Book Levelling
Characteristics
Here are the characteristics of the Catch Up Literacy Levels. These characteristics maybe useful when levelling your own books.
Don’t forget to access the Catch Up Interactive Book List via the online community at www.catchup.org.uk) – your book may be there.
Literacy Levels
Selecting Appropriate Books
The Catch Up / Dyfal Donc levels represent a gradual increase of difficulty in terms of:
Struggling readers need:
- Books they have not encountered when younger
- Texts which are appropriate to age and interest
- Texts which are sufficiently challenging but not frustrating
Books that are too difficult will:
- Prevent fluency
- Prevent access to meaning
- Create negative attitudes.
Catch Up Literacy Level 1
Characteristics:
Fiction:
- Caption Books eg “a boy”, “a football”
Non-Fiction:
- Caption Books eg “a red car”, “ a blue car”
Catch Up Literacy Level 2
Characteristics:
Fiction:
- Single line of repeated text using high frequency vocabulary
Non-Fiction:
- Single sentence or phrase of repeated text
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Catch Up Literacy Level 3
Characteristics:
Fiction:
- 1-2 lines of text using high frequency vocabulary or 1-3 lines of repeated text
Non-Fiction
- Repeated sentence or phrase on alternate pages or 1-2 lines of high frequency vocabulary.
- Nouns are picture cued.
Catch Up Literacy Level 4
Characteristics:
Fiction:
- 1-2 lines of predictable text without repetition or 1-4 lines of repeated text.
Non-Fiction:
- 1-2 lines of less familiar vocabulary or 1-4 lines with high frequency vocabulary and repetition.
- Nouns are picture-cued and text may include some adjectives.
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Catch Up Literacy Level 5
Characteristics:
Fiction:
- 1-3 lines of predictable text or 2-5 lines of text with some repetition.
Non-Fiction:
- 1-2 sentences with less familiar vocabulary or 1-3 sentences with high frequency vocabulary.
- Sentences are varied in length.
- Introduction of a technical vocabulary.
Catch Up Literacy Level 6
Characteristics:
Fiction:
- 2-4 lines of text or 3-5 lines of text with some repetition
Non-Fiction:
- 1-3 sentences with a range of vocabulary or 2-4 sentences with high frequency vocabulary.
- Sentences are more complex.
- Greater use of technical vocabulary.
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Catch Up Literacy Level 7
Characteristics:
Fiction:
- 2-6 lines of text with a greater variety of sentence patterns
Non-Fiction:
- 2-4 sentences with a wider range of vocabulary
- Sentences may include subordinate clauses.
- Concepts may be less familiar.
Catch Up Literacy Level 8
Characteristics:
Fiction:
- 4-9 lines with some whole page text using more challenging vocabulary.
Non-Fiction:
- 3-5 sentences with more technical vocabulary.
- Longer sentences linked with simple conjunctions (and/but).
- Concepts are more wide-ranging.
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Catch Up Literacy Level 9
Characteristics:
Fiction:
- Many whole pages of text using more challenging vocabulary and sentence structure.
- Some text may be divided into short chapters.
Non-Fiction:
- Vocabulary may be challenging. L
- Length of text require more stamina .
- More complex punctuation.
- Text linked with a wider range of conjunctions.
- Concepts are more sophisticated.
Catch Up Literacy Level 10
Characteristics:
Fiction:
- Generally short chapters with many whole pages of text.
- Sentence structure more complex and sentence length varied.
- Story plot more involved and reflects the feelings of the writer.
- Characters are more distinctive and interesting.
Non-Fiction:
- Wider range of text genre (sometimes within one book).
- Range of different organisers (headings, sub-headings etc.)
- Illustrations include a range of diagrams.
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Catch Up Literacy Level 11
Characteristics:
Fiction:
- Chapter books with mostly whole pages of text but with still some illustrations.
- Requires a sustained read over a period of time.
- Characters and settings more complex.
Non-Fiction:
- Text more dense with facts, subject matter may be familiar.
- Generally pages with paragraphs containing several linked facts.
- More complex specific vocabulary.
Catch Up Literacy Level 12
Characteristics:
Fiction:
- Sentences complex and may contain similes and metaphors.
- Characters more fully developed and open to interpretation from actions.
- Reader needs to interpret and predict events while reading.
Non-Fiction:
- Wider range of less familiar and more complex subject matter.
- Many complex sentences with embedded clauses.
- Pages of information illustrated with a variety of diagrams.
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Contact:
Gwen Jones
Seconded Practitioner - English / Literacy
Tel: 0778 5384619
gwen.jones@powys.gov.uk
Useful Links:
- www.catchup.org.uk
- www.basic-skills.co.uk
