AlphaKids Digital Program Overview

Program Overview

The e-books in Alphakids Digital Library are perfectly designed for extensive reading and provide instructional support through carefully graded texts, with the levels carefully increasing in complexity through Guided Reading Levels 1–24 and the four Reading Stages:

• Emergent • Early • Transitional • Extending.

The texts work to create steady reading progress by drawing the reader’s attention to increasingly complex print features.

Alphakids Digital Library difficulty levels are based on: • complexity of concepts in the text • length of text • amount of text on a page • size and placement of text on a page • amount of contextual support in the illustrations • complexity of syntax and vocabulary.

The books are organised in levels so that young readers get sufficient practice from several texts at their instructional level.

Here is a green ice-cream.

Here is a yellow ice-cream.

4

5

Every morning his mother would say, “Time for school, Sebastian.”

Every morning Sebastian would hide behind the door.

Every day he did the same thing.

8

9

Bread dough is mixed in a very large mixer.

Ben kneads the bread dough with his hands.

He is making round loaves of bread.

4

5

The giant sea monster reached over the side of the ship and grabbed the Pirate King in its mouth.

“Help! Help!” screamed the Pirate King.

The pirates sailed on and on.

The night grew darker and darker, and the sea became wilder and wilder.

Suddenly, from the depths of the sea, a giant sea monster appeared. It was covered in jewels from all of the ships it had bitten in half.

10

11

Key features of the Emergent Reading Stage Levels 1–5.

In the Emergent reading levels (1–5), children read for meaning while attending to directionality, word-to-word matching, reading known words and locating new words.

They begin to pay close attention to print, noticing many features of words and letters.

Emergent Level 1 • direct match between text and illustration • high-frequency words used throughout the text.

• book language used but also some ‘oral’ vocabulary and syntax • simple story line • most books have one line of text per page • consistent format • easy-to-follow layout • ample space between words so children can point and read • print is regular and easy to see, and clearly separated from the pictures • text always printed on a light background • illustrations promote further discussion • range of punctuation: upper case letters, full stop, exclamation mark • question mark Emergent Level 2 • sentence length begins to vary • texts often have from one to three lines of print on a page – one sentence with a return sweep • text is predictable and repetitive • a new sentence structure or twist may be introduced on the last page • illustrations support and extend the text • high-frequency words continue to be introduced • plus many features from level 1 Emergent Level 3 • longer texts are introduced • increasing variation in sentence structure, book format and layout • increase in the number of repeated words to provide reading practice • repetition, refrains and predictable patterns of text • opportunities to attend to initial letters and word endings • the core of high-frequency words is increased • direct speech is introduced • illustrations still provide support for text, although picture format begins to vary • illustrations may be one or two on a page • illustrations are often designed to prompt further discussion • plus many features from levels 1 and 2

Emergent Level 4 • text extent increases – one to five lines of text may appear on a page • print may appear on both left and right pages but is clearly separated from the illustrations • phrasing is supported by print placement and line breaks • frequently encountered words are used more often • texts use rhyme, predictable sentence patterns and repetition, plus many features from earlier levels • increasing variation in language patterns, requiring children to attend closely to print at several points • longer sentences use simple and easy-to-understand syntax • more of the story is carried in the text, but illustrations still support and add to the text Emergent Level 5 • concepts continue to be within the children’s experience and any challenging new ideas have both pictorial and text support (through repetition) • between one and five lines of text on a page • increasing variety in sentence length and structure • new words introduced are often repeated, and words used in earlier texts reoccur • use of complex high-frequency words: under, over, on • frequent use of direct speech and the pattern of ‘asked and said’ in question-and-answer dialogue • contractions used often • use of inflections: -ing and -ed • maps or diagrams may be introduced

Key features of the Early Reading Stage Levels 6–11.

In the Early reading levels (6–11), young readers build on and extend the emergent levels by slowly increasing the complexity of concepts in the texts, syntax and vocabulary. In the early levels, the length of the sentences and the text increases and the placement of text on the page varies.

Levels 6–8 Many of the text features from the Emergent levels 1–5 are repeated, and the texts become more complex.

Complexity of concepts • the concepts are usually familiar • topics begin to extend children’s knowledge • increase in the range of text genres to include different fiction and factual genres Complexity of syntax and vocabulary • there is increased variety in vocabulary and syntax • the amount of book language increases • punctuation includes commas, full stops, exclamation marks, question marks and direct speech • high-frequency words are extended and used often • direct speech continues to provide oral language patterns Length of text • the amount of text on a page increases • the amount of text on a page varies from one line to eleven lines • the text extent is longer when there is repetition of sentence patterns • the text is shorter when the conceptual load is more complex Size and placement of text on a page • print size remains constant • different placement of text on a page is introduced in several books • there is clear spacing between words and sentences • line breaks are designed to support fluent reading • print appears on both the left- and right-hand pages • different fonts and font sizes are used within the illustrations Amount of contextual support in the illustrations • most of the story is carried in the illustrations • the illustrations correspond to the text • there is increasing variety in the types of illustration • combinations of illustration may be used, for example photographs, drawings and labelled diagrams • diagrams are used to organise information

Levels 9–11 Many of the text features from levels 6–8 are repeated and the texts become a little longer and more complex.

