The Lexile Framework for Reading

Why the Lexile? Governor Kaine states that a Lexile number will be on all

reading SOL reports sent home to parents.

Mark Allan – V.D.O.E.

“Main intent is a resource for parents.”

“Teachers need to know how to help parents in not only understanding what the Lexile number means, but also in helping parents find Lexiled books for their children.”

--Common measure across the state.

--Research is strong.

The Lexile Framework

What it IS:

An educational tool that links texts and readers using a common measure, the Lexile.

A device to differentiate instruction

A commonly used reading measure

Can be used to measure growth

What it is NOT:

A reading program

A test or method of assessment

Educational software

A Lexile (L) is a measure of both text difficulty and student reading

comprehension, on the same scale.

A book’s Lexile measure is

its reading difficulty.

A student’s Lexile measure is her/his reading level.

660L 660L

**Both student and text measure is denoted by a number followed by an “L”

Determining Lexiles( The Lexile scale ranges from 0 - 2,000L )

For Text

Based on two predictors:

1. Syntactic complexity (sentence length)

2. Semantic difficulty (word frequency)

Does not take into account text content, support, age-appropriateness, or quality

• The single number represents a RANGE of scores.

For Readers

Will accompany 2009 SOL reading scores

Conversion chart for SOL/Lexile Relationship

Does not take into account reader’s motivation, or background knowledge

Reading Comprehension

Independent LevelIndependent Level

Instructional LevelInstructional Level

Frustration LevelFrustration Level

Text 100L below

Text within Lexile Range

Text 100L above

• We include Lexile information along with our summer reading recommendations.

• We DO NOT begin to Lexile all of our books. The Lexile is just a resource for parents and to encourage independent reading.

The County Has Asked

Summer Reading

• Summer Quest

• Bring a Book, Take a Book

• Online Lexile reading lists

• 100 Below SOL Lexile score to 50 above

• www.lexile.com (check off “Juvenile” when searching for books)