LEXILE HAS COME TO CIC

1. LEXILE HAS COME TO CIC OUR EXPERIENCE

2. How many of you are already working with Lexile Measures? How many of you are involved in programs to improve student reading skills? How many of you would like to take the guesswork out of connecting readers with the appropriate books and articles? We hope to give you some ideas based on our short experience with Lexile.

3. VIDEO: www. Lexile .com We will start with a short video created by MetraMetrics and that can be seen in : www. Lexile.com ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiFm2Jr8FzY

5. M A P

6. How we started?The Map Test Student Growth Summary. Achievement Status and Growth (ASG) Summary Class Report. Individual Student Progress Report.

7. What is a Lexile Measure A Lexile is a standard score developed by MetaMetrics. Matches a student�s reading ability with difficulty of text material. Interpreted as the level of book that a student can read with 75% comprehension. 75% comprehension is the level identified by experts as offering the reader a certain amount of comfort and yet still offering a challenge. The Lexile reader measure can also monitor a reader�s growth in reading ability over time. www.lexile.com

8. Lexile reader and text measure? There are two Lexile measures: The Lexile reader measure: Represents a person�s reading ability on the Lexile scale. Is usually obtained by having the reader take a test of reading comprehension. The Lexile text measure: Represents a text�s difficulty level on the Lexile scale. Like a Lexile reader measure, is reported on the same Lexile scale, from a low BR to a high of 2000L. The lower a book�s Lexile measure, the easier it will be to comprehend. BR= Beginning readers.

9. Lexile Reader Measure Lexile text Measure Lexile Scale Difficult text 2000L Advance reader 5L Emerging Reader Easy Text BR (Beginning Readers) There are about two dozen tests that can report Lexile reader measures, including Scholastic Reading inventory, PASeries Reading, The Iowa Test of Basic Skills and many end-of grade state assessments.

10. A very useful feature of Lexile reader and text measures is that they can be used together to predict how well a reader will likely comprehend a text at a specific Lexile level. The target reading rate is the point at which a reader will comprehend enough to understand the text, but will also face some reading challenge. At this challenge point a reader is not bored by text that is too easy, but also does not experience too much difficulty in understanding. The result is a rewarding reading experience.

11. In some cases, a reader may not want to choose a book at the 75% forecasted comprehension rate. If a reader is very interested in a book�s topic, he will probably want to choose a book that will be more challenging (Less than 75% forecasted comprehension). At other times, the reader may want to choose a book for easy independent reading (90% or higher forecasted comprehension)

12. In the case of that the student wants to choose a book for easy independent reading: He will need to adjust the forecasted comprehension rate, simply look for a text that has a different Lexile measure than the reader. If it is higher than the Lexile reader measure, forecasted comprehension goes down. If the Lexile text measure is lower than the Lexile reader measure, forecasted comprehension goes up.

13. Lexile Lexile Forecasted Reader Measure Text Measure Comprehension Rate 1500L 25% 1250L 50% 1000L 1000L 75% 750L 90% 500L 96%

14. THE LEXILE RANGE Is the suggested range of Lexile measures that a reader should be reading which is calculated : 50L above 100L below his or her Lexile measure. A reader with a Lexile measure of 1000L would have a Lexile range of 900L � 1050L. If a student attempts material above his or her Lexile range, the level of challenge may be too great for the student to be able to construct very much meaning from the text when reading independently. It should be noted that material above or below the reader�s Lexile range may be for specific instructional purposes.

15. IMPORTANTIt is important to note that the Lexile measure of a book refers only to its text difficulty. Is based on two strong predictors of how difficult a text is to comprehend: word frequency and sentence length.Many other factors affect the relationship between a reader and a book, including its content, the age and interests of the reader, and the design of the actual book.

16. In the Classroom: The Lexile measure is a good starting point in the book-selection process, but the other factors should be considered when making a decision about which book to choose. In some classroom situations, a textbook is used as the main source of reading material for all students. The reading ability of the students in the class may not be matched well to the text difficulty. This can lead to wide variation in forecasted comprehension rate among students reading the same text.

17. Forecasted comprehension of a text by readers with various Lexile measures

18. Development Scale This means it can be used to show whether a reader�s reading ability is growing (or developing) over time. For example a student may take a test that reports a Lexile measure. As a student takes a test, one, two or three tests in a school year, he/she can see whether the reading ability has grown. This feature allows educators and parents to monitor a reader�s growth over time. If a student�s reading growth is too slow, or even stalled, it may be necessary to provide supplemental reading instruction. Although Lexile measures should not be linked directly to grade level, it is possible to describe the Lexile measures of typical students and textbooks at various grade levels.

19. Lexile Measures at CIC our experience In May 2009 our Superintendent Ms. Carmen Sweeting decided that CIC actively would start a program to improve the students reading comprehension; their reading fluency and an increase in the enjoyment of reading. CIC had begun with the MAP testing in Fall 209 and we have had already four season testing. It is with the MAP test that the Lexile measures are allocated to each student taking this test so we had the first part of the Lexile project: the students Lexile measure. The CIC Library was instructed to provide the necessary backup for teachers and students to make this project possible.

