Abstract
The Lexile® Framework for Reading is a scientific approach to reading and text measurement. There are two Lexile measures: the Lexile reader measure and the Lexile text measure. A Lexile reader measure represents a person’s reading ability on the Lexile scale. A Lexile text measure represents a text’s difficulty level on the same Lexile scale. When used together, they can help a reader choose a book or other reading material that is at an appropriate level of challenge. The Lexile reader measure can also be used to monitor a reader’s growth in reading ability over time. This paper provides background on the development of the Lexile Framework for Reading and how to interpret and use the measures.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Bormuth, J. R. (1966). Readability: New approach. Reading Research Quarterly, 7, 79–132.
Carroll, J. B., Davies, P., & Richman, B. (1971). Word frequency book. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Carver, R. P. (1974). Measuring the primary effect of reading. Reading storage technique, understanding judgments and cloze. Journal of Reading Behavior, 6, 249–274.
Chall, J. S. (1988). The beginning years. In B. L. Zakaluk & S. J. Samuels (Eds.), Readability: Its past, present, and future. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Crain, S. & Shankweiler, D. (1988). Syntactic complexity and reading acquisition. In A. Davidson and G.M. Green (Eds.), Linguistic complexity and text comprehension. Readability issues reconsidered. Hillsdale, NJ. Erlbaum Associates.
Davidson, A., & Kantor, R. N. (1982). On the failure of readability formulas to define readable text: A case study from adaptations. Reading Research Quarterly, 17, 187–209.
Dunn, L. M., & Dunn, L. M. (1981). Peabody picture vocabulary test-revised: Forms L and M. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
Fuchs, L. S., Fuchs, D., Hops, M. K., & Jenkins, J. R. (2001). Oral reading as an indicator of reading competence: A theoretical, empirical, and historical analysis. Scientific Studies of Reading, 5(3), 239–245.
Grolier, Inc. (1986). The electronic encyclopedia. Danbury, CT: Author.
Klare, G. R. (1963). The measurement of readability. Ames, IA: lowa State University Press.
Liberman, I. Y., Mann, V. A., Shankweiler, D., & Westelman, M. (1982). Children’s memory for recurring linguistic and non-linguistic material in relation to reading ability. Cortex, 18, 367–375.
MetaMetrics, Inc. (2008). Text measurement and analysis: MetaMetrics technical report update for the texas higher education coordinating board. Durham, NC: Author.
Miller, G. A., & Gildea, P. M. (1987). How children learn words. Scientific American, 257, 94–99.
National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) & the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). (2010). Common core state standards for English language arts and literacy in History/Social studies, Science and technical subjects: Appendix A. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_A.pdf.
Rasinksi, T.V. (2009). Essential readings on fluency. International Reading Association, Newark, DE.
Sanford-Moore, E., & Williamson, G. L. (2012). Bending the text complexity curve to close the gap (MetaMetrics research brief). Durham, NC: MetaMetrics Inc.
Shankweiler, D., & Crain, S. (1986). Language mechanisms and reading disorder: A modular approach. Cognition, 14, 139–168.
Smith, M. (2011, March 30). Bending the reading growth trajectory: Instructional strategies to promote reading skills and close the readiness gap (MetaMetrics policy brief). Durham, NC: MetaMetrics, Inc.
Stenner, A. J. (1990). Objectivity: Specific and general. Rasch Measurement Transactions, 4, 111.
Stenner, A. J., Koons, H., & Swartz, C. W. (2010, unpublished manuscript). Text complexity and developing expertise in reading. Durham, NC: MetaMetrics, Inc.
Stenner, A. J., Sanford-Moore, E., & Williamson, G. L. (2012). The Lexile ® framework for reading quantifies the reading ability needed for College & career readiness (MetaMetrics research brief). Durham, NC: MetaMetrics, Inc.
Stenner, A. J., Smith, M., & Burdick, D. S. (1983). Toward a theory of construct definition. Journal of Educational Measurement, 20(4), 305–315.
Stenner, A. J., Smith, D. R., Horiban, I., & Smith, M. (1987). Fit of the Lexile theory to item difficulties on fourteen standardized reading comprehension tests. Durham, NC: MetaMetrics Inc.
Williamson, G. L. (2008). A text readability continuum for postsecondary readiness. Journal of Advanced Academics, 19(4), 602–632.
Williamson, G. L., Koons, H., Sandvik, T., & Sanford-Moore, E. (2012). The text complexity continuum in grades 1–12 (MetaMetrics research brief). Durham, NC: MetaMetrics Inc.
Wright, B. D., & Stone, M. H. (1979). Best test design. Chicago: MESA Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore
About this paper
Cite this paper
Smith, M., Turner, J., Sanford-Moore, E., Koons, H.H. (2016). The Lexile Framework for Reading: An Introduction to What It Is and How to Use It. In: Zhang, Q. (eds) Pacific Rim Objective Measurement Symposium (PROMS) 2015 Conference Proceedings. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1687-5_27
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1687-5_27
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-10-1686-8
Online ISBN: 978-981-10-1687-5
eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and PsychologyBehavioral Science and Psychology (R0)