Thu. July 20, 2023
By now we are probably all familiar with the 2022 NAEP scores1 and the fact that across the country reading scores went down an average of 3 points in both Grade 4 and Grade 8 between 2019 and 2022. Among fourth graders, 37% are reading below basic and 29% are at basic, which translates to 66% of the fourth graders who took the NAEP test falling into the category of a “striving reader.” A striving reader is a student in Grade 3 or above who is reading below grade level.
Even more alarming than these facts may be that any gains we might have made in reading in the past 30 years were washed away with the pandemic. Students’ scores are back to where they were in 1992. In reality, if you look at the scores over time you will see that the average scores never grew more than 6 points in Grade 4 and 8 points in Grade 8 and have never hit the proficient mark in either grade.
With such large numbers of students reading below proficient in Grades 4 and 8, we can see why there is such a demand for books that are accessible for all students, not just those who enjoy reading and are reading on grade level. Teachers across the country are looking for books that match both the interest and reading level of their students, books that pull students in and excite them enough that they want to read more, and books that they can use to help differentiate in their classrooms so that all students can enjoy whole class novels, independent reading time, and small group work.
Students who are striving to read on grade level or even those who are reluctant readers need books that are engaging and accessible at their reading level. They want books that they can read without a struggle, covers and story lines that are appropriate for their grade level, and characters they can relate to. They also need content-based books that match their interests. If students have a strong interest in a topic, they most likely already possess some background knowledge on that topic. This background knowledge will make books on these high-interest topics easier for them to read and help them stay engaged with the reading process.
On Titlewave®, the Follett eCommerce site, teachers can find a whole page devoted to Striving Readers. There are lists of books that that our library and classroom specialists have curated with striving readers and their teachers in mind. These collections are organized by type of books, Hi-Lo, Graphic Novel, etc., and then further divided by grade band. They are curated from offerings from more than 6,000 publisher partners. Also on Titlewave are our Follett Tags. Follett Tags are tags that our mastered-leveled librarians and teacher specialists put on books so they can be more easily found by our customers. There are tags for Hi-Lo and Graphic Novels to name a few. Plus, if there is a specific topic you might be seeking for those high-interest books, you can probably find a tag for that as well. Follett also offers custom curation services for unique school and district needs. Those same library and teacher specialists who assign our tags, also create customer lists of books for schools and districts across the country.
1 National Assessment of Educational Progress
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