Why Struggling Readers Should Be Taught Reading Strategies Instead of Focusing on Standardized Tests
In today’s education system, a significant amount of time is devoted to administering standardized tests to assess students’ reading abilities. While these tests are intended to measure literacy progress, they often fail to capture the nuances of a student’s reading development, especially for struggling readers. Instead of focusing on testing, schools should prioritize teaching struggling readers specific reading strategies and fostering a love for reading. By doing so, educators can better address the underlying issues that hinder reading comprehension and engagement, leading to long-term success and improved literacy skills.
The Limitation of Standardized Tests
Standardized tests are designed to evaluate a student’s ability to read and understand texts, but they often do so in a narrow, one-size-fits-all manner. These tests typically measure reading comprehension through multiple-choice questions or brief written responses, which do not account for the complexity of how individual students engage with texts. A struggling reader may have difficulty with standardized test formats, which do not provide insight into their specific challenges or the strategies they need to improve. Moreover, the stress associated with standardized testing can exacerbate a student’s difficulties, making them even less likely to perform well.
Furthermore, standardized tests tend to focus on surface-level aspects of reading, such as recalling facts or identifying main ideas. While these skills are important, they do not address deeper issues like decoding unfamiliar words, understanding complex sentence structures, or navigating dense texts. For students who struggle with reading, these challenges require targeted strategies and personalized instruction—approaches that standardized tests simply cannot provide.
The Importance of Teaching Reading Strategies
To truly support struggling readers, schools must focus on equipping them with practical reading strategies that address their specific difficulties. Reading strategies, such as phonics instruction, context clue usage, summarizing, and visualization, can help students unlock the meaning of texts and develop the skills they need to read independently. These strategies teach students how to approach unfamiliar words, identify key themes, and break down complex passages. When struggling readers learn these tools, they gain confidence and become more effective, independent readers.
For instance, struggling readers often face difficulties in phonemic awareness—the ability to recognize and manipulate sounds in words. Teaching phonics, where students learn the relationship between letters and sounds, can help them decode words more efficiently, leading to improved fluency and comprehension. Similarly, teaching students to use context clues—such as surrounding words or sentences—to infer the meaning of unfamiliar words can help them build vocabulary and understanding without always needing to stop and look up a word. These strategies are foundational to becoming a confident and capable reader, and they address the root causes of reading struggles.
Fostering a Love of Reading
In addition to teaching specific strategies, it is crucial for educators to inspire a love of reading in struggling students. Many students who struggle with reading may also lack motivation, associating reading with frustration rather than enjoyment. Standardized testing exacerbates this issue by framing reading as a task to be “measured” rather than a valuable skill to be nurtured. When students are constantly assessed, they may become anxious, leading them to associate reading with stress and failure.
Instead of focusing on testing, schools should create environments that encourage reading for pleasure. This can be achieved by giving students access to a wide range of books that cater to their interests and reading levels. Providing choice in reading materials and allowing students to explore topics that excite them can reignite their passion for reading. When students are allowed to enjoy the process of reading without the pressure of constant testing, they are more likely to develop a lifelong love of books and reading.
Moreover, reading for enjoyment can significantly improve a student’s literacy skills over time. Research has shown that students who read regularly for pleasure have higher vocabulary levels, better comprehension, and more advanced writing skills. This is because reading for pleasure exposes students to a wide array of words, sentence structures, and ideas, all of which contribute to their overall literacy development. By fostering a love of reading, schools can indirectly support students in developing the skills they need to succeed academically.
Addressing the Root Causes of Struggling Readers
Struggling readers often face underlying issues that go beyond simple lack of effort or motivation. These issues may include learning disabilities, gaps in early literacy instruction, or environmental factors such as lack of access to books. Standardized tests fail to address these root causes, instead providing a snapshot of a student’s performance on a particular day, often without offering insights into how to support that student’s unique needs.
By focusing on teaching reading strategies tailored to individual students’ needs, educators can provide targeted interventions that go beyond the test score. For example, students with dyslexia may benefit from specialized instruction in phonemic awareness and multisensory techniques, while English language learners may need additional support with vocabulary building and comprehension strategies. These interventions are far more effective than relying on standardized tests, which fail to offer the nuanced, personalized guidance struggling readers need.
The Cost of Standardized Testing
The emphasis on standardized testing not only detracts from the quality of literacy instruction but also consumes valuable class time. Schools dedicate significant hours to preparing students for tests, administering the tests themselves, and analyzing the results. This time could be better spent on meaningful reading instruction, one-on-one tutoring, or fostering a positive reading environment. Teachers could use this time to work closely with struggling readers, identifying specific challenges and providing direct support. The cost of standardized testing is not just financial—it also comes at the expense of students’ growth as readers and thinkers.
Conclusion
Standardized tests may provide a snapshot of a student’s reading abilities, but they fail to capture the full picture of a struggling reader’s needs and potential. Instead of focusing on testing, schools should prioritize teaching struggling readers practical reading strategies and fostering a love of reading. By doing so, educators can address the root causes of reading difficulties, provide personalized support, and inspire students to become lifelong readers. In the end, it is not the test scores that determine a student’s success, but the strategies they have learned and the joy they find in reading.
Jordan Tate 