The Challenge

More than 8 million adolescents have failed to master the literacy skills they need to succeed in school or compete for jobs. Xtreme Reading is built on a powerful, research-proven framework for effective literacy instruction that provides the solid base of skills these students need to become proficient readers and writers. The program, encompassing all of the essential ingredients embodied in proficient reading and writing, helps students build a repertoire of strategies and skills to approach the difficult demands of secondary school.

Xtreme Reading involves two main reading components:

a reading instruction core that helps students develop accurate word recognition and increased fluency and
a linguistic comprehension instruction core that teaches the skills and strategies needed to bring meaning to reading.

All instruction is provided in an environment that promotes and motivates learning.

Supports are in place to focus student behavior and attention on relevant academic work. The social skills to be used in cooperative groups or partnership activities are taught explicitly, and students participate in the Possible Selves Program, in which they analyze their current lives and then set and work toward goals to enhance their future lives.