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Benchmark Books

AlphaAssess contains 28 benchmark books, from Levels 1 to 28.

The benchmark books have been specially designed to provide teachers with information about their students’ literacy development.

The books have been carefully structured and levelled, taking into account the complexity of syntax, the concept and vocabulary load, the contextual support in the illustrations and the size and placement of text on the page.

Teacher resource books accompany the benchmark books. Proformas in the teacher resource book The First Step: Assessing Early Literacy are used in conjunction with the benchmark books to help teachers assess students’ reading level, strategies and comprehension.

  • L1. Look At My Clothes
  • Text Type: Caption
  • Growth Points: Large well-spaced text. Single line of text. Repeated phrase. Strong text-picture match.
  • L2. I Like to Play
  • Text Type: Recount
  • Growth Points: Two sentences per page. The first is the same throughout. The second has a return sweep and repeated phrase.
  • L3. My Birthday Party
  • Text Type: Repetitive structure
  • Growth Points: Sentence pattern varies slightly. Two sentences on all but first and last pages.
  • L4. In the Forest
  • Text Type: Narrative/Photographic. Familiar refrain.
  • Growth Points: Two lines of text per page with a return sweep.
  • L5. The Lost Kitten
  • Text Type: Narrative
  • Growth Points: Repetitive structure with three-part sentences.
  • L6. Bedtime
  • Text Type: Narrative
  • Growth Points: Text in smaller font. Direct speech. Sentence structure varies.
  • L7. I Draw Pictures
  • Text Type: Recount
  • Growth Points: More varied text structures, including direct speech.
  • L8. The Naughty Dog
  • Text Type: Narrative
  • Growth Points: More complex vocabulary, well supported by photos.
  • L9. Sebastian Learns to Swim
  • Text Type: Narrative
  • Growth Points: Up to three paragraphs per page. Text often spreads across two facing pages. Repetition within the structure.
  • L10. The Little Red Hen
  • Text Type: Traditional tale
  • Growth Points: Up to seven lines of text per page. Traditional structure. Includes direct speech.
  • L11. I’m Using the Computer
  • Text Type: Narrative
  • Growth Points: Predictable structure with text variability.
  • L12. Going Rowing
  • Text Type: Recount
  • Growth Points: A sequence of events with variation in vocabulary. Unfamiliar concept for most children.
  • L13. My Dog Ben
  • Text Type: Recount
  • Growth Points: Contains many sentences with three phrases.
  • L14. The Messy Pony
  • Text Type: Narrative
  • Growth Points: Increased vocabulary load. Sequence of events.
  • L15. The Bull and the Frog
  • Text Type: Narrative
  • Growth Points: Increased text per page. Varied length of line of text.
  • L16. Our Playground
  • Text Type: Recount
  • Growth Points: Sentences run-on. Less direct pictorial support.
  • L17. The Girl Who Cried Spider
  • Text Type: Narrative
  • Growth Points: Sentences run-on. Varied sentence structure and vocabulary.
  • L18. Having Fun
  • Text Type: Narrative
  • Growth Points: Smaller font. Varied sentence structure and vocabulary.
  • L19. Saving Water
  • Text Type: Report
  • Growth Points: Text has dense information load. Varied sentence structure and vocabulary.
  • L20. The Girl and Her Bucket
  • Text Type: Traditional tales
  • Growth Points: Unfamiliar setting. Varied sentence structure and vocabulary. Inference is required to understand the text.
  • L21. Flying With the Wind
  • Text Type: Report/Explanation
  • Growth Points: Simple explanation of a scientific concept. Includes technical language.
  • L22. The Laughing Dragon
  • Text Type: Narrative
  • Growth Points: Inference is required to fully understand the text.
  • L23. Tigers, the Big Cats
  • Text Type: Report
  • Growth Points: Complex and varied sentence structures. Dense information load.
  • L24. Skydiving
  • Text Type: Report
  • Growth Points: Detailed explanation. Complex concept.
  • L25. Dolphins to the Rescue
  • Text Type: Recount
  • Growth Points: Following an unusual series of events. Some technical language.
  • L26. How the Sun and Moon Were Made
  • Text Type: Narrative (Fable)
  • Growth Points: Understanding the symbolism in a fable. Complex language.
  • L27. Hungry Crocodiles
  • Text Type: Explanation
  • Growth Points: Complex language, some technical language, longer paragraphs.
  • L28. Surviving the Storm
  • Text Type: Historical narrative
  • Growth Points: Unusual names, dates. Includes the description of a complex procedure.
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Oxford University Press

For Early Literacy (Australia)
enquiries and sales:

www.oup.com.au/help

1300 650 616

Eleanor Cutain Publishing

International
enquiries and sales:

international@ecpublishing.com.au

+613 9867 4880

Quaderno

For Early Literacy (New Zealand)
enquiries and sales:

jane@quaderno.co.nz

021 585 975 or 0800 782 337

Folens

For Early Literacy (Ireland)
enquiries and sales:

info@folens.ie

+353 1 413 7200