Find Books for Beginning Readers
Lexile text measures provide valuable information about a text’s complexity and are recognized as the standard for individually matching readers with texts. Thanks to extensive research, Lexile measures are now more precise for content used in K–2 classrooms and provide readers with a superior match to texts.
Matching Beginning Readers With Early-Reading Texts
Finding the most appropriate books for beginning readers just got easier.
Here’s what’s new:
- The Lexile® scale is extended for beginning readers. Previously, all books measuring below 0L were given a standalone “BR” (Beginning Reader) code. Now texts with a BR code will also receive a Lexile measure (e.g., BR100L). The addition of a Lexile measure for books below 0L allows for greater differentiation at the beginner level.
- K–2 content is now measured across more dimensions. Based on input from teachers and reading specialists and through studies on the reading behaviors of young students, researchers spent several years analyzing over 200 text characteristics that influence text complexity. Through these research studies, a nine-variable model was identified as most accurately and reliably measuring the text complexity of K–2 content. This nine-variable model is now incorporated into the algorithm that is used to determine the Lexile measure of a book or piece of text.
- New information is now offered to help determine where the challenge is coming from in a text. Now, “early-reading indicators” are provided for text with Lexile measures of 650L or below in order to help identify important text features in early-reading materials that could present more or less of a challenge for a reader. For example, a text with low decoding demands and a low decoding early-reading indicator (i.e., many easy-to-decode words) could be selected for a student who is ready to apply his or her knowledge of basic sound and letter relationships and patterns and practice reading books on his or her own. The early-reading indicators can also be used to ensure that a reader is getting exposed to a variety of different types of reading materials. Learn more about the early-reading indicators.
With these enhancements, reading growth can be better encouraged and measured for those learning to read.
Have a question?
- General FAQs on Lexile Measures & Early Reading
- FAQs on Early-Reading Indicators
- FAQs on Lexile Measures & Other Early-Reading Leveling Systems
Additional Resources
- Lexile Measures & Beginning Readers Flyer: This flyer provides an overview of the more precise leveling of K–2 content, as well as the benefits of using Lexile measures for beginning readers.
- Summary of Research Findings: The research behind the more precise measurement of K–2 content has been presented at numerous conferences and cited in prominent publications.
- Lexile Measures and Beginning Readers Video: from our “Voices from the Field” series.
- The Evolution of the Lexile Analyzer Infographic: We have created a visual history of the evolution of the Lexile Analyzer.
- White Paper: Neglected No More: Addressing Text Complexity in the Early Grades. A paper that discusses the need for more reading instruction tools in the early grades and the important impact that BR measurements can make.