L EXILE 101
October 2012
What Shoes and Books Have
in Common
“Educational researchers have found that students who
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
What Shoes and Books Have in Common
1
FAQ’s About Lexiles
2
FAQ’s Continued
Checkpoints for Success
3
3
spend a minimum of three hours a week reading at their
own level develop reading fluency that leads to improved
mastery.” (Scholastic Reading Inventory, 2007, p. 39) It
mysterious “own level” criteria?
I read once an analogy that made an awful lot of sense
sounds simple enough. But for anyone who has worked
to me. “Shopping for books is a lot like shopping for
with a struggling reader, it can be anything but. What
shoes.” We don’t go to a shoe store and ask for a pair of
does “own level” really mean anyway and why is it so
“3rd grade shoes.” Kids’ feet, of course, come in all
important? How many times does the following scenario
different sizes, all different fits. Likewise, all students
play out?
have books that “fit” them more comfortably than others.
Fresh out of a conference with their child’s teacher, well
intentioned parents venture off to their local library or
bookstore intent on finding books that will hold their
child’s interest for the aforementioned twenty to thirty
minutes per day (three hours per week).
They arrive only to find themselves overwhelmed with
The Lexile Framework is a system designed to help us
find books that are the right “fit” for young readers. By
measuring (1) the difficulty of books and (2) the ability of
readers using Lexile measures (i.e. 400L), we are better
able to “match readers with literature appropriate for their
reading skills.” (p. 38)
the amount of books to choose from and at a loss for
where to begin. Unable or uncomfortable asking for help,
the parent instead allows their child to choose the book
that “looks” the most appealing to them.
“Educ a t ion a l r esea r c her s ha ve f oun d t ha t
st uden t s w ho spen d a m in im um of t hr ee hour s a
w eek r ea din g a t t heir ow n level develop r ea din g
The child chooses a book with an illustration of some
boy wizard on the cover and appears thrilled. Mission
accomplished, right? Does the child’s choice meet the
f luen c y t ha t lea ds t o im pr oved m a st er y.”
Page 2
Lexile 101
FAQ’s About Lexiles
Where is my child’s Lexile score derived from?
Lexile scores in our district are determined through
the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI). SRI is an online
interactive reading comprehension test given 3 times
Is there a “rule of thumb” when choosing slightly easier
(to build confidence), or difficult (to challenge) to read
books?
In short, the answer is “Yes.” For example, let’s say a 2nd
per year that consists of 15-25 multiple choice items.
grade student’s Lexile score is 400L. This score indicates that
Students are asked to read an excerpt of actual text and
they should be able to read with at least 75% comprehension
then choose the answer choice that best fills the last
from a 400L leveled book. In other words, if the 400L book
statement (p. 25). This “completion” format allows the
had questions about the text embedded every 125-140
SRI to ascertain a child’s ability recall fact and/or make
words, that 2nd grade student would be able to correctly
inferences.
answer ¾ of them or, 75%. (p. 32)
Research says that “For individuals to become competent
How can I use a Lexile score to select appropriate
readers, they need to be exposed to text that results in a
books for my child?
comprehension rate of 75% or better” (p. 31). Whether you’re
When selecting a book that “fits”, there are multiple
factors to keep in mind. “Those factors include:





Content
Age of the Reader
Interest
Suitability of the Text
Text Difficulty
looking to build confidence in your reader or challenge them,
it is important to consider your child’s “Lexile Range.”
A student’s “Lexile Range” is defined as “50L above to 100L
below their Lexile score.” (p. 38) The further above Lexile a
student goes, forecasted comprehension will decrease.
Conversely, the further below Lexile a student goes,
The Lexile measure of a book, which indicates text
difficulty, is a solid starting point. Online resources such
as http://www.lexile.com/fab/allow you to enter your
child’s score and browse from a selection of books that
forecasted comprehension will increase. “A text that is too
difficult serves to undermine a student’s confidence…A text
that is too easy fosters bad work habits and unrealistic
expectations.” (p. 39)
are appropriately challenging for your child.
“We don’t go to a shoe store and ask for a pair of
“3rd grade shoes.”
FAQ’s continued on next page
Visit
http://www.lexile.com/fab/ to find a book that fits!
Page 3
Lexile 101
What is a “Stretch Band”?
FAQ’s continued…
MetaMetrics (Lexile creators) teamed with Common Core
creators to create a clear set of K-12 standards that would
My 2nd grade child’s Lexile score placed them within
the range, according to the correlations table,
ensure all students are college-and career ready. A product of
this collaborative effort was the “Stretch Lexile Band.”
“Stretch Lexile Bands” are incremental targets (K-12), leading
typically associated with a 5th grade student. Does
up to 1300L – the average difficulty of post-secondary texts
this mean my child reads at a 5th grade level?
workforce, including military service.” The current typical 12 th
found in 1st year credit bearing college courses and in the
grade text book registers 1150L.
No. While it is appropriate to conclude that your child is
an excellent reader and ahead of their peers, being an
Why now?
Common Core and MetaMetrics list the following rationale:
(2012)
excellent reader does not mean that he or she would

The text complexity of K-12 textbooks has become
increasingly "easier" over the last 50 years. The
Common Core Standards quote research showing
steep declines in average sentence length and
vocabulary level in reading textbooks.

The text demands of college and careers have
remained consistent or increased over the same
time period. College students are expected to read
complex text with greater independence than are high
school students.

As a result, there is a significant gap between
students' reading abilities and the text demands of
their postsecondary pursuits.
comprehend a text typical of a higher grade level. Without
requisite background knowledge, a student will still
struggle to make sense of the text. A high Lexile measure
for a grade indicates only that the student can read gradelevel appropriate materials at a higher level of
comprehension, say 90%. (p. 42)
Checkpoints for Success
Bibliography
The information listed below can be utilized as a series of
checkpoints on your child’s journey to becoming a
Common Core Standards and Lexile Measures.
(2012). Retrieved Online
http://lexile.com/using-lexile/lexilemeasures-and-the-ccssi/
successful reader.
(2007). Scholastic Reading Inventory Technical
Guide. New York, NY: Scholastic
Grade
Guided Reading Level
K
A-B-C
1
C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J
2
I-J-K-L-M
3
L-M-N-O-P
4
P-Q-R-S-T
5
S-T-U-V-W
Current Lexile Band*
Stretch Lexile Band*
N/A
N/A
450 - 725
420-820
645-845
740-1010
CGCSC End of Year Goals
C
I
600
770-790
800-880
925-980
*COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS FOR ENGLISH, LANGUAGE ARTS, APPENDIX A (ADDITIONAL INFORMATION), NGA AND CCSSO, 2012
Visit
http://www.lexile.com/fab/ to find a book that fits!