Literacy skills remain a top priority for educators throughout the school year. Recent NWEA research shows many adolescents are still working to regain the reading proficiency they had before the COVID-19 pandemic, with some needing nearly a full academic year of additional instruction to catch up.
The latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results underscore the concern: only 30% of 8th graders are reading at or above proficiency.
In upper grades, strong literacy is not just about novels – it’s the foundation for success in every subject, from interpreting a science lab report to analyzing a historical document. While teachers do critical work in the classroom, families are essential partners in reinforcing literacy at home.
As both a literacy expert and a mom of a high schooler, I know firsthand that families often aren’t sure exactly how to support literacy at home. Clear, specific direction from schools can make a big difference.
The following five strategies can help administrators and teachers engage parents in building strong, lasting reading habits for adolescents.
1. Set them up for success: At the start of the academic year, families may be juggling multiple commitments and communication, whether from the school, teachers, coaches or other extracurricular activities in which students are engaged. Therefore, keep the message clear and concise and determine one or two key literacy practices you want parents to emphasize. Encourage families to:
- Set goals and communicate clear objectives with the students
- Put together a schedule or create a planner that prioritizes those tasks
- Motivate, encourage and celebrate with the students when progress is made and reading goals are achieved
Staying organized, keeping track of assignments and exercising good time management helps students stay focused to achieve their literacy goals.
2. Build good reading habits early: Adolescent literacy success often starts with habits formed years earlier. Many of the literacy routines I use with my own high schooler began in elementary school and simply became part of daily life.
Schools can help by encouraging families, starting in kindergarten and at the beginning of each year, to:
- Devote regular time at home to reading
- Incorporate writing into everyday activities
- Encourage reading in all formats, whether print or digital, and various types of publications, such as magazines, journals, or the news
By starting early, you create a culture where literacy in all forms is valued and sustained throughout the middle and high school years.
3. Encourage families to model good reading and writing behavior: Parents and caregivers are powerful role models. When adolescents see adults reading regularly, they’re more likely to do the same.
Schools can encourage this by reminding parents to:
- Share what they’re reading and talk about it with their teen
- Let their child know when they’re reading online articles, news stories, or blog posts
- Discuss ideas and perspectives gained from reading
Modeling can extend to writing, too. Parents can “think aloud” when planning a piece of writing, talking through story structure or organizing ideas before facing a blank page. This helps teens see writing as a process, not a one-and-done task.
4. Show how literacy connects to every subject: Many parents may see reading as an “English class” skill, but in secondary school, literacy supports every subject. Teachers can help bridge this gap by:
- Sharing examples of non-fiction and subject-specific reading in science, history, and math
- Suggesting open-ended questions parents can ask, such as: “What’s the most interesting thing you read for school this week?”
- Highlighting the importance of comprehension and critical thinking across the subjects
When parents understand that literacy is a cross-curricular skill, they’re more likely to reinforce it at home in varied and meaningful ways.
5. Foster the joy of reading and learning: To foster the joy of reading and learning in students, encourage students to pursue their interests, exercise self-agency and make social connections within the context of reading.
Parents can support students by having them select books aligned to their interests and demonstrating the importance of building knowledge, which enhances their comprehension. Expose them to:
- Diverse genres of books, whether fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, etc.
- Current, relevant articles and texts pertaining to various cultures or perspectives related with teen issues
- Audiobooks, eBooks, and educational videos that help make challenging content more accessible and engaging
- Book clubs with other teens or family members
Incorporating these reading activities in authentic ways, such as through listening to audiobooks during commutes, discussing news headlines at dinner or learning more deeply about a new hobby, helps establish not only the importance of reading but joy in learning.
