In rereading chapter six today, these passages also smacked me right in the forehead...pg 149 "I fully support the need to have a clear idea of a child's current performance level in reading. I understand that if children consistently read texts that are too easy or too difficult for them they may well become disinterested, frustrated and disengaged. I understand that, too often, teachers have not paid close enough attention to the level and quality of the books children read. However I want to argue for a more moderate approach to book selection and especially to leveling given its limitations." Then later on page 150, Ellin talks about using different levels for different purposes...varying text difficulty depending on what you are teaching. Ellin writes "I propose that at any given time students have books in their possession that address at least two levels of challenge: first a book at their instructional reading level...second a book they may find challenging...at least with respect to ideas." The reading specialist in me is having a hard time with this...I have read so much research on the importance of the volume of reading...of reading lots of instructional and independent leveled text and I know that a difficult book slows you down as a reader and so you read less...and that isn't good for a struggling reader. YET...I totally understand that ALL kids need rich, difficult text to practice comprehension strategies...and to learn to value the struggle. I read all of Ellin's arguments here, and I get the idea of reading for different purposes, of scaffolding difficult books for kids but the tiny reading specialist voice in my head keeps saying "Yes, but..." I would love to hear everyone else's thinking on this topic... Still struggling here in Maryland... Jennifer
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