After reading the Rog and Burton article, it was obvious to me that reading levels are both very helpful but also very complex. Children need to find that "just-right" book, but how do we get them to that point? We must first set up a system that lets us know what book is "just-right" for the child and then we must pick a book on that level. I would say, it is going to be hard at first putting a system into action, but once we figure out what works for us it will be well worth it. The problem really comes when it is time to pick the books. Rog and Burton point out that not all book companies use the same leveling system. For instance, one book might be considered a level 2 reader, but at another company it might be considered a 3 or 4. This is a HUGE problem in my eyes. Sure as the teacher, I will hopefully be able to figure out what book is right for the child, but what about the parents of the child? Say they want to go to the library and get a book for their child. They might not realize that the leveling on books are different. This is a problem in my eyes, therefore, we as teachers must educate not only our children on what books are "just-right" for them, but we must also educate the parents. This seems to be a common trend in education. You are not only a teacher for your students but also for your parents. Parents play a huge role in the child's life, so we better get them on board early!
This is the site that Monica showed us last class, but I found it to be very helpful so I just wanted to share the link on here - Reading A-Z
This website gives a few good tips on how to pick a book that is "just-right" - Reading Rockets
This is a very important topic we must take into consideration. As important as having a variety of literature in the classroom is, the literature would be useless if it isn't on their reading and interest level. Both of those websites were great resources for accomplishing the feat of finding appropriate literature.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it's very frustrating that companies are not in sync on leveling books for children. This makes our job as teachers more difficult in choosing the right leveled books to have in our classrooms. I definitely think that Reading A-Z is a great place to start!
ReplyDeleteI also think that finding a good-fit book for a child can be difficult, especially with different level systems. As a future teacher I anticipate that I may struggle at times to recommend the best books for my children, but I can only imagine how hard it would be for a parent to find a book for their child. In order to educate parents on how to choose a goo book for their children, I think it might be helpful to provide a list of tips for parents on picking a good-fit book.
ReplyDelete