[CASL-L] Leveling books in a middle school library

[Lauren Hunt]

Hi Michele,

I personally would be against this for a few different reasons. The media
center should be a place where students have free choice. If you are
labeling the books, it creates an atmosphere where a student may feel
obligated to take certain levels of books. Or, if a student is reading at a
lower level than their peers, checking out a lower leveled book that is
labeled may create social anxiety. Also, students should be applying their
just-right book skills. If the books are labeled for them, some students
who are always given leveled books may not have the opportunity to practice
this skill on books that have not been leveled. I would consider this to be
a real-world skill, as books at the public library are not leveled.

I understand why reading teachers/specialists would want a library
collection to be leveled. However, the library is a place for students to
have freedom. I personally wouldn't want to do anything to hinder that.

Just my thoughts!
Lauren

On Mon, Apr 30, 2018 at 10:22 AM, Michele Lane <mlane at colchesterct.org>
wrote:

> Good morning,
>
> I was asked to discuss the possibility of leveling all of the books in the
> LMC. Using Fontas and Pinell. I am wondering if any other middle school has
> done this and the benefits of doing so. I have reservations about this as I
> do not want to limit access (or have a student perceived limited access)
> based on a level assigned to a book.
>
> Any thoughts you have would be appreciated.
>
>
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-- 
*Lauren Hunt*
*Library Media Specialist*
*Danbury Public Schools*
Ellsworth Avenue Media Center <http://ellsworthmedia.weebly.com/>

“The book to read is not the one that thinks for you but the one which
makes you think.” - Harper Lee
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