Lexile Measures What's their use?

Lexile Measure

  In the MURSD school district, we have been using the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) for some time now.  It’s one of many measures we can use to determine a student’s progress, and assure that we are meeting student needs and that they are progressing with the curriculum.   Using the SRI, teachers and parents are also able to determine which books are suitable for their students to read. The test determines a “Lexile Measure” for each student.  This is important because in order for a student to increase their reading abilities, they need to be exposed to text that not only challenges them to a certain degree, but also a text that it is not too hard and comprehension and interest aren't lost.  The Lexile range can help a teacher and parent determine this important range.

    Your child’s Lexile should be viewed as a range.  Within this range, books that are 100 points below to 50 points above your child’s score is their “sweet spot”.  This means, it is their “comfort level”.  Finding books at this comfort level assures you that they are challenging themselves as readers, but that they are not getting lost with the vocabulary or deep concepts and themes that might be in the book.  This also doesn’t mean that you should never opt for books above your child’s Lexile range! That’s why reading together at home is so important.  Reading together can help them gain an understanding that otherwise the student wouldn’t be able to process on their own. In class, we read a range of text that can go as low as 500 to as high as 1020.  This is because in every classroom, we have a range of learners with a wide ability of reading levels.  Many times, we are able to get various text at different levels, but it’s not the case all the time. Determining the right independent reading books for your child can be done easily by going to this website: https://www.lexile.com/findabook/

    Equating the student grade level using Lexile measure is useful, but not a realistic comparison every time.  Every child matures and develops at different rates.  Developmental growth and maturity happen at different rates for all children.   A great analogy I found in my research is when you buy shoes for your child, the shoe-store clerk does not determine the correct shoe size by asking your child’s age. Different children, all of the same age, wear differently sized shoes. So too, students in a given grade have differing levels of reading proficiency.  Reading achievement becomes something that your child will eventually meet, just on their own time and schedule.

    The Grade Level Comparison Chart can give you a sense of where your child fits into the range of our classroom.  If your child’s Lexile range is in the low range (480-620) you know that your child may have difficulties processing reading we do in class, or may need extra time completing activities.  Extra help at home with any reading comprehension activities can help your child understand even more, and give them the reinforcement necessary to progress.

Chart taken from:  https://lexile.com/about-lexile/grade-equivalent/grade-equivalent-chart/

   Currently, we are reading Bud Not Buddy.  This text is at a sweet spot for many of our students.  It has a Lexile score of 950, which is right around the average reading ability for our fifth-grade classroom, and in the higher range for the fifth grade according to the above chart. This means, students will be more inclined to process the themes, vocabulary and comprehend what is going on in the text, but also learn new vocabulary through context, and allow for challenging text for most of the class.    

    Take a look at the SRI printout in your child's Friday Folder. If your child went down in their Lexile measure, please keep in mind that there are also many factors in play.  Sometimes, the day your child takes the test may be wrought with stressful events.  Perhaps they are “under the weather” or are not feeling well.  I take all that into consideration when evaluating a child’s progress. We certainly cannot measure progress with the results of one or two tests. Progress is measured by looking at the whole student. I look at their involvement and participation in class, their ability to contribute to discussions in class, to create, to imagine, to write, etc....

      As a teacher, I see many factors that can affect this assessment.  Emotional instability, not enough sleep, preoccupied thoughts, difficulty processing, overall developmental immaturity,  can all have their play during test time. Please keep this in mind for next month when your child takes their standardized testing for the state.  Getting enough sleep, being able to cope with emotions, and process events in their life can all play a part in their ability to be successful on this test.   A low score can be an indication of these factors and more.   Emotional maturity is gaining attention with educational officials, and I am happy to see that it's a focus for professional development here in our district.

    This week, you will see your student’s Lexile printout in their Friday Folder.  I’m hoping that you use this to help guide your child’s independent reading. Independent reading is still an important factor in pushing your child to their optimum reading achievement for fifth grade.  Exposure to a wide range of text that your child chooses from their own interests is important in helping them achieve their reading maturity.  

The count-down has started toward April when your child takes the state’s standardized testing.   Together, we can continue to reinforce the valuable practice necessary to help your child succeed.  Thank you for joining me in this great endeavor.