What is a Lexile measure?
A child's grade level and reading ability are two different things. That's why a Lexile® measures the child's ability based on reading comprehension, not grade level. A Lexile (for example, 850L) is the most widely adopted measure of reading ability and text difficulty. Lexile measures are valuable tools that help teachers, librarians, parents and children select books that will provide the right level of challenge for the child's reading ability—not too difficult to be frustrating, but difficult enough to encourage reading growth. A child typically receives a Lexile measure by taking a test of reading comprehension, such as the Scholastic Reading Inventory, the Iowa Tests, and many end-of-grade state assessments. The Lexile measure of a book is based on word frequency and sentence length, and is displayed on Barnes & Noble.com product pages. The higher the Lexile measure, the more difficult the text is likely to comprehend.
To learn if Lexile measures are available in your area, contact your school district or state department of education. For more information on Lexile measures, visit www.Lexile.com.
Please note: A Lexile measures text difficulty only. It does not address the subject matter or quality of the text, age-appropriateness of the content, or the reader's interests. Parents are encouraged to preview all reading materials.
What is a Lexile Code?
Sometimes a Lexile measure does not supply enough information to select a particular book for a particular reader. Because we want children's reading experiences to be positive and successful, we try to give parents and educators as much information as they need to make informed choices about books. When a Lexile measure does not provide a complete picture, some books are assigned an additional two letter code to provide supplemental data about developmental appropriateness, reading difficulty, and common or intended usage.
Guide to Lexile Codes
- AD (Adult Directed): The book is generally intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Many picture books have been assigned the AD code.
- BR (Beginning Reading): The book has a Lexile measure of 0L or below and is appropriate for a beginning reader. The Lexile measure is shown only as BR, without a zero or negative number.
- GN (Graphic Novel): The book is a graphic novel or comic book.
- HL (High-Low): The book has a Lexile measure much lower than the average reading ability of the intended age range of its readers. HL books include content of a high interest level, but are written in a style that is easier for a struggling reader.
- IG (Illustrated Guide): The book consists of independent pieces or sections of text, such as in an encyclopedia or glossary.
- NC (Non-Conforming): The book has a Lexile measure that is markedly higher than is typical for the publisher's intended audience or designated developmental level of the book. NC books are good choices for high-ability readers.
- NP (Non-Prose): The book contains more than 50% of non-standard or non-conforming prose, such as poems, plays, songs and recipes. NP books do not receive a Lexile measure.
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