While truly concerning, it seems important to define a fifth grade level. By the time I was in fifth grade, I’d already read the Lord of the Rings, so my fifth-grade reading level was doing pretty well, lol.
Luckily to clear up any self-bragging confusion, test scores and thus literacy, are standardized through tests (primarily written and distributed by McGraw-Hill, which was founded by Ghislaine Maxwell’s [yes Epstein’s Ghislaine Maxwell] Father.)
That totally normal fact aside, the general measurement is reading speed across age-appropriate ‘Lexile’ levels, which is an annoying complex metric assigned to various texts based on grammar, word count, word complexity, complexity of the plot(s), and kinda general vibe.
The Hobbit is 1000L, which is the middle of a 5th grade reading level. Pretty much any fifth grade student, theoretically, should be able to read The Hobbit with little to no trouble nor the need to look up additional words; at around 130 words per minute.
For some other fun examples, Twilight is 720L (3rd grade reading level), Robinson Crusoe is 1360L (at least 7th grade), The Lord of the Rings Trilogy ranges from 810-920L (4th grade reading level, so good brag) and War and Peace, shockingly, is only 1180L.
Pre-Kindergarten (not all Americans attend this): 3-5 years old
Kindergarten: 4-6 years old
Elementary school is 1st-5th grade.
1st grade: 5-7 years old
…
3rd grade: 8-10 years old
…
‘Middle School’ or 'Junior high is 6th-8th grade.
6th usually is 11-13 years old
and High school is 9th-12th grade.
we typically end with 12th grade at 17-18 years old
These are general ranges as it does vary from state to state with allowances for birthdays and advanced placement (i.e. in many places you can test out of or into various grades), but the general idea is (except pre-K) you spend 12 years between 5 years old to 17 years old in grades 1-12. That plus kindergarten are all that’s fully paid for as far as public education goes.
The only work by Eco that is graded is Serendipities at 1480L, this would be somewhere in high school (as early as 9th grade reading level for AP/Advanced students, up to 12th grade for average students.)
Dostoevsky
Only around 700-800L, shockingly. The English translation of Crime and Punishment isn’t considered that advanced apparently. I personally wouldn’t think it’s on the same level as Twilight, but that is what the American education system feels about it.
Thanks but that makes it seem even more off IMO. I haven’t read serendipities though, and some of his works are easier than some others who are wild IMO. Some Dostojevsky are wild too, some just complex because there are 300 intervening people 😁
I also read Lord of the Rings at that age. Unfortunately, I thought “Middle Earth” meant everything was happening in the middle of the planet, i.e. at its center, so I thought all the scenes were happening in giant caves and that was how I imagined the book. When the movie came out (I mean the animated one in the '70s) I was like “why the fuck is everybody outside?”
While my parents were certainly problematic (which for quite some time led to myself being problematic), one of the things for which I’m ever grateful is that, in addition to my primary caregiver reading to us kids while our parents were working/partying/otherwise occupied with things other than parenting, my own parents provided me with books, scores of them, and also took me on road trips, making a game of reading signs, billboards, vanity plates. They also made me look up spellings and meanings in the appropriate, hardcopy reference books. I struggled with some schoolwork, but reading was always truly a pleasure.
I seem to remember in school taking Iowa tests that then would tell you your reading level, regardless of your actual grade level. I’m sure yours was high school/college level to read LotR in 5th and not get bored!
While truly concerning, it seems important to define a fifth grade level. By the time I was in fifth grade, I’d already read the Lord of the Rings, so my fifth-grade reading level was doing pretty well, lol.
Still, the point stands, I know.
Luckily to clear up any self-bragging confusion, test scores and thus literacy, are standardized through tests (primarily written and distributed by McGraw-Hill, which was founded by Ghislaine Maxwell’s [yes Epstein’s Ghislaine Maxwell] Father.)
That totally normal fact aside, the general measurement is reading speed across age-appropriate ‘Lexile’ levels, which is an annoying complex metric assigned to various texts based on grammar, word count, word complexity, complexity of the plot(s), and kinda general vibe.
The Hobbit is 1000L, which is the middle of a 5th grade reading level. Pretty much any fifth grade student, theoretically, should be able to read The Hobbit with little to no trouble nor the need to look up additional words; at around 130 words per minute.
For some other fun examples, Twilight is 720L (3rd grade reading level), Robinson Crusoe is 1360L (at least 7th grade), The Lord of the Rings Trilogy ranges from 810-920L (4th grade reading level, so good brag) and War and Peace, shockingly, is only 1180L.
Second question, what’s “third grade” for you?
In france it’s like 15-16 (they count backwards too so second comes after third), in Sweden it’s like 9-10.
In the US grades are (usually) the following:
Pre-Kindergarten (not all Americans attend this): 3-5 years old Kindergarten: 4-6 years old Elementary school is 1st-5th grade. 1st grade: 5-7 years old … 3rd grade: 8-10 years old … ‘Middle School’ or 'Junior high is 6th-8th grade. 6th usually is 11-13 years old and High school is 9th-12th grade. we typically end with 12th grade at 17-18 years old
These are general ranges as it does vary from state to state with allowances for birthdays and advanced placement (i.e. in many places you can test out of or into various grades), but the general idea is (except pre-K) you spend 12 years between 5 years old to 17 years old in grades 1-12. That plus kindergarten are all that’s fully paid for as far as public education goes.
What about Umberto Ecos books, or Dostojevskijs?
The only work by Eco that is graded is Serendipities at 1480L, this would be somewhere in high school (as early as 9th grade reading level for AP/Advanced students, up to 12th grade for average students.)
Only around 700-800L, shockingly. The English translation of Crime and Punishment isn’t considered that advanced apparently. I personally wouldn’t think it’s on the same level as Twilight, but that is what the American education system feels about it.
Thanks but that makes it seem even more off IMO. I haven’t read serendipities though, and some of his works are easier than some others who are wild IMO. Some Dostojevsky are wild too, some just complex because there are 300 intervening people 😁
So the Hobbit is higher than the LOTR trilogy? That’s kind of a bad metric then.
Any metric that lists the hobbit as a higher reading level than LoTR is not a good metric.
I also read Lord of the Rings at that age. Unfortunately, I thought “Middle Earth” meant everything was happening in the middle of the planet, i.e. at its center, so I thought all the scenes were happening in giant caves and that was how I imagined the book. When the movie came out (I mean the animated one in the '70s) I was like “why the fuck is everybody outside?”
While my parents were certainly problematic (which for quite some time led to myself being problematic), one of the things for which I’m ever grateful is that, in addition to my primary caregiver reading to us kids while our parents were working/partying/otherwise occupied with things other than parenting, my own parents provided me with books, scores of them, and also took me on road trips, making a game of reading signs, billboards, vanity plates. They also made me look up spellings and meanings in the appropriate, hardcopy reference books. I struggled with some schoolwork, but reading was always truly a pleasure.
I seem to remember in school taking Iowa tests that then would tell you your reading level, regardless of your actual grade level. I’m sure yours was high school/college level to read LotR in 5th and not get bored!
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I read LOTR and all of einsteins works by age 2, lol.
i read all of marx & lenin before leaving my mother’s womb.
frankly, if you don’t at least master the basics of dialectal materialism by the time you reach 3 months, you’re a fucking embarrassment.
/j
3 months??? After 10 days of sentience in the womb I had a masters degree. Keep up people!!
I read all of lemmy before I even developed eyes.
Do I have to put /j on this one for people to get it? Doesnt seem like the first one was obvious enough
Cool