The Benefits of Using Lexile

Blog post about lexile reading scores with students reading books in background

This blog post focuses on the many benefits of the Lexile Framework for Reading. Lexile reading scores are for grades Kindergarten and up. The resources shared in this blog focus on grades first through fourth. Lexile is the most widely used reading level measure. It provides educators and parents with the necessary information to take actionable steps towards furthering their child’s reading success. Lexile supports progress monitoring which in turn, makes it easier to predict future outcomes based on instruction and intervention measures. All of the information in this blog post is supported by research from the Lexile Framework for Reading website.

Introduction to Lexile

Different colored elementary reading passages

Lexile is a scientifically-based Framework for Reading. To begin, this framework uses one developmental scale to evaluate reading ability and the complexity of text in reading materials. Educators can use the Lexile reading scores to pair students with text selections that are at their developmental level. Therefore, educators can differentiate learning for each student. In addition, Lexile can be used to measure student growth and communicate progress with parents. Finally, this framework takes the guesswork out of leveling students and finding text selections to fit their needs. Lexile reading scores are an effective way to get students on the path to school, college, and career readiness.

Is it Necessary?

Every state in the U.S. uses Lexile reading scores. Over 65 reading programs and many state assessments use Lexile scores to report student reading ability. Lexile is not required in all schools. Some schools use different reading programs to determine reading level and ability. However, you can estimate a child’s Lexile reading score by using the “Find a Book” tool.

How It Can Help

The goal of reading instruction is to make our students feel successful and confident, not frustrated and overwhelmed. One of the benefits of Lexile reading scores is the ability to match students with texts at their individual reading level. These “just right” books set them up for success right away. In turn, this encourages the students to be independent readers and work on comprehension. It is useful to know a student’s Lexile reading score in order to challenge them or scale back. This is done by leveling up or down. Closely monitoring student growth is helpful for both educators and parents because it allows them to work together to deliver the most individualized, appropriate instruction for each student.

Should It Be All You Use?

Overall, it is extremely beneficial to use text selections that are at the students’ Lexile reading level. Hence, giving students time to read freely and explore texts is equally as important. These texts may be at higher or lower levels or in different genres. Allowing students to choose what they read several times a week encourages students to branch out, try new texts, and develops a true love for reading. As a result, students may pick texts that they can read independently or texts that need read to them. Their text selection may even be in magazine, comic book, digital, or real-life format, such as a cookbook or newspaper. All in all, any way that we can get our students reading is a step in the right direction.

Suggested Resources with Professionally Leveled Lexile Scores

Learn more about Lexile reading levels and how these scores can be used to guide reading instruction and pair students with appropriate text. Lexile benefits students in many ways from personalized learning to progress monitoring. Included are Lexile-leveled resources to help teach reading in 1st-4th grades.

Over the past six months, I have worked with Lexile to get all the reading passages in my RL and RI standards-based resources scored. I sent all the passages and assessments into them and they sent back brand-new scores. For my first through fourth grade RL and RI units, you now have professional Lexile scores on each assessment and reading passage. (No scores are given for my Kindergarten units.) There are 17 individual units for RL and RI or you can buy them in one bundle. Links to both options are below.

Thanks for reading this blog post all about the benefits to Lexile scores. I hope you found the information useful for your reading classroom!