Learning A-Z Text Leveling System

The best-in-class, proprietary Learning A-Z Text Leveling System was developed over ten years with input from teachers and instructional experts. Thousands of books, ranging in difficulty from simple sentences to complex novels and academic texts, were put into the system to create developmentally appropriate levels for students.

The leveling criteria used by the Text Leveling System accurately and reliably measure text complexity to support differentiated instruction. Our Text Leveling System follows the guidelines for determining text complexity outlined in national and state standards. The Standards call for an evaluation of student reading materials in three areas of text complexity: qualitative measures, quantitative measures, and reader and task considerations.

The Spanish Text Leveling System takes into account the unique features of the Spanish language. The leveling criteria was adjusted and modified accordingly in order to create accurate levels for students learning to read in Spanish.


Model of Text Complexity

Qualitative Measures

Qualitative measures are text attributes that can only be evaluated by a human reader. These include factors such as the author's purpose, the levels of meaning, structure of the text, language conventions, language clarity, knowledge demands, and the complexity and importance of visual devices.

The Text Leveling System takes into account the following qualitative measures:



Quantitative Measures

Quantitative measures are statistical measurements of text. These include factors such as average sentence length, number of syllables per word, and the total number of different words.

Reading A-Z's leveling criteria take into account the following quantitative measures:



Consideration of the reader and the reading task

Consideration of the reader and the reading task is the final component of text complexity as outlined in the Common Core Standards. Each reader brings different skills, background, and motivation to the act of reading. For example, a student who is interested in the topic of a particular book is likely to bring more background knowledge to the reading task and to be motivated to learn more about the subject.

Reader and task considerations are something teachers must evaluate for themselves. No leveling system can encompass these considerations because they depend upon the circumstances of each student in relation to each particular book at the time of reading.

By evaluating the qualitative and quantitative criteria accurately and reliably, the Learning A-Z leveling system frees teachers to focus their energy and attention where they are most needed—on the reader and task considerations that affect their individual students.