Leveraging the Science of Reading to Help Struggling Older Students: A Guide for Teachers

 Introduction

Reading is a cornerstone skill that can significantly impact a student's academic performance

Science of Reading and Two Pencils and a Book

and future opportunities. While the need for early literacy is well emphasized, the reading struggles of older students—especially those in middle and high school—are often overlooked. The belief that basic literacy should be mastered in early childhood sometimes sidelines the critical issue of older students who continue to struggle with reading.

The Science of Reading

The science of reading encompasses a body of research from cognitive psychology, educational psychology, and linguistics that investigates how we read, how we learn to read, and how best to teach reading. A prominent study in this domain is the National Reading Panel's 2000 report, which identifies five essential components of reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000).

Why it's Crucial for Older Students

Contrary to popular belief, the need for proficient reading skills does not diminish as students age. In fact, the demand for these skills rises exponentially as students are expected to engage with increasingly complex texts in various subjects. According to the Alliance for Excellent Education, approximately 66% of 8th-grade students are not proficient in reading, which exacerbates the risk of academic failure, truancy, and dropout (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2019).

Addressing the Gaps through Science-based Approaches

Phonemic Awareness and Phonics

Even among older students, the breakdown in reading skills often traces back to a lack of understanding of the relationship between sounds and letters. Phonemic awareness and phonics remain important even for middle and high school students who struggle with

Two Pencils and a Book

reading.

Lesson Example: Start with a list of subject-specific terms or challenging words from a text the class will be reading. Guide the students in breaking down these words into individual sounds and matching them with their corresponding letters.

Related Resources:

Fluency

Fluency is another area where older struggling readers often need support. Reading should be smooth and effortless, allowing the reader to focus on comprehension.

Lesson Example: Utilize repeated reading activities. Students can select a paragraph from a textbook and practice reading it multiple times. Progress can be monitored through one-on-one reading sessions, where you listen and provide feedback on their reading rate and expression.

6-Week Science of Reading - RTI - Phonics, Reading Comprehension & Fluency

Vocabulary

Expanding vocabulary is crucial for older students, who need to understand and employ a broad set of terms across multiple subjects.

Lesson Example: Implement the Frayer Model for vocabulary instruction. This strategy involves students defining a new term, providing examples and non-examples, and then using the term in a sentence of their own.

Text Comprehension

At the middle and high school levels, students need to not only decode text but also understand, analyze, and interpret it.

Lesson Example: Use "Reciprocal Teaching," a strategy that involves prediction, questioning, clarification, and summarization. This collaborative approach engages students in dialogues about the text and fosters a deeper understanding.

Research-Backed Benefits

Multiple studies highlight the efficacy of incorporating the science of reading into teaching strategies for older students. For instance, a meta-analysis conducted by the Institute of Education Sciences found that interventions focusing on the individual components of reading identified by the National Reading Panel significantly improved the reading skills of struggling adolescent readers (Scammacca, Roberts, Vaughn, & Stuebing, 2015).

Overcoming Challenges

Some challenges include resistance from students who feel stigmatized for struggling with a skill commonly taught in early years, or logistical issues like limited time for one-on-one instruction. To overcome these challenges, create a supportive classroom environment and integrate reading strategies into the broader curriculum.

Conclusion

The issue of struggling older readers can't be ignored. Leveraging the science of reading to develop targeted interventions can yield positive outcomes, even for middle and high school students. As educators, it is our responsibility to be informed and proactive in applying effective, research-backed methods to ensure that all students have the vital literacy skills they need for academic and lifelong success.

References

  • National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction (NIH Publication No. 00-4769).

  • Alliance for Excellent Education. (2019). Facts About Adolescent Literacy. Retrieved from https://all4ed.org/reports-factsheets/facts-about-adolescent-literacy/

  • Scammacca, N., Roberts, G., Vaughn, S., & Stuebing, K. K. (2015). A meta-analysis of interventions for struggling readers in grades 4–12: 1980–2011. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 48(4), 369-390.\

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