Students entering the 9th grade should already have a strong grasp of the Lexile system, and as they approach the ceiling of their Lexile growth, educators should be focused on trying to have readers prepared for college-level material. Determining accurate Lexile scores can easily be done by using cloze assessments to assess if a student’s comprehension is matching with the material.
These regular tests are done to analyze performance on cloze items in relation to previously calculated reading ability to determine growth. It is of high importance that questions are not rushed and that students understand what is being asked before answering. This will allow for more accurate Lexile levels, and when using the right platform, simple color-coding offers educators and parents the opportunity to monitor performance at a glance.
National Average for Lexile
According to national studies, the typical 9th grader should score on Lexile between 855L and 1165L over the course of the year. Of course, around 25 percent of students will perform below the expected average, while 25 percent will generally perform at a higher level. Lexile growth over the course of the year will also slow quite dramatically, with students on average achieving growth of 34L over the course of the year. Weekly Lexile growth will, in turn, slow to below 1L, with typical growth being at 0.7L per week.
At this point, students will likely have established their reading routines and other literacy habits, but it remains important to encourage regular reading to allow for maximum growth. To keep their interest, it is important to provide students with books that fall within an acceptable text difficulty range. Ideally, books should be challenging but not overwhelming to the reader.
Choosing the right platform can assist with this, as it can ensure that progress continues even when students are not sitting in the classroom. LightSail Education is a comprehensive LexileⓇ and standards-aligned literacy platform and digital e-book library. LightSail holistically assesses and nurtures each student on their K-12 literacy journey.
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