Select Complex Texts to Increase Rigor

Thanks to its partnership with publisher Eye on Education, EducationWorld is pleased to present this tip from Rigor is NOT A Four-Letter Word, 2nd Edition, by Barbara Blackburn. This tip concentrates on using the Common Core State Standards' focus on text complexity in order to increase rigor in your classroom.

To increase rigor related to text selection, it is valuable first to simply look at whether or not your students are reading texts that challenge them. You’re looking for a balance: Material should be difficult enough that students are learning something new, but not so hard that they give up. If you like to play basketball, you’ll improve if you play against someone who is better than you. But, if you play against the most talented NBA star, you’ll learn less because you are overwhelmed by his advanced skill level.

A good benchmark guideline is that for text to be appropriately challenging for growth, students should be able to understand about 75% of what they are reading. That percentage means students understand the majority of the material, while learning something new. One option for increasing text difficulty is to identify where your students are reading, and provide text materials that match their level for growth.

As we look at how to incorporate this in your class, let me caution you. Looking at text difficulty should never be a limiting factor for your students. I visited one school where students were never allowed to choose something to read unless it was “within their point range.” That is not what I am recommending. Students always need the opportunity to read texts of their choice. And there are some books that may have a lower score on a readability scale, but the content is more difficult, perhaps due to the concepts described or due to the use of figurative language.

However, I am saying that students also need selected opportunities to read material that is appropriately rigorous. Please note the word material. Particularly with students who are reading substantially above or below their age or grade level, consider informational, nonfiction articles rather than novels. This helps address issues other than just the text difficulty. Remember, we are talking about depth, not length, and we don’t want students to feel like they are being punished.

No matter which tool you use to determine the difficulty of your text materials, it’s important to remember that text difficulty is only one factor to consider when selecting text for or with your students. Other considerations include the appropriateness of the text for students’ age or developmental levels, the content of the material, and the purpose for reading, such as interest or for research. It is critical to remember to use your own judgment along with varying measures of text difficulty. However, just because a text is recommended at a certain level does not mean that text is the most appropriate one for your students.

Considerations for Text Selection

• Is the content of the text pertinent to my standards or objectives?
• Is the content of the text appropriate to the purpose of the assignment (independent reading, research, partner reading, etc.)?
• Is the content of the text appropriate to the age or developmental level of my students?
• Is the content of the text appropriately challenging for growth (not too hard, yet not too easy)?
• Is this the only opportunity my students will be given to read, or are they allowed choices at other times?

One tool for selecting text materials is used in the CCSS: the Lexile Framework. It defines a reader’s ability in relation to the difficulty of text. In other words, it allows you to understand a reader’s performance, whether on a standardized test or informal assessment through examples of text materials, such as books, newspapers or magazines the reader can understand, rather than through a number such as a percentile. Used along with your professional judgment, the Lexile Framework provides a way to level books along a “reading thermometer” in a way that is proportional to the standardized test used.

Notice I said, “used along with your professional judgment.” Any readability formula should be the starting point for book selection, but it should never be the only factor considered. Remember to think about all aspects of the book or text and preview materials to ensure they are appropriate for students.

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