Frequently Asked Questions About Lexiles
Many parents have had the experience of their child coming home with a Lexile reading level, but do you know what it means?
Here is a handy list of the most frequently asked questions about Lexile scores, their meaning, and how to find books at a particular level.
Click the questions below for their answers
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What is a lexile?
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A lexile is a reading level determined by examining the difficulty of text based on vocabulary and sentence structure. (Most text fall between 200 and 1800.)
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What does it mean when someone reads at a certain lexile?
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The lexile is the score a student has received using the Scholastic Reading Inventory. This number indicates the level at which your child reads.
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What does a lexile tell me about a book I have not read?
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The lexile can only tell you about the comparative difficulty of the sentence structure and the level of vocabulary. A lexile does not give any information about the age appropriateness of the text. Because of this, close attention should be paid to content when selecting books for children. For example, the adult book, The Firm written by John Grisham, and the children's book, Charlotte's Web by E.B. White, both have a lexile of 680.
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Should the lexile level of a book ever be ignored?
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When a student is reading for pleasure they should be allowed to choose any materials they wish at any level. When a child selects a book because they are interested in it, they should be encouraged to pursue that interest.
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Is there a lexile for every book ever published?
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At this time MetaMetrics, Inc. has approximately 140,000 books lexiled.
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How do I find the lexile of books in the library?
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Lexile levels can be found by searching the web sites below.
Web Sites to Search for Lexile Scores
NoveList Plus database(Available through Library's web site) This reader's advisory resource assists fiction readers in finding new authors and titles. Searches by author, title, and keyword. If the book has been lexiled, the score will be listed.
Lexile websiteOfficial website for lexile scoring. Searches can be by title, author, keyword, ISBN, or lexile range.
Destiny Library(School District of Palm Beach County Learning Tools) Choose Destiny Library from the menu on the left hand side of the page. Select your child's school. Search by keyword or select Reading Programs if you are looking for Lexile, Reading Counts, or Fountas and Pinnell titles for your child's school.
