What does research tell us about effectively supporting students in grades 4–12, and how does this differ from early literacy instruction? While foundational principles of reading development remain consistent, older striving readers require distinct instructional approaches that address gaps in both foundational skills and language comprehension.
In this session, participants will engage with the research base through the lens of The Reading League’s Curriculum Evaluation Guidelines for Grades K–5 and the Reading Intervention Evaluation Guidelines for Grades 4–12. Together, these tools will be used to examine what works best for older readers who continue to need targeted support. Participants will explore key similarities and differences between early and adolescent literacy instruction and learn to identify high-impact, evidence-aligned practices for intervention.
The session will also provide practical, hands-on strategies to advance morphological and syntactic awareness that can be implemented in both intervention settings and content-area classrooms. Emphasis will be placed on one of the most consistently supported findings in the research: the importance of a coherent, schoolwide approach to literacy that ensures all educators share responsibility for advancing reading outcomes. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies and a clearer understanding of how to support older striving readers through aligned, system-level practices.
