We are excited to be an inaugural partner with Metametrics to implement the new Lexile Framework for Listening that was released today at the LearnLaunch Across Boundaries Conference in Boston, MA.
We joined MetaMetrics® on stage to unveil the Lexile Framework® for Listening, leveraging the power of the Lexile® scale to develop better listeners and readers. The Lexile Framework for Listening measures both the listening ability level of students and audio complexity of resources so students can be matched to ability-appropriate audio materials.
Many teachers have asked us “how do I measure my students’ listening comprehension?” and “how do I choose the right stories for my students?” Over the last few years we began to address this need with the development of our listening comprehension quizzes and the creation of our Language Challenge levels. But we have always believed that listening instruction would be much more widely embraced with an externally validated measure of listening comprehension that teachers could use the same way they have used Lexile levels for reading.
“Finding the right level audio for your students is essential. It’s like finding the right shoe or glove that fits,” said Jim Bentley, a 5th grade educator in Elk Grove District in California.
He added “These new Lexile listening measures will make it easy for me to find the right fit to challenge my students to listen to more complex topics and content in order to stretch their comprehension levels.”
We are so excited to be the first to feature the new Lexile Audio Measures on Listenwise because it will enable teachers to make better choices about the right level of audio stories to challenge their students. It makes Listenwise the leader in listening solutions and will show how listening is a key missing piece of the literacy puzzle.
This exciting new listening framework is a significant advancement in literacy instruction. Metametric’s third-party validated scale will immediately give teachers the ability to better track students’ listening skills and eventually to be able to compare their listening and reading abilities. We really like this quote from Metametrics’ CPO…
“Research shows that better listeners are better readers. With today’s launch of the Lexile Framework for Listening, our scientific, objective scale will provide teachers, parents and states with a true picture of a student’s literacy by measuring reading and listening together,” said Alistair Van Moere, Ph.D., MetaMetrics’ chief product officer. “It is exciting to have Listenwise, a pioneer in harnessing the power of listening to advance student literacy and learning, as our first partner to link the framework to its audio resources.”
You can read more about the new Lexile Framework for Listening on their press release and download the new whitepaper.
Listenwise will be the first company to implement the framework by displaying Lexile Audio Measures for all of it’s 1500+ podcasts. These measures will help teachers select the right audio for their students, as they can often listen to content at a higher level than they can read. Watch for Lexile Audio Measures to appear in Listewise in the coming weeks. Even better, sign up to be notified as soon as the Lexile Audio Measures are live on Listenwise!
We know many teachers are enthusiastic to learn more about the new Lexile Framework for Listening. We’ll be making the Lexile Audio Measures available shortly and sharing more details about our plans for the student measures, so stay tuned!!
I am very excited to be piloting the Listenwise program with adult English learners, but I would be very interested to explore ways to build a larger library of listening materials for lower level English speakers. Even the elementary library is much too difficult for beginning level English students, though the need is great and the demand is high for scaffolded, leveled listening texts for this audience of learners, and the educators who support them.