I like #5 (the binder idea) from Valerie Brunner. I already have old stickers on
most of the books from AR (which the district stopped using about 6 years ago),
Lexile (which we stopped looking at about 3 years ago), Genre,... I think another
sticker would be too much!
1) I'd love to see your hits on this. We struggle with the same thing even though
we're a public library. Right now we have started putting the high interest/low
level books in two places. We put some in the young adult collection itself which
is located in a separate space in a back niche of our library and we have some
upstairs in the adult collection. You know, I think the cover makes a huge
difference. If it looks "safe" to pick up -you know, it meets the cool criteria
somehow, then they may be okay with it. But I also think our kids have great radar
and they all know when a book is not really appropriate for the mainstream of their
age group. It's just like with reading groups. Every kid knows where they stand
in the pecking order. Sadly.
If I may ask, what books are you using for the lower levels? I have a website now,
abookandahug.com, and I'd love to help parents find the high interest/low level
books for their kids-it would be nice if they could have a few books at home to
strengthen their reading muscles. I know about Stone Arch and certainly the
graphic novels that are coming out are making our job a bit easier, but do you have
other favorites you could share? If you do, I'd create a category for parents and
put them on the web.
2) Have you found the Orca readers? They don't get as low as K but do go as low as
2nd grade with a middle school or high school content. their
Currents books are for middle school. The Soundings are for 12+. The covers are
aimed at these age groups. Many of them have gotten good
reviews.
3) I am in a 3-6 school with the same exact reading levels as you. I use DEMCO's
reading labels that have the grade-level number on them and are color-coded to mark
the books and inside the back cover I write the exact level of the book. This might
seem to be exactly what you are trying not to do (identify by cover), but I work
with the students and the teachers from day one getting them to seperate reading
level and content level in their minds. This works well when I use Patricia
Cornwell's books as examples (4th and 5th grade level for reading, adult level for
content) along with other adult authors.
4) I am in a k-8 school and inherited a system of colored dots and other stickers.
We start at 1.0-1.5 and move up in increments of .5, so the next level is 1.6-2.0,
2.1-2.5, etc. until we get to 9.1 which is just 9.1 and above. We are a
Renaissance Place school, so we use AR levels.
5) If privacy is an issue, I find my kids love binders. Make a binder that lists
books in different levels, and the kids can look up books in their REAL level, and
check them out. Any marking on the actual book will be the kiss of death if it's
very high or very low.
6) colored dots. Avery makes about 9 colors and them I uses white or 10,11,12
7) We assign lexile levels to books. A good series for low readers are the Orca
books.
8) I read your LM_NET below, and I can help you match every book in your library
with every available Lexile score. We can also add Mitinet Measures which is a
mathematical correlation to a Lexile within 50 points of an official Lexile. It
will double or triple the amount of titles to read within a given reading range in
your library. A Lexile is the best comprehension for a student at a specific
reading level. I hear about a lot of students who do AR, will check out a book with
high points and get the book home and it’s way out of their reading range. The
Lexiles and AR scores are readable by the OPAC. You can print labels or just put
Lexiles into the 521.
A lot of schools use colored dots for AR books. It’s not the best way to teach a
student how to use the library, in fact it’s a disservice. But hey, it works and
everyone knows you can only be stretched so far.
I’d be happy to give you a webinar about Lexiles to explain more. Let me know.
9) Can you please send me a HIT?
Mr. J. Vernacotola
Librarian, UL Light Middle School; Barberton, Ohio
https://sites.google.com/site/ullightlibrary/home
jvernacotola@barbertonschools.org
330-848-4236 ext 15732
-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications on behalf of Joseph Vernacotola
Sent: Sun 09/20/2009 12:30 AM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: IDing books for different level of reading in a MS library
I have readers from K level to high school in my 6-8 grade building. Right now,
both of the extremes (K and high school), are not well represented in the library.
I am working to build up books for the low and high readers and still maintaining
age appropriate content. Sixth graders with a K reading level don't want to be seen
reading a kiddie book and a lot of them pick up books that are way beyond their
reading ability just to look 'cool'. Do you mark books in anyway so kids (or
teachers, who can help them find a book) know which are below and above typical
grade level reading. Lexile numbers, color dots, ??
Joe
Mr. J. Vernacotola
Librarian, UL Light Middle School; Barberton, Ohio
https://sites.google.com/site/ullightlibrary/home
jvernacotola@barbertonschools.org
330-848-4236 ext 15732
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