What is an Instructional Reading Level?
Books at an instructional reading level are books which are not too easy or too hard for students. Only reading books which are too easy will prevent a student from growing to his full potential. Reading material that is too difficult will frustrate the child, make comprehension decrease and adversely affect motivation to read. Research has shown that a majority of reading time should be at the instructional level for children to grow as readers. Remember, reading levels are approximate. A child's interest in a topic, prior knowledge about the subject, and other factors influence the child's ability to read and comprehend a particular book.