In the Lower School, we use the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System to determine reading levels. Children are assessed at a minimum of three times per year. It is often referred to as their “Guided Reading Level”.
Based on the child’s accuracy and comprehension, their independent and instructional reading levels are determined. This will provide the teacher the opportunity to use small flexible reading grouping ability, as well as provide individualized reading support based on each child’s need.
Even though your child has a reading level, this does not mean that they will only be reading text that is on their independent reading level. Throughout the day, children are engaged with fiction and nonfiction texts that span a wide range of complexity.
Each of the classrooms in the LS have guided reading libraries that have bins available with leveled texts. There are also unleveled bins, which may house collections based on authors, genre or content areas. The LS Santomero library search engine will also list the GRL of the particular text you are browsing while online. Be sure to choose “Fountas and Pinnell” in the reading program drop down. If you are curious as to what the GRL of a text you have at home is, you can look it up on Scholastic.com. Just click the book wizard tab and choose GRL.
Our current independent reading goals are as follows:
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