Choosing just right books

We have been spending a lot of time in class talking about choosing just right books.  This was also something we discussed at Curriculum Night last night.  One of the questions I hear most often is, "How do I know if my child is in a just right book?"   Click here for a link to a bookmark that breaks this task down into a few simple steps.

The theory is that if the child doesn't make any mistakes the book is like one you might take on vacation.  It is very easy, and fun to read occasionally.  If the child makes two or three mistakes, there is room for growth and new learning.  If a child struggles with more than three words, this could lead to frustration, and therefore it would be best to save the book for a later date, or have it read aloud.

 A word of caution regarding this topic. At times, students are able to read a text with apparent fluency.  Attention must also be paid to the comprehension strategies used while reading.  When learning new strategies, it is important for the text level to be lowered so that more attention can be paid to practicing the new comprehension strategy without having to struggle with the decoding piece.

At times, it can be disappointing to find that a book we are interested in is beyond our reach at the current time.  We have developed a list in our reading journals to note what books we look forward to reading in the future.  This serves as a reminder that although we may not be reading something yet, it is still within reach in the near future. Another wonderful option is to read the book with an adult, creating memories both of you will look back on with fondness.