What's the reading level of a text? That's a trick question!

Again, from Chris Tovani, 2008

Reading Levels Change

Based on three factors:

Background knowledge - The more background knowledge a reader has about the topic, text structure, and author, the more difficult text he can read

Interest and Motivation - If a reader has interest in the topic or is motivated to read, he will work harder to comprehend.

Purpose - When a reader knows why he is reading something and knows what he needs to get from a text, he can better sift and sort informaion to determine what is important

So, what does this mean for teachers? Shower readers with background knowledge, tap into interests, and create a purpose for every reading assignment.