4 Common Barriers to Reading Growth in Key Stage 2 Pupils

Reading is a cornerstone of learning, yet many primary pupils encounter challenges that can prevent them from achieving proficiency. Addressing these obstacles requires both targeted interventions and fresh approaches that go beyond ‘more of the same’.  In this post, we’ll explore four common barriers to reading growth in Key Stage 2 pupils and share strategies to improve literacy in the classroom.

1. Stalling Progress with ‘More of the Same’ Approaches

For some pupils, traditional classroom strategies simply aren’t enough. This is especially true in Key Stage 2, where struggling readers may have fallen behind despite prior intervention. Without fresh approaches, these pupils risk continuing to lag further behind their peers.

How to Overcome This:

Teachers can support pupils by shifting to strategies that revisit and rebuild foundational skills while introducing engaging, differentiated instruction. Look for programs that identify gaps in learning and offer personalised, adaptive pathways to mastery. These approaches ensure that pupils aren’t stuck repeating methods that haven’t worked for them.

An effective solution should provide both students and teachers with a renewed approach—offering a way to re-engage pupils with targeted, manageable steps toward progress. Consider using technology to track mastery and provide immediate feedback, making the learning process more transparent and motivating for pupils.

2. The Challenge of Catching Up and then Keeping up

Many struggling readers in Key Stage 2 are expected to both “catch up” on missed Key Stage 1 skills and then “keep up” with increasingly complex content in upper school. Balancing these demands is challenging for both pupils and teachers.

How to Overcome This:

Effective catch-up strategies focus on identifying and targeting the specific gaps from Key Stage 1 that continue to hold pupils back. Diagnostic assessments can pinpoint which phonics, fluency, or comprehension skills need reinforcement. In addition, it’s crucial to then scaffold Key Stage 2 learning to ensure pupils can access age-appropriate texts and deepen their understanding of content.

Building comprehension and vocabulary skills in tandem with decoding skills provides a holistic approach to literacy development. A structured approach that integrates both catch-up and keep-up strategies ensures no time is wasted and that pupils remain on track to transition to secondary school as confident readers.

3. Ensuring Equity in Literacy Growth

Disadvantaged pupils are often disproportionately affected by literacy gaps, and traditional approaches may not address these needs effectively at the scale required. Teachers need solutions that ensure all pupils, regardless of their starting point, have access to equitable literacy instruction.

How to Overcome This:

Innovative use of technology can level the playing field, offering consistent, personalised instruction to every pupil. Research-backed adaptive programs adjust to each pupil’s needs, helping disadvantaged learners catch up and make real progress, even when resources are limited.

Additionally, focusing on growth milestones rather than simply meeting age-related standards can help build confidence and momentum for struggling readers. Providing regular opportunities to celebrate small victories encourages persistence and motivates pupils to continue improving.

4. Navigating the Overload of Literacy Strategies

With countless literacy programs and interventions available, it can be overwhelming to decide which approaches will truly benefit pupils. Many programs claim to be “research-based,” but there is an important distinction between being “research-based” and “research-proven.” Without clarity on the difference, teachers may invest valuable time and resources in strategies that lack evidence of effectiveness in real classrooms.

How to Overcome This:

To ensure pupils benefit from approaches that genuinely work, focus on strategies that are research-proven. These are programs that have undergone rigorous testing and evaluation, demonstrating measurable and consistent improvements in learning outcomes. A great place to start is the EEF Promising Programmes list, which highlights interventions backed by solid evidence.

When evaluating literacy programs, ask critical questions:

• Has the program been tested in settings like yours (e.g. primary schools)?
• Are the results of the research transparent and peer-reviewed?
• How significant were the outcomes, and were they sustained over time?

It’s also important to remember that even the best programs require effective implementation to succeed. Pairing research-proven interventions with professional development and ongoing teacher support will maximise their impact.

The Lexia Advantage

Lexia Core5 Reading is designed to help Key Stage 2 pupils overcome these common barriers, offering a truly fresh start for both learners and their teachers:

1. A Renewed Approach Where “More of the Same” Isn’t Working: Core5 identifies and revisits Key Stage 1 skills not yet mastered, helping pupils catch up quickly while re-engaging them with reading in an enjoyable, age-appropriