If you have been reading this blog, you know I spend a lot of time talking about reading. Mostly because I think it is essential to learning. And because I am teaching someone to read for the first time. While it is a thoroughly rewarding experience, it is not without it's frustrations.
Finding just the right teaching tools has been the biggest frustration for me. Leveled readers are not all the same, and picking them out sight unseen is risky. The vocabulary in some of the "Level 1" books is outlandish, and other "Level 1" books are too simple. And worse, within the same series, it sometimes seems there is little rhyme or reason to the level assignments. I checked out books from 3 different levels of the "Rookie Reader" series at the library this week. They are all more or less the same difficulty. The higher level ones have more words, but the words are no more difficult than those in the lower level books. This is why I have started going to the library alone to get books for reading. While it would be great if Kiddo could pick out his own books, I can't simply tell him to go and get a level 1 book and know that it will be appropriate.
Because of that, I am starting to maintain a list in the sidebar of this blog of the books Kiddo has read. Maybe it will help someone, maybe not, but at least I have a record then of what he has read. I'll hopefully start adding authors and maybe dates. I am trying to find a way to put up a review of the level of the books, so that others can use the list as a resource, but that will take a bit longer!
1 comment:
I just wish there was some consistency between publishers. I find the same thing with "Level 1" -- it just doesn't mean anything. It's like calling something… oh heck, I don't know… it's become a catch-all vs. an actual descriptive label.
Maybe best to stay with the classics?
Anywho, I'm going to be watching the sidebar. Ideas are always good.
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