Mrs. Cowan's Parent Web Page

Listed below you will find the reading level correlations. I currently use the DRA or Developmental Reading Assessment to allow for periodic assessment of student growth in reading accuracy, comprehension, and fluency.

Reading	Grade Level	Guided Reading (Fountas and Pinnell)	DRA
Emergent	K	-	A
	K	A	1
	K	B	2
	K-1	B	3
Beginning Transitional	1	C	4
	1	D	6
	1	E	8
	1	F	10
	1	G	12
	1	H	14
Fluent	1	I	16
	2	J	18
	2	K	20
	2	L	24
	3	M	28
	3	N	30
	3	O	34
	3	P	38
	4	Q, R	40
	5	S, T	44

Listed below are the characteristics of the leveled texts.

Level A Books: Emergent Readers

Large print
Text consistently placed
Repetition of phrases and patterns
1-2 word changes
High frequency words are introduced
Text is predictable
Illustrations have strong support
Simple books with one line of one to six words per page, easy to see print, and ample space between words
Children can focus on print and gradually increase their control over words
Most books focus on topics familiar with children

Level B Books: Emergent Readers

Large print
Text consistently placed
Repetition of phrases and patterns
1-2 word changes
High frequency words are introduced
Text is predictable
Illustrations have strong support
Books focus on a simple story line or single idea, with direct correspondence between text and pictures
Many books at this level feature repeating patterns in the text
One or two lines of print per page, with a variety of punctuation

Level C Books: Beginning Readers

Longer sentences, more lines of text on the page
Change in sentence patterns
2-3 word changes
Change in punctuation
Illustrations are some support
Some repetition
More attention to print is needed
Larger range of high frequency words
Increase in vocabulary
Stories explore familiar topics in a variety of ways to offer new viewpoints to readers
Simple sentences may have introductory clauses set off by punctuation
Texts may be patterned but not as predictable as Levels A & B

Level D Books: Beginning Readers

Longer and difficult sentence patterns
Oral and written language structures
3-4 word changes
Text increases
Illustrations less support
More attention to print is required
Less repetition
Word patterns and opportunities for word work
Larger range of high frequency words
Increase in vocabulary
Tense in sentences change
Stories cover familiar topics but may introduce new, more abstract ideas
Text contains more compound and multi-syllable words in a full range of punctuation

Level E Books: Transitional Readers

Medium to small print size
Variety of fonts
More complete story
Illustrations not much support
Contains a problem and solution
Use of descriptive language
Concepts and themes are familiar
Complex sentences
Dialogue
Stories have more or longer episodes; informational books present more complex ideas
Books are longer than previous levels, with more lines of text on each page
Sentences carry several pages, with more complex punctuation

Level F Books: Transitional Readers

Medium to small print size
Variety of fonts
More complete story
Illustrations not much support
Contains a problem and solution
Use of descriptive language
Concepts and themes are familiar
Complex sentences
Dialogue
Concepts presented in books at this level are more distant from familiar topics
Larger variety of frequently used words, and many more new words
Texts reflect patterns of written, rather than oral, language

Level G Books: Transitional Readers

Medium to small print size
Increase use of multisyllabic and compound words
Vocabulary may need the use of context clues
Wide range of sentence patterns
Story has episodes
Has a problem and solution
Illustrations not much support
Word analysis
Wide range of punctuation
Dialogue
Wide range of word tenses
Descriptive and literary language
Technical vocabulary when dealing with concepts
Language changes on each page, rather than repeating in patterns
Books offer challenges in ideas and vocabulary, with some introduction to technical language
Variety of print styles and text layout require reader’s close attention and flexibility

Level H Books: Transitional Readers

Medium to small print size
Increase use of multisyllabic and compound words
Vocabulary may need the use of context clues
Wide range of sentence patterns
Story has episodes
Has a problem and solution
Illustrations not much support
Word analysis
Wide range of punctuation
Dialogue
Wide range of word tenses
Descriptive and literary language
Technical vocabulary when dealing with concepts
Books are similar in difficulty to level G, but the texts vary more widely in terms of size of print, length of sentences, and type of language, include some poetic and literary language
Texts are less repetitious in events and language structures, with expanded vocabulary

