Purpose
The Reading, Writing, and Language Development (Reading/Language) topic supports research that improves reading, writing, and language skills of students with or at risk for disabilities from kindergarten through Grade 12.
Compared to their peers without disabilities, those with disabilities continue to struggle in reading, writing and language development. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 68 percent of Grade 4 students with disabilities who participated in the reading assessment scored below the basic level compared to 27 percent of students without disabilities. In Grade 8, 61 percent of students with disabilities scored below the basic level compared to 19 percent of students without disabilities. For writing, 60 percent of Grade 8 students with disabilities who participated in the assessment scored below the basic level compared to 20 percent of students without disabilities. In Grade 12, 62 percent of students with disabilities scored below the basic level compared to 21 percent of students without disabilities.
NCSER is working to address this gap between children with disabilities and their peers by funding research that develops and rigorously evaluates interventions to identify those that improve outcomes for students with a wide range of skill levels and to prevent reading and writing disabilities from emerging. NCSER also funds research to develop valid and reliable assessments that identify students with disabilities, monitor student progress, and guide instructional decisions, and to determine valid accommodations for large-scale assessments. NCSER-supported research promotes an understanding of the most effective practices that schools can use to improve academic outcomes for students with or at risk for reading and writing disabilities.
Portfolio summary
Since 2006, NCSER has invested over $74 million in the Reading, Writing, and Language Development program.
Development and Innovation Projects
Efficacy and Replication Projects
Measurement Projects
Related projects & programs
- Reading and Writing Research (NCER)
- Accelerating the Academic Achievement of Students with Learning Disabilities Research Initiative
- National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Reading
- National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Writing
- Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs): Literacy
Related publications
Investment in Reading Research from Kindergarten through High School
Improving Reading Outcomes for Students with or at Risk for Reading Disabilities: A Synthesis of the Contributions from the Institute of Education Sciences Research Centers
Future Directions for Writing Research at the Secondary Level
- Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively
- Reading Achievement of U.S. Fourth-Grade Students in an International Context
- Assisting Students Struggling with Reading: Response to Intervention (RtI) and Multi-Tier Intervention in the Primary Grades