In response to the decoding issue, as related to lexiles, I work with many
students with both decoding and comprehension problems. I find it far "easier"
to remediate decoding issues, in most cases, than the situations where
students have learned to decode fluently but bring no thought to the words they are
saying. An overemphasis on decoding in the early grades, without corresponding
emphasis on the fact that word-calling is NOT reading and all reading MUST
produce meaning, can produce comprehension problems that may go unnoticed for
years (because the student sounds good when they "read") and that can be very
difficult to remediate.
I also have a problem with labeling books in any way that is used to limit
student access to books they are interested in reading. Students have been
known to persevere through very difficult text with sufficient intrinsic
motivation.
Lastly, lexiles or readability levels are quantifiable attempts to measure
the qualitative process of reading, and should be understood as such and given
limited credence.
Peg Merkley
Reading Specialist
New Hanover-Upper Frederick School
Frederick, PA
610-367-1030
MagieMae5@aol.com
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