Resource Library

All children deserve access to an authentic, rich, and diverse text base – including a robust classroom library where levels have no place. The books in a classroom library are not there for the purpose of “practicing reading,” but rather to create lifelong readers who have the power of choice, the ability to make decisions about books, the freedom to have opinions, the opportunity to think critically, and the pleasure of reading for a sustained time each day. Levels have a critical place in the hands of teachers who understand their complexity and use them to make good decisions in instruction. Advocating for the appropriate use of levels in our school and within our classrooms is both a challenge and an opportunity.

Literacy leaders Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell untangle common misconceptions around text levels and explore practical tips for nurturing student agency and communicating progress.

All children deserve access to an authentic, rich, and diverse text base – including a robust classroom library where levels have no place. The books in a classroom library are not there for the purpose of “practicing reading,” but rather to create lifelong readers who have the power of choice, the ability to make decisions about books, the freedom to have opinions, the opportunity to think critically, and the pleasure of reading for a sustained time each day. Levels have a critical place in the hands of teachers who understand their complexity and use them to make good decisions in instruction. Advocating for the appropriate use of levels in our school and within our classrooms is both a challenge and an opportunity.

Literacy leaders Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell untangle common misconceptions around text levels and explore practical tips for nurturing student agency and communicating progress.