How to Determine Reading Level and Find the Right Books for Your Child

One of the most effective ways of ensuring that a child is learning to their full potential is making sure that the books they read match their current reading level, while also giving them a little bit of a challenge to expand their mind.

Having a ballpark idea of your child’s reading level can help make a difference in how much he enjoys reading. Giving a child materials that are well below their reading level can easily translate into boredom, while giving material that is too difficult can spell frustration.

This is why teachers and other members in the educational community work on determining the reading levels of texts in order to make recommendations that are appropriate for the child’s capabilities.

How Do I Determine My Child’s Reading Level?

In order to choose books that are best suited to your child’s reading level, it’s a good idea to determine their current reading level.

The following are ways to find out this information:

Ask your child’s school for his reading level. Schools usually test the students’ reading level, but if your school doesn’t have that information, proceed to the next step.
Find a book that you believe matches your child’s reading level. Next, let them read aloud while you take note of words that they read incorrectly. Then, calculate the Percent Accuracy described above by dividing the number of words correctly read by the total number of words in the selected passage.
Alternatively, you may want to find a reading assessment tool online. The Internet has many places to give your child a reading assessment test.

Here are some reading assessment tools available online:

How to Determine Reading Level Informally

Alternatively, if you would like to know your child’s reading level on an informal basis, and not as a straight-cut figure, you can also determine this on your own at home. Here are some ways you can do this:

1. Check the reading level of their favorite books.

Most books geared toward children have this information on their back cover. Look to the bottom part where you find the initials RL and a number, such as RL 3.2

The first number refers to the grade, and the second number the month of schooling of the typical child whose vocabulary allows them to understand the text. So RL 3.2 means the book was written for the typical third grader in the second month of the school year.

Of course, remember that these are usually just benchmarks, and may not always be an accurate gauge, but they should be good enough to help you find books that your child can read comfortably.

2. Find book recommendations for children within your child’s age range and educational background.

The book recommendations you use will depend greatly on the kind of education your child has been receiving. For example, a homeschooled child will most likely have a different reading level than one in public school, simply because of greater one-on-one instruction and opportunities for reading.

This means that, if your children are in public school, you will likely do well following recommended books by public school teachers. If you are homeschooling, check the book recommendations for your child’s age range based on the homeschool method you are using.

For example, children educated using the Charlotte Mason method tend to read several levels above their grade level, so take that into account.

3. Try a level above the current reading level of their favorite books.

Alternatively, you may want to perform a little test by finding books that are a few notches higher than the child’s current reading level. Sometimes, children become relaxed and enjoy books where they can read all or almost all of the words.

But because you want to help them build fluency, you should include books that introduce new words. So don’t be afraid of, say, introducing books at a RL 3.4 or 3.6 if your child is currently comfortable at RL 3.2. As they improve, you can also slowly move up the scale.

What Are the Different Reading Levels?

When it comes to the reading level of texts or books, we can divide them into the following:

Independent Level

This level refers to a text in which about 1 out of every 20 words is challenging for the reader, for a reading accuracy of 95%.

These books are best for students who read independently, needing zero or little support. These kinds of books are best used for building fluency.

Instructional Level

These books have about 1 out of every 10 words challenging for the reader. This means that the student can understand 90% or more of the words.

Students assigned these books often still need instructional support, making these texts good for small group instruction where the teacher can give needed assistance.

Frustrational Level

These books contain more than 1 of 10 words that are too difficult for the student, for an accuracy level of 90% or lower.

They are usually used with extensive instruction and support. These books are best used for one-on-one instruction.

Teachers can determine whether a certain text is appropriate for a student by doing the following calculations based on the accuracy of student’s reading:

Step 1. Compute the Percent Accuracy Level

Divide the number of words that the student reads correctly by the total word count.
For example, if the student correctly reads 106 words out of 110 total words, the accuracy level is:

106/110 = (0.96) or 96%

Step 2. Compare the Percent Accuracy Level to the levels of reading.

If the Percent Accuracy Level is 95% or more, the book can be considered within the child’s independent reading level.
If the Percent Accuracy Level is 90-95%, the book may be at the instructional level.
If the Percent Accuracy Level is 90% or less, the book fits into the child’s frustrational level.

Matching Reading Level Impacts Reading Enjoyment

Although we don’t really recommend being too meticulous about reading level figures, it’s important to have an idea of what books your child can be comfortable reading. This also helps you decide what books will challenge and expand their vocabulary and comprehension.

From this perspective, you can be more effective at moving your child from one step to the next, paving the way for their reading enjoyment and learning success.

Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!

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Yen Cabag

Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.