What is an Or Reader?
Or readers should demonstrate proficiency in at least five very different kinds of text. Encourage students to expand their reading experience through literacy circles, read-aloud, book clubs, sharing time, modeling, book talks and having enough of the right books in these genres. Proficient Or-level readers are comfortable in realistic/contemporary fiction, poetry, plays, informational writing, a variety of traditional tales, historical fiction, and biography.
In Or text, the vocabulary demands are increasing, with 6–10 words on a typical chapter book page not familiar from everyday speech. Or-level readers already know all but 1 or 2 of these literary words from their extensive reading at the earlier levels. Students who have not read widely will not know most of the words and will have comprehension difficulty because of the literary vocabulary load. These students must go back to the color level where they can define all (or almost all) of the words used and read from there, or they may develop the habit of “reading” without comprehension.
Or-level readers should finish an Or chapter book, or its equivalent, each week.
