4 CHAPTER 1 Content Literacy and the Reading Process allow the “basic”students to drop one test grade, and thus my little experiment would do them little harm. When I graded the tests for both classes, I was astounded.

1. Literacy Libraryguided Reading 101 5th
2. Benefits Of Reading Literacy
3. Information Literacy Library

• Phonics: Challenges and Strategies; What: The relationship between a sound and its corresponding written letter. Why it matters: Reading development is dependent on the understanding that letters and letter patterns represent the sounds of spoken language. Challenges for ELLs; Limited literacy skills in native language. Many educators believe that students only need to learn to read once.
• Reading 101 provides excellent preparation for becoming a Certified Literacy Teacher. You can attain certification through the Center for Effective Reading Instruction and The International Dyslexia Association. The first step is successful completion of the Certification Exam for Educators of Reading Instruction (CEERI).

Reading 101 is a self-paced professional development course for K-3 teachers, developed by Reading Rockets. The program provides teachers with an in-depth knowledge of reading and writing so they are prepared to guide their students into becoming skilled and enthusiastic readers and writers.

Reading 101 was produced in collaboration with the Center for Effective Reading Instruction and The International Dyslexia Association.

Our brains are hard-wired to master spoken language, but learning to read is another story. Learning to read is a very complex skill — one of the most complex things that we ask our children to take on. And for many kids, it doesn’t come easily.

As a result, teaching children to read and write well can be a very challenging job. So much so that researcher Louisa Moats called her influential article “Teaching Reading IS Rocket Science.” (This incidentally, became the inspiration for the “Reading Rockets” name!).

There are many reasons why children succeed or struggle in school, but among school-related factors, teachers matter the most. What teachers know and what they do in class every day have an enormous impact on student achievement.

It’s never easy, but when reading instruction is delivered by knowledgeable, skilled teachers, more students will be more successful, and all but the most severe reading disabilities can be addressed effectively. This is true even for students who are most at risk.

Reading 101 presents some of the core information that teachers need to help young children learn to read and write well and to support the children who struggle. You may want to start with the introductory section, How Children Learn to Read and then move on to our course modules:

Letter of completion

Reading Rockets does not offer CEUs for this self-study course. After completing the modules, you can download a Letter of Completion.

Certification

To learn how you can become certified by the Center for Effective Reading Instruction, visit Becoming a Certified Literacy Teacher.

Production credits

Reading 101 is a service of WETA/ Reading Rockets in collaboration with the Center for Effective Reading Instruction and The International Dyslexia Association. Reading 101 is made possible in part by a grant from the LD Network.

Executive Editor, Reading 101: Noel Gunther

Contributing writers and editors:

• Suzanne Carreker, PhD, CALT-QI
• Elizabeth Liptak
• Nicole Lubar
• Latrice Seals, Ed.D.
• Louise Spear-Swerling, Ph.D.

Reading 101 is a collaboration with the Center for Effective Reading Instruction and The International Dyslexia Association.

Older students who struggle

In its well-known 2000 report, the National Reading Panel described five key 'building blocks' of literacy: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Over the last several years, these building blocks have achieved a kind of celebrity status in the education world. Nowadays, many teachers take it for granted that any decent reading program should touch on all five.

Actually, though, the NRP had young students in mind when it came up with those building blocks. For, struggling adolescent readers, the priorities are somewhat different.

For one thing, phonemic awareness and phonics shouldn't really be defined as 'essential components' of literacy instruction in the upper grades. Nearly all adolescents, even those who read at a very low level, have at least some ability to sound out words. If they need any help at all with the basic mechanics of reading, they tend to be better served by what's known as 'word study,' which is slightly more advanced than phonics instruction.¹

Second, researchers have found that struggling adolescent readers tend to be easily frustrated by reading assignments and extremely disengaged from their schoolwork. In fact, disengagement is such a common problem, and addressing it is so critical to literacy development, that motivation has to be treated as one of the field's central concerns.

