How would you feel if someone said that to you? Yet, that is exactly what teachers are telling your child each time they say, "You can only read books within your Lexile range."A little over a year ago, I wrote about the downside of selecting books for your child based soley on the Lexile Rating System. I bring it up because testing is over and teachers, once again, are assigning children to read a book based on that darn Lexile number. "Sorry, but you can't read this book you've been waiting to read because, well, it doesn't have the right Lexile number. Intead, you must read this one!" What a way to destroy any love of reading, don’t you think? Go here to read how author, Ilsa Bick (Ashes) feels about Lexile.
Remember, Lexile is a product that fits into a standardized test. Publishers must pay to have their books analyzed and assigned a number. If a book does not have a Lexile number, it will not appear on a recommended list.
The more you know about Lexile and how it is marketed, the better you can relax and see it as one tool in helping your child select a book. It should never, ever be the sole way to choose a book.
