Adolescent Readers: Learning to Read, Reading to Learn

Day 3 of Lexia® Fall Science of Reading Week

“This Was a Great Conversation.” — Andria R. 

Lexia Science of Reading Week wrapped up on Day 3, tackling the tricky task of accelerating adolescent reading. How do you make older students hungry for the written word? Where do you begin when grade-level learning is mostly done through reading? 

This is a timely and relevant conversation you shouldn’t miss. National experts and school-based educators weigh in, sharing real-world experiences and advice, including: 

• Getting buy-in: Unlike younger students, adolescents “need to believe in their own learning, in the solution, in recognizing where they are and where they want to be,” said speaker Carol Jago, associate director, California Reading & Literature project, UCLA. 

• Knowing who they are: Educators addressing unfinished and incomplete learning must start with relationships “first and foremost” to build trust and buy-in, then “lean on good relevant data,” said Maryann Hilton, an academic coach from Imagine School, Town Center, Florida. She suggested it might require leaning in on assessments that pinpoint deficits in basic skills typically taught in elementary, like spelling, phonics, or decoding.

• Rethinking the norms: “You might not be a reading teacher, but you might need to fill in those gaps for some students,” Hilton said. Speaker Celeste Myers, a literacy specialist at Edna Karr High School in New Orleans, Louisiana, reiterated that educators often take a one-size-fits-all approach, especially at Tier 1. “One size doesn’t fit all; one size doesn’t fit most,” she said, suggesting educators scaffold core instruction.

Listen to the entire session for more practical tips and learn how to access resources that explain the four typical profiles of adolescent struggling readers.