Reading Help for 6th Grade Students

As students reach the 6th grade, they will have already developed a number of reading habits, but there is still opportunity for boosting their academic growth. If a student has previously been exposed to the Lexile system, then they will likely have their base reading level already established.

If introducing a reader to this system, it is important to know that on average students in this grade will score between 665L and 1000L according to the Lexile levels. In this grade, students on average will grow by 87L, which is the first grade where students dip below the growth of 100L over the course of a year. Steady growth would average to be at 1.7L per week. Daily reading remains essential during this period if the student would like to gain optimal growth.

Determining Current Lexile Level

Identifying their Lexile level is crucial, as this will help pair readers with material that adequately challenges their reading ability while also stimulating literacy growth.

Typically, students in the 6th grade will be able to read books that are graded between 925L and 1070L in difficulty. To challenge students appropriately, it is recommended that you identify the right reading platform that will provide students with stimulating reading material, instead of perhaps books that will discourage them because of troublesome text that exceeds their current capability.

Identify Correct Reading Material at Their Level

Pairing a student with reading material that far exceeds their current reading level can be one of the fastest ways to turn them away from reading. No child wants to struggle so mightily with a book that they become overly frustrated. This is why cloze assessments are important, and educators should ensure that students approach them seriously, focusing on each of the questions. Doing this will result in accurate Lexile scores and the ability to determine the best reading material available. 

Why LightSail?

LightSail Education is a comprehensive LexileⓇ and standards-aligned literacy platform and digital e-book library. LightSail holistically assesses and nurtures each student on their K-12 literacy journey.Popular reading material for children in this grade includes the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, as well as the Big Nate series, both of which are available on LightSail.

Find out more about our product features or contact us to arrange a live demo.

reading help for 6th grade
Insights for your ELA Classroom

We've gathered information on the topics educators ask us about most often. Each post is written to be insightful, practical and most of all, based on what we know works from our experiences with tens of thousands of classrooms across the country.

Trending Topics:

  • Going Digital & Your Literacy Strategy
  • Engaged Students in Data Driven Classrooms
  • How Formative Assessments Can Guide Instruction

Sign Up For Literacy In Action

We protect your privacy and will never share your email address with anyone.