1. Oregon Department of Education www.ode.state.or.us
Module I
Lexile Tools
Lexile Book Database
Lexile Analyzer
Lexile Calculator
Lexile Power Vocabulary
Lexile Reading Pathfinders
Lexile Calculator is a free online tool for calculating text comprehension at various Lexile measures.
Training modules developed by an ESD/OEMA/OSL/ODE Collaborative
Posted July 2005

2. Oregon Department of Education www.ode.state.or.us
Module I
Lexile Calculator
Can forecast comprehension
Identifies the relationship between the reader and the text
Predicts how well the reader will comprehend the material in the text
Can perform the following calculations:
The rate at which a student is expected to comprehend of the text
The reading ability a reader is expected to need in order to comprehend the text at a specific level
The Lexile Calculator is a tool to calculate expected comprehension at various Lexile measures.
We know that students are less successful when reading text that is more difficult (higher Lexile measure) than their reading ability (Lexile measure).
The Calculator enables the teacher to predict, or forecast, the expected comprehension rate for a student when the student reads material that is above or below his/her reading ability.
Training modules developed by an ESD/OEMA/OSL/ODE Collaborative
Posted July 2005

3. Oregon Department of Education www.ode.state.or.us
Module I
Lexile Calculator
The x axis represents the difference (in Lexiles) between the reader measure (Lexile) and the text measure (Lexile).
You should read the label for the x axis as “reader minus text” to yield a Lexile differential.
The y axis represents the forecasted comprehension rate recorded as a percentage.
If you know a student’s Lexile measure and the Lexile measure for a text, you can use the Calculator to predict the comprehension rate for the student on that text.
Training modules developed by an ESD/OEMA/OSL/ODE Collaborative
Posted July 2005

4. Oregon Department of Education www.ode.state.or.us
Module I
Lexile Calculator 
The X marks the spot where there is no difference between the Lexile measure of the reader and the Lexile measure of the text. It intersects with the forecasted comprehension rate of 75%.
So a reader with a Lexile measure of 600L who is asked to read a text measured at 600L is expected to have a 75-percent comprehension rate.
But what would the comprehension rate be if this same reader were given a text measured at 350L or one at 850L? It is the difference in Lexiles between reader and text that governs comprehension.
Do not confuse comprehension rate with accuracy rate.
At a 75% comprehension rate the reader is reading with enough accuracy and fluency to make sense of the text (comprehend what is being read) and acquire new vocabulary. This is the target comprehension rate and the basis from which all Lexile calculations are made.
Training modules developed by an ESD/OEMA/OSL/ODE Collaborative
Posted July 2005

5. Oregon Department of Education www.ode.state.or.us
Module I
Lexile Calculator
Formula for the X axis:
Reader measure – Text measure = Lexiles
Examples:
Reader (1230L) – Text (890L) = 340 L
Reader (890L) – Text (1230L) = L
minus
The Lexile Calculator shows the relationship between a reader and a text, identifying how well the reader will comprehend the material in the text.
Whenever the Lexile measure of the text is higher than the Lexile measure of the reader, the Lexile differential is recorded as a negative number.
(easy)
(difficult)
Training modules developed by an ESD/OEMA/OSL/ODE Collaborative
Posted July 2005

6. Oregon Department of Education www.ode.state.or.us
Module I
Calculation for X Axis
1230
890
340
890
1230
-340
Reader
Text
Lexile difference
It may be easier for participants to view the equations in vertical format.
Note: The Lexile difference can be a positive or negative number
Training modules developed by an ESD/OEMA/OSL/ODE Collaborative
Posted July 2005

7. Forecasted Comprehension Rates
Oregon Department of Education
Module I
Forecasted Comprehension Rates
Reader measure – text calibration = O Lexiles
75% comprehension rate
Reader measure – text calibration = Lexiles
50% comprehension rate
Reader measure – text calibration = Lexiles
90% comprehension rate
You can see the fluctuation in comprehension rate when the text is at a higher or lower Lexile than that of the reader.
Training modules developed by an ESD/OEMA/OSL/ODE Collaborative
Posted July 2005

8. Oregon Department of Education www.ode.state.or.us
Module I
Lexile Calculator
Click here
This section is a tutorial for the Lexile Calculator available at
The presenter may wish to demonstrate other examples if they have connectivity to the Internet.
Training modules developed by an ESD/OEMA/OSL/ODE Collaborative
Posted July 2005

9. Access the Lexile Calculator
Oregon Department of Education
Module I
Access the Lexile Calculator
Click here
Training modules developed by an ESD/OEMA/OSL/ODE Collaborative
Posted July 2005

10. Calculating Expected Comprehension Rate
Oregon Department of Education
Calculating Expected Comprehension Rate
Module I
1. Select grade level
2. Select top button
3. Enter Lexile range and Submit
Training modules developed by an ESD/OEMA/OSL/ODE Collaborative
Posted July 2005

11. Forecasted Comprehension
Oregon Department of Education
Module I
Forecasted Comprehension
Calculator Results
A class with a range of reading abilities between 620 Lexiles and 1190 Lexiles is expected to comprehend the Grade 7 "Book Bag" with a comprehension rate between 39% and 94%.
Blue bar indicates comprehension range
Training modules developed by an ESD/OEMA/OSL/ODE Collaborative
Posted July 2005

12. Oregon Department of Education www.ode.state.or.us
Module I
Titles in Book Bag
Scroll down to view Book Bag Titles
Training modules developed by an ESD/OEMA/OSL/ODE Collaborative
Posted July 2005

13. Calculating Required Lexile Measure for Selected Comprehension Rate
Oregon Department of Education
Module I
Calculating Required Lexile Measure for Selected Comprehension Rate
1. Select grade level
2. Select bottom button
3. Enter comprehension range and Submit
Training modules developed by an ESD/OEMA/OSL/ODE Collaborative
Posted July 2005

14. Lexile Measure Required to Meet Comprehension Rate
Oregon Department of Education
Lexile Measure Required to Meet Comprehension Rate
Module I
Calculator Results
In order for a student class to comprehend the Grade 7 "Book Bag" with a comprehension rate between 85% and 90%, the students would be expected to have an ability between 1015 and 1100 Lexiles.
This may be a good time to pause and ask participants to forecast the comprehension rate for each of the Lexile groupings they created for their own classrooms earlier in the workshop. If you have connectivity to the Internet, you may wish to demonstrate the calculator using information suggested by participants.
Another possible point of discussion would be to revisit the Lexile ranges for independent reading and instructional reading.
Blue bar indicates required Lexile measure
Training modules developed by an ESD/OEMA/OSL/ODE Collaborative
Posted July 2005