1. Learning the Lexile
Rachel Steiner
School of Information Sciences
University of Tennessee - Knoxville
TASL Conference
November 5, 2010

2. What is the Lexile
Framework?
 A method for matching readers with
appropriately-leveled texts and gauging
comprehension
 Reader ability - text readability = reader comprehension
 Developed by MetaMetrics after 20 years of
research
 Currently linked with year-end assessments in
over 20 states

3. Where do Lexile Scores Come
From?
 Texts are measured based on two criteria:
sentence length and word frequency
 Student ability is determined through Lexile testing:
 State assessments
 http://www.lexile.com/about-lexile/How-to-get-lexile-measures/states/
 Norm-Referenced Tests
 http://www.lexile.com/about-lexile/How-to-get-lexile-measures/norm-formative/
 Various Reading Programs
 http://www.lexile.com/about-lexile/How-to-get-lexile-measures/readingprograms/
 SRI (Scholastic Reading Inventory)
 Barnes and Noble informal assessment
 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/reading-level-reading-books-lexile/search.asp?cds2Pi

4. How Does the Lexile Work?
 It is not a grade
level equivalent!
 The Shoe Store
Example
 “Ideal” Lexile
range is 100L
below - 50L
above a
student’s Lexile
score.
 What it means to
have a student
with a 1000L
reading a book
with a 1000L.
From What Does the Lexile Measure Mean? MetaMetrics, 2009 www.lexile.com

5. The Lexile and Grade Level
Equivalents (GLE)
 Lexile
 individual measure
specific to each child
 less of a stigma if a child
is not reading “on grade
level”
 texts and readers are
measured on the same
scale
 it is a more
developmental scale
(ie: moving from 210L-
310L shows the same
growth as moving from
810L-910L)
 GLE
 based on tests which
compare one student to
another
 Is not accurate for all
readers in a grade level
(ie: all 5th graders do
not read on a 5th grade
level)
 Not as developmental
(ie: moving from 2.4-2.8
does not show the same
growth as moving from
8.4-8.8)
The moral of the story:
A Lexile is not a grade level equivalent!

6. But…
*IQR = Inter
Quartile Range
Chart from:
http://www.lexile.com/
about-lexile/grade-
equivalent/grade-
equivalent-chart/
Students
reading
below 0L are
considered
“BR”
(beginning
readers).

7. Criticism of the Lexile
 It is limiting
 Does not take book content into account. For
example:
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

8. The Explanation
 Lexile Codes
 * AD: Adult Directed
 * NC: Non-Conforming
 * HL: High-Low
 * IG: Illustrated Guide
 * GN: Graphic Novel
 * BR: Beginning Reading
 * NP: Non-Prose
 Where the Wild Things Are: AD740L
 Going Bovine: HL680L

9. The Justification
 “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. The Lexile
measure is a good starting point in the book-
selection process, but these other factors should
be considered when making a decision about
which book to choose.”
- What Does the Lexile Measure Mean? Meta Metrics, 2009. www.lexile.com

10. How Lexiles Are Being Used
Research Based Practices
 Make it a school-wide effort
 “Lexile” the library
 Invest in a testing software
 Scholastic Reading Inventory / Scholastic
Reading Counts!
 Make sure each student knows what his/her Lexile is!
 Encourage students to track their own progress and
retest periodically (each quarter)
 Recognize students who make improvements

11. How to Use Lexiles in the Library
Getting the Lexile Measure for Your Books
 Cataloging services that have Lexile measures
 Alexandria
 Follett
 Library Resource Management Systems
 Marcive
 Mitinet
 Surpass
 www.barnesandnoble.com book search
 Lexile “Find a Book” http://www.lexile.com/fab/

12. Resources for Educators
 www.lexile.com
 www.lexile.com/fab
 http://www.lexile.com/analyzer/
 http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?
id=4476
 http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/sri_reading_
assessment/programoverview.htm
 http://tennessee.gov/education/assessment/achiev
ement.shtml

13. Works Cited
 Krashen, Stephen. “The Lexile Framework:
Unnecessary and Potentially Harmful.” California
School Library Association Journal 24(2): 25-26, 2001.
 The Lexile Framework for Reading Fact Sheet.
MetaMetrics. 2009. www.lexile.com
 The Lexile Framework for Reading website.
www.lexile.com.
 Stenner, Jackson A. “Does the Reader Comprehend
the Text Because the Reader is Able or Because the
Text is Easy?” presented at The 13th International
Objective Measurement Workshop. April 5-7, 2006.
 What Does the Lexile Measure Mean?. MetaMetrics.
2009. www.lexile.com