Lamiya Tasnuva

The Reading Scale

A reading scale. Something that assesses a childs abilities as a reader and then places him or
her on a level that is scaled from A to Z. An organizational method of giving elementary school
students the tools necessary to gradually and systematically cultivate their abilities in comprehension
and understanding of the English language. A system that provides guidance for children on what to
read in order to challenge their abilities while still making sure that students are able to understand the
reading material.
So how does a reading scale work? A student is given a benchmark passage from one of the
levels (Johnson and Pool). If the child has already been assessed in the past, he or she will be asked to
read a passage from the level above their current reading level. For example, if a child is already at a
level M, in their quarterly assessment they will be tested for level N next. There are three parts to
these sessions, the first being an oral assessment. The student is asked to read the passage out loud
and is evaluated for letter and sound recognitions and their understanding of high frequency
words ("Running Records, Foundational Assessments"). In the second part, they are asked to
summarize what they have read, and finally for the third part, they are asked a series of
comprehension questions and if they get three out of four of them correct they can move on to the
next level. This is done numerous times until the student comes across a level that they are unable to
complete.
A level A book is the first level that a student is supposed to be introduced to, but all
students arent at the same level when they start kindergarten. Some have been introduced to the
alphabet by their parents. Some might already know how to read and write, while others might face
more difficulties than the rest of their peers. Six year olds enter kindergarten with a gap between
themselves and their peers. Instead of bridging this gap at an early age, however, the education system
has made it so that these young children are divided into supposed levels. While some are told to
read books in the yellow box labeled A with a clear sticker on each of the covers of the books, a
more experienced reader might get a level B or a level C. And so it begins; a class divided, a
stereotype introduced, a mindset made.

Lamiya Tasnuva
According to Carol Dwecks novel, Mindset: The Psychology of Success, there are two types
of mindsets that exist in this world: a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. An individual with a fixed
mindset is defined as someone who believes that one either is or isnt good at something based on
[their] inherent nature (Dweck 13). This is considered a negative way of approaching life compared
to that of those with a growth mindset, who are open to developing skills even when they fail. These
individuals believe that working hard can go far even when inherent nature fails you. One would
think that disciplinarians want to encourage students towards encompassing a growth mindset so that
they have the ability to embrace failure and learn from it. Why, then, are students taught in a system
that pits them against each other, a system that from the first day they enter elementary school, divides
them into categories that will follow them for the rest of their lives?
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It is the day for the reading assessments. The class is told by their teachers to take out a book
to read quietly as she calls names of students alphabetically by their last names to her desk. Everyone
waits nervously as one by one, children are called to the desk in an isolated part of the room. The
teacher sits down across from these students and places an excerpt on the desk to read. A few students
go confidently, with their heads held high and a smile on their face. Others enter with sweaty hands
and hearts beating so loudly that surely something isnt right with them. The rest of the students can
hear as a fellow classmate stutters his way through a passage. The child knows the others can hear,
and so he stutters more. After the assessment, he slowly makes his way back to his desk. When he sits
down, his friend leans across the desk and whispers, Hey, what level did you get? The child
hesitates at first, but whispers back, Level N. Same as last time. The final blow; public humiliation.

There is always a chance that this student was just not prepared for the next stage of reading,
but there are too many other factors that could have influenced his performance in the reading
assessment. According to Anxiety and Reading Difficulty in Early Elementary School, anxiety
disorders are the most prevalent mental health concerns, with symptoms often beginning in
childhood (Grills- Taquechel, Fletcher, and Vaughn). Anxiety and achievements have a negative
correlation, causing students with anxiety issues to perform poorly on classroom tests. With the added

Lamiya Tasnuva
stress of peers knowing exactly what level a student is in the next time they pick out books to read
because of the huge sticker placed on the cover of their books, any student with even a remote anxiety
issue will have negative consequences as a result of the added pressures.
A reading scale is meant to test understanding of the reading material, but in a classroom
filled with students that all know where they fall on the scale compared to the rest of their peers, the
reading scale means much more than that. It is a measure of self-worth, something that parents and
teachers are constantly talking about. All of a sudden it isnt just about English class anymore. One of
the twenty-six letters on the alphabet becomes an identity. With the letter comes all these
preconceived notions that form biases about the student. A quick google search immediately informs
both students and parents exactly where a student falls in comparison to the national average. All
these pieces of information causes a student that is above average to automatically think that they are
far more intelligent than the rest of their peers, which might cause a positive outlook that can spill
onto other areas of knowledge like mathematics and the sciences. On the other hand, however, a
student that believes that he is below average on the reading scale might think that this translates to
him being unintelligent, which, like the other student, can spill onto other aspects in his life.
Why is it necessary to be placed on this scale? Why cant students pick out whatever they
want to read? If a book is too difficult, the chances are students will probably put it down because of
the difficulty or challenge themselves, allowing them to acquire a vast lexicon. If a book is too easy
and is not challenging a student, the chances are they will probably put it down because it is too
boring. A scale manages not only to cause students to feel self conscious of where they fall on the
scale, but also turns them away from reading all together. Once a student enters high school or
college, and are asked the questions Do you like to read for fun?, most of the time the answer to this
questions is no, or an excuse of how they dont have time anymore. The truth is students are scared
away from reading from a very young age. Sure, there is some freedom in choosing one of the books
from the designated baskets with the students reading level on it, but a student might associate this
memory to tests and shame. There is no longer a freedom given to these students to choose a book
that they like and have the opportunity to challenge themselves without a level being forced upon
them. Furthermore, after elementary school, the reading scale is no longer valid. When children are

Lamiya Tasnuva
introduced to a scale, they automatically challenge themselves to reach the end of the scale, but most
students never even reach the level Z at the end of fifth grade. Students usually enter middle school
before completing the reading scale. Once there, the reading scale is no longer valid, but the level that
a student is given follows them for the rest of their lives.
A reading scale. A dreaded test that that scales ones abilities. An alphabetical measurement of
worth. A way to publically humiliate children and set them in a course that can affect the way see
themselves for the rest of their lives. The reading scale goes against everything that the education
system should be encouraging. The education system should be promoting a mindset where students
are proud of their successes, but are also accepting of failures. School is not a competition. It is a
place where students gain experiences and these experiences can come from a number of things. A
reading scale creates mindset where students are too afraid to take risks to gain those experiences.

Lamiya Tasnuva
Works Cited
Dweck, Carol S. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. N.p.: Ballantine Books, 2007.
Print.
Grills-Taquechel, Amie E., Jack M. Fletcher, and Sharom R. Vaughn. "Anxiety and Reading
Difficulties in Early Elementary School: Evidence for Unidirectional- or BiDirectional Relations?" NCBI. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3360892/>.
Johson, Evelyn S., and Juli Pool. "Screening for Reading Problems in Grades 1 Through 3:
An Overview of Select Measures." RTI Action Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.rtinetwork.org/essential/assessment/screening/screening-for-readingproblems-in-grades-1-through-3>.
"Running Records, Foundational Assessments and Benchmarks." Columbia University
Reading and Writing Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Oct. 2015.
<http://readingandwritingproject.org/resources/assessments/running-records>.