Building Background That Matters: How I Create Text Sets for Adolescent Readers
During several recent presentations, participants have asked how I generate text sets to build background knowledge for a particular literary selection. It’s an important question—because for many adolescents, especially those who are disengaged from reading, background knowledge is often the difference between confusion and connection. read more
Climbing the Staircase of Automaticity: Why Volume and Design Matter in Adolescent Reading
Automaticity is built through volume. But volume alone is not enough. Volume must be designed. At TextProject, we have built a coherent Staircase of Automaticity in Reading. read more
Not Zero: Why Adolescent Reading Interventions Should Start Where Students Are
Too many reading interventions send adolescents back to the beginning—as if a thirteen- or seventeen-year-old were encountering print for the first time. But adolescent readers who score below Proficient are not at zero. When we begin where students actually are, we align practice with theory—and give adolescents the forward momentum they deserve. read more
