Book selection for independent reading in the Being a Reader program is intended to be informal and flexible.
For students to develop as readers, they need to spend lots of time reading texts that they choose and that they can comprehend and read fluently with few miscues (accuracy errors). Consistently reading texts that are too hard can lead to frustration. If students spend too much cognitive energy on decoding, their comprehension will break down. Reading texts that are too easy can increase confidence and fluency, but after a time, students should be guided toward texts that challenge them to solve problems and apply comprehension strategies to help them make meaning.
Early lessons in Being a Reader help students gain independence in selecting books by providing them with guidance for choosing books that they can read independently with confidence and understanding—without relying solely on leveling systems. For Multilingual Learners, it is important to consider additional factors such as their level of English-language proficiency and their level of home-language literacy. For more information, see “English Learners and Independent Reading” in the Program Overview section of the Implementation Handbook.
Early in the year, you can match students to books by informally assessing their reading abilities. One procedure you might use is to have the students identify several types of texts or topics that interest them and then use the Lexile® “Find a Book” tool to identify books with qualitative and quantitative features that match the students’ reading abilities and interests. After selecting a book, listen to each student read aloud to confirm that the book and reader are well matched. Note whether the student is reading with accuracy and understanding. For students who show a lot of interest in or have background knowledge about a certain topic, you might encourage them to choose a more complex text, recognizing that their knowledge or motivation to read about the topic may support their comprehension at higher levels.
The Stages of Reading Development tables outline the phases beginning readers go through as they develop into proficient readers. The tables list reading behaviors students may demonstrate for each phase, the types of texts that are appropriate for each phase, implications for instruction, and ways to support students when conferring during Individualized Daily Reading (IDR).
As you review the Stages of Reading Development tables, consider the following:
- What types of texts are most supportive for students who are learning to read within each phase?
- What are the features of those texts and how will they support students?
- What are the applications to IDR within each stage?