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 Swi
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.