21st Century Literacy for Middle & Secondary Students

21st Century Literacy for Middle and Secondary Students introduces readers to instructional ideas and approaches that have shown to be effective in supporting literacy development of students in grades 5 through 12.



The opening chapter reviews the methods used by publishers to assign a grade level to a text. Additional chapters discuss supplementing textbooks with fiction, nonfiction, magazine articles, poetry, and other genres of literature; factors that motivate tweens and adolescents to read; close reading and study skills; and the use of learning cycles to enhance students’ text interactions. Readers learn about strategies for developing students’ vocabulary, the importance of background knowledge for reading comprehension, and curriculum design to support adolescent literacy development. Closing chapters address the incorporation of writing activities within content areas and how to support students with literacy challenges in middle and secondary school classrooms. Each chapter features pertinent readings by experts in the field, pre- and post-reading questions, and activities to help future and in-service teachers apply newfound information in their classrooms.



21st Century Literacy for Middle and Secondary Students is an ideal text for courses and programs in education, especially those with focus in literacy development.

Suzanne Rose is a professor and graduate coordinator within the Elementary Education/Early Childhood Program at Slippery Rock University. She holds a Ph.D. in instructional systems design from The Pennsylvania State University and a M.S. in reading from Bucknell University. Dr. Rose’s research interests include instructional coaching, literacy assessment, technology and literacy development, and working with struggling readers.