Essentials of Adolescent Literacy: Author Q and A

A new book by Joan Sedita, founder of Keys to Literacy, was published this month by Brookes Publishing titled Essentials of Adolescent Literacy: Integrating Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Instruction in Grades 5-12. At the same time, Keys to Literacy launched a companion professional learning course by the author titled Keys to Adolescent Literacy. This month’s blog post focuses on a Q and A with the author.

QUESTION: What is adolescent literacy?

Adolescent literacy encompasses the reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills that students must develop to meet increasingly complex academic demands. It is not solely the responsibility of English language arts teachers; educators across all content areas play a critical role in supporting students’ literacy development.

Grade Range: Experts in literacy differ on when adolescent literacy begins. Some assert that it starts in Grade 4, following the principle that through Grade 3, students are learning to read, but beginning in Grade 4, they transition to reading to learn (Chall, 1983). Others define adolescent literacy as the literacy instruction that occurs in middle and high school—often referred to as secondary literacy. Most states organize their English language arts standards into two bands: elementary (kindergarten through Grade 5) and secondary (Grades 6–12), the latter emphasizing literacy across content areas. This book focuses on Grades 5–12.

Three Levels of Instruction: Adolescent literacy instruction must address both the skills and strategies that all students use to learn across subjects and the targeted interventions required for those who struggle with reading and writing. I developed a framework that organizes adolescent literacy instruction into three levels: basic literacy, content literacy, and disciplinary literacy.

Within a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS), teachers of all subjects provide instruction in content and disciplinary literacy. This Tier 1 instruction includes teaching grade-level vocabulary, comprehension, writing, and discussion skills.

• Content literacy focuses on general skills that apply across subjects, often referred to as generic skills or study skills.
• Disciplinary literacy refers to the ways experts in a field read, write, think, and communicate within their discipline. It goes beyond learning about a subject; it involves engaging with texts as a historian, scientist, mathematician, or literary scholar would.

Students who struggle with literacy also require targeted intervention to develop basic literacy skills. For reading, such instruction may emphasize foundational components like phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, as well as vocabulary and comprehension, depending on individual needs. Similarly, writing interventions may focus on foundational writing skills such as spelling, handwriting or keyboarding, and sentence and paragraph construction.

QUESTION: Why did you write this book and course?

I wrote this book and course to help educators better meet the needs of our adolescent learners. In the 21^st century, literacy skills are more essential than ever for success in education, work, citizenship, and personal growth. Yet far too many older students lack the reading and writing skills needed to succeed in postsecondary education or in the growing number of jobs that require strong literacy abilities.

Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) illustrate the magnitude of this problem. In 2024, only 30% of Grade 4 students and 31% of Grade 8 students nationwide performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level in reading. Similarly, the most recent NAEP writing scores from 2011 showed that just 27% of students in Grades 8 and 12 wrote at or above the Proficient level.

Adolescent literacy has been unintentionally neglected for far too long. Since the National Reading Panel released its report in 2000, most reading improvement efforts in the United States have focused on the elementary grades—particularly Grades K–3. While it is vital to build a strong foundation early, effective instruction in the primary years does not guarantee that students will avoid literacy challenges later on. This emphasis on early reading development has resulted in limited attention, research, funding, and legislation for adolescent literacy—even though many students continue to struggle with grade-level skills, have difficulty comprehending complex texts, and face barriers to academic success in middle and high school.

Another unintended consequence of decades of focusing on early reading has been the neglect of writing instruction across all grade levels. This is why I address writing explicitly in both the book and the course. They are also designed to provide foundational knowledge about literacy instruction that many secondary educators have not had the opportunity to develop, largely because preservice teacher education offers minimal coursework in this area and professional development opportunities remain limited once teachers enter the classroom.

QUESTION: Who is the audience for the book and course?

Grades 5-12 classroom teachers of all subjects, intervention educators, literacy coaches, and administrators will benefit from reading this book and taking the course.

QUESTION: How is the book organized?

The book is organized into three parts. The first part, Literacy Basics, contains two chapters that provide an overview of the Science of Reading. It establishes foundational knowledge about literacy instruction across all grade levels, defines adolescent literacy, and introduces the background knowledge educators need to support content-area, disciplinary, and intervention-focused reading and writing instruction.

The second part, Literacy Instruction, includes five chapters that offer practical, research-based instructional suggestions for teaching vocabulary, comprehension, text structure, writing, discussion, advanced word study, and fluency.

 The third part, Supporting Adolescents With Literacy Difficulties, comprises two chapters focused on literacy intervention. These chapters discuss why adolescents struggle with reading and writing, present effective intervention practices, provide an overview of reading assessment, and explain how data can be used to guide instructional suggestions.

QUESTION: Why is literacy instruction necessary beyond the elementary grades?

Literacy is the gatekeeper to all learning. As students progress from upper elementary through high school, the emphasis on independent learning increases. They are expected to acquire, process, and retain information through reading, writing, listening to teachers and peers, and participating in discussions. However, many students leave the elementary grades without grade level-reading and writing skills. Even those who possess these foundational skills are not guaranteed to continue developing the advanced, discipline-specific literacy skills necessary for reading, writing, and engaging in academic discussions across all subjects in middle and high school.

The inability to read and gain meaning from text can negatively impact students’ academic performance and, consequently, their ability to earn credits and graduate. Research shows that students who lack reading and writing proficiency by fourth grade are more likely than their proficient peers to drop out before completing high school. These academic challenges are further associated with negative outcomes in adulthood, including lower income levels and higher rates of physical and mental health problems. Therefore, it is essential to maintain literacy instruction as a high-priority focus, even in the secondary grades.

