Leveled Reading, Leveled Lives: How Students’ Reading Achievement Has Been Held Back and What We Can Do About It

Leading literacy expert Timothy Shanahan curates a lively tour of the history of reading instruction in the U.S., arguing that the most popular reading instruction method is failing students and suppressing their literacy achievement. He breaks down the reasons why teachers and researchers alike have favored this accepted wisdom, known as instructional-level theory, in U.S. schools over the past five decades — and presents a compelling case for a new way forward that will bolster students’ reading skills.The book offers practical advice for implementing grade-level reading instruction, including detailed descriptions of the types of instruction and scaffolding needed to increase students’ reading achievement, from teaching decoding and challenging texts to scaffolding reading to maintaining motivation. Shanahan asserts that a better approach can ensure that all students have an opportunity to leave high school with reading abilities commensurate with their personal, social, civic, and economic goals.