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

[Bev Bjorklund]

The leveling of books is the antithesis to the concept of a library. My
experience over the past 18 years as an elementary school LMS is that
children develop into discerning users. Many will come to check out books
that may be above their instructional reading level but in time they figure
out what they can read and move to becoming more selective.
We need to be more trusting in children’s ability to select appropriate
books and support them in their choices.
That said, I do advise students about alternatives to books I believe may
be too difficult. For example, showing 2nd graders The Dragon Slayer’s
Academy series when they want to read a Harry Potter book has met with
great success.
Good Luck!!

Sent from my iPhone

On May 1, 2018, at 8:44 AM, Musket, Kimberly <kmusket at wallingfordschools.org>
wrote:

I do not put books in section by reading level and I do not mark anything
that would be visible. We use IRLA in our district. If I know a level, I
will write it inside the front cover in small writing but that's it.

I keep a spreadsheet with a separate tab for each level. I share the
spreadsheet with teachers so they can look up specific levels. Often times,
for low or high readers, teachers will call when they are sending specific
students to the library so I can look up books in advance.

I work with classes and students to teach them to judge a book for
themselves. They need to decide if a book is too difficult or too easy for
them by reading a little of it.

Kim Musket
School Librarian
Webmaster
James H. Moran Middle School

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