Furthermore, the transition from childhood to adolescence brings profound changes, not only physical and emotional, but also in the way young individuals engage with texts and develop their literacy skills. As such, literacy education must be thoughtfully adapted to support adolescents in ways that are developmentally and age-appropriate. One of my goals for the book and course was to avoid simply repackaging elementary literacy courses and instead create something that is specifically focused on adolescent learners.

QUESTION: When did you first develop an interest in adolescent literacy?

Throughout my career, I have focused on literacy across all grade levels, but I have always been especially drawn to helping older students learn to read and write. I began my career in education 1975, tutoring older students in a summer school program for students with dyslexia and other reading disabilities. That summer, I worked with a fourteen-year-old student named Julie for two hours a day over six weeks.

Julie was bright and could comprehend most grade-level texts when they were read aloud to her, but her independent reading level was below third grade. In writing, she misspelled most of her words and struggled to produce even a basic, complete sentence. Years of academic struggle due to her low literacy skills had eroded her confidence and led her to believe she was less intelligent than her peers and would never be able to read or write proficiently.

After the six weeks of intensive, individualized instruction that incorporated an explicit, systematic and structured language approach, Julie’s reading level improved to the middle of fifth grade. She was able to read a restaurant menu, understand a daily newspaper, and write letters to her friends and family. Her confidence and sense of self-worth blossomed. I was hooked! Witnessing firsthand how high-quality, targeted instruction could transform not only a student’s literacy skill but also their life inspired me to dedicate my career to teaching reading and writing, with a particular passion for supporting adolescent learners.

QUESTION: What is the Science of Reading, and is it applicable to adolescent literacy?

The Science of Reading (SOR) refers to a comprehensive body of scientific knowledge and research from the fields of education, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, and neuroscience. It explains how individuals learn how to read and identifies the most effective practices for reading instruction. Research related to writing is also included within SOR. This body of research has been developed over the past five decades across the world and is derived from thousands of studies conducted in multiple languages. It is important for educators to recognize that SOR is not a curriculum, program, or a single component of literacy instruction such as phonics or comprehension.

While the art of teaching is informed by shared professional experience, educators, like those in the medical field, should also consider research on effective reading and writing instruction. Doing so ensures that their instructional decisions are guided by evidence rather than solely by personal theories about teaching literacy. A substantial body of research provides clear guidance on evidence-based literacy instruction for students in Grades 5-12.

The information and instructional recommendations presented in Essentials of Adolescent Literacy and the accompanying course are grounded in research. They draw from numerous studies as well as from research syntheses and meta-analyses on reading and writing. Meta-analytic findings are particularly valuable because they reflect consistent results across multiple studies, providing a strong foundation for evidence-based practice.

QUESTION: How can schools support adolescents who have difficulty with literacy skills?

Students in Grades 5-12 experience varying degrees of difficulty with reading and writing. Some students perform just below grade level and may only require differentiated instruction and scaffolding within general education classrooms, where quality content literacy instruction is integrated into subject teaching. Others may be significantly behind and need supplemental or intensive intervention. Some students with reading difficulties may be identified as having learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, while others may not.

A one-size-fits-all approach to intervention is ineffective. There is wide variation in the specific components of reading and writing that require targeted support. Some students may benefit from interventions focused on one or two literacy components, while others may need comprehensive intervention that addresses all areas of reading and writing. It is essential to view each student as an individual learner with unique needs, using assessment data to guide instructional decisions.

The book and course offer suggestions for supporting struggling readers and writers in the general education classroom. These include identifying students who are experiencing difficulty and understanding their individual needs, creating a supportive classroom environment, fostering motivation and engagement, and using explicit instruction while integrating reading and writing into content learning.

Additional suggestions are provided for delivering effective intervention in pull-out settings. Key characteristics of effective interventions include smaller instructional groups, increased instructional time, and individualized support. The goal of these interventions is to accelerate literacy development, enabling students to make significant progress and close the gap in their literacy skills.

QUESTION: What options do educators have for professional development related to the book?

Through the book Essentials of Adolescent Literacy, educators gain insight into the unique needs of adolescent learners and learn evidence-based practices for teaching all aspects of literacy in grades 5-12. A set of book study questions is available for groups of educators to use as they collaborate and share their learning from the book. Click here to access the set of questions.

The Keys to Adolescent Literacy professional learning course, offered by Keys to Literacy, provides multiple professional development options. Educators can complete the course individually or participate as part of a school-based professional learning initiative.  The course modules are aligned with the chapters in Essentials of Adolescent Literacy.

Training options include live sessions delivered by Keys to Literacy consultants, a fully asynchronous online course, or a hybrid format that combines online modules with facilitated debrief sessions. These sessions can be led by Keys to Literacy consultants or by a school or organization’s in-house facilitators through a train-the-facilitator option. For more information, visit Keys to Literacy’s Adolescent Literacy web page or contact Keys to Literacy.

About Joan Sedita

Joan is the founder of Keys to Literacy. With over 45 years of experience in the literacy field, she has served as a teacher, administrator, and teacher trainer. In addition to authoring Essentials of Adolescent Literacy and Keys to Adolescent Literacy, Joan is the creator of The Writing Rope framework and book and the developer of multiple literacy professional development programs, including The Key Comprehension Routine, The Key Vocabulary Routine, Keys to Beginning Reading, Keys to Content Writing, and Keys to Early Writing. From 1975 to 1998,  she worked the Landmark School, a pioneer in the development of literacy intervention programs. Since 1998, Joan has provided literacy training and consultation to hundreds of school districts and departments of education. Joan holds an M.Ed. in Reading from Harvard University and a B.A. from Boston College.