![]() ![]() In addition, it is not unusual to have a student with a high Lexile readability measure encounter problems with reading comprehension because of his or her lack of background or prior knowledge, even with a low Lexile text. Some students may not have the background knowledge or maturity to understand material written for an older audience. This difference between student reading levels and text complexity suggests increased attention should be given to teaching and modeling reading comprehension strategies in all content areas. ![]() Students read literature that differs in writing style, from 17th Century drama to the Modern American novella. ![]() Students read literature that differs in format (drama, epic, essay, etc). Students are assigned reading from the literary canon including works by Shakespeare, Hawthorne, and Steinbeck. The same can be said for the wide range of reading for students in English classes, which contributes to low reading comprehension. The average Lexile level of textbooks, 1070L-1220L, does not consider the more wide range of student reading Lexile levels that may range from 3rd grade (415L to 760L) to 12th grade (1130L to 1440L). Most textbooks are rated using a Lexile range, which is a measure of a text's vocabulary and sentences. A textbook's organization with sub-headings, bolded terms, definitions, charts, graphs coupled with sentence structure also increase complexity. This density of information may justify the cost of textbooks, but this density may be at the expense of student reading comprehension.Īnother reason for a lack of understanding is the high level, content-specific vocabulary ( science, social studies, etc) in textbooks, which results in an increase in a textbook's complexity. Many of the content area textbooks in middle and high schools are designed to cram as much information as possible into the textbook and each of its chapters. One major reason for a lack of understanding or confusion is the course textbook. Such reading comprehension problems are not limited to low-level readers. There are several reasons that even the best reader in class may have problems understanding the reading that a teacher assigns. Statements like these are commonly heard in grades 7-12, and they highlight a reading comprehension problem that will connect to a student's academic success. "This book is too hard," complains a student, "I'm confused!" "They don't understand what they are reading!" laments the teacher. ![]()
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