Which term describes reading that is too difficult for the student, indicated by low accuracy and low comprehension?

• A. Frustration level
• B. Norm-referenced measurement
• C. Portfolio-based assessment
• D. Independent level

Answer: (A)

When a reading passage is too difficult for a student, we say it’s at the frustration level. This level is identified when the reader shows low accuracy and poor comprehension, meaning they struggle to decode and make sense of the text even with effort. Placing materials at this level tells us the student isn’t ready for that text and needs easier material (or more targeted support) to build skills before tackling harder work.

Other terms describe different things. Norm-referenced measurement is about how a student’s test scores compare to peers, not how hard a text is for that student. Portfolio-based assessment collects multiple pieces of student work over time, not the difficulty of a single reading passage. Independent level refers to texts the student can read with high accuracy and good comprehension without help, which is the opposite of frustration level.