Question 1

Can the tool level literary texts without destroying the author's voice?

Accepted Answer

The tool is designed for informational and argumentative nonfiction, not for literary fiction where the author's specific language is the literary experience. For ELA classes, the most appropriate texts to level are literary nonfiction, essays, speeches, and argumentative writing. In these texts, the author's rhetorical moves can be preserved while the surrounding explanatory prose is simplified. The tool is not recommended for leveling poetry or literary fiction where word choice is inseparable from meaning.

Question 2

How does the tool handle figurative language in ELA texts?

Accepted Answer

Figurative language (metaphors, similes, allusions) that is central to the text's meaning or the object of study is flagged and preserved. A simile in a speech being analyzed rhetorically is retained and flagged. Figurative language in explanatory prose that is not the focus of instruction is more likely to be simplified or paraphrased. Teachers can review all figurative language flags before exporting and override any that were incorrectly simplified.

Question 3

Can the tool handle dialect or non-standard English in literary texts?

Accepted Answer

Texts written in dialect (African American Vernacular English, 19th-century vernacular, regional dialect) present a specific challenge. The tool treats dialect the same way it treats other preserved language: flagging it for teacher review rather than automatically simplifying it. Dialect is often central to the cultural and literary meaning of a text, "leveling" it into standard English would strip that meaning. Teachers should carefully review dialect flags and almost always choose to preserve rather than simplify.

Question 4

Can leveled texts be used for close reading activities?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and this is one of the most effective uses in English class. The side-by-side comparison view allows a teacher to project the original and the leveled version simultaneously. Students read the leveled version independently and use it to identify the argument structure and key ideas. The close reading activity then uses specific sentences from the original, now less intimidating because students already understand the surrounding context. The scaffold supports, then gives way to, the original.

Question 5

What is the recommended process for leveling a full ELA unit?

Accepted Answer

The recommended process is to identify which texts in the unit present the greatest reading barriers, typically the oldest, most complex, or most syntactically dense. Level those texts first. For texts that are at or near grade level, consider whether leveling is necessary or whether other supports (pre-teaching vocabulary, a framing discussion, a summary pre-reading) would serve as well without replacing the original text. Leveling every text in a unit can reduce the cumulative challenge that builds reading stamina over time.

AI Text Leveler for English Class

How Teachers Use It for English Class

Paired text differentiation in ELA units

Literary nonfiction access for struggling readers

Speech analysis across Lexile levels

AI Text Leveler for English Class: FAQs

Text Leveling for Every Context

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