Reading Levels and Your Child
Everyone has a frustration, instructional, and independent reading level. To improve reading achievement, it is very important that students have time to read at their independent reading level. Reading at his/her independent reading level builds fluency, builds sight word vocabulary, and improves comprehension. Reading at your child’s independent level builds confidence and stamina for reading.
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Independent Level: |
Instructional Level: |
Frustration Level: |
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Characteristics of a Book at Your Child’s Independent Level: Child reads with fluency.
Child encounters few words that he/she does not readily recognize.
Child understands what is happening in the story, can retell the story easily, and comment in detail on what is happening.
Children should read books at this level during classroom independent reading time and at home for nightly reading. |
Characteristics of a Book at Your Child’s Instructional Level: Child reads with some fluency. Child reads and encounters some words that he/she does not readily recognize, but most likely can figure out. Child may struggle with some, but not many words. Child can understand, with guidance, what is happening in the story.
Teachers instruct their students at this level (guided reading). Child should read books at this level, only with teacher/parent guidance or facilitation. |
Characteristics of a Book at Your Child’s Frustration Level: Child reads choppily. Child reads and you noticeably see frustration and anxiety. Child struggles with many words. Works hard decoding or sounding out almost every other word. Child does not understand what is happening in the story, the language or vocabulary is too complex or advanced, and the plot is too complicated. The book is too long. Child should NEVER read a book at this level on his/her own. This may be a book that can be read aloud, but only with thorough discussion. |
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