By Kerri Larkin
Given the foundational importance of “learning to read,” most Districts prioritize their science of reading innovations in the early years, PK through 3 or sometimes Kindergarten through 5. As the NAEP scores continue to show us, too many students reach middle and high school without the fluency and comprehension skills they need. Our students are quietly passed along, their challenges hidden behind compensatory behaviors or masked by avoidance. Our current systems unable to address challenges that actually can be met. During Lexia’s recent Science of Reading Week, our panel on adolescent literacy explored why this happens and, more importantly, what we can do about it.
Literacy is more than decoding words on a page. It is the key to critical thinking, independence, and participation in our communities. Adolescents still benefit from evidence based instruction that is rooted in the science of reading. For our adolescence, we need to incorporate our knowledge of the teenage brain, social world and need for agency in its application.
The Adolescent Brain: Ripe for Learning
Adolescence is a time of remarkable neurological change. The brain undergoes remodeling that strengthens the prefrontal cortex, the center for metacognition, self-regulation, and critical analysis. Teens are biologically wired to think deeply and form their own interpretations. As panelist Celeste Myers explained, “The adolescent brain is like a sponge. It is ready for learning, but it needs to be engaged socially and emotionally.” Effective literacy instruction for adolescents must be collaborative and relevant. When learning connects to their lived experiences, and when teachers create communities where trust and curiosity thrive, students are more willing to take risks and rebuild the reading “muscles” that may have atrophied where previous instruction failed.
Relationships Before Rigor
Middle and high school students do not respond to literacy instruction the same way younger children do. For adolescents, relationships come first. Academic coach Mary Ann Hilton shared, “It’s about trust. When students believe you care, they’ll buy in.”
This relationship-centered approach also means celebrating progress, no matter how small. Hilton described setting personal goals with students, using data not to label, but to guide instruction. “You might have gaps,” she tells them, “But we can fill those gaps together.” Dr. Carol Jago, Associate Director of the California Reading and Literature Project, emphasized modeling a reading life. “Many students have never seen an adult enthusiastic about a book,” she said. “We need to be those adults.”
Building Teacher Expertise
A recurring theme was that too many secondary teachers were never taught how to teach reading. Hilton recalled earning a master’s degree in reading before ever hearing the term science of reading. As a result, she said, “Most teachers are left to learn it on their own.” That is changing. More districts are offering professional learning that grounds secondary educators in evidence-based reading instruction. The Lexia Aspire training, for example, gives teachers the frameworks to diagnose and address gaps. Adults, like their students, need differentiated learning. One size does not fit all. Job-embedded support helps teachers move from understanding the science to applying it in content-rich classrooms.
Beyond the Workaround
When older students struggle, teachers often resort to workarounds like reading texts aloud or replacing print with audiobooks. These may help participation but do little to strengthen the neural pathways for fluent reading. As Jago put it, “Listening to an audiobook isn’t reading.” Instead, teachers must reclaim instructional time for authentic literacy experiences that includes pairing complex texts with accessible versions, using high-interest nonfiction, or graphic novels to build stamina. “The key,” Jago said, “is to give students something worth reading while helping them to see why it matters.”
Leading Change, One Classroom at a Time
Transforming adolescent literacy is not a quick fix. It requires leadership from classrooms to district offices. Hilton summarized it simply: “We have to inspect what we expect.” Leadership teams must model curiosity, join professional learning, and make literacy a shared priority.
But change can also begin with one teacher. Myers urged educators to “be part of the change” by experimenting, gathering data, and sharing what works. “It is a marathon,” she said. “There is no single solution; it takes persistence and community.” At the systems level, that community must include librarians, coaches, and parents. Jago reminded us that librarians are “magical people who know books better than anyone.” Investing in libraries and ensuring every classroom has diverse, engaging texts can make reading visible, and also irresistible.
Literacy as a Collective Responsibility
Improving adolescent literacy is not about a program; this is a mindset. We must believe every student can grow as a reader. That belief begins with adults who see themselves as literacy leaders. It spreads when teachers collaborate, schools celebrate and create space for reading, and students discover that literacy is a way of understanding and shaping their world.
Change is constant in education, but one thing remains: our need for a literate society. We crave connection, meaning, and voice, and reading gives us all three. When we teach adolescents to read with confidence and joy, we do not just improve academic outcomes. We help them discover who they are and how they fit into the world. That, in the end, is the truest measure of literacy.
About the author
Kerri Larkin is a senior education advisor to the learning and research team at Lexia.
