The Hunger Games
By Suzanne Collins
My eleventh grade English class is reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This English course is inclusive with special education students. Therefor, I must take into consideration the large gap that could occur from the different Lexile scores throughout the class. The Hunger Games is at a 810L level according to the score generator on www.lexile.com. According to the "Typical Reader Measures, by Grade" chart found on the Lexile website The Hunger Games is at the low end of the mid-year eighth grade reader ability level. Many students in the class may be above the level of the text, but even an eleventh grader with a Lexile score of 1100 would have 91% expected comprehension. If one of the special education students was behind in reading and had a Lexile score of 800 the student would have 74% expected comprehension. The complex vocabulary that comes along with the text would create a challenging experience for the entire class. The Lexile score puts the book into the age range of a late middle school student. The author has a lot of historical content and critical thinking throughout the book that a younger reader may not catch.
Readability has many factors that go into how a reader will comprehend the text. "Readability and the Common Core's Staircase of Text Complexity" talks more about how text features are within the text and the background knowledge that is needed to understand the text. One of the most important connections I want the students to be making throughout the novel is to historical events that correlate with the text. The lower level Lexile score does not encompass the background knowledge that is needed for the students to be able to make real life connections. These eleventh students are expected to predict outcomes and determine if the book is foreshadowing what could happen in our own society. By asking my students to become more involved with creating connections I am asking my students to think critically about the text. According to Elfrieda H. Hiebert's article "Readability and the Common Core's Staircase of Text Complexity" some information is left out when determining scores. Heibert stated, "Readability systems that yield a single measure, whether from computer analysis (e.g., Lexiles, ATOS, DRP) or human judgment (e.g., guided reading levels), give an estimation of the range within which a text falls. This information does not indicate the particular features of texts that may challenge readers or provide the growing edge for readers." I find this very influential for teaching. One score does not ultimately determine the outcome of why a book should be taught. There are many more factors for how literature should be chosen.
The Hunger Games requires students to use their knowledge of history to determine a new perspective for the text. Each student brings in their own unique life experiences to build their own opinions on the text. Students need to be willing to dig deeper into some unknown areas of our own society. Their knowledge should be broadened because of the vocabulary and content of the text. Because of this critical thinking and use of vocabulary in Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games is appropriate for an inclusive eleventh grade English class.
Readability has many factors that go into how a reader will comprehend the text. "Readability and the Common Core's Staircase of Text Complexity" talks more about how text features are within the text and the background knowledge that is needed to understand the text. One of the most important connections I want the students to be making throughout the novel is to historical events that correlate with the text. The lower level Lexile score does not encompass the background knowledge that is needed for the students to be able to make real life connections. These eleventh students are expected to predict outcomes and determine if the book is foreshadowing what could happen in our own society. By asking my students to become more involved with creating connections I am asking my students to think critically about the text. According to Elfrieda H. Hiebert's article "Readability and the Common Core's Staircase of Text Complexity" some information is left out when determining scores. Heibert stated, "Readability systems that yield a single measure, whether from computer analysis (e.g., Lexiles, ATOS, DRP) or human judgment (e.g., guided reading levels), give an estimation of the range within which a text falls. This information does not indicate the particular features of texts that may challenge readers or provide the growing edge for readers." I find this very influential for teaching. One score does not ultimately determine the outcome of why a book should be taught. There are many more factors for how literature should be chosen.
The Hunger Games requires students to use their knowledge of history to determine a new perspective for the text. Each student brings in their own unique life experiences to build their own opinions on the text. Students need to be willing to dig deeper into some unknown areas of our own society. Their knowledge should be broadened because of the vocabulary and content of the text. Because of this critical thinking and use of vocabulary in Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games is appropriate for an inclusive eleventh grade English class.