How to Determine the Reading Level of a Book

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By eHow Contributing Writer

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Books are geared toward specific age groups (and abilities) to help educators teach and kids learn. For example, on the back cover of some books you might see 'RL 3.8,' which means the reading level is for a third grade student in his eighth month. Some publishers have a grade level right on the front cover, while other educational companies have websites containing 'leveled' books.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Computer
Internet connection
Library access

Learn the Reading Level Codes of a Book

Step 1

Familiarize yourself with the commonly used initials for a grade level. You will see 'K' on a number of books (usually K with a corresponding number). For instance, K-2 means that a book is for kindergarten level through second-grade students.
Step 2

Explore the websites of educational publishers. This is a good way to determine the reading level of books since most companies have a system in place for categorizing them.
Step 3

Visit the Scholastic Publisher's website to determine how books are sorted. You'll find some books are sectioned by grade as well as reading level (see Resources below).
Step 4

Understand the term 'lexile.' This is a measure identifying the level of the text and the level of the reader. Text should be matched to a student's reading ability so that a book is a perfect fit for his stage of comprehension.
Step 5

Know related categorizations. Some books have a reading level called Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA). This is a method for assessing and documenting students' development as readers over time within a reading program.

Know Places to Find Age-Appropriate Reading Books

Step 1

Navigate your local library to help you determine the reading level of books. Libraries are divided into sections: preschool (Pre-K), toddler, by specific grade-level, teens/young-adult and then the standard adult-level sections.
Step 2

Follow suggested reading materials from a teacher. Most teachers assign reading materials for the year. Ask a local school district staff member what are the appropriate books for your child's age and stage of learning.