NM PED 2026 Literacy and Humanities Summer Conference

For generations, teachers have been told that it was essential that students be taught at their reading levels. This has led to a plethora of assessments, text leveling systems, and small group instructional routines. However, research shows that this approach is not best for kids. Higher reading achievement can be accomplished with more challenging texts and different teaching routines. This presentation explores that research and proposes alternative practical approaches to teaching reading comprehension using challenging texts.