How to Figure Out Your Child’s Reading Level
Have you ever tried reading with your child at home and found it impossible to get through a book together? You watched as your child ignored the book, tried to ask you questions totally unrelated to it, or kept telling you they didn't feel like reading. Overall, reading time was just a big blob of frustration. Been there?
One of the reasons reading time at home is frustrating for your child may be related to what you're choosing to read with them. Every child has three reading levels: independent level, instructional level, and frustrational level.
Independent Reading Level
Your child’s independent reading level is the level they can read a book comfortably without your support. When they read on this level, you don’t have to worry about hanging over their shoulder and telling them every other word or have them continuously stare at you until you give them the word. To figure out their independent reading level, you first need to know their reading accuracy percentage. Here’s how to find it:
Place a reading benchmark passage in front of your child. A benchmark passage is short, leveled text that typically includes total word count for the passage.
Place a copy of the benchmark passage in front of you. You will be following along while your child reads aloud. You will circle any words your child says incorrectly. If they say the word wrong but then immediately fix their own mistake (i.e. within one second), then don’t mark them wrong for that word.
When your child is done reading, tally up their mistakes on your copy. Subtract their number of mistakes from the total number of words in the passage. This gives you their total words correct. Next, divide the number of words they got correct by the total number of words in the passage and multiple by 100 to turn that number into a percentage.
If that percentage is 95-100%, that is your child’s independent reading level.
Instructional Reading Level
Your child’s instructional reading level is the level where they can read some of the text on their own but still need adult support and more instruction. This is the level that teachers should pull students for small group reading practice. When students get support on their instructional level it helps them bridge the gap between what they currently know and what they need to learn, which helps them move up to the next level over time.
Once you’ve identified your child’s independent reading level, select another benchmark passage. Be sure to choose a passage that is on the very next reading level and not the same level they just successfully read independently. Repeat the process above until the percentage is 90-94% and you’ve now got their instructional reading level.
Frustrational Level
This is the level you DON’T want to force your child to read at home on their own. However, I want to be very clear. It is always OK for you to read aloud to your child more complex and higher leveled text. Just because your child can’t read harder text on their own DOES NOT MEAN they cannot comprehend complex text read aloud to them.
Your child’s frustrational level is any text read where their accuracy is below 90%.
Another Option For You
To find your child’s reading level, you’ll need to purchase benchmark passages and create space to sit and listen to their reading over an extended period of time. Another option is to enroll your child in my online learn to read course where I’ll have them complete a reading diagnostic and provide you their reading level. This way you have the most important data point you need prior to selecting books to purchase for your child to enjoy at home. Click here to learn more about Raising Readers: The Premier Online Learn to Read Course.
