High schoolers often face unique challenges when learning how to read, such as negative attitudes towards reading, lack of background knowledge, and difficulty comprehending complex academic texts. However, experts in literacy, such as Dr. Richard Allington, Dr. Nell K. Duke, Dr. Catherine Snow, Dr. E.D. Hirsch, Dr. Julie Coiro, and Dr. Stephen Krashen have found effective strategies to help high schoolers overcome these challenges.
Building a positive attitude towards reading: Dr. Richard Allington found that providing interesting and relevant reading materials that align with students' interests and abilities can help build a positive attitude towards reading. Encouraging discussion and debate about reading materials can also make the reading experience more enjoyable and meaningful.
Teaching explicit reading strategies: Dr. Nell K. Duke discovered that explicit instruction in reading strategies such as predicting, summarizing, questioning, and clarifying can help high schoolers become more proficient readers. Teachers can model these strategies and provide opportunities for students to practice them.
Teaching vocabulary and comprehension: Dr. Catherine Snow found that high schoolers need to understand complex vocabulary and sentence structures to comprehend academic texts. Teachers can teach vocabulary explicitly and provide instruction on how to identify and understand the structure of complex sentences.
Building background knowledge: Dr. E.D. Hirsch found that high schoolers often lack the background knowledge needed to comprehend academic texts. Teachers can help build students' background knowledge by connecting reading materials to real-world experiences, current events, and prior knowledge.
Using technology and multimedia: Dr. Julie Coiro discovered that high schoolers are often more engaged with technology and multimedia than with traditional texts. Teachers can incorporate digital and multimedia resources such as videos, podcasts, and interactive websites to enhance the reading experience.
Providing opportunities for independent reading: Dr. Stephen Krashen found that independent reading can help students develop their reading skills. Teachers can provide students with a range of reading materials and opportunities to choose their own books or articles.