Complexity of concepts • the topics are slightly more complex, but still easy to understand • there is an increase in the range of fiction genres to include folk tales, realistic fiction, raps and rhymes, and cumulative stories • there is an increase in the range of factual texts to include information reports, instructions and explanations Complexity of syntax and vocabulary • sentences may contain more than one idea • there is more variety in vocabulary and syntax • the amount of figurative language increases • a full range of punctuation is included • high-frequency words are extended • direct speech continues to provide oral language patterns • there is an increase in the use of inflectional endings: -ed, -ing, -s Length of text • sentences are generally a little longer • there is variety in sentence length with some short and some long sentences • the amount of text on a page increases • the amount of text on a page varies • the text is longer when there is sentence and phrase repetition • the text is shorter when the conceptual load is more complex Size and placement of text on a page • print size remains constant • there is more variety in text placement • some pages have one line of text and some have several lines of text • there is clear spacing between words and sentences • line breaks are designed to support fluent reading • print appears on both the left- and right-hand pages • different fonts and font sizes are used within the illustrations Amount of contextual support in the illustrations • the illustrations remain supportive but more attention to the print is required • there is increasing variety in the types of illustration • there may be several illustrations on each page • combinations of photography and drawing may be used • diagrams and maps continue to be used to label and organise information

Key features of the Transitional Reading Stage Levels 12–17.

In the Transitional levels (12–17), young readers build reading mileage with texts. Building mileage means having increased experience and reading practice with a variety of syntax, meanings and vocabulary at the child’s learning level. There is increased practice with a range of text types. The amount of text on a page increases and the sentence length varies, with some short and some long sentences. The placement of text on a page varies and readers experience variety in text layout.

Alphakids Digital Library difficulty levels are based on: • complexity of concepts in the texts • variety of text types • complexity of syntax and vocabulary • length of text • size and placement of text on a page • amount of contextual support in the illustrations.

Complexity of Concepts • the complexity of concepts increases, but the concepts are usually familiar • topics continue to extend children’s knowledge • increase in the range of text types Complexity of Syntax and Vocabulary • there is increased variety in vocabulary and syntax • the language associated with various topics increases: for example, scientific and technological terms are introduced in factual texts • punctuation includes commas, full stops, exclamation marks, question marks and direct speech • high-frequency words are extended and used often • direct speech continues to provide oral language patterns

Length of Text • the amount of text on a page increases • the amount of text on a page varies from one line to eleven lines • the text extent is longer when there is repetition • the text is shorter when the conceptual load is more complex • sentence length varies with longer and shorter sentences Size and Placement of Text on Page • print size remains constant • there is more variety in text placement • there is clear spacing between words and sentences • sentences begin mid-line in continuous text • print appears on both the left- and right-hand pages • different fonts and font sizes are used within the illustrations Amount of Contextual Support in the Illustrations • illustrations support the text but more attention to the print is required • there is increasing variety in the types of illustration • there may be several illustrations on each page • combinations of photographs and drawings may be used • diagrams and maps continue to be used to label and organise information

Key features of the Extending Reading Stage Levels 18–24.

At the Extending levels (18–24), there are multiple text types and the reader has to integrate a range of reading strategies to access the meaning of the text. Readers build fluency by reading a range of texts which the teacher scaffolds to the reader’s learning level.

Alphakids Digital Library difficulty levels are based on: • complexity of concepts in the texts • variety of text types • complexity of syntax and vocabulary • length of text • size and placement of text on a page • amount of contextual support in the illustrations.

Complexity of Concepts • the conceptual complexity of fiction and factual texts increases • topics extend children’s knowledge • reading to learn increases Variety of Text Types • information reports about historical, current and future events • a variety of narrative texts are introduced • the concept of multi-genres is introduced, where the text in a book might include a variety of text types Complexity of Syntax and Vocabulary • there is increased variety in vocabulary and syntax • the language associated with various topics increas: for example, scientific and technological terms are introduced in factual texts • punctuation includes commas, full stops, exclamation marks, question marks, quotation marks, dashes and colons • high-frequency words are extended and used often

Length of Text • the amount of text on a page increases • the amount of text on a page varies • the text extent is longer when there is repetition of syntax • the text is shorter when the conceptual load is more complex • sentence length varies with longer and shorter sentences Size and Placement of Text on Page • print size remains constant • there is more variety in text placement • clear spacing between words and sentences • print appears on both the left- and right-hand pages • different fonts and font sizes are used for headings, captions and labels Amount of Contextual Support in the Illustrations • the illustrations support the text but more attention to the print is required • there is increasing variety in the types of illustration • there may be several illustrations on each page • combinations of photographs and illustrations may be used • diagrams and maps continue to be used to label and organise information

Alphakids Digital Library

• 240 e-books with audio • Guided Reading Levels K–3 • 240 tutor support e-books • 240 printable activities • App based device neutral

www.AlphakidsDigital.com

The early literacy specialist.