Reaching Older Striving Readers: A Dos and Don'ts Guide

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According to the NAEP reading test, in 2013 only 36% percent of eighth graders were reading at or above grade level. Additionally, over the past three years, average NAEP reading scores for 13 year olds have dropped by 4 points. The National High School Center reports that 70% of high school students need some form of reading remediation. While there has recently been a great deal of attention given to literacy practices in grades K-2, teenagers who struggle with reading are frequently left behind. 

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This blog post dives into the Science of Reading as it relates to readers in grades 3+,  and offers practical tips and resources specifically for this subset of striving readers.

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1. Don’t ignore the root cause:

• Struggling readers face various challenges, and a one-size-fits-all approach won't work. Here are a few examples of common issues for developing readers:
  • Decoding difficulties: These students may struggle to sound out words due to incomplete phonics knowledge.
  • Fluency issues: Reading might be slow, choppy, or lack expression
  • Comprehension problems: Students may decode words but struggle to understand the meaning of the text.

DO: take time to evaluate your student’s skills using formal and informal assessments, and target instruction accordingly. Here’s a few ideas:

• For decoding difficulties:
  • Use decodable texts that match their phonics level.
  • Provide explicit instruction on more complex phonics patterns.
• For fluency issues:
  • For teenagers grappling with reading challenges, reading aloud in class can feel stressful and embarrassing. There are ways to make this experience less daunting and more productive: partner reading (pair students up for shared reading. They can take turns tackling portions of the text, offering each other support and building confidence), and recorded reading (allow students to record themselves reading independently using a phone, tablet, or dedicated reading app. This allows them to practice fluency and comprehension privately, then share their recording with a small group or just the teacher for feedback.)
  • Encourage repeated readings of familiar texts.

• For comprehension problems:
  • Use graphic organizers to help them visualize the text structure.
  • Model think-aloud strategies to demonstrate how to process information from a text‍

2. Don’t limit reading material:

• Restricting reading to overly simple, overly controlled texts (such as Dr. Suess or Bob Books) can be demotivating for older readers.

DO: look for books that meet students at an intersection of interest AND ability. 

• The Storyshares e-library offers hundreds of high-low titles that do just that.

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3. Don’t ignore students’ backgrounds and lived experiences:

• Traditional curricula often overlook the rich experiences and diverse backgrounds of students. This can create a significant barrier to learning for those who don't see their lives reflected in the material.

DO: include a wide range of stories and perspectives.

• Create an inclusive learning environment where all students can see themselves reflected in the text, fostering a sense of belonging and connection. Storyshares’ decodable chapter book series are designed for teenagers and incorporate the Science of Reading. They provide mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors– stories that reflect students' experiences and introduce them to new ones.

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4. Don't assume they've "outgrown" support:

• Often, educators in upper grades haven’t been trained in literacy instruction because there is an assumption that most students can read proficiently by third grade. Unfortunately, the staggering literacy statistics noted above tell us otherwise. It can be overwhelming to know where to start.

DO: provide explicit phonics instruction. Break down phonics rules into manageable chunks. Use activities like:

• Phonics bingo: Create bingo cards with different phonics patterns.
• Word building games: Play Scrabble or Bananagrams to practice phonics rules.
• Word sorts: Sort words based on their phonics patterns (long vowel, open syllable, etc.)

DO: use multisensory & multimodal activities: Engage multiple senses to help students retain information. Here are a few ideas:

• Scooping: Underline 3-4 words at a time to improve fluency.
• Sky writing: Write high-frequency words in the air with a finger.
• Marking: Highlight sounds and syllables in words using different color markers or pens.
• Tapping: Tap out sounds to aid decoding.

DO: preview high-frequency, challenge, and vocabulary words:

• High-frequency words: Practice words that appear often in text, and distinguish between regular (“me”, “him”, “and”, “you”), and irregular (“the”, “was”, “have”; often referred to as “sight words”) spelling.
• Challenge words: Break down and practice difficult-to-decode words with students before they encounter them in the text.
• Vocabulary words: Help students understand new words through context clues and practice using them in writing.

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Looking for more strategies on reaching older, developing readers? Check out our Educators Landing page, or reach out to info@storyshares.org for information on Professional Learning opportunities for educators.

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