Lexile

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Lexile
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Website www.lexile.com

The Lexile Framework for Reading is an educational tool in the United States that uses a measure called a Lexile to match readers with reading resources such as books and articles. Readers and texts are assigned a Lexile score, where lower scores reflect easier readability for texts and lower reading ability for readers. Lexile scores are assigned based on individual words and sentence length, rather than qualitative analysis of the content. Thus, Lexile scores do not reflect multiple levels of textual meaning or the maturity of the content. [1] The United States Common Core State Standards recommend the use of alternative, qualitative methods to select books for grade 6 and above. [1] In the U.S., Lexile measures are reported annually from reading programs and assessments. [2] According to LightSail Education, about half of U.S. students in grades 3-12 receive a Lexile measure each year. [3] The Georgia Department of Education provides resources for using Lexile measures. [4]

Contents

Components of the Lexile framework

The Lexile Framework is made up of Lexile reader measures and Lexile text measures, both of which are put on the Lexile scale.

Lexile scale

The Lexile scale runs from BR300 (Lexile) to above 2000L, though there is not an explicit bottom or top to the scale. [5] Scores 0L and below are reported as BR (Beginning Reader). These books or students may be coded as Lexile: BR. In some cases, a student will receive a BR code followed by a number (e.g. Lexile: BR150L). A measure of BR150L indicates that the Lexile measure is 150 units below 0L. [6]

Lexile measure

A Lexile measure is defined as "the numeric representation of an individual's reading ability or a text's readability (or difficulty), followed by an 'L' (Lexile)". [7] There are two types of Lexile measures: Lexile reader measures and Lexile text measures. Reader measures are assigned to individuals based on their reading comprehension for a piece of text. Text measures are assigned to a piece of text based on the text's vocabulary and syntax. According to MetaMetrics, text measures are evaluated through the "Lexile Analyzer", a computer program that assigns a score based on vocabulary and syntax. [8] MetaMetrics states that over 150 publishers, including Capstone Publishers, [9] Discovery Ed, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, McGraw-Hill, Pearson PLC, Riverside Publishing, Scholastic Corporation, Simon & Schuster, [10] Workman Publishing Company, [11] and World Book, [12] offer certified Lexile text measures for their materials. [13]

According to MetaMetrics, Lexile text measures can assist in selecting appropriately challenging materials for readers. [14]


Lexile codes

Some books receive Lexile codes—two-letter designations that appear before the Lexile measure—to provide additional context about developmental appropriateness, reading difficulty, and intended use. BR is the only code that applies to both readers and text. [6]

CodeMeaningBook informationExampleLexile measure
ADAdult-directedPicture books that are usually read to a childMaurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are AD740L
NCNon-ConformingBooks with a Lexile measure markedly higher than is typical for the publisher's intended audienceSeymour Simon's Amazing AircraftNC710L
HLHigh-LowBooks with a Lexile measure much lower than the average reading ability of the intended age range of its readersBeth Goobie's Sticks and StonesHL430L
IGIllustrated guideBooks that consist of independent pieces or sections of text that could be moved around without affecting the overall linear flow of the bookDr. Gerald Legg's Birds of PreyIG320L
GNGraphic novelGraphic novel or comic book where the majority of the text appears as voice in thought bubblesSiena Cherson Siegel's To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic NovelGN610L
BRBeginning readerBooks or readers with a Lexile measure below 0LDon Curry's Fall LeavesBR20L
NPNon-proseBook comprising more than 50% non-standard or non-conforming prose, whose text cannot be assigned a Lexile measureMaurice Sendak's Alligators All AroundNP

History

The Lexile framework was created in 1989 by MetaMetrics. From 1984 to 1996, MetaMetrics received funding through five grants from Small Business Innovation Research, obtained through the National Institutes of Health, to develop a measurement system for reading and writing. [15] [16]

The measurement ideas embedded in the Lexile framework can be found in two 1982–83 articles by Stenner and Smith. [17] [18]

Independent evaluations

In Mesmer's Tools for Matching Readers to Texts: Research Based Practices, a 2006 study by Walpole et al. is described, [19] in which 47 second-graders were assigned texts based on their Lexile scores. The study found that the students could read texts at their assigned Lexile scores (93%), but also noted that 43% of the sampled books were below a basic standard for 2nd grade. Mesmer concludes that "Lexile scores and book levels may not help teachers in finding books that can be read fluently" and lists the cost of using the Lexile inventory tools as a disadvantage. [20]

In 2001, the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) published a review of Lexile measures, concluding that the framework is an improvement over traditional reading measures, while also noting the omission of factors such as reader motivation, interest, and knowledge. [5] The review affirmed the value of sentence length and word frequency as measures of complexity but also stated that these metrics are an estimated correlate of readability. The NCES concluded that while other work on text metrics may be more useful, Lexile scores are easier to analyze. [5]

In 2001, Stephen Krashen published an article arguing that the Lexile Framework was potentially harmful in limiting students' reading choices and that the resources spent on it might be better spent on books. [21]

In a paper titled "Interpreting Lexiles in Online Contexts and with Informational Texts", Elfrieda H. Hiebert concluded that the variability of Lexile scores within the same text can be extensive and that slight changes in punctuation can result in "significant reclassification" on the Lexile scale. [22]

