Closing the literacy gap for middle grades is crucial for ensuring students' academic success. The goal is for every child to have access to the curriculum.

💡 Here are three tips to help you address this in your classroom.

1. Assess and identify the student's reading level. Use standardized assessments and reading diagnostic tools to pinpoint their deficits and strengths. Use this information to create learning plans for the students in your classroom.

2. Make sure you differentiate instruction. Once you have the assessment data, use that to create flexible reading groups, provide targeted instruction, and create small groups to work with students who need phonics or require accelerated learning.

3. Create a culture of reading within your classroom. You can do this by having an extensive classroom library, setting up a reading center for students who desire audio reading books, or creating a book club. Creating a culture of reading will support students struggling with reading and encourage them to choose books to ignite a love for reading.