In short, and as the Center on Instruction suggests in the 2008 publication, Effective Instruction for Adolescent Struggling Readers, when it comes to struggling adolescent readers, the NRP's five 'building blocks' of literacy should be updated as follows:

Grades K-3	Grades 4-12
Phonemic Awareness	Word Study
Phonics	Fluency
Fluency	Vocabulary
Vocabulary	Comprehension
Comprehension	Motivation

Which of these elements should you emphasize in your school or classroom?

That depends on what you find out when you assess your students' reading skills. For instance, you might discover that some of your students need help in all five areas, others struggle mainly with motivation, others read fluently without comprehending what they're reading, and others would be served best by an extra emphasis on vocabulary.

Struggling readers shouldn't be lumped together in a single, catch-all remedial class. Instead, figure out exactly what kinds of support students need and, to the extent possible, treat them as individuals. When planning special reading classes, tutoring services, after-school programs, or other assistance, be flexible, and resist the temptation to assemble these elements into a rigid formula or a one-size-fits-all reading intervention.

Word study: For adolescents who read at a very low level

Relatively little research has been conducted on the teaching of very basic skills to students in the middle and high school grades. In providing advice to educators serving adolescents who read at a very low level, experts tend to be cautious, pointing to the need for more evidence.

However, members of the National Reading Panel have stated clearly that the existing research does not support giving adolescents the same kinds of phonics instruction that one would give to much younger students.

Typically, adolescents who read at a very low level struggle not with simple phonics but with the slightly more difficult work of decoding multi-syllabic and/or unusual words, recognizing common words by sight, reading and writing words that have irregular spellings, and identifying families of words that share common roots.²

Next steps

• Show students how to break multi-syllabic words into recognizable parts.

  Often, when confronted by a long and unfamiliar word, students will sound out one syllable and then guess the rest. Coming across the word 'transition,' for example, they might read 'trans'… 'um, trans-lation.' Encourage them to slow down when reading such words, and model your own reading strategies, showing them how you sound out each part of the word and then blend them together.

• Give students lots of practice reading and writing commonly-used words that defy regular spelling patterns.

  For example, words such as were, where, have, give, said, could, again, and been. Don't just have students memorize word lists, though — they'll have an easier time learning and remembering words that they see and use regularly. Highlight such words in reading passages and books, assign students to use them in their own writing, and ask them to keep track of the words they've mastered.

• Teach students common root words, prefixes, and suffixes.

  Students often need to be shown, explicitly, that many of the words they read share common prefixes (such as pre-, pro-, and auto-), suffixes (such as -ology, -ous, and -ism), and roots (such as -ped, used in 'pedal' and 'pedestrian').

• Keep it short and sweet.

  While struggling readers may benefit from word study, that doesn't mean you should turn the class into a deadly-dull word study workshop. Rather, while word study should be regular and frequent, it should be limited to relatively brief sessions (closer to ten or fifteen minutes than an hour at a time). And when it comes to learning new words, less is more — teach students 5-10 words at a time, rather than overwhelming them with 20-30.

• Keep it relevant.

  As much as possible, word study should be linked to course content, so that students have reason to know and use the given words, and it should be treated as just one part of a larger effort to engage students in discussing interesting books and other materials and in writing and expressing their own ideas.

• Make it fun.

  The goal of word study isn't just to memorize words and word patterns but to help students to develop 'word consciousness,' a term that experts use to describe a curious and playful attitude toward language. In the long run, kids who learn to enjoy words — having fun with rhymes, puns, word play, and the use of rare and unusual words — will learn far more than those who are forced to memorize word lists and complete dry workbook exercises.

More resources

• The ReadWriteThink website (created by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers) has a number of useful resources on this topic, including word lists, classroom activities, and reference materials for teachers and students.

• The International Reading Association offers various resources in this area, including word study cards (for grades 3-8).

