The Lexile Framework for Reading

1. The Lexile Framework for Reading

2. What is it? • The Lexile Framework for Reading is a scientific approach to reading measurement that matches readers to text. • It measures both reader ability and text difficulty on the same scale.

3. Why use it? • Becoming a Nation of Readers and other research suggest that the amount of independent reading students do in schools is significantly related to gains in reading achievement. • Lexile allows educators to manage reading comprehension and encourage reader progress using Lexile measures and products.

4. It allows educators to match readers with appropriately challenging texts. • It allows parents to be informed on their children’s progress and goals and involves them in helping select texts for their children.

5. How is Lexile different from other reading measures? While many programs measure readability, Lexile was the first to put readers and text on the same scale. This allows educators to forecast the level of comprehension a reader is expected to experience with a particular text.

6. Lexile and NRTs • All of the major norm-referenced tests (NRTs) are linked to Lexile, including CTB McGraw, NAEP, Scholastic, and DIBELS • Over 450 book publishers have titles with Lexile measures • Approximately 100,000 books can be searched at www.lexile.com • Over 70 million Lexile articles can be accessed through database services partners (for KY that is EBSCO through KYVL)

7. Database Services • Allow educators to supplement textbook instruction and reading with periodicals, newspapers, reference books and transcripts • In addition to KYVL, library media specialists can have their schools’ collections linked to Lexile for about $300.

8. Three Key Concepts • Reading Ability (people) the cognitive set students use to construct meaning from text as measure on tests • Readability (the text) the difficulty of reading materials based on dimensions or characteristics of the text • Reading Comprehension (ability students will have to understand the text) the construction of meaning from local text

10. Lexile Ranges • Matching a reader’s lexile measure to a text with the same lexile measure leads to an expected 75% comprehension rate • By going up 50 or down 100, students should still be within the same comprehension rate

11. Reading Growth • Select texts at or above the student’s range to stimulate growth when a topic is of extreme interest to a student, or when the teacher will be adding additional support such as background teaching or discussion.

12. Lexile and Newspapers • Reuters • NY Times • Washington Post • Wall Street Journal • Chicago Tribune • Associated Press • USA Today

13. Lexile and Newspapers • Reuters 1440 • NY Times 1380 • Washington Post 1350 • Wall Street Journal 1320 • Chicago Tribune 1310 • Associated Press 1310 • USA Today 1200

14. John Grisham Titles The Pelican Brief The Firm The Client The Testament A Time to Kill A Painted House The Partner The Street Lawyer The Brethren The Chamber The Rainmaker The Runaway Jury

15. John Grisham Titles The Pelican Brief 660 The Firm 680 The Client 730 The Testament 770 A Time to Kill 770 A Painted House 770 The Partner 780 The Street Lawyer 790 The Brethren 810 The Chamber 810 The Rainmaker 830 The Runaway Jury 930

16. Michael Crichton Titles Rising Sun Disclosure Sphere Timeline Airframe A Case of Need The Lost World The Terminal Man Jurassic Park The Andromeda Strain Congo The Great Train Robbery Eaters of the Dead

17. Michael Crichton Titles Rising Sun 540 Disclosure Sphere Timeline Airframe A Case of Need 650 The Lost World The Terminal Man Jurassic Park The Andromeda Strain Congo The Great Train Robbery Eaters of the Dead 1090

19. Other Benefits of Lexile: • Teachers can save word documents that they create and determine a lexile score through www.lexile.com. There is a 5,000 word limit per document and it must be in plain text • Spanish translation is available • To determine a lexile for word documents, go to the “tools” section of the website. One the left side, select “Lexile analyzer”

20. Content Area Teaching and Differentiation • Through lexile.com and through KVHS, teachers can sort books, articles, encyclopedia entries, etc. by Lexile

24. Life Demands for Literacy Includes: • Continuing education • Workplace • Citizenship Adult text demands are 1100L to 1400L

25. College Texts • According to Questia 100, the electric book distributor for colleges, the majority of texts are written at 1300L to 1500L and higher

26. Lexiles and Lifelong Reading • Aetna Health Care Discount Form (1360L) • Application for Student Loan (1270L) • Federal Tax Form W-4 (1260L) • Microsoft Windows User Manual (1150L) • CD-DVD Player Instructions (1080L)

27. Communicating with Parents • Don’t get too focused on numbers—ranges are important • Give examples of books and other text materials • Talk about where the student is now, but also where they are going • Explain the Lexile Framework is a tool for matching readers with appropriately challenging texts, not a reading program

28. Communicating with Parents • Emphasize that the Lexile Framework does not address: interest age appropriateness text support or quality • It looks only at text difficulty—books should always be previewed

29. Lexiling Your Library • Website—www.lexile.com—it’s free and continuously updated • CD—Lexiles Titles database for an initial purchase of $24.95, includes 2 updates per year. The benefit is that you can print customized reading lists and labels.

30. Quantiles for MathLexiles for Writing • Lexile has Quantiles for Math which can be accessed through their website • They are developing a scale for writing and have found students write 200-300 lexiles below where they read