Learning A-Z’s best-in-class, proprietary leveling system was developed over ten years with input from teachers and instructional experts from across the country. Thousands of books, ranging in difficulty from simple sentences to complex novels and academic texts, were put into the system to create developmentally appropriate levels for every student. Core reading standards call for an evaluation of reading materials in three areas of text complexity: qualitative measures, quantitative measures, and reader and task considerations. Learning A-Z’s Text Leveling System uses both qualitative and quantitative measures to determine the level of text, and the Level Correlation Chart makes it easy to place students into books measured by other leveling systems.
HOW IT WORKS
Every text assigned a Learning A-Z level goes through a strenuous five-step review process to ensure accurate and reliable leveling results.
Step 1: A Leveling Expert reviews the text and the applicable qualitative measures.
Step 2: The text and qualitative measures are entered into Learning A-Z’s Text Leveling System, which scores the quantitative and qualitative measures.
Step 3: A Leveling Expert reviews the results.
Step 4: A second Leveling Expert confirms the results.
Step 5: The text is officially assigned a Learning A-Z level.
QUALITATIVE MEASURES
Qualitative measures are text attributes that can only be evaluated by a human reader. The Text Leveling System takes into account the following key qualitative measures:
- Predictability of text
- Text structure and organization
- Logical nature of organization
- Text and feature distractions
- Labeling and reader supports
- Illustration support
- Infographics
- Complexity
- Text reliance on
- Knowledge demands
- Concept load
- Familiarity of topic (common everyday vs. unfamiliar)
- Single vs. multi-themed
- Intertextual dependence
QUANTITATIVE MEASURES
Quantitative measures are statistical measurements of text. The Text Leveling System takes into account the following quantitative measures:
- Total word count
- Number of different words
- Ratio of different words to total words
- Number of high frequency words
- Ratio of high frequency words to total words
- Number of low frequency words
- Ratio of low frequency words to total words
- Sentence length
- Sentence complexity
CONSIDERATION OF THE READER AND THE READING TASK
Reader and task considerations are something teachers must evaluate for themselves. By evaluating the qualitative and quantitative criteria accurately and reliably, Learning A-Z’s Text Leveling System frees teachers to focus their energy where it is needed most — on determining the reader and task considerations appropriate for every student in the classroom.
