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Below is a copy of the information that I received in regards to Lexile
levels and grade equivalent levels.  I know we had some discussion about a
month ago about this and I am hoping this is helpful to anyone who needs it.

Darla Grediaign
District Librarian
Yukon Koyukuk School District
Fairbanks, Alaska

Darla-

Thank you for your e-mail concerning the Lexile Framework.

Because of the many problems associated with grade equivalents, there is not
a direct translation from a specific Lexile measure to a specific grade
level.  Within any classroom there will be a range of readers and a range of
materials to be read.  In a fifth-grade classroom there will be some readers
that are far ahead of the rest (about 250L above the typical reader) and
there will be some readers that are far below the rest (about 250L below the
typical reader).  To say that some books are "just right" for fifth graders
assumes that all fifth graders are reading at the same level.  What we try
to do with the Lexile Framework is to match readers with texts at whatever
level the reader is reading.

Just because a student is an excellent reader does not mean that he or she
would comprehend a text typically found at a higher grade level.  Without
the background knowledge the words would not have much meaning.  A high
Lexile measure for a grade indicates that the student can read grade-level
appropriate materials at a higher comprehension level (say 90%).

In the classroom, if a teacher is doing a lesson on the solar system, he or
she can suggest additional readings at a variety of levels.  Therefore, each
child can read additional books, but the lower readers can read an easier
book and the better readers can read a harder book.

The Educational Levels displayed on the Lexile Map indicate approximately
the middle 50% of materials found in a typical grade-level classroom (see
chart below).  For example, the instructional materials typically found in a
third-grade classroom range from about 500L to 700L.  You can go in many
third-grade classrooms and find materials that would have measures below
500L or above 700L.  We have also conducted numerous studies with large
samples of students and have observed approximate reading levels (about the
middle 50% of the students-the interquartile range) for each grade level
(see chart below). Remember that there are still about 50% of the students
that are reading higher or lower than these ranges.


Grade

Reader Measures
(Interquartile Range, Mid-Year)

Text Measures
(from Lexile Framework Map)

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11 and 12

up to 300L
140L to 500L
330L to 700L
445L to 810L
565L to 910L
665L to 1000L
735L to 1065L
805L to 1120L
855L to 1165L
905L to 1195L
940L to 1210L
200L to 400L
300L to 500L
500L to 700L
650L to 850L
750L to 950L
850L to 1050L
950L to 1075L
1000L to 1100L
1050L to 1150L
1100L to 1200L
1100L to 1300L

You will notice there is considerable overlap between the grades.  This is
typical of the reading levels of students in the grades and materials
published.  In addition, the level of support you provide during reading
instruction and the motivation of the reader impact the reading experience.
Students who are interested in reading about a specific topic (and therefore
motivated) are able to read text that is at a higher level than his or her
reading level (about 100L).

The real power of the Lexile Framework is in examining the growth of
readers-wherever the reader may be in the development of his or her reading
skills.  Readers can be matched with texts that they are forecasted to read
with 75% comprehension.  As a reader grows, he or she can be matched with
more demanding texts.  And, as the texts become more demanding, then the
reader grows.

For more information or a copy of The Lexile Framework* for Reading Map,
please visit our website at www.lexile.com/
<http://www.lexile.com/faq/lx_faq.html> faq/lx_faq.html.  Don't forget to
mention this listserv when contacting us on our website.  If you have any
more questions or comments, don't hesitate to e-mail me at
esanford@lexile.com.

Ellie E. Sanford, Ph.D.
Director of Technical Research
MetaMetrics, Inc.

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