• PrefixSuffix.com has many useful lists, explanations, and background information about common prefixes, suffixes, and root words.

• Say-it-in-english.com has various lists and resources related to irregular words, root words, and more.

• And here are a few other good sources for lists of common prefixes and suffixes, root words, and frequently used irregular words.

Endnotes

¹Boardman, A. G., Roberts, G., Vaughn, S., Wexler, J., Murray, C. S., & Kosanovich, M. (2008). Effective instruction for adolescent struggling readers: A practice brief. Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation, Center on Instruction.

Literacy Libraryguided Reading 101 5th

²Boardman, A. G., Roberts, G., Vaughn, S., Wexler, J., Murray, C. S., & Kosanovich, M. (2008). Effective instruction for adolescent struggling readers: A practice brief. Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation, Center on Instruction.

References

Click the 'References' link above to hide these references.

ACT (2006). Reading between the lines: What the ACT reveals about college readiness in reading. Ames, IA: Author.
Bates, L., Breslow, N., and Hupert, N. (2009). Five states’ efforts to improve adolescent literacy (Issues & Answers Report, REL 2009–No. 067). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and Islands.
Biancarosa, G., & Snow, C. (2006). Reading next: A vision for action and research in middle and high school literacy: A report to Carnegie Corporation of New York (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.
Graham, S. and Perin, D. (2007). Writing next. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.
Haynes, M. (2005). Reading at risk: How states can respond to the crisis in adolescent literacy. Alexandria, VA: National Association of State Boards of Education.
Heller, R. and Greenleaf, C.L. (2007, June). Literacy instruction in the content areas: getting to the core of middle and high school improvement. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.
National Association of Secondary School Principals. (2005). Creating a culture of literacy: A guide for middle and high school principals. Reston, VA: Author.
National Association of State Boards of Education.(2009). State Actions to Improve Adolescent Literacy: Results from NASBE's State Adolescent Literacy Network. Arlington, VA: Author.
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). (2004). On Reading, Learning to Read, and Effective Reading Instruction: An Overview of What We Know and How We Know It. (NCTE Guidelines by the Commission on Reading). Urbana, IL: Author.
National Governors Association. (2005). Reading to achieve: A governor’s guide to adolescent literacy. Washington, DC: National Governors Association, Center for Best Practices.
Short, D. J., & Fitzsimmons, S. (2007). Double the work: Challenges and solutions to acquiring language and academic literacy for adolescent English language learners: A report to the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.
Southern Regional Education Board (2009). A critical mission: Making adolescent reading an immediate priority. Atlanta. GA: Author.
Torgesen, J. K., Houston, D. D., Rissman, L. M., Decker, S. M., Roberts, G., Vaughn, S., Wexler, J. Francis, D. J, Rivera, M. O., Lesaux, N. (2007). Academic literacy instruction for adolescents: A guidance document from the Center on Instruction. Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation, Center on Instruction.

Boardman, A. G., Roberts, G., Vaughn, S., Wexler, J., Murray, C. S., & Kosanovich, M. (2008). Effective instruction for adolescent struggling readers: A practice brief. Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation, Center on Instruction.

Boardman, A. G., Roberts, G., Vaughn, S., Wexler, J., Murray, C. S., & Kosanovich, M. (2008). Effective instruction for adolescent struggling readers: A practice brief. Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation, Center on Instruction.

Hart, T., & Risley, B. (1995). Meaningful differences in the everyday experience of young American children. Baltimore, MD: Brookes.
Biemiller, A. (2006). Vocabulary development and instruction: A prerequisite for school learning. In S. Neuman and D. Dickinson (Eds.), Handbook of Early Literacy Research (Vol 2) (41-51). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Moje, E. B., et al. (2008). The complex world of adolescent literacy: Myths, motivations, and mysteries. Harvard Educational Review 78:107-154.
Wade, S. E., & Moje, E. B. (2000). The role of text in classroom learning. In Kamil, M., Mosenthal, P., Barr, R., & Pearson, P. D. (Eds.), The handbook of research on reading. (Volume III, pp. 609-627). Mahwah , NJ : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Applebee, A., & Langer, J. (2006). The state of writing instruction in America’s schools: What existing data tell us. Albany, NY: Center on English Learning and Achievement.

References

Benefits Of Reading Literacy

ACT (2006). Reading between the lines: What the ACT reveals about college readiness in reading. Ames, IA: Author.
Bates, L., Breslow, N., and Hupert, N. (2009). Five states’ efforts to improve adolescent literacy (Issues & Answers Report, REL 2009–No. 067). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and Islands.
Biancarosa, G., & Snow, C. (2006). Reading next: A vision for action and research in middle and high school literacy: A report to Carnegie Corporation of New York (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.
Graham, S. and Perin, D. (2007). Writing next. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.
Haynes, M. (2005). Reading at risk: How states can respond to the crisis in adolescent literacy. Alexandria, VA: National Association of State Boards of Education.
Heller, R. and Greenleaf, C.L. (2007, June). Literacy instruction in the content areas: getting to the core of middle and high school improvement. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.
National Association of Secondary School Principals. (2005). Creating a culture of literacy: A guide for middle and high school principals. Reston, VA: Author.
National Association of State Boards of Education.(2009). State Actions to Improve Adolescent Literacy: Results from NASBE's State Adolescent Literacy Network. Arlington, VA: Author.
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). (2004). On Reading, Learning to Read, and Effective Reading Instruction: An Overview of What We Know and How We Know It. (NCTE Guidelines by the Commission on Reading). Urbana, IL: Author.
National Governors Association. (2005). Reading to achieve: A governor’s guide to adolescent literacy. Washington, DC: National Governors Association, Center for Best Practices.
Short, D. J., & Fitzsimmons, S. (2007). Double the work: Challenges and solutions to acquiring language and academic literacy for adolescent English language learners: A report to the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.
Southern Regional Education Board (2009). A critical mission: Making adolescent reading an immediate priority. Atlanta. GA: Author.
Torgesen, J. K., Houston, D. D., Rissman, L. M., Decker, S. M., Roberts, G., Vaughn, S., Wexler, J. Francis, D. J, Rivera, M. O., Lesaux, N. (2007). Academic literacy instruction for adolescents: A guidance document from the Center on Instruction. Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation, Center on Instruction.

Boardman, A. G., Roberts, G., Vaughn, S., Wexler, J., Murray, C. S., & Kosanovich, M. (2008). Effective instruction for adolescent struggling readers: A practice brief. Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation, Center on Instruction.

Boardman, A. G., Roberts, G., Vaughn, S., Wexler, J., Murray, C. S., & Kosanovich, M. (2008). Effective instruction for adolescent struggling readers: A practice brief. Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation, Center on Instruction.

Hart, T., & Risley, B. (1995). Meaningful differences in the everyday experience of young American children. Baltimore, MD: Brookes.
Biemiller, A. (2006). Vocabulary development and instruction: A prerequisite for school learning. In S. Neuman and D. Dickinson (Eds.), Handbook of Early Literacy Research (Vol 2) (41-51). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Information Literacy Library

Moje, E. B., et al. (2008). The complex world of adolescent literacy: Myths, motivations, and mysteries. Harvard Educational Review 78:107-154.
Wade, S. E., & Moje, E. B. (2000). The role of text in classroom learning. In Kamil, M., Mosenthal, P., Barr, R., & Pearson, P. D. (Eds.), The handbook of research on reading. (Volume III, pp. 609-627). Mahwah , NJ : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Applebee, A., & Langer, J. (2006). The state of writing instruction in America’s schools: What existing data tell us. Albany, NY: Center on English Learning and Achievement.