Understanding Reading Support for Middle Schoolers

What the Study Found:

Your research tested a simple but powerful reading strategy called "partner reading with paragraph shrinking" with eighth-grade students in their regular science and social studies classes. The intervention, which lasted just three weeks, led to significantly improved oral reading fluency and higher comprehension scores in both science and social studies content.

One of the most encouraging findings is that the positive effects occurred regardless of whether students were receiving special education services, English language support, or qualified for free or reduced-price lunch. This means the intervention worked well for all types of learners, which is rare and important.

What This Means for Your Child:

Even in middle school, reading fluency (how smoothly and quickly your child reads) still matters for understanding textbooks and other academic materials. The study shows that middle schoolers can still make meaningful improvements in reading speed and comprehension with the right support—and it doesn't take months or years to see results.

How Parents Can Help at Home:

While the study used partner reading in classrooms, parents can support similar skills at home by:

1. Practice reading aloud together - Have your child read passages from their textbooks aloud to you, even briefly. This builds fluency and confidence.

2. Focus on "the main idea" - After reading a paragraph or section, ask your child: "What was that mostly about?" and "What's the most important thing about it?" This mirrors the "paragraph shrinking" strategy used in the study.

3. Use real content - Practice with actual science and social studies materials rather than simplified texts. Your research showed that working with authentic content area text helped students improve.

4. Make it collaborative, not corrective - The partner reading approach emphasizes working together rather than constant correction, which keeps middle schoolers engaged and less defensive about their reading.

   
   

Why This Matters:

By eighth grade, students are expected to learn from reading rather than learn to read. Students who struggle with fluency spend so much mental energy decoding words that they have little capacity left for understanding. Improving fluency frees up that mental space for comprehension—helping your child succeed across all their subjects.

The fact that such a brief, classroom-friendly intervention showed these results is encouraging news for both teachers and families looking for practical ways to support struggling readers in middle school.

How to Do Partner Reading with Paragraph Shrinking at Home

What You'll Need:

• Your child's textbook or any non-fiction text (science, social studies, articles)

• About 15-20 minutes

• A timer (optional)

  
  

Step-by-Step Process:

1. Take Turns Reading Aloud

• You and your child alternate reading paragraphs out loud

• When it's your turn, model good fluent reading (but don't overdo it—read naturally)

• When it's your child's turn, let them read without interrupting unless they get really stuck

2. After Each Paragraph: "Shrink It" The reader (whoever just read) must answer these two questions:

• "Who or what was this paragraph mostly about?" (Keep it to 10 words or less)

• "What's the most important thing about the who or what?" (Also 10 words or less)

3. Give Feedback The listener says whether the summary captured the main idea. If it didn't, gently guide them: "That's a detail, but what's the big idea here?"

Example:

[Child reads paragraph about photosynthesis]

Parent: "Okay, what was that paragraph mostly about?"

Child: "Photosynthesis in plants."

Parent: "Good! Now what's the most important thing about photosynthesis?"

Child: "Plants use sunlight to make food."

Parent: "Perfect—you got it!"

Tips for Success:

• Keep it short - 10-15 minutes is plenty. Stop before frustration sets in

• Don't correct every mistake - Only help if they're stuck for more than 5 seconds

• Focus on meaning, not perfection - The goal is understanding, not perfect pronunciation

• Be encouraging - Middle schoolers can feel self-conscious reading aloud

• Make it routine - 3-4 times per week works better than occasional long sessions

• Use real schoolwork - Practice with actual homework reading when possible

  
  

Why This Works:

This strategy forces active thinking about the text rather than just reading words. The "shrinking" part helps your child identify main ideas—a skill they need for tests, essays, and all academic work.

Read More!

Burns, M. K., Duesenberg-Marshall, M. D., & Romero, M. E. (2024). Effects of a classwide reading intervention on reading fluency and comprehension of content area text with students in middle school. The Journal of Educational Research, 117(6), 378–386. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2024.2423185