How to Determine a Child's Reading Level

If you plan on giving tutorial sessions on reading and literature, you should first evaluate the reading level of a child. This will help you determine the right level of literature that you should teach in order to develop the student’s knowledge at a pace that he or she can manage. Here’s how you can determine a child’s reading level at home.

Ask Parents and Teachers

The primary action you should take in determining a child’s reading level is to ask his or her parents and teachers. This will provide you the insight needed in determining what level of language the student can handle, especially if you plan to give him or her tutorial sessions.

Let the Child Read a Book

Check out the reading level of a book and let a child read a few paragraphs from that book. If he or she has difficulty in comprehending the material, you can ease things up a little bit to find material that fits his or her level. This gives you an active approach in determining what type of books the child can understand.

Give the Child Comprehension Tests

In a more standardized manner, comprehension tests can allow you to weigh the capacity to understand different texts in order to formulate lesson plans accordingly. With the score of the comprehension tests available for interpretation, you can understand the reading level of a child quite conveniently.

In determining a child’s reading level, it is important to focus on the capability of the child to understand literary material. Tutorial sessions won’t go smoothly if the child is having major difficulties, especially if the material is beyond his or her reading level. By asking parents and teachers, letting the child read a book, and giving him or her comprehension tests, you can weigh the correct reading level to provide the right level of focus for the tutorial session.