Happy Sunday friends! I hope that you are having a very restful Thanksgiving break! Today I want to share with you 5 different ways that you can successfully use leveled passages in your classroom. I have found great student success by using these in my classroom. Hopefully you will find the same. 🙂
So let’s get started! The first way I use leveled passages is to support the content we are learning in the classroom.
There are so many different topics that range throughout the year! Usually you can find a passage or two to support your content. I like to layer the students access to the content. We will have a shared read aloud, listen to books online and also read leveled passages. When students hear or read content in different ways it helps them to better retain the information. Scholastic News is also another way to layer the information.
If your classroom is like mine, it is full of a wide range of levels. Leveled passages are a great way to support your content but allow students to read text at their own level and intake the content that way.
The next way is to use leveled passages during partner work.
Students are able to work together, even at different levels, to learn about the topic. Leveled passages are designed to build in difficulty but contain similar information. This way, while students will have some variation in the words of their text, the facts and information will be the same. They will be able to work on answering the text dependent questions because the answers are in each level of text.
Leveled passages are also great for independent work or even homework.
Students have the ability to read and understand the content independently because it will be at their level. This is great for differentiated independent work in class. It is also helpful for homework. When you get the parent who is taking their kiddo on a vacation in the middle of the year and wants homework for the student, leveled passages are the way to go. This way you ensure the student is reading and working at a level they can access.
Guided reading is definitely one of the most common way to use leveled passages.
Leveled passages are a super simple way to add interest to guided reading. I love to have a mix of passages and books. Passages provide leveled reading as well as vocabulary and sight word practice. They allow students to use the text to answer questions and they get to take the passage home at the end of the week to share with their family. You can also choose a passage for the week that supports the content you are learning in the classroom as another way to layer the information.
Finally, leveled passages make giving reading assessments WAY easier!
Leveled passages allow students to be assessed at a grade level expected level just by providing the assessment page. This also allows you to assess students ability to show that they know the concept even if they can’t read at grade level. You can provide the same text at their independent level. For example, I have students who are reading at a level 2 independently. The current expectation is a level 16. Obviously, they will not be able to read and access a 16, but by giving them the same passage at a lower level, I am able to see if they can do the skill at an independent level. While they wouldn’t be considered on grade level because they can’t do it with a grade level text, they can still be successful with the skill.
There are so many different leveled passages available. We have a ton available HERE. My advice is to choose passages that are actually leveled to Fountas and Pinnell or DRA. A lot of passages will say leveled, however they are only leveled low, medium or high. This doesn’t allow you to ensure your students are able to work at their actual level. A lot of times, passages leveled at low, medium and high have a range of levels within one text. Once you find leveled passages that work for you, use them and enjoy them! They are a great resource in the classroom!
I hope you all have a wonderful week!
