When the state of Illinois began posting lexile levels on the state test, I created a parent letter that went home with the test results. At least, the state printed the range and not only one number. I did offer parents the lexile website because there is a wealth of information for those who believe that one can measure comprehension with one test on one particular day. We tried to emphasize reading classics with our advanced students. We tried to encourage students read "fun" texts for the independent reading, explaining to parents that we wanted to both have students improve as readers but to also leave the junior with a love of reading. It wasn't easy finding the classics that the high school would let us use, but that's another story. However, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Little Women are two that come to mind. I also emphasized that students should be encouraged to read multiple novels centered around a certain theme and then find evidence of the theme, synthesize, and etc. Carol
----- Original Message ----- From: "reading" <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2009 10:15:54 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central Subject: [MOSAIC] Lexile Ranges - Challenging Text Can someone help me to understand this relationship. I am a reading teacher of an 7th grade advanced literature class. I have students reading in the 1100+ lexile range. I'm having difficulty finding young adult fiction books within their lexile range. We are currently reading House on Mango Street which has a lexile of 870. Although the lexile is below their range, I believe the text is challenging and very thought provoking even though the sentence structure is not complex. I have parents who want to have child placed in the advanced reading class- who for various reasons did not meet the criteria. We are working on gathering information to present to the parents as to why a student who recieves A's in class does not "automatically" qualify for advanced literature. However, by going by the lexile alone, I don't know how I can argue that what he read in advanced reading is "above his level" Any thoughts? _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
