10/31/2022

Quiz Yourself: How much do you know about teaching literacy to students who are reading to learn vs. learning to read?

The important shift from learning to read to reading to learn happens at the beginning of fourth grade when students transition from learning literacy fundamentals to reading content across the curriculum. But two-thirds of fourth-grade students are not prepared to make this switch.

Helping students develop the reading skills they need to be academically successful often requires explicit reading instruction beyond the early elementary grades based on the science of reading. However, most grades 4–8 content teachers do not feel qualified to teach reading. The good news? Content teachers do not have to be reading specialists to use proven strategies to differentiate instruction for their students to become on-grade-level readers.

Take the quiz to see how much you know about adolescent readers:

1. According to the 2022 Nation’s Report Card (NAEP), what percentage of fourth- and eighth-grade students are reading at or above a proficient level?

A. 45% to 50%
B. 40% to 45%
C. 35% to 40%
D. 30% to 35%

2. What are the challenges teachers of grades 4–8 face in helping their students achieve grade-level reading proficiency?

A. Lack of time for professional learning
B. Lack of age-appropriate resources
C. Lack of applications outside the early ELA classroom
D. All of the above

3. The overwhelming majority of reading difficulties of upper-elementary and middle school students stem from the lack of proficiency in which area?

A. Decoding
B. Phonics
C. Fluency
D. Comprehension

4. What are the most important characteristics of quality professional learning based on the science of reading for teachers of grades 4–8?

A. Personalized, flexible
B. Sustained, job-embedded
C. Age-appropriate, content-focused
D. All of the above

5. What percentage of students who do not graduate from high school were below-grade-level readers at the beginning of fourth grade?

A. 88%
B. 63%
C. 42%
D. 34%

6. Literacy professional learning for teachers in upper elementary and middle school should:

A. Integrate into their regular curriculum
B. Provide foundational strategies to scaffold learning
C. Differentiate instruction
D. All of the above

7. Knowing how to apply the science of reading research and Structured Literacy approaches to older students, leads to:

A. Confident teachers
B. Higher student engagement
C. Deeper overall learning
D. All of the above

Professional learning in the science of reading can ensure all students have access to age-appropriate texts and interventions that target the root causes of reading challenges for students in grades 4–8. Knowing how to apply science of reading research for upper-elementary and middle school students should lead to higher student engagement and deeper overall learning.

Introducing Lexia® Aspire™ Professional Learning, literacy professional learning for grades 4–8 teachers. Grounded in the science of reading, Lexia Aspire empowers all educators to accelerate literacy for all students in grades 4–8. Discover how Lexia Aspire helps teachers weave literacy skills and strategies into their instruction to support learners to read, comprehend, and articulate their ideas across various subjects.

Answer Key: 1.D, 2.D, 3.A, 4.D, 5.A, 6.D, 7.D.