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Transforming Reading Instruction in a Title I Dual Language Classroom
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 A recent professional development session brought together the dedicated first and second grade teachers at PS 69Q in District 30, NYC, for a hands-on collaboration focused on strengthening early literacy instruction. Participants, representing a wide range of teaching experience and familiarity with the ReadWorks platform, engaged in strategies to meet a singular objective: to seamlessly blend effective, high-quality content tools with data-driven planning for targeted student intervention. This approach ensures that every student receives the precise support they need to build foundational reading comprehension skills. Professional Development Session: Building Knowledge and Decoding Skills A key focus was to ensure that the educators felt confident in leveraging the free materials to simultaneously build background knowledge and target phonics skills. Together we explored just two of many ReadWorks tools. It was important to identify the tools that would best meet the educators current goals for their students. Article-A-Day: Educators were excited about this program that can be easily integrated into daily routines to consistently expose students to a variety of nonfiction topics, building the crucial knowledge base that supports overall comprehension. ReadWorks Nonfiction Decodables: A powerful dual approach that provides engaging informational texts while systematically reinforcing the specific phonics patterns students are learning. Educators learned how to utilize the decodable texts during whole-group and small-group instruction for more impact on student improvement. Data-Informed InterventionsEffective teaching relies on timely, accurate student data. Having the professional development time was significant to discuss how to translate assessment results into practical strategies to build literacy skills.
 Hands-On Planning for Literacy CentersThe most dynamic part of the session was the dedicated work and planning time. Teachers were actively engaged in creating plans they could use immediately. They learned how to set up specific activities to build knowledge, vocabulary, and practice decoding.
Professional Development with ReadWorks The PS 69Q first- and second-grade teams brought incredible creativity and commitment to their recent ReadWorks professional development session. ReadWorks is excited to see how these new strategies and resources support meaningful growth and joyful reading for their young learners this year. Did you know Title I schools can receive free, high-quality professional development from ReadWorks? Send us a quick email at [email protected] to learn more about our free and paid PD options. Written by: Tamika Reece, Senior Learning Partnerships Project Manager
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For more than 20 years, ReadWorks and New York City Public Schools have partnered to bring free, evidence-based reading resources to students. What began with print resources for classroom use has evolved into an award-winning educational technology platform offering over 6,000 reading passages for grades K-12, Spanish-English Paired Texts, differentiated StepReads™, and more—all free for educators. Today, the number of educators in NYC public schools signing up to use ReadWorks’ free reading comprehension resources continues to grow, increasing by 10% each year. More than 80% of educators return to use the platform each year as well. This year, ReadWorks has made access for NYC educators even easier by rolling out a direct integration with NYC’s Department of Education Single Sign-On (SSO) platform, ensuring that every NYC teacher can seamlessly bring ReadWorks into the technology that they are already using in their classrooms. ReadWorks is proud of the continuous effort to strengthen reading instruction these past years in New York City schools, especially during this pivotal time when New York City is evaluating their reading scores and growth. Recent reports show the city’s students are making their strongest gains in literacy in over a decade. According to new statewide test results, 56.3% of NYC students in grades 3–8 scored proficient or better in English Language Arts (ELA) in 2025, up from 49.1% the previous year — a 7.2% increase. (Source: NY Times, August 2025) “These scores are a win for everyone, because it’s really the result of great collaboration and the hard work that our kids put in,” The New York Times reported that much of this growth reflects the city’s NYC Reads initiative and the adoption of new, research-based English Language Arts (ELA) curricula. ReadWorks partners with NYC teachers and leaders, listening closely to understand where support is most needed. There is a growing need for resources that support background knowledge and vocabulary, which is often called “the other side of learning to read, beyond phonics” on Scarborough’s reading rope. ReadWorks responded by creating curriculum alignments tailored to NYC’s ELA curricula. These alignments provide curated, grade-level texts by topic, along with vocabulary exercises and question sets. For example, when 3rd graders study the ocean in their Wit and Wisdom ELA October unit, teachers can quickly access free ready-to-use passages that deepen understanding and build vocabulary about oceans. In Harlem’s District 5, 24 schools have spent the past two years deepening the use of ReadWorks resources to strengthen reading instruction. Educators and paraprofessionals have embraced the ReadWorks Article-A-Day™ routine, a daily practice that builds background knowledge, vocabulary, and reading stamina. Starting in Fall 2023, District 5 staff participated in customized professional development sessions from ReadWorks, focused on using Article-A-Day in small-group interventions. This hands-on training gave paraprofessionals the tools and confidence to support students effectively. A few weeks later, PS 175 reached its ambitious goal of having students read a ReadWorks article daily to expand knowledge and vocabulary. “ReadWorks has become an essential companion to our reading block, providing Article-A-Day and differentiated, high-quality texts that align with the Science of Reading and deepen comprehension practice. In schools where educators use ReadWorks consistently, we are seeing notable gains in student engagement and reading growth. Its ease of use and accessibility for all staff have made it an invaluable tool in advancing our district’s goals.” District 5 is now among the top three districts in NYC for ELA progress in the 2023–2024 school year, with three schools reporting double-digit gains. This success reflects the dedication of teachers, paraprofessionals, families, and school communities working together to create joyful, knowledge-rich classrooms filled with confident readers.
