Reply #14: Most newspapers are written at a fifth-grade level.

[Ronnie]

That was what I was told when I was taking journalism. I was also told, if you want to know all the language basics you need for everyday life (whatever that is), get a fifth-grade language text. As for the college-bound, I've been hearing these horror stories since I was in college.

Teachers I know have told me that at any given time most students are not paying attention. Think about it: large classes, complicated lives, the I-pods and cell phones in their pockets. I'm surprised they learn as much as they do.

Eighth-grade reading level? Maybe before we judge we should read an eighth-grade text book.