Finding Appropriate Books

When readers read books at an easy level, fluency (rate of reading) increases.

When students read books at an instructional level, new learning occurs.

When readers read books that are too challenging, they are forced to rely on inefficient reading strategies (ex. sounding out only) and both fluency and comprehension break down.

Many of the books your child is reading at school have been selected from our school resource library. These books have been carefully leveled according to various text features within each book. The features are considered either "supports" or "challenges." For example, a book at the earlier level may have pictures that match the text, fewer words on a page, and predictable word patterns. An fluent level book may have pictures that extend the content, less predictable word patterns, smaller print, or more words per page. Because of this leveling system, we can choose books that will match the reader's understanding of reading strategies and their instructional level.

When you choose books to read with your child from either the library, the bookstore, or your home collection, it is important that you choose them carefully. It is not necessary, however, to understand all the leveling features before choosing books for your reader. The following tips will help you make more appropriate choices:

• Have your child read a few lines of text. If three or more words in twenty are missed ( or more than 90%), the text is too hard. Read this book to your child.
• If about one or two in twenty words are missed (or 90-95%), this is a good book for practicing strategies and improving reading. Some support from you will be needed.
• If only one error (or no errors) exist in twenty words (or less than five in 100) this is an independent book and will help your child become more fluent. This book can be read alone.
• While choosing independent reading books in class, some students use the "Five Finger Rule." Using their fingers, they count the errors on a page of text as they read. If more than five errors occur, the book is too hard. This works best for books with five lines of text or more per page.

Remember: If your reader is able to use a balance of strategies (see reading strategies), he/she will benefit from reading the book. If the rate of reading slows down dramatically, sounding out is necessary for most words, and comprehension decreases the book is too hard and can actually slow down reading progress! Enjoy reading the harder books together! Research shows students through high school love to be read to!!