Rich Library: Complexity
Overview
Reading materials of varying complexity and levels are necessary for all students to experience success. Having books, magazines, graphic novels, and other texts at varied reading levels, including complexity of words and sentence structures, gives readers of all levels materials they can read independently.
Example: Use This Strategy in the Classroom
Watch this Reading Rockets video, with classroom examples, of how teachers and students can set up a classroom library.
Design It into Your Product
Videos are chosen as examples of strategies in action. These choices are not endorsements of the products or evidence of use of research to develop the feature.
ReadWorks, a free online platform, offers readings at several levels sorted by grade, content, and lexile. The readings are also aligned to the Common Core State Standards. Teachers can find and assign specific articles to students and support their Vocabulary development, Genre Knowledge, and Syntax.
Additional Resources
Additional examples, research, and professional development. These resources are possible representations of this strategy, not endorsements.
Factors Supported by this Strategy
More Physical Space Strategies
Dim or natural lighting provides a calming environment.
Having spaces where students can go supports self-regulation and individual deliberate practice.
Multiple tables and chairs on wheels allow for setting up the classroom to support the desired learning outcomes of each classroom activity.
Multiple display spaces promote collaboration by allowing groups to share information easily as they work.
Multiple writing surfaces promote collaboration by allowing groups to share information easily as they work.
Decreasing extra audio input provides a focused learning environment.
Books for vision differences support reading development for learners with visual needs.
Providing varied types of resources that align with interests of individual students supports overall literacy development.
With figurative language and creative sentence structure, poetry supports the development of a deeper understanding of the different ways language makes meaning.
Books on social and emotional learning (SEL) topics, such as developing empathy and productive persistence, help teach these skills.
Providing ways for students to adjust sound level supports individual auditory needs.
Providing ways for students to meet their individual temperature needs supports Attention and Inhibition & Self-Regulation.
Spaces that are structured, organized, and clean provide increased room for collaboration and active learning.
