Reading Levels

As used in the book review database...

HERE YOU will find descriptions of the reading levels intended in the use of the various descriptors in the NSWAGTC Book Review Database.

They are general descriptions and correspond with average reading ages. They will not correspond directly with the age of an individual reader, particularly a gifted reader. A typical Australian adult may have a reading age of about 14/15.

It has long been a problem that gifted readers can handle some books that were written with much older readers in mind. While the vocabularly and some issues may be ideal for the young gifted reader, some other issues might be uninteresting or inappropriate. Reference should therefore also be made to the particular issues that a book delves into.

	Normal Reading Age	Description
Pre-Reading	0-4 years	Books that are appropriate for reading aloud to the very young. They should have simple plots, a certain degree of rhythm and repetition and attention-grabbing illustrations.
Beginning Readers	5-8 years	Books suitable for reading aloud or reading alone by early independent readers. They should have fairly simple plots or content, familiar characters and vocabulary, sometimes with appealing illustrations.
Younger Readers	9-12 years	Books for children who have a good grasp of their reading skills and want strong narratives, interesting characters. This is the period where children should be reading quantities of good literature and non-fiction that introduces them to the world around them - facts, relationships, people.
Older Readers	13-16 years	Books suitable for capable readers who have a good general knowledge, vocabulary and comprehension.
Challenging	> 16 years	Books suitable for advanced readers who enjoy complicated or multiple plots; deeper exploration of familiar concepts/ideas; thought-provoking character/s.
*Vocabulary		Books that include dialects, jargon or context-specific invented words. Sentence structure or phrasing may be idiosyncratic or unusually complex.
*Concepts		Books that include unusual characters, relationships or contexts. The book may deal with simple concepts in a complex way or concepts that may be unfamiliar or disturbing to an average reader.

 

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