Common core standards

U.S. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts states that Lexile scores can be used to help determine text complexity levels for students. The standards also note that quantitative methods like Lexile may underestimate the challenges of complex narrative fiction and that qualitative measures should be prioritized for students in grade 6 and above. [1]

Examples of books with Lexile measures

TitleAuthorLexile
Green Eggs and Ham Dr. Seuss 210L
Clifford the Big Red Dog Norman Bridwell 370L
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Eric Carle AD460L
The Giving Tree Shel Silverstein 530L
The Sun Also Rises Ernest Hemingway 610L
Charlotte's Web E. B. White 680L
Twilight Stephenie Meyer 720L
A Farewell to Arms Ernest Hemingway 730L
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone J. K. Rowling 880L
A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens 990L
The Hobbit J. R. R. Tolkien 1000L
Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen 1190L
A Brief History of Time Stephen Hawking 1290L
Robinson Crusoe Daniel Defoe 1360
Rob Roy Walter Scott 1560L

More examples are available here. [23]

Use

Lexile measures are reported by various reading assessments and programs. [24]

Reading assessments that report Lexile measures

Source: [25] State assessments [26]


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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Common Core Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects" (PDF). Corestandards.org. Retrieved 2014-02-16.
  2. ↑ Hiebert, E.H. (2002). Standards, assessment, and text difficulty. In A. E. Farstrup & S. J. Samuels (Eds.). What research has to say about reading instruction (3rd Ed.). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
    "Lexile Guide". GL Assessment.
    "Lexiles in Education" (PDF). MetaMetrics. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
    Lennon, C. & Burdick, H. (2004). "The Lexile Framework as an approach for reading measurement and success" (PDF). MetaMetrics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-01-03.
    "Measured Progress Adds Lexile and Quantile Measures to its Progress Toward Standards Online Assessment". Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  3. ↑ "Working with Lexile Levels in 3rd Grade". LightSail Education. Retrieved 2024-10-30.
  4. ↑ "Lexile Measures at Home" (PDF). Georgia Department of Education.
  5. 1 2 3 White, S. & Clement,J. "Assessing the Lexile Framework: Results of a Panel Meeting" (PDF). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistic. August 2001.
  6. 1 2 "The Lexile Framework for Reading: Lexile Codes". Lexile.com.
  7. ↑ "Linking DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency with The Lexile Framework for Reading" (PDF). MetaMetrics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-09-17. Retrieved 2010-02-08.
  8. ↑ "Text Preparation Guide" (PDF). Lexile. MetaMetrics. December 2021. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  9. ↑ "News – Capstone". Capstonepub.com. 2009-04-15. Retrieved 2013-11-07.
  10. ↑ Andriani, Lynn (2009-08-10). "MetaMetrics Providing Lexile Measures for Simon & Schuster". Publishersweekly.com. Retrieved 2013-11-07.
  11. ↑ "Workman Publishing Adopts Lexile Measures". Archived from the original on January 11, 2010. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
  12. ↑ "World Book Adds Lexile Measures to World Book Web Articles – Internet@Schools Magazine". Internetatschools.com. 2010-04-23. Retrieved 2013-11-07.
  13. ↑ "Who Are Our Publisher Partners". Lexile.com. Retrieved 2014-05-20.
  14. ↑ Colleen Lennon; Hal Burdick. "The Lexile Framework as an Approach for Reading Measurement and Success" (PDF). p. 4. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  15. ↑ Webster, L. (Spring 2000). "Jack Stenner: The Lexile King" (PDF). Popular Measurement.
  16. ↑ "Management". MetaMetrics. Archived from the original on 17 December 2006. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
    Smith, D.R., Stenner, A.J., Horabin, I., & Smith, M.(1989). The Lexile Scale in Theory and Practice. Final report for NIH grant HD-19448
  17. ↑ Stenner, A. J. & Smith, M. (1982). "Testing Construct Theories" (PDF). Perceptual and Motor Skills. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-01-03.
    Stenner, A. J., Smith, M., & Burdick, D. S.(1983)
  18. ↑ "Toward a Theory of Construct Definition" (PDF). Journal of Educational Measurement. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-01-03.
  19. ↑ Walpole, S., Hayes, L., and Robnolt, V. (2006). "Matching second graders to text:The utility of a group-administered comprehension measure". Reading Research and Instruction. 46 (1): 1–22. doi:10.1080/19388070609558458. S2CID   143121709.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. ↑ Mesmer, Heidi Anne E (2008). Tools for Matching Readers to Text: Research Based Practices. Guilford Press.
  21. ↑ "The Lexile Framework: Unnecessary and Potentially Harmful –Page 1" (PDF). Retrieved 2014-02-16.
  22. ↑ "Interpreting Lexiles in Online Contexts and with Informational Texts". Apexlearning.com. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  23. ↑ "The Lexile Framework for Reading Map" (PDF). Lexile.com. Retrieved 2014-06-13.
  24. ↑ "How To Get A Lexile Measure" . Retrieved 10 February 2010.
  25. ↑ "How to get a Lexile Measure". Lexile.com. Retrieved 2013-11-07.
  26. ↑ "State Assessments". Lexile.com. Archived from the original on 2012-09-05. Retrieved 2013-11-07.
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