Suzanne, I really like your take on this. Leveling is simply not a precise science, nor should it be. Genre plays a role....I do better with mystery, historical fiction and history than I might do with procedural text, especially as it relates to technology, or to medical reference. My reading level is different with different genres. For that matter, it varies with author and experience. I do love Virginia Wolfe but she did not write beach books and I need to exert more cognitive energy there! What about topics? Hmmm, most things related to literacy education are easier to read for me than, say, the internal workings of the combustion engine. So my reading teacher would need to encourage me to read different genres, try new authors and learn strategies for both texts that challenge me--like Wolfe--or bore the hell out of me--like the internal workings of the combustion engine. Whether children are below grade level, on grade level or performing above our expectations, I think these considerations are as if not MORE important than level. I believe that book levels should be used simply to provide loose guidelines to me as a teacher when preparing to teach children to widen their reading circles and when the level becomes more important than the book itself, we have gone astray.
Lori Lori Jackson District Literacy Coach and Mentor Todd County School District Box 87 Mission SD 5755 ----- Original message ----- From: HERBERT Suzanne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group <[email protected]> Date: 2008, 23, Wednesday Of April 22:17 Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] just right books? > It would be great if there was some feedback on this. We are levelling 40 > percent of the books that we should be using in the classroom for reading. I > would assume that literature circles and silent reading, the children will > take their own choices. I teach fourth graders, and out of my 18 kids, 15 > are independent on DRA Level 50. So, I'm thinking, how essential is it to > stick to 'levelled books' if this is the case and why wouldn't you just > encourage wider reading and child choice? I haven't in the past been into > 'exact' levels for guided reading, somewhere in the 'range' and then lots of > other reading instruction. We're an international school, and a bit isolated > in terms of these types of conversations. At the moment we are just > following directions blindly but now all these types of questions are > starting to be asked. Any ideas/advice/thoughts greatly appreciated and I so > appreciate the chance to speak with you all. Suzanne > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of gina nunley > Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 9:16 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] just right books? > > With all the talk about leveled books I am interested in another perspective > on matching kids to books. I use QRI to determine instructional and > independent levels and use this information with kids for SRI and novel > groups or guided reading. 9sixth grade) > > I know of experts and colleagues who believe we have over emphasized the need > for this and feel that kids can handle books that may actually be above their > instructional level when they are engaged in book groups, and in fact benefit > from the challenge....and amaze you with their level of comprehension in > discussions. > > Then again I remember reading once that you have to be careful because > frustrational level material can be more than frustrating...it can be > damaging. > > Just reopening the subject in my own mind. > > Any thoughts? > _________________________________________________________________ > Make i'm yours. Create a custom banner to support your cause. > http://im.live.com/Messenger/IM/Contribute/Default.aspx?source=TXT_TAGHM_MSN_Make_IM_Yours > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