20. The Library contacted Follet Software Co. our Library Sofware Provider who updated our library MARC Records to include the Lexile measures, with only exporting our records to Follet Central Office. Our Library Data 29.999 records was returned on-line with the Lexile records for most of the books as not all our books have been Lexiled. Unluckely the labels were lost in the mail, and Follet had to send new labels which arrived in mid September. We received from Follet spine labels for all our Lexiled books in in a very orderly and neat presentation, based in the Dewey Decimal System, which has been very easy to follow as the all three Library staff worked to put the labels on the Elementary, Middle School and some Fiction areas of the CIC Library.

21. The cost of the exporting and having the Lexile codes on all on our MARC Records as well as all the labels, was about $ 350,oo which I feel is a wonderful price for all the work and time that it has saved us. If you want to start to Lexile your Library and do not have Follet Sofware, you can do it looking up your books in Lexile. com (Find a book) and do your coding and labels manually.

22. At CIC the four very important parts of the Lexile project are:  Students Teachers Parents The Library Collection

23. With Students The CIC Library has until now worked with the Elementary school students from 3rd, 4th and 5th grade that attend our Library Class program one hour a week. Each of these students has an individual Lexile measure.

24. As part of the Library Class requirements each student takes home two books to read every week, which he/she chooses from the shelves. Starting in the end of September, 2009, each student was motivated to participate in the Lexile project. Ms. Silvia Davies, the Elementary Librarian, gave the students an introduction on the Lexile Measures and their importance. Students were encouraged to choose a book with the Lexile measure that matched their own Lexile range and the other book could be freely chosen from the shelves as usual. Most student participated willingly and only a few felt some reluctance. As every week passes more students feel they like reading the Lexiled books.

25. The Lexile Measure as an indicator of the readers reading ability development. Following the MAP test CIC has taken Lexile measures in June 09 and September 09. From June to September 09 the CIC Lexile project had not started . We will only be able to appreciate the readers development only after the new Lexile measure has been taken after the new MAP test to be held in mid January. We expect that there have been a growth in the readers reading ability, and the January measures are compared with the ones taken in September. MAP tests are taken three times during the whole school year. Our January findings will be posted in our web page and then we all can really see our students progress and evaluate our Lexile project.

26. With Teachers The CIC Library is actively promoting more effective collaboration with teachers to develop special collections to support class reading assignments which we call �Book Baskets�. A common scale provided by Lexile Framework can improve communication with those often classroom teachers. Close working procedures of both Librarians and Teachers is the only way the Lexile project will become a tool for reading comprehension and the enjoyment of reading, as it empowers students to be self-directed by helping them find the book they want, understand and enjoy as a personal goal.

27. With Parents Lexile measures at home CIC Library will actively start motivating parents to work at home with us to improve their children reading comprehension level. With this work they ensure that they get plenty reading practice with in his range, from the book sent home from the Elementary Library. We encourage them to communicate with the Elemen-tary Librarian about the child�s individual needs and accomplishments through their progress on the Lexile measures. When a reading assignment proves to challenging for the child, we promote the use activities to help. For example review words and definitions from the glossary.

28. Celebrate the children�s reading accomplishments. One of the best things of Lexile Framework is that it provides an easy way for readers to keep track of their goals and progress. Parent and child can set goals for reading, reading a book at a higher Lexile measure trying new kinds of books or reading a certain number of pages per week. When the child hits the goal, make an occasion out of it.

29. Library Those Libraries that are connected to EBSCO can search for newspapers , magazine articles with Lexile measure. For books; The Lexile Book database (www.lexile.com) and �Find a Book�. This Website is available to create customized reading lists. We plan to give this web page to parents.

30. Using Lexiles in the Classroom Teachers can use Lexiles to help them: Develop individualized or classroom reading list tailored to provide appropriately challenging reading. Enhance thematic teaching by building a bank of titles at varying levels that support the theme, but also allows all students to participate successfully in the theme with material at their own reading level Sequence materials, for example by increasing the difficulty of read-aloud books throughout the year. Source: http://www.lwxilw.com/PDF/Lexiles-in-the-Classroom-0504.pdf

31. Using Lexiles in the Classroom Teachers can use Lexiles to help them: Develop a reading folder that goes home with students and comes back weekly review. Folder might contain: - a reading list of books within the student�s Lexile range - reports of recent assessments - a form for parents to record reading that occurs at home. Vary reading difficulty of material to the situation: - Choose text lower in the student�s Lexile range when factors make the reading situation more challenging, threatening or unfamiliar. - Select texts at or above the student�s range to stimulate growth when a topic is of extreme interest to a student, or when you will be giving additional support such as background teaching or discussion

32. More Instructional Uses Of Lexile Teachers can use Lexiles to: Set measurable goals for instruction and special intervention programs. Monitor progress of various reading programs. Make parents �partners to the classroom� by giving them a tool for selecting appropriate reading material for their children (e.g., Summer Reading Lists, visiting library, etc.) Help students set goals for themselves and see if they have progressed towards their goals. Source: http://www.lexile.com/PDF/Lexile-in-the-Classroom-0504.pdf.

33. More Instructional Uses Of Lexiles Lexiles can help teachers: Adjust materials to the purpose of reading. For increased fluency and automaticity, teacher selects text that measures well below reader ability. As a strategy for teaching students how to attack �hard� text, the teacher selects text that measures above reader ability. Source: http://www.lexile.com/PDF/Lexiles-in-the-Classroom-0504.pdf.