Theory indicates that a fourth, the emergent, reading level may be even more important in understanding the process of reading development than the three previously designated levels: the independent level, at which students have no difficulty reading on their own; the instructional level, at which students need assistance; and the frustration level, at which students cannot gain information from the material even with assistance. The emergent level is the level of highest performance within the zone of proximal development, the area created by the difference between students' unaided performance and the level that could be achieved with aid. To determine students' emergent reading levels, dynamic reading assessment sessions rather than static testing procedures must be used. The level at which students gain information with assistance can be established if teachers provide needed demonstrations, modeling, and coaching during the evaluation session. With adult mediation, students are more likely to be placed at the reading level where growth takes place. (MM)