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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Early Reader Leveling will be part of our OLA Conference presentation on Friday, April 17<sup>th</sup> from 2:00 – 3:30 pm: “</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Levels,
Genres, and Picture Book Topics: Making Your Children’s Collection Reader-Friendly.” Shannon Belford and I will share some of the stuff we’ve done with children’s collections at the Wilsonville Public Library, as well as the reasons we’ve made changes and
how they’ve worked out. In addition to Early Reader Leveling, we have Picture Book Topic shelves and Non-Fiction Series shelves that we think have helped readers (and library staff working with them) connect with the books they want….</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Steven Engelfried, Youth Services Librarian<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Wilsonville Public Library<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">8200 SW Wilsonville Road<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Wilsonville, OR 97070<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">503-570-1592<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">engelfried@wilsonvillelibrary.org<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> Kids-lib [mailto:kids-lib-bounces@listsmart.osl.state.or.us]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Katie Anderson<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, April 10, 2015 3:33 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> kids-lib@listsmart.osl.state.or.us<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [kids-lib] The early readers leveling dilemma!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">There is an excellent conversation taking place via ALA’s Association for Library Services to Children listserv about leveling early readers. Here are some elements of the conversation I think many of you
will be interested in. Please ‘reply all’ if you have additional suggestions!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Here are a few important points to remember:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Families are desperate for help with early readers! If we struggle with it, imagine how they feel not knowing what we know about selecting the right book for a child?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Lots of families get it stuck in their minds that their child should only read books at their level, potentially limiting free voluntary reading and reducing reading enjoyment for young children.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Many leveling systems only take decoding and/or comprehension into account—most don’t take into account literary merit or child’s interest.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Different publishers have different leveling systems.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt">The five finger rule doesn’t apply to early readers!
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Here is a suggestion for <b><u>all libraries</u></b>: Create a brochure or bookmark that provides families Tips for Early Readers, the following tips are from Joliet Public Library.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">1.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> Choose a book with a subject matter that interests your child, whether it be funny stories or school stories or information on
animals.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">2.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> Find a book that builds confidence and encourages your child to read. You want them to experience success and be motivated
through struggles.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">3.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> Regularly include informational books in your reading sessions. Non-fiction has more rare words and usually has a higher reading
level, but an interested child will be familiar with the special terms. These books may require more parental support, but reading non-fiction is a fundamental skill of learning.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">4.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> Try to make reading sessions fun! If your child is getting frustrated, take a break, keep it positive, and try again later.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">5.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> Don’t stop reading aloud to your child. Learning to read can be hard work—reading aloud together can keep the love of books
and reading alive.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Here is one suggestion for <b>
<u>libraries that don’t have staff capacity</u></b> to review, level, and label early readers in their collection—be sure to read the next suggestion to get ideas about criteria for creating your leveled lists!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Create beginning reader level book lists! Here is an example of how Pierce County Library did just that:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Level 1<span style="color:#1F497D">
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/plhwat8">http://tinyurl.com/plhwat8</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Level 2<span style="color:#1F497D">
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/omote3q">http://tinyurl.com/omote3q</a> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Level 3<span style="color:#1F497D">
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/pw2tvym">http://tinyurl.com/pw2tvym</a> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo4"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Level 4<span style="color:#1F497D">
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/pnsf7wc">http://tinyurl.com/pnsf7wc</a> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Here is one suggestion for <b>
<u>libraries with the staff capacity</u></b> to review, level, and label early readers in their collection:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">What we [Joliet Public Library] have done is create a 4 level system that is able to be consistent within our department. Two of us have worked together to develop the system, and
we are the only people who label the books with levels. We deliberately have chosen to label using letters, so they cannot be construed as being the numbers of grades (1st, 2nd, 3rd). To aid in keeping people away from getting too stuck in the leveling--all
of our Early Reader books are interfiled without regard to level. They just have an easier time finding those leveled books on the shelf. Here is what we use:<b> <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo6"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Level A—Mostly sight words with repetitive text and many visual clues. Few words per page. Still needs parental support.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo6"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Level B—Many sight words with some words to sound out. Simple sentence structure. Still needs parental support.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo6"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Level C—Longer sentence structure and some rare vocabulary. Longer text, for readers who are mostly independent.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo6"><![if !supportLists]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Level D—A short chapter book with more complex sentence structure, vocabulary, and subject matter. An independent transition to chapter books.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Katie Anderson, Youth Services Consultant
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><a href="http://www.oregon.gov/osl/LD/pages/index.aspx">Library Support and Development Services</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Oregon State Library, 250 Winter St. NE, Salem, OR 97301<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><a href="mailto:katie.anderson@state.or.us">katie.anderson@state.or.us</a>, 503-378-2528<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">Follow us:<span style="color:#1F497D"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ORLibSupport"><span style="color:#1F497D;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="24" height="24" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D073A7.8CA460E0" alt="cid:image004.png@01D0358C.4523C4D0"></span></a><span style="color:#1F497D">
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