Leveled Reading

I know that today it is very common for teachers to use leveled reading within their classrooms. I always thought that leveled reading made sense as long as you aren’t overly strict and limiting about what a child can read. Looking at the article, Let’s Start Leveling about Leveling, an article by Kath Glasswell and Michael Ford that dives into the realities of guided reading.

The article starts by pointing out that leveled reading is not having the success rate in the classroom that most thought it would have. It was quickly clear to me why this might be happening when the article looks at the rage of words in each level of reading.  We see that the highest leveled readers could be reading an average of 800 more words a week than the lower levels. In this example, the strongest readers get the most practice at reading words, and the gap between the high-level and the low-level can unintentionally widen.

It seems important that teachers consider other factors when making a decision about a child’s reading level, such as reader interest, vocabulary, and background knowledge. Finding a good match between a reader and text extremely important so as not to limit the child’s reading variety. When putting children in a leveled group they are put in a category that defines them when the children within the group are very different and have different instructional needs. Children need a variety of texts that can provide them a challenge and offer high-level thinking and independence.

Overall teachers must be more flexible in their approach to using leveled texts in the classroom. Giving students an option and not limiting their growth and love of reading is very important. The authors offer some good suggestions about how to use leveled reading in your classroom and overcome the obstacles it can produce:

•        Encourage students to read books that interest them and support them through shared and paired reading
•        Choose authors that write books at multiple levels so children can find accessible titles by the author
•           Meet more often with children who have greater needs
•       Establish cross-age grouping for reading