ReadWorks remains deeply committed to supporting one of the largest and most dynamic school systems in the world, ensuring that every educator and student, especially those in under-resourced schools, has free access to the high-quality reading materials and support that ReadWorks is known for and that are proven to strengthen reading comprehension. As the city continues to make meaningful progress in reading, we are excited to build on this district collaboration and expand our work to even more NYC school districts. I’ve been using ReadWorks for years as a go-to resource in my classroom. When our school adopted Amplify CKLA two years ago, I was excited, but also immediately noticed a gap. While CKLA offers strong content, there just wasn’t enough time built in for kids to read independently, to practice fluency, or to really engage with the texts in a meaningful way. There were only a few passages per unit, and I knew my students needed more. That’s when ReadWorks became more essential than ever. I found out through the Amplify materials that ReadWorks has aligned articles for many of the CKLA modules, and I’ve used it every day since. I print out the articles and my students actually prefer reading that way. It makes learning feel accessible and hands-on. One of the biggest highlights was our unit on the Renaissance. My students were captivated by the articles on knights and castles. The passage on the life of a serf sparked such rich discussion, and the way the text was organized made it easier for my students to grasp complex ideas. They even enjoyed the open-ended questions, a huge win in fourth grade.  Using ReadWorks daily also helped us meet one of our key academic goals this year: fluency. I used printed articles for partner reading every single day. We read aloud together, then students read to each other. As a result, our DIBELS fluency scores jumped from 68% to 89%. All but two students ended the year in the green or blue zone. That kind of growth wouldn’t have happened without ReadWorks supplementing CKLA. The pairing has been especially helpful for science and social studies, too. We switched to Amplify Science, and while it’s informative, it’s also focused on teacher talk. My students needed more reading and connection. ReadWorks filled that gap. We used aligned science articles to build vocabulary, comprehension, and content knowledge, and it kept them engaged. Another reason I rely on ReadWorks is the ability to differentiate. I can select articles at different Lexile levels and pair stronger readers with students who need more support while I do 1:1 check-ins. This kind of flexible, responsive teaching just wouldn’t be possible with CKLA alone. I also use ReadWorks in real time during assessments. If a student rushes through a passage, I can quickly reassign it or use another aligned article as a quiz to reinforce the skill. I love that I can see how they’re doing and respond right away. To any teacher using CKLA who hasn’t explored ReadWorks yet, I would say: “Use it. It’s aligned. It’s free. It’s incredible. Why not?” ReadWorks doesn’t just supplement CKLA, it completes it. Together, they provide a well-rounded reading experience that builds fluency, comprehension, and background knowledge.
