Teachers

A Lexile® measure is a powerful tool for personalising learning, building literacy skills and improving achievement across the curriculum. This Fact File looks at how teachers can maximise the impact of The Lexile Framework® for Reading in the classroom.

How do I get a Lexile measure for my pupils?

Lexile measures can now be obtained for all pupils who take GL Assessment’s popular Progress in English (PIE) test in schools. However, the process differs slightly depending on whether the online version (PIE Digital) or the paper test has been used. As far as PIE Digital is concerned, a Lexile measure for each pupil will automatically be added to the standard reports, whereas users of the paper-based version can easily determine a pupil’s Lexile measure using our PIE Conversion Table.

By incorporating Lexile measures into an existing test in this way, teachers can benefit from richer information about each child’s reading ability, without their learners having to take any additional tests. You also are provided with a common scale for year-on-year monitoring of a child’s progress, helping you to decide when intervention and additional support are required. More information on how to get a measure. 

What does a Lexile measure tell me?

Lexile measures allow you to manage a child’s reading comprehension. Matching a reader’s Lexile measure to a text with the same Lexile measure leads to an expected 75% comprehension rate. This is the optimal reading capacity – not too difficult to be frustrating, yet difficult enough to be challenging and to encourage reading progress. If a child attempts to read material above his or her upper Lexile range, the level of challenge is likely to be too great for the student to be able to construct very much meaning from the text. Similarly, material below the child's lower Lexile range will provide the child with little comprehension challenge.

While children should be encouraged to move on to more demanding material as their skills develop, it is not necessary for them to advance to a higher Lexile measure with each new book. By reading several titles at one Lexile measure, young readers can build confidence and comfort in their degree of reading comprehension before tackling books with a higher Lexile measure.

Will the framework help my less advanced readers?

The Lexile Framework is geared toward the needs of readers at all levels. By giving teachers a precise measurement of performance that is based on a uniform standard, it permits more effective evaluation and monitoring of a learner’s progress. In fact, it is equally important for readers who are advancing more slowly as it is for readers who are advancing at a rapid rate. It enables teachers to select books that are targeted to children’s current skill levels, reducing the risk of frustrating readers.

What is the Lexile Book Database and how can I use it?

The new Lexile report from our Progress in English test not only delivers a Lexile measure, it also provides a recommended reading list for each child. This list has been generated using the Lexile Book Database, which contains tens of thousands of fiction and non-fiction titles with Lexile measures. Alternatively, you can search the Lexile Book Database yourself on this very website at no extra charge!

How can the framework help me communicate with parents?

The Lexile Framework is a useful means of communicating with parents in a clear, non-judgmental way with parents about children’s reading goals and progress. As such, it is an ideal way of connecting learning in school with learning at home, by providing parents with actionable advice for building children's literacy skills. Lexile measures also can be used to promote summer reading and to select ability-appropriate books to support homework assignments. PIE Digital users can even benefit from templates for letters to parents.

How can Lexile measures improve our school library?

By comparing the range of pupil's Lexile measures to the Lexile measures of books available in the school library, library collections can be analysed and developed to more fully meet the needs of all pupils. Within sections, books can even be organised according to their Lexile measure, empowering children even more in their searches for ‘just right’ books!

How can Lexile measures be used across the curriculum?

Lexile measures needn’t be confined to literacy. All teachers regardless of which subject they teach can use the Lexile Analyzer® to obtain Lexile measures for their teaching materials. They can then compare these measures with the Lexile measures of their pupils and adjust their teaching where necessary.  Children above or below the average can be connected with more ability appropriate content, enabling every pupil to stay on track.

How to get a Lexile Measure for your pupils 

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