Reading Counts/SRI/Lexiles

Reading Counts is a reading program where students read a book in their 
lexile level, and then take a quiz on the computer.  There are thousands 
of books that have quizzes installed in the program.  

In Room 19, students will be required to read one chapter book a month, 
and take a quiz on it.  Students take an SRI test (see below) which will 
determine what their lexile level is.  The Reading Counts quiz is taken on 
the computer at school.  It is a 10 question quiz.  Students must receive 
at least a 7/10 to pass the quiz.  If a student receives 6 or below, 
he/she has three opportunities to take the quiz to get a passing grade. If 
a student takes the test early and passes, he/she is encouraged to get 
another book within his/her lexile and take another test. The more the 
merrier!

Students will find out the due date for the quiz as each month begins.  
Most due dates will be at the end of the month.  If a student waits to 
take the quiz on the due date, and does not pass, he/she will not get an 
opportunity to take it again.  Therefore, I encourage students to take the 
quiz as soon as they can.  **If a student does not take a quiz by the due 
date, his/her reading effort grade will be affected.**  I will send home a 
report showing your child's grade as soon as the due date has passed.

Students can choose a book from our classroom library, from the school 
library, or from home. If you’re not sure about a book’s lexile level, you 
can look for it under the “links” tab, and click on “lexile”.  **Please 
note:  If a student chooses a book from 
home or the public library, he/she MUST first check the book with me.  I 
will check the lexile level, and check to make sure there is a quiz 
installed.** Students need my initial to approve any book that he/she has 
selected. If we are reading a story as a class (like Charlotte's Web), 
then they cannot take a quiz on that book.

SRI
Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI), is an online reading test that 
students take which will determine their lexile level.  This quiz will be 
taken at school about once a month.  This program is wonderful in that it 
offers students the chance to visually see their growth as readers.  After 
each SRI test session, I will send home a report that allows you and your 
child to see his/her progress for the year.  The SRI test usually takes 
around 20 minutes. It is a series of paragraphs with a multiple choice 
question after each one.  


Lexiles
Students receive their lexile level once they complete the SRI test.  This 
lexile number will allow students to choose books to read that are in 
their reading level.  Once students have this number, they will have a 
range of 100 below and above to help them choose a book.  For example, if 
a student received a lexile score of 512, his/her range would be 410-610.  
That student can then choose a book with a lexile level in that range.  
The range helps to give them more options, as well as to challenge 
themselves.  **Please note that lexile levels and reading levels are 
different.  You want to make sure your child is reading a book in his/her 
reading level (usually 3rd-4th grade).**  Lexile levels change throughout 
the year.  Sometimes they will go up, and sometimes they will go down.  
It's common for there to be a fluctuation.  The target range for 3rd grade 
is for students to have their lexile in between 520-820.  If your child 
starts the year lower than 520, the goal is for his/her level to get up 
over 520.  If your child is already in that range, the goal is for his/her 
level to get in the advanced range of over 820.