but simple story line; familiar language; story carried by the text with varied text patterns

• D: Complex stories but still familiar; 2-6 lines; full range of punctuation; new vocabulary

• E: Subtle concepts; 3-8 lines with varied text placement; illustrations have several ideas; longer words for decoding

• F: Slightly longer and print smaller; meaning more in the text; syntax more like written language; more storyline & dialogue

• G&H: more challenging ideas and vocabulary; longer sentences; new content; 4-8 lines; less repetitions

• I: Varied texts and specialized vocabulary; complex story structures; illustrations extend texts;

High Frequency Words

Decodable Text

Level A – Nonfiction - Kindergarten

Level C – Fiction – Grade 1.1

Level D – Fiction – Grade 1.2

Level I – Nonfiction – Grade 1.9

Level J – Fiction – Grade 2.1

Level K – Fiction – Grade 2.3

Level M – Nonfiction – Grade 2.6

Level P – Nonfiction – Grade 3.2

Level T – Nonfiction – Grade 3.9

Level X – Nonfiction – Grade 5.3

Level Y – Fluency – Grade 5.5

What does the Lexile Measure Mean?

• Lexile measure: – calculations based on word frequency and sentence

length (but need to also consider content, age & interests of reader, and design of actual book

– Developmental scale provides formative information about rate of growth over time (within a grade level)

• A. Lexile reader measure:– a person’s reading ability on the Lexile scale– Take a reading comprehension test and level is included

on the report– Range from 0L – 2000L; below 0L labeled beginning

reader (BR)– http://www.lexile.com/readingassessments

What does Lexile Measure Mean?• B. Lexile text measure: – A text’s difficulty level on the Lexile scale– The lower the Lexile measure, the easier to comprehend – http://www.lexile.com/findabook/

• Use the Lexile reader measure and the Lexile text measure to predict comprehension at a specific Lexile level – 75% is the targeted reading level based on independent

reading– Reader at 1000L forecasted to comprehend 75% at the same

Lexile text measure (1000L) but take motivation into account for increasing range of acceptable books

– Best to select books based on a “Lexile range” of 50L above to 100L below for indep. reading but for instruction…

Lexile Text Levels

• 200L – Danny and the Dinosaur (mid Gr. 1)• 400L – Frog and Toad Together (mid Gr. 2)• 500L – The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth

(beg. Gr. 3) • 600L – A Baby Sister for Frances (mid Gr. 3)• 700L – Bennicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery

(mid Gr. 4)• 800L – The Giver (end Gr. 4)

Sequence and Guess My Level

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.

Title Predict Level & Reason Correct Level