Lexiles & What They Mean To Me

By Charlotte Ballard,

Librarian

Roberson Middle School

What is the Lexile scale?

The Lexile scale is a scale to decide if you are “ready” to read at a certain level of difficulty.

Beginning reading levels start at below 200L. The highest Lexile level is above 1700L for advanced reading. High lexile levels are used for professional materials and training manuals for many jobs.

Lexile levels are only designed to help match readers to books that they are able to comprehend.

The Lexile Level Is

NOT related to reading interests NOT related to age appropriateness NOT the only way to decide what to read

Selecting Books

You may find many appropriate, interesting reading materials that are far higher or lower than your Lexile range.

Some books in your Lexile range may be written for adults.

Some books for children are written at a very high lexile level, such as The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

Lexile levels are not meant to be your only guide to book selection. Consider your age and your interests as well. You are not required to read in your Lexile range.

Should I always choose material with higher Lexile levels?

Not necessarily It helps you improve your reading if you try to

read slightly above your Lexile level. But you don’t have to choose a higher level

each time you choose a new book. Staying with one Lexile measure for several

books can help you build confidence and feel comfortable until you are ready to move to a higher Lexile level.

Lexile Levels and Grade Levels

Lexile levels are not tied to Grade Levels. But in Texas, TAKS will be connected to

Lexile levels. Textbooks will be starting to connect to Lexile

levels. It is a process that is just beginning.

What’s the Problem? Why Worry?

Mid6

665L to 1000L 850L to 1050L

Mid7

735L to 1065L 950L to 1075L

Mid8

805L to 1100L 1000L to 1100L

Grade Typical Reader Measures Typical Textbook Measures

Gap

Finding Your Lexile Level

No perfect score TAKS results show your Lexile level—if you

tried your best on the TAKS test—but you have a range around that number that is appropriate for you.

Go here to convert your TAKS scores to a Lexile number. http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index3.aspx?id=3270&menu_id3=793

Figuring Your Range

Your range would be about 100 points below your level on the TAKS results to 50 points above your level on the TAKS results.

If your Lexile level is 650, what would your range be?

550L-700L

Caution:

Reading too far above your Lexile score is likely to make you feel uncomfortable—unless you have a strong interest in the subject.

Reading in your comfort zone (your range) for most of your pleasure reading is the best way to improve your reading ability.

Doing a lot of reading in your comfort zone will move your Lexile level higher automatically. Reading improves reading!

Checking the Lexile Level of My Book

Book has no Lexile level

Book has Lexile level

Searching by Lexile Levels in the OPAC

Click here

Enter subject

Enter range

Roberson Middle

References

Lexile levels may be found at www.lexile.com IF the book has been scanned and lexiled. Some books have not been lexiled yet. Some other sites that may help you are listed here if you need some further explanations.

http://www.donjohnston.com/catalog/stflexilelevelsd.htm Don Johnston’s explanations and examples. http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/reading_levels.htm#lexile Explains differences between lexiles and other reading levels. http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/parents/lexiles/ Has an explanation for parents. (From North Carolina) http://www.icle.net/pdf/Reading%20White%20Paper.pdf Bill Daggett’s explanation of lexile levels.

References

Conversion table: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index3.aspx?id=3270&menu_id3=793

Most of the data in this program was found at www.lexile.com

Prepared by Charlotte Ballard

Updated 9-28-09