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
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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 highfrequency 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 Levels
Work with a partner to identify key features…
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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
Title
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Predict Level & Reason
Correct Level