A Sample of Effective Instructional Practices for Students With Learning Disabilities and Reading Difficulties in Grades 4 Through 9

Abstract

This article describes evidence-based instructional practices that improve reading outcomes for students in Grades 4 to 9, with particular attention to learners with reading difficulties and disabilities. Although the Science of Reading has guided early literacy efforts, far less direction exists for supporting older students who must navigate increasingly complex texts. We review research-validated Tier 1 practices, including Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR), Promoting Adolescents’ Comprehension of Text (PACT), multisyllabic word-reading routines, explicit vocabulary and knowledge building, and structured discussion approaches such as Team-Based Learning (TBL) and WorldGen. These practices demonstrate consistent benefits for students with learning disabilities and those at risk, as well as for the broader range of learners with whom they are educated, when implemented across content-area classrooms. Recommendations emphasize strengthening school-wide Tier 1 instruction so that all students, including those with disabilities, receive coherent, purposeful literacy supports integrated into daily academic learning.