Reading Science for Middle School Students

Before you can support Grades 6–8 students with unfinished learning in reading, you need to understand where their gaps are and what skills will make the greatest impact on their growth.

Introduction to the Science of Reading

The Science of Reading is an ever-expanding body of research based in years of empirical research that describes the process of how learners become proficient readers.

From decades of research, we know:

Humans are not hardwired to learn to read. Reading must be taught.
Instruction must be explicit and systematic.
Skilled reading requires proficiency in decoding as well as language comprehension.

Thanks to the work of scientists, researchers, and educators, we continue to learn more every day about how students learn to read.

How familiar are you with the Science of Reading?

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What Makes a Skilled Reader?

Skilled readers are readers who have mastered all dimensions of reading functions. These skills interweave and build on one another to support the growth of the reader.

Word recognition is critical to reading the words on the page.
Language comprehension allows readers to make meaning from the words.

Finally, skilled readers must also be active readers. A reader’s motivation, metacognition, and ability to apply strategies to their reading enhances their understanding.

How Is the Science of Reading Important for Middle School Learners?

If you have students in Grades 6–8 who need support with reading, they may not have received the instruction and practice they needed in earlier grades. Furthermore, these students are missing out on valuable learning across all academic areas because of this unfinished learning. They need equitable access to grade-level content as quickly as possible.

Reading science helps explain why these students need support with reading and gives you the guidance you need to prioritize skills for these students, so you get them out of intervention and into grade-level learning as fast as possible.

When planning reading interventions for middle school students, it is important to focus on the skills that are going to make the most impact for your students in the shortest amount of time.

Want to learn more about the Science of Reading?
Download this whitepaper by reading expert Dr. D. Ray Reutzel.

Accelerate Learning with Critical Content

To accelerate learning for students in Grades 6–8, teachers should focus instruction on the critical skills that will make the biggest difference for these students.

While there are numerous skills and concepts that are important in teaching reading, some of these will make a bigger difference than others to help students make up for lost ground. When you provide strategic and targeted interventions in select, key areas that are backed by research, your students can progress toward grade-level reading more quickly.

Working with English Learners (ELs) and Multilingual Learners (MLs)? ELs and MLs have specific learning needs that build on the Science of Reading. Jump ahead to learn about supporting these students.

Start by Identifying Each Student’s Needs

Diagnostic assessment results report for a class, from i-Ready

It is important to identify students’ unique needs before planning for intervention. Middle school students need to build their word-recognition (i.e., decoding) skills before they can build proficiency in comprehension or they may already decode well and only need instruction in language comprehension.

Digital and oral assessment tools can help you identify the areas in which your students need support. Accelerate learning in:

Word Recognition

Language Comprehension