Western Civilization, edited by Jackson Spielvogel, is a high-level textbook aimed at high school students. After conducting an assessment, the textbook has many advantages and drawbacks when used in an academic setting.
Textbook Readability
Upon conducting a Raygor readability assessment, I estimate Western Civilization is on a 12th grade reading level. By counting the number of sentences in three 100-word sections as well as the number of words with six or more letters, then using the Raygor diagram for readability, it is clear the textbook is on an advanced reading level, even bordering college level material (McKenna 43). To obtain the Lexile measure, I searched on the Lexile website and found two other Western Civilization books by the same author. They had a 1270 score and a 1280 score so it can be assumed this version of the material is approximately the same. This confirms the text is on an approximate 12th grade reading level. Western Civilization is often used as the textbook for European History courses, which are taught frequently to 10th graders. The disparity in grade level and approximate readability level should make any teacher using the book critical of its potential misalignment with student ability.
Words with 6 or more letters
Number of sentences
Passage 1
31
5.5
Passage 2
46
5.7
Passage 3
39
5.8
Average
38.66
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As mentioned previously, the Raygor and Lexile measurements place the book at the 12th grade reading level. From my experience and inquiry, this subject matter is often taught to 10th graders. The use of complex words and grammar make the text challenging. The academic style of writing makes the text dense. The language and structure mirrors many of my college textbooks making me doubt this resource is utilized by high school students with any ease or