Matching Data, Kids, and Books

My professional goal this year is to set up my classroom library as a teaching tool to support students into reading more complex texts. I have already done some work on this (and blogged about it): completed inventory with guided reading/lexile levels indicated when available, book ladders developed in several genres based on TCRWP lists, and a home reading expectation with regular accountability check-ins. A couple weeks ago I took the next step.

I was home for a sick day, one of those days where you're not all that sick, but you know going into school would be a very bad idea. I decided I would use my long quiet day to do some work with my new book ladders. I had three data points to work with: January MAP Reading data (especially suggested Lexile range), January reading log via Shelfari (www.shelfari.com) which allowed me to identify the book(s) students read during the month, and my knowledge of the kids at this point in the year.

After I captured the MAP data and the Shelfari books, I took a look at my book ladders to make a suggestion for a next book to read. This is where my knowledge of the kids came in. 

image from goodreads.com

I noticed one student who scored relatively low on the MAP was reading books like From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (Level S, Lexile 700) and Charlotte's Web (Lexile 680). His MAP score suggested he should read books in the 897-1040 range. It seemed to me that he was a kid who is not very confident in his reading, and is relying on books he'd read in the past, or felt comfortable to him. If I look purely at the Lexiles of these books, I notice he's actually not too far off of his recommended range (at the lower end). So putting books in his hand that are not a huge jump up in complexity (to maintain the comfort level), but that are more 8th grade appropriate, seemed the way to go. Since From the Mixed Up Files is a mystery, I thought he might like to keep going with that genre. I suggested he read Silent to the Bone (also by E. L. Konigsburg), which is Level V, Lexile 810. This gives him a jump up in level and maturity of text, but keeps him with a familiar author and genre. 

image from paperbackswap.com

On the other end of the spectrum, I noticed one of my best readers had been reading Scorpia Rising (Lexile 780), and I Am Zlatan Ibrahimovic (unrated). His MAP suggested he read books in the 1275-1425 range. My knowledge of this boy along with this data tells me that he is a huge soccer fan, reads nonfiction as well as fiction, is interested in current events because we had a long conversation about Nelson Mandela's recent death, and would prefer to do other more active things than read. My suggestion for him was Nelson Mandela's biography No Easy Walk to Freedom (X/990). Although the guided reading level is low for him, the Lexile gets him closer to his suggested range. I also know that he is not going to independently read something that is at his suggested high Lexile level, usually either classic texts or primary source documents. He needs something interesting or he'll put it down in a hurry.

I did this for each student, and sent each of them an email with my suggestion. A few wrote back and said they'd already read it. Others thanked me and said they'd been looking for something new to read. And for the next few days, books were flying out of my classroom library.

Granted, this process took me several hours. I don't have the time to do this every month. However, if I can keep some of my lower kids reading (priority #1) more complex books (priority #2), this should support their progress across the year. In addition, if I can help my higher level kids read books they find interesting AND challenging (most books at the 8th grade level are around the 700-800 lexile level), their more advanced reading skills can be challenged as well.