CLIFFHANGER ENGLISH

About the levels

More details

A graded reader helps you read a full story in English. The language is controlled, but the story still has a plot, characters and choices.

Why the right level helps

When the level is right, you can:

• understand more of the story
• read for longer
• meet common words many times
• read more quickly
• build confidence

Every page you finish is proof you can read in English. That belief is what carries you to the next step.

Paul Nation describes this kind of reading as extensive reading. The main idea is simple: read easy, interesting texts; read often; and choose what you want to read. Reading is for meaning first. You do not need to stop at every word.

Cliffhanger uses the New General Service List 1.2 as a guide. The NGSL ranks common English words. Lower levels use words from the earlier part of the list. Higher levels use more words from the list and more complex sentences.

The levels are steps, not tests. Start with the level that feels easy. You can try a higher level when the current level feels comfortable. You can change level any time from the menu.

The five versions

Names, numbers, colours and sound words may appear at every level. Some words may also be kept when they are important for the story. We explain these words when needed.

How to choose your level

1. Choose a story that looks interesting.
2. Read the first page.
3. Tap a word if you do not know it.
4. Use the five-finger rule.
5. If the page feels easy, keep reading.

The five-finger rule

Use this rule on the Check my level page. Count the words you do not know. Raise one finger for each word.

If you raise five fingers, the reader is too difficult. Choose a lower level. If you raise four fingers or fewer, the level may be right. Continue reading and check that you understand the page.

The five-finger rule is a quick guide. You do not need to know every word. You need to understand the page and continue reading.

The best level is not the highest level you can start. It is the level that lets you read with understanding and continue reading.

The five-finger rule comes from the Extensive Reading Foundation (Hiebert and Reutzel, Revisiting Silent Reading, 2010).

Why publishers use levels

Penguin Readers, Oxford Bookworms and Cambridge English Readers publish books at different language levels. They control the words and grammar so that learners can read more easily. Their level names are not exactly the same, so the most useful test is still the page itself: can you understand most of it, and can you keep reading?

Three words on this page

graded reader

a story written with a limited set of words, for learners.

extensive reading

reading a lot of easy, interesting text for meaning.

NGSL

the New General Service List: common English words, ranked by how often they are used.

References

• Paul Nation and Rob Waring, Extensive Reading and Graded Readers
• Penguin Readers Handbook
• New General Service List 1.2