Through choral reading, students practice reading aloud together, helping reduce anxiety and improve fluency, pronunciation, comprehension, and expression.
Struggling Adolescent Readers: Planning for Successful Implementation of MTSS
Released: Thursday, June 19, 2025
Join us for this fascinating discussion about literacy, struggling secondary readers, and how to structure the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to give adolescents their best opportunity to catch up to grade level and move toward a successful future.
Our guest, Michelle Elia, a nationally recognized literacy professional development provider and advocate for adolescent literacy, will discuss key components of MTSS at the secondary level and will share ways teachers can plan for successful literacy interventions. With inspiring direction, Elia will discuss challenges and successes from the field following her work in Ohio schools.
Listeners will learn:
- Critical components of MTSS, specifically at the secondary level
- How to leverage assessment data to determine student skill deficits
- The importance of aligning interventions with student needs
- Instructional practices that can be implemented in core instruction across content areas to prevent further reading difficulties and support struggling readers
We hope you’ll join us for this informative and applicable presentation!
Not Just Behind—Stuck: Helping Students Cross the Bridge to Skilled Reading
Released: Thursday, May 15, 2025
Supporting older, novice readers requires more than just phonics or comprehension strategies—it demands a multicomponent intervention approach. Students need structured instruction in vocabulary, syntax, text processing, and writing when working with complex texts. But for this to be effective, intervention must be intentional, well-planned, and fully supported.
During this episode, Dr. Mitchell Brookins, a nationally recognized literacy practitioner, shares insights from a middle school in New Orleans, where a multicomponent intervention transformed how students engaged with rigorous texts. He breaks down why successful intervention isn’t just about what happens in the classroom—it also requires:
✅ A Structured Framework—A clear instructional model that ensures students get explicit, systematic instruction in vocabulary, syntax, text processing, and writing.
✅ Intentional Text Selection—Choosing texts that are both rigorous and accessible, ensuring they build students’ literacy skills while maintaining engagement.
✅ A Strong Coaching System—Teachers need consistent guidance and professional learning to sustain and refine their instructional practices—intervention is too vital for teachers to navigate alone.
If you’re working with older struggling readers, this episode will challenge conventional approaches to intervention and equip you with the tools to help students succeed with complex texts—no matter their starting point.
Please join us!