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Questions About Reading Levels? We’ve Got Answers.

Anne Hauth • July 31, 2023

Kids will make optimal reading progress when they work in material at the appropriate level.

Experts agree that this is true, but the problem is that the definition of “appropriate level” changes depending on the context. When should you give readers material at their independent level? How about their instructional level? What is the difference between the two? And is it ever appropriate to let them work at their frustration level? If you’ve ever found yourself asking these questions, you’ve come to the right place! We’re here to break it down for you.


Independent vs. Instructional Level: What’s the Difference?


A child's independent reading level is the level at which the child can read successfully without help. Independent-level material is material that the student reads fluently without difficulty. Experts recommend that kids’ accuracy should be around 98% at this level and that they should be able to answer 90% or more of the comprehension questions correctly. Kids can use independent-level material when reading for enjoyment or when practicing a new reading strategy. Ultimately, we want kids reading independently at their grade level.


A child's instructional reading level is the level at which a child can read with support from a teacher and/or program. Because of this support, the child's instructional level is higher than their independent level. According to experts, a child's instructional level is the level of material in which they demonstrate at least 90% accuracy and a score of 60% or better in comprehension. Kids will often read material at or slightly above their instructional reading level in a fluency intervention. The One Minute Reader Strategy includes teacher modeling, repeated reading, and progress monitoring. With these supports in place, working at or slightly above instructional level challenges the child and accelerates their reading achievement.


Determining a Child’s Independent and Instructional Reading Level


Educators often use a reading inventory to determine kids’ instructional and independent reading levels. These tools are designed to accurately assess students’ reading abilities. Reading inventories and benchmark assessments help teachers identify whether there is a need for a reading intervention.


One Minute Reader: Independent or Instructional?


Kids using One Minute Reader should be working at or slightly above their instructional level. This is because the program provides audio support and other scaffolding to accelerate progress. With this support, the kids can handle more challenging material.


What About “Frustration Level”?


A child's frustration level is a level at which fluency and expression are lacking. The child is reading word-for-word, halting, and with less than 90% accuracy and less than 60% comprehension. Typically, teachers avoid having students read this material. However, if a child is asking to read something too challenging, there is no harm in letting them try, especially with support. They might surprise you. In this video, Candyce Ihnot (reading specialist and founder of Read Naturally) shares the unique story of a student wanting to work in a more challenging level. Although he needed a lot of help at first, he made significant progress over time. He was engaged and motivated enough to rise to the challenge.


Communication with Schools


Often, parents will receive a reading inventory report from their child's teacher or school. For example, the report might say a fifth-grade student’s instructional reading level is at the fifth-grade level. You may assume this means the child is reading at grade level. However, this is not the case. If the child's instructional reading level is at the fifth-grade level, their independent reading level is lower than that—and, thus, below grade level.


For More Information…


This One Minute Reader blog article explains how the One Minute Reader Strategy allows students to select engaging material at a level that might feel “too hard” (instructional level) at first—but, thanks to the Strategy, students experience success, build confidence, and make progress quickly.

Highlighted Posts

By Anne Hauth September 23, 2025
Reading fluency is a crucial skill that bridges the gap between decoding words and understanding their meaning. One effective strategy to build fluency is repeated reading —a technique where a student reads the same text multiple times until they achieve a level of fluency that feels natural and confident. What Is Repeated Reading? Repeated reading involves selecting a short passage at an appropriate reading level--ideally at or slightly above the student's instructional level. The student reads this passage several times, focusing on improving speed, accuracy, and expression with each reading. This practice allows for mastery of the text, leading to fluent and confident reading. Fluent reading should sound like conversational speaking--natural and expressive. Why Does It Work? Research shows* that repeated reading can lead to significant improvements in reading performance. The benefits include: Improved Word Recognition : By encountering the same words repeatedly, students become more familiar with them, leading to quicker and more accurate recognition. When these words become automatic, the students no longer need to put effort into decoding them. Increased Reading Fluency : Reading the same passage multiple times allows students to build fluency--each time reading it more smoothly and with greater expression. Enhanced Comprehension : As fluency improves, students can focus more on understanding the text, leading to better comprehension. This improvement in comprehension extends to unpracticed passages as well. Increased Confidence : Repeated reading is a form of mastery learning. Many beginning or struggling readers don't often get the opportunity to hear themselves sounding like fluent readers. After reading a passage multiple times, they've mastered it--and they sound great! This is a huge confidence boost that motivates them to keep reading. Repeated Reading at Home Incorporating the repeated reading strategy into your child's home reading routine doesn't have to be complicated or boring. In fact, many kids already do it! You've probably noticed that they often want to read the same book over and over. Don't discourage this--as long as they haven't totally memorized the entire text, they're building skills each time they read it. To work on repeated reading with your child at home, here's a simple strategy: Use an Appropriate Passage : Have your child choose a new short text that is slightly challenging but still within their level. Listen to Your Child Read : Have your child read the passage aloud to you. Note any words that are difficult for them to decode. Read Aloud Together : Read the passage aloud with your child, modeling fluent reading. Do this one to three times. Identify the difficult words together, and provide definitions. Independent Practice : Encourage your child to read the passage independently a few more times, focusing on improving their expression with each reading. Celebrate Progress : Affirm how much your child improved from the first reading to the final reading. Acknowledge their hard work and progress to build confidence and motivation. Additional Tips Keep Sessions Short : Aim for 10- to 15-minute sessions at first, to maintain focus and prevent frustration. Consider Using a Timer : If your child is open to the idea, set a timer each time they read the passage. Note their improvement in time, and celebrate their fluency growth. Make the timing element a fun challenge, but emphasize that this exercise isn't about speed reading--it's about building fluency. Repeated reading is a powerful strategy that can significantly enhance your child's reading ability. If you're looking for an easy-to-use program that incorporates this research-proven strategy, check out One Minute Reader . This program uses repeated reading and gamified learning to help kids at various reading levels build fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and confidence. * Dowhower, S. L. (1987). Effects of repeated reading on second-grade transitional readers’ fluency and comprehension. Reading Research Quarterly , 22(4), 389–405. Kuhn, M. R., & Stahl, S. A. (2003). Fluency: A review of developmental and remedial practices. Journal of Educational Psychology , 95(1), 3–21. LaBerge, D., & Samuels, S. J. (1974). Toward a theory of automatic information processing in reading. Cognitive Psychology , 6(2), 292–323.
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A young girl is sitting at a desk holding a sign that says help.
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