Last year, 83% of my students hit their reading benchmarks. That wasn’t luck. It was the result of using these two tools together in a purposeful way. CKLA gives me strong content, but ReadWorks is what brings it to life for my students.  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.  At Ladera Palma Elementary School, I teach a 4th grade class in a Spanish dual language immersion program. Our students come from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, with many identifying as English Learners. They are vibrant, curious, and deeply capable—but often face barriers to grade-level reading proficiency due to limited access to appropriately leveled, culturally relevant, and bilingual materials. As a fourth-year teacher committed to equity, I’m always looking for ways to close opportunity gaps, especially when it comes to literacy. Our school’s Theory of Action focuses on teaching students to read closely, participate in evidence-based collaborative conversations, and apply academic language in writing across content areas. I knew I needed materials that would support these instructional goals—without requiring paid licenses or expensive add-ons. That’s when I turned to ReadWorks. Free, High-Quality Solution for My Student David At the start of the year, I noticed a troubling trend: many of my students were reading below grade level in English, and even those who were stronger in Spanish had difficulty accessing academic texts in either language. The result? Students struggled with confidence and participation, and our class discussions lacked the depth we were aiming for. One student, "David," stood out. A sweet and chatty child, he was reluctant to engage with any complex text. He would often skim, guess, or simply avoid reading tasks altogether. David wasn’t alone—many of my students were developing decoding skills but lacked the background knowledge, vocabulary, and stamina to understand what they were reading. As a teacher in a Title I school, I didn’t have a budget for a leveled classroom library or paid platforms. I needed a free, high-quality solution—and fast. I began using ReadWorks' Article-A-Day routine as a daily warm-up. This simple shift transformed our classroom energy. The articles were short, engaging, and accessible—and best of all, they built background knowledge in manageable chunks. Students started to look forward to them. I also began using ReadWorks’ Paired Texts in Spanish and English, which was a game changer for our dual language goals. These helped us build bi-literacy skills while keeping content consistent across languages. To support students like David, I used the “StepReads” and audio support features to scaffold comprehension. He could listen, follow along, and reread independently. The comprehension questions, both multiple choice and short response, helped him build confidence in using text evidence—one of our school’s key learning targets. I also created small reading groups using ReadWorks’ search filters to select texts by topic, grade level, and Lexile. I was able to differentiate instruction easily—giving each group something that met their current level, but still challenged them to grow. “Did you know hurricanes lose power over land? It’s in paragraph three!” - David Within weeks, I saw a dramatic shift in student engagement. David began raising his hand to share facts from the Article-A-Day series, proudly pointing out evidence in the text. One day, after reading about extreme weather, he turned to a classmate and said, “Did you know hurricanes lose power over land? It’s in paragraph three!” It was a breakthrough—not just in reading comprehension, but in his academic confidence. Spanish-English Paired Texts for My Student Luisa Students like Luisa, an English Learner who previously hesitated to speak during discussions, began using ReadWorks texts to prepare her ideas in advance. She grew comfortable using sentence frames and quoting from the article during our partner talks and writing tasks. ReadWorks gave her the structure and support to find her voice. The Spanish-English Paired Texts also helped students make meaningful connections between languages. After reading about César Chávez in both English and Spanish, students noticed how vocabulary shifted across contexts and discussed why certain ideas resonated more in one language than the other. These are the kinds of rich, reflective conversations we hadn’t been able to achieve before. By mid-year, reading comprehension scores in my classroom had improved noticeably. Students were not only answering questions correctly—they were asking their own questions, citing evidence, and thinking critically about texts. Our classroom culture became one of readers who were engaged, curious, and proud of their growth. We also incorporated ReadWorks into writing, science, and social studies, using articles as springboards for informative writing, discussions about current events, and cross-curricular projects. Students were developing not just reading skills, but the habits of learners who engage with the world through text. "By mid-year, reading comprehension scores in my classroom had improved noticeably. Students were not only answering questions correctly—they were asking their own questions, citing evidence, and thinking critically about texts." - Alexis  Student Potential is Unlimited, Even when Resources are LimitedAnd the best part? All of this was made possible without any cost. ReadWorks leveled the playing field for my students. It gave me the tools to differentiate instruction, build vocabulary, and support bi-literacy—all while staying aligned with research-based practices. In a school where resources are limited but student potential is unlimited, ReadWorks helped bridge the gap. It allowed me to meet students where they were and guide them forward, one article at a time. My students felt seen, supported, and capable—and that changed everything. Thank you, ReadWorks, for helping my students discover their voices as readers and thinkers. Your resources aren’t just keeping literacy instruction evidence-based and free—they’re keeping it equitable, empowering, and full of possibility.  Written by: Alexis Jaimes - 4th grade teacher - CaliforniaThank you so much to Alexis for submitting this story to our Impact Story Collection Contest—it was selected as a finalist! We are truly grateful for the time it took to write and share both these words and the wonderful images from this fun classroom. |
