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[CCBC-Net] reading levels
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From: Robin Smith <smithr>
Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2001 13:29:19 -0500
I think librarians and teachers can arrange their books in ways that children can find what is comfortable and appropriate. I still object when publishers place age or grade level distinctions on books. That type of label is not helpful or correct. Does it just refer to vocabulary in the story or does it refer to the topic considered? What about the many readers who read below grade level? I am equally concerned for children who read way above grade level and try to read books deal with themes that are better handled by more mature children. (I have in mind a seven-year-old boy whose mother bought him What Jamie Saw because he was a "good reader.:")
I completely agree that children are relieved to find books they can comfortable read. I hope it means that teachers and librarians are helping children to look at books and figure out ways to see if the book is going to be enjoyable or not. However, many teachers and librarians and parents do some terrible things with book leveling. "You may only select books from the pink shelf, Sue, they are easy...Really, Ben, that is too easy. See, it is for first graders and you are reading at a much higher level than that." By these standards, I should never read a children's book and should force?ed myself James Joyce so that I can be "challenged." To Kill a Mockingbird would be "too easy."
Creative teachers and librarians solve this conundrum in many ways. I know that some of the best first grade teachers I know have baskets of books that are labeled by subject. Within each basket are books about a subject. One thing that is almost universally true about new readers (even adult new readers) is that they have interests--dinosaurs, mystery, sports, history, the Titanic, riddles, poetry, the Bible, music, weather--and it makes sense to harness the interest with books. Many teachers help kids pick out a number of books at one time so that they can have a stash in their desks or at home from which to read.
Most teachers and librarians consciously teach children how to look at books and discover if the book is what they want. Some books might be easy and some might be very challenging. It greatly depends on the subject matter.
But labeling them with age or grade levels still seems counterproductive. I really do not know what the label "for ages 2-3" could possibly mean, let alone "for grade 2."
Robin Smith
Received on Sun 07 Oct 2001 01:29:19 PM CDT
Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2001 13:29:19 -0500
I think librarians and teachers can arrange their books in ways that children can find what is comfortable and appropriate. I still object when publishers place age or grade level distinctions on books. That type of label is not helpful or correct. Does it just refer to vocabulary in the story or does it refer to the topic considered? What about the many readers who read below grade level? I am equally concerned for children who read way above grade level and try to read books deal with themes that are better handled by more mature children. (I have in mind a seven-year-old boy whose mother bought him What Jamie Saw because he was a "good reader.:")
I completely agree that children are relieved to find books they can comfortable read. I hope it means that teachers and librarians are helping children to look at books and figure out ways to see if the book is going to be enjoyable or not. However, many teachers and librarians and parents do some terrible things with book leveling. "You may only select books from the pink shelf, Sue, they are easy...Really, Ben, that is too easy. See, it is for first graders and you are reading at a much higher level than that." By these standards, I should never read a children's book and should force?ed myself James Joyce so that I can be "challenged." To Kill a Mockingbird would be "too easy."
Creative teachers and librarians solve this conundrum in many ways. I know that some of the best first grade teachers I know have baskets of books that are labeled by subject. Within each basket are books about a subject. One thing that is almost universally true about new readers (even adult new readers) is that they have interests--dinosaurs, mystery, sports, history, the Titanic, riddles, poetry, the Bible, music, weather--and it makes sense to harness the interest with books. Many teachers help kids pick out a number of books at one time so that they can have a stash in their desks or at home from which to read.
Most teachers and librarians consciously teach children how to look at books and discover if the book is what they want. Some books might be easy and some might be very challenging. It greatly depends on the subject matter.
But labeling them with age or grade levels still seems counterproductive. I really do not know what the label "for ages 2-3" could possibly mean, let alone "for grade 2."
Robin Smith
Received on Sun 07 Oct 2001 01:29:19 PM CDT
