Educators enrolled in the online Master of Education (M.Ed.) – Literacy program from Eastern Washington University (EWU) know that students with learning disabilities and differences are often misunderstood, misdiagnosed and deemed incapable of achieving success in school. In decades past, teachers knew little about dyslexia, attention deficit disorder and the autism spectrum. Few strategies existed to support students with these and other disabilities in the classroom.
As educators learn more about the causes and manifestations of disabilities and learning differences, they can better assist students in their academic and developmental efforts, the first step being the ability to read. Teachers know that literacy is as much a life skill as it is an academic milestone.
Helping Today’s Students Succeed: Best Practices for Reading Instruction
According to the Nation’s Report Card, only 31% of fourth-grade students performed at or above the proficient level on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading assessment, 4% lower than in 2019. Reading proficiency declined consistently since the pandemic, and national data shows the numbers barely improved over the past 30 years, underscoring the need to update modern reading education strategies.
Although researchers commonly explore the most impactful strategies for teaching students to read, there is no common practice, and many educators still use outdated techniques. However, evidence-based reading education models exist and are being implemented successfully. For example, structured literacy is on the rise as an effective way to support all students, including students with disabilities, in their journey to become skilled readers.
To help students develop literacy skills, teachers need to understand the fundamental techniques and strategies that really work. Here are some reading intervention strategies and instruction tips for teachers:
Explicit Reading Instruction: Make It Clear and Concrete
Teachers sometimes fail to thoroughly explain the expectations for each assignment and do not provide clear and concrete examples. In explicit reading instruction, teachers break skills down into manageable steps, walking students through each one before inviting them to try. When a student struggles, the teacher returns to demonstration rather than moving forward.
This “I do, we do, you do” model of explicit reading instruction is a crucial part of structured literacy. The teacher first demonstrates, then helps students progress through guided practice and finally allows students to apply the skill independently with corrective feedback. This structured approach, rooted in the science of reading, benefits all learners and can be especially powerful for struggling readers.
Phonemic Awareness Activities and Why They Help Struggling Readers
“Phonemic awareness” is the term given to describe the process of identifying each of the individual sounds that make up a word. Not all students who have difficulty learning to read have a disability. Sometimes, it is just a matter of brushing up on their phonemic awareness skills with exercises that identify and connect letters to sounds. According to Peg Tyre, writing for GreatSchools.org, “Scientists have shown again and again that the brain’s ability to trigger the symphony of sound from text is not dependent on IQ or parental income.”
With the right phonemic awareness instruction, most students can become proficient readers regardless of background. Tyre explains that roughly 100 hours of direct and systematic phonics instruction can equip most students with the foundational skills to become capable readers.
Choose the Right Books to Support Reading Comprehension
With a district-selected, one-size-fits-all school curriculum, finding appropriate texts for your young readers may be difficult. Inspiring them to fall in love with reading may require some effort in finding the right material. Whenever possible, teachers should look for books that will pique the interest of students and challenge them to become more fluent readers.
Text selection also plays a meaningful role in building reading comprehension. Books that match a student’s current decoding ability while still offering new vocabulary and ideas give struggling readers the chance to practice fluency without becoming frustrated. Decodable texts are particularly valuable in early instruction, as they reinforce the phonics patterns students are learning in real reading contexts.
Consider the Individual: Differentiated Reading Strategies for Diverse Learners
When it comes to reading instruction and literature, it is crucial to evaluate each child’s individual interests, abilities and capacity to read. In public school systems, it may be difficult to work with students individually, but when teachers notice that specific children are falling behind their peers, they must intervene. The key is to act as early as possible to avoid future roadblocks on the student’s path to academic success.
Every classroom includes students with different backgrounds, learning profiles and language experiences. This is why celebrating diversity in the classroom is central to effective literacy instruction. Culturally responsive text choices, awareness of language differences, and individualized pacing all strengthen outcomes for struggling readers and build confidence alongside skill.
Developing the skills to meet every student where they are requires comprehensive training and study in literacy education. EWU’s online Master of Education – Literacy degree prepares educators with the evidence-based strategies, assessment tools and diverse instructional approaches needed to support every reader in the classroom.
Learn more about Eastern Washington University’s online Master of Education – Literacy program.
