What reading level typically lacks the ability to read with enough accuracy to comprehend text?

The frustration reading level is characterized by a reader's inability to read text with adequate accuracy, which significantly impairs their comprehension. At this level, the material is too difficult for the reader, resulting in frequent mispronunciations, poor decoding skills, and an overall lack of understanding. When a reader encounters text at the frustration level, they experience more than about 90% accuracy in word recognition, which means that they struggle not only with the words themselves but also with grasping the overall meaning of the text. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy and frustration, further disengaging them from the reading process.

In contrast, the independent reading level would be where a reader can decode text correctly and comprehend it easily without support, while the instructional reading level involves slightly challenging material that can be tackled with guidance. The assessment reading level denotes specifically the level at which a reader is evaluated, which doesn't necessarily reflect their ability to comprehend or decode independently. Therefore, the frustration reading level clearly indicates a lack of sufficient reading accuracy, making comprehension nearly impossible.