tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1337206901491734394.post3081011999238084690..comments2024-03-22T01:00:38.320-04:00Comments on I.N.K.: Age AppropriateLinda Salzmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17217322360480267856noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1337206901491734394.post-14173804556142192992010-04-11T11:05:20.099-04:002010-04-11T11:05:20.099-04:00Years ago I worked on a leveled story or two for a...Years ago I worked on a leveled story or two for a textbook company, had to look up words in some sort of reference book to find out how “hard” they were. Tedious, but apparently those kind of texts are supposedly useful in certain situations with certain readers. Or so they say. Personally, as a kid I was bored silly by hyper-controlled texts (remember SRA?) and read pretty much whatever was handy regardless of age level. Didn't always knew every word, got the gist anyway.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02783236322334230920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1337206901491734394.post-52461672810533358752010-04-04T11:32:12.705-04:002010-04-04T11:32:12.705-04:00Sue, I'm right there with you on this one. I&...Sue, I'm right there with you on this one. I've never counted syllables or paid attention to readability charts and I'm all the more happier for it. Your description of suffocation is spot on for me at least.Linda Zajachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11930130216892471502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1337206901491734394.post-17311443044592236352010-04-04T11:03:08.213-04:002010-04-04T11:03:08.213-04:00I cannot imagine writing a leveled reader. What a ...I cannot imagine writing a leveled reader. What a challenge! But as a (homeschooling) mother who taught her children to read I know there are issues with kids and their reading ability and the leveled readers were so convenient for me the adult to pick out and provide quickly to my kids---and the kids confidence grows when they can read what is presented to them.<br /><br />(Some kids resist reading fiction as part of their reading practice. One of mine thrived on reading nonfiction independently so thank goodness there was some out there. Oddly he loved having fiction read aloud to him.)<br /><br />With that said I also know that young kids with their vocabulary more broad than their independent reading level are often interested in 'harder' content and can listen to deeper and longer stories (fiction and nonfiction and biography) being read aloud.<br /><br />An entirely different issue is what the content is and if it is appropriate for children of a certain age. I am reading a pre-publication copy of a book whose first two in the series were huge bestsellers. I am mortified at some sexual content in two biographies in the collection as IMO they are very inappropriate for kids 9-12 for independent reading and they are most definately not right for reading aloud to kids 8 and younger. What is this major publisher thinking?!?<br /><br />I am also sick of the public thinking kids are stupid and not interested in nonfiction topics at young ages. I used to read my kids aloud books at age two marketed toward independent reading for ages 9-12 and they loved it.ChristineMMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17388497877158577422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1337206901491734394.post-67697857217580634912010-04-02T10:27:46.095-04:002010-04-02T10:27:46.095-04:00Sue, your post today was just the inspiration I ne...Sue, your post today was just the inspiration I needed to nudge aside my worries about keeping my current project age appropriate and instead just focus on telling the story. Thanks!Marfe Ferguson Delanohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07586102699193346265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1337206901491734394.post-19500101252227016592010-04-02T08:51:59.441-04:002010-04-02T08:51:59.441-04:00Terrific piece, Sue! I'm reminded of a story ...Terrific piece, Sue! I'm reminded of a story where a little boy was given a Ray Bradbury book to take home. When he returned it, the teacher asked him how he liked it. "Oh," he said. "It was great! It's so much better than reading."Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07214356318088069618noreply@blogger.com