 I’m Maria Thompson and I teach fifth grade ELA at Lincoln Elementary, a small public school in rural Pennsylvania. Our school serves a lot of lower-income families and we don’t always have access to the latest programs or curriculum. Like many teachers, I’m always searching for quality resources that are both effective and free. That’s how I found ReadWorks. This past year, I had a student named Alex who reminded me why the right tools can make all the difference. Alex came to us in January after moving from another district. He was quiet and avoided eye contact. During reading time, he barely touched his paper. I learned from his file that he was reading well below grade level and had struggled for years with both decoding and comprehension. He almost never participated in class discussions.  I could tell reading had become something he feared. It broke my heart to see how shut down he was. I knew I needed to try something different to reach him. I started using ReadWorks regularly with my class. We began with the Article-A-Day routine. The short nonfiction texts were perfect for building stamina and background knowledge without overwhelming struggling readers. For Alex, I chose articles on science and animals because those were the only topics that seemed to spark even a little interest. I also had him use the audio feature so he could listen as he followed along. This helped take the pressure off and allowed him to focus on understanding the content instead of getting stuck on every word. After a few weeks, something amazing happened. We were reading an article about honeybees and how they communicate. Out of nowhere, Alex raised his hand and said, “They dance to tell the other bees where to go.” It was the first time he had voluntarily spoken in front of the class. The room went silent for a second, and then another student responded, and just like that, Alex was part of the conversation. "After a few weeks, something amazing happened. We were reading an article about honeybees and how they communicate. Out of nowhere, Alex raised his hand and said, “They dance to tell the other bees where to go.”  From that moment on, he started showing up differently. He wrote more in his Book of Knowledge journal. He asked questions. He even started helping one of our multilingual students during group work. I could see his confidence growing every single week.| "By the end of the year, Alex had made more than a full year’s growth in reading. His comprehension scores improved, but more importantly, he believed in himself again." By the end of the year, Alex had made more than a full year’s growth in reading. His comprehension scores improved, but more importantly, he believed in himself again. He went from being a silent observer to a student who shared his ideas, asked thoughtful questions, and even helped lead a small group during a Mars Rover reading project. He brought in a model he built at home and proudly explained how it worked. ReadWorks made that possible. It gave me tools I could actually use, right away, with no extra prep or cost. The audio support, vocabulary tools, and high-interest texts allowed me to reach Alex where he was and move him forward. Every student deserves access to texts that make them feel smart and seen. Every teacher deserves resources that are easy to use and truly effective. ReadWorks is both. Written by: Maria Thompson, 5th grade ELA Teacher, Pottstown, PA.Thank you so much to Maria for submitting this story to our Impact Story Collection Contest—it was selected as a winner! We are truly grateful for the time it took to write and share both these words and the wonderful images from this fun classroom.
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We’re proud to share that Dr. Susanne Nobles, Ph.D., Chief Academic Officer at ReadWorks, has been named one of Education Insider Magazine’s “Top 10 Chief Academic Officers of 2025.” This national recognition honors education leaders who have demonstrated exceptional impact on education through innovation, research, and a deep commitment to equity. Dr. Nobles’ inclusion in this outstanding list of finalists follows a selection process based on nominations, editorial review, and advisory board evaluation. She was chosen for her unwavering dedication to supporting teachers and students through evidence-based reading instruction.  In her Top 10 Chief Academic Officer feature, “Equity Is the Foundation,” Dr. Nobles shares how her leadership philosophy centers on collaboration with educators. With over 30 years of experience in K–12 classrooms, literacy research, and instructional design, she leads ReadWorks in developing tools that combine the science of reading with a focus on equity—ensuring all students, no matter their background, have access to the texts, knowledge, and vocabulary needed for comprehension success. “We don’t build around teachers—we build with them,” Dr. Nobles explains. Under Dr. Nobles’ leadership, ReadWorks continues to grow its national impact, supporting millions of students and teachers each year with free, research-backed resources. Her work has helped make initiatives like Article-A-Day™, Spanish-English Paired Texts, and curriculum alignments available on the free ReadWorks platform.
This recognition highlights not only Dr. Nobles’ individual excellence but also ReadWorks’ enduring mission: to support teacher instruction that builds the knowledge and vocabulary that drive students’ reading comprehension. 👏 Join us in congratulating Dr. Nobles on this well-deserved honor, and learn more about her career and inspiring work here: “Equity Is the Foundation” — Education Insider Magazine 👉 See the list: Top 10 Chief Academic Officers of 2025 As the school years winds up, many parents may be headed into tackling homework, and parent-teacher conferences. Maintaining their child’s reading skills at home takes time and support. This is especially vital for parents of struggling readers. The good news is that you do not need to be a literacy expert to help. Anyone can help a child improve their reading comprehension and fluency by using just a few of these simple strategies.  Create a Consistent Reading HabitReading is similar to learning other skills. The more a child practices, the better they get. And the best way to make practice consistent is to form a habit. Establishing a daily reading habit—no matter how small—can help struggling readers build fluency and confidence. Here are some ideas to build a reading habit:
To help build the habit, ReadWorks developed the Article-A-Day™ routine. Each day, children read one short, high-interest nonfiction article and briefly reflect on it. These articles are designed to take just 10 minutes a day, making it quick and easy for parents and their children. Try It: Start a daily Article-A-Day routine with ReadWorks to build vocabulary and comprehension. ReadWorks is completely free and you can choose to assign the article to them for access on their computer or device, or to print the article. Use Scaffolding to Support Reading GrowthScaffolding is an instructional approach where you offer support as your child learns a new skill, then gradually step back as they gain confidence. When it comes to reading, scaffolding helps struggling readers tackle challenging texts without becoming overwhelmed. At home, scaffolding might look like:
Try It: Use ReadWorks question sets and reading comprehension worksheets to guide comprehension.  Focus on Sight Words to Build FluencyMany readers benefit from strengthening their recognition of common sight words—words that often can’t be sounded out easily and appear frequently in texts. Mastering these words can make reading smoother and more automatic. Here’s a short breakdown of common sight words, which are grouped by type:
Try It: Explore ReadWorks' full library of content for younger readers.  Let Children Choose What They ReadGiving students the chance to choose something that truly interests them—whether it's sports, fantasy, or science—can make a big difference in how they approach reading. What matters most is that they’re engaged with texts that feel enjoyable and accessible. All that leads to one question. What does your child like reading? Here are a few ideas to figure that out:
Try It: Try ReadWorks Reading Mindset Snapshot. It's a quick survey for students to complete that helps you choose what they might like to read from our library! Supporting your child's reading at home this summer doesn't have to be complicated. A few simple strategies can make a big difference. Even short, consistent efforts can help struggling readers build confidence and make steady progress.
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