“For too long, instruction for intermediate and middle grade struggling readers has been isolated from meaningful learning and engagement with text. No longer! These authors have given us just what we need—an approach that addresses word work, comprehension, motivation, and knowledge building from text, all within a problem-solving framework. A brilliant book by brilliant researchers and teachers! This is an essential resource for teachers, coaches, and teacher educators that adds conceptual depth and practical strategies to their instructional repertoires.”

—Sheila W. Valencia, PhD, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Washington, Seattle


“This book is just fantastic. In fact, it should be required reading for any teacher providing literacy instruction for students in grades 3–8. So often, reading intervention teachers are given prepackaged programs designed to help struggling students. This book goes beyond a script to provide a framework for understanding the different aspects of literacy acquisition and the methodology to address each aspect in an integrated fashion. Just as we expect our students to become independent readers, this book prepares the interventionist to be an independent teacher—one who understands the complex process of reading and who can respond to each student's needs using a comprehensive yet individually tailored approach.”

—Christine Guarnieri, MS, academic intervention services teacher, Cohoes City School District, New York


“This needed volume fills a gap in the professional development of elementary and middle school reading and language arts teachers. Problems with breaking apart and reading individual words are often the culprit in comprehension difficulties. Unfortunately, by fourth grade and beyond, teachers rarely focus on decoding strategies and growth in sight words. Easy to use and evidence based, the ISA-X addresses deficits in word reading while also stressing comprehension of new vocabulary and strategies for understanding text. The tools in this book and its companion website will empower teachers to teach responsively as their students’ skills grow.”

—Rollanda E. O’Connor, PhD, Professor and Eady/Hendrick Chair in Learning Disabilities, University of California, Riverside


“As a professional who has worked for many years with teachers and administrators to improve reading instruction and performance, I have been asked repeatedly about how best to meet the needs of intermediate and middle school students who continue to struggle with word recognition. This book provides the most comprehensive response to this question to date. The ISA-X is a research-tested approach focused on responsive and targeted instruction as a means of developing independent, strategic, and motivated readers. Detailed descriptions of all aspects of the approach facilitate successful implementation. The ISA-X is truly a significant contribution to the field.”

—Karen K. Wixson, PhD, Dean and Professor Emerita, School of Education, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and School of Education, University of Michigan


“An important contribution for all practitioners and researchers concerned with supporting older children with reading difficulties. The authors have varied and extensive experiences in providing professional development for teachers as well as interventions for children. They do not skirt the knotty problem of what to do about inadequate decoding skills when children need to read challenging texts to build knowledge and engagement with the world. Step by step, the book describes procedures for building both word-level and text-level proficiencies.”

—Anne McGill-Franzen, PhD, Professor and Director, Reading Center, University of Tennessee Knoxville