Level I Books: Fluent Readers

Medium to small print size
Variety of fonts and text patterns
Increase use of multisyllabic and compound words
Wide range of sentence patterns
Story has episodes
Has a problem and solution
Illustrations very little support
Characters are beginning to develop
Wide range of punctuation
Point of view
Wide range of word tenses
Descriptive and literary language
Longer and more complex stories than Level G and H, with more highly elaborated episodes or events
Multisyllabic words arranged in longer sentences and paragraphs require complex word solving

Level J Books: Fluent Readers

Print size decreases
Stories are longer and may be divided into chapters
High interest level
Wide range of genres
Language patterns more complex
Illustrations very little support
More development of characters
Beginning chapter books appear for the first time at this level, requiring readers to recall characters and story lines over more than one sitting
Some chapter books include whole pages of text with fewer illustrations

Level K Books: Fluent Readers

Print size decreases
Paragraphs
Chapter books
Increase use of strategies to figure out words
Variety of genres
Details are important to the story
Use of similes and metaphors
This level includes chapter books, short informational books with difficult concepts, and literary texts
Readers learn about characters and events outside their own experiences
Readers need to use a variety of strategies to figure out different writing styles

Level L Books: Fluent Readers

Print size decreases
Paragraphs
Chapter books
Increase use of strategies to figure out words
Variety of genres
Details are important to the story
Use of similes and metaphors
Chapter books at this level are much longer and more complex, with more sophisticated plots
Nonfiction books include biography
Longer texts include many multisyllabic words and expand reader’s vocabulary
Some stories have abstract or symbolic themes

Level M Books: Fluent Readers

Decreased print size
Chapter books
Illustrations may include photos, diagrams, and graphs (non-fiction only)
Complex vocabulary
Challenging high frequency words
Increase amount of dialogue
Complex sentence structures
Several episodes in the stories
Characters become more interactive
Abstract themes may be included
Literary selections have complex language and subtle meanings that require readers to make interpretations
Most books at this level have greatly expanded vocabulary
Many books at this level have smaller print with narrower spacing

Level N Books: Fluent Readers

Decreased print size
Chapter books
Illustrations may include photos, diagrams, and graphs (non-fiction only)
Complex vocabulary
Challenging high frequency words
Increase amount of dialogue
Complex sentence structures
Several episodes in the stories
Characters become more interactive
Abstract themes may be included
Vocabulary continues to expand and go beyond reader’s own irony and whimsy to create memorable characters
Variety of texts offer readers a chance to experience mystery and suspense, and to interpret texts and speculate on alternate meanings

Level O Books: Fluent Readers

Decreased print size
Chapter books (series)
Illustrations may include photos, diagrams, and graphs (non-fiction only)
Well developed story line
Longer and more developed paragraphs
Prepositional phrases
Figurative language
Challenging high frequency words
Increase amount of dialogue
Complex vocabulary
Complex sentence structures (multiple phrases in one sentence)
Several episodes in the story
Characters become more interactive
Abstract themes may be included
Complex characters and events
Longer chapter books at this level present varied vocabulary that will require readers to interpret the meaning of the text
Texts have more sophisticated themes and more complex sentence structure
Children’s literature selections allow for further exploration and discussion

Level P Books: Fluent Readers

Decreased print size
Chapter books (series)
Illustrations may include photos, diagrams, and graphs (non-fiction only)
Well developed story line
Longer and more developed paragraphs
Prepositional phrases
Figurative language
Challenging high frequency words
Increase amount of dialogue
Complex vocabulary
Complex sentence structures (multiple phrases in one sentence)
Several episodes in the story
Characters become more interactive
Abstract themes may be included
Complex characters and events
Informational texts at this level include history and biography, enabling readers to learn how to gain information from a variety of structures
Chapter books explore issues of early adolescence

Level Q Books: Fluent Readers

Children’s literature selections contain humor and themes to foster group discussion
Relationships of illustration to text also offer opportunities for exploration and discussion
Texts contain difficult words, some from language other than English

Level R Books: Fluent Readers

Books in this level contain sophisticated vocabulary to challenge readers
Some of the longer chapter books at this level require sustained reading effort over several sittings
Books represent a range of times in history