Climbing the Staircase of Automaticity: Why Volume and Design Matter in Adolescent Reading
Automaticity is built through volume. But volume alone is not enough. Volume must be designed. At TextProject, we have built a coherent Staircase of Automaticity in Reading. read more
Not Zero: Why Adolescent Reading Interventions Should Start Where Students Are
Too many reading interventions send adolescents back to the beginning—as if a thirteen- or seventeen-year-old were encountering print for the first time. But adolescent readers who score below Proficient are not at zero. When we begin where students actually are, we align practice with theory—and give adolescents the forward momentum they deserve. read more
When Aspirational Benchmarks Become Public Verdicts: Revisiting NAEP Proficiency
What does NAEP Proficiency actually represent? Is it intended to describe what is developmentally appropriate for most eighth graders, or does it represent a more ambitious target? Ambitious goals are essential—they push systems forward. But when aspirational benchmarks are misread as diagnostic norms, high expectations become public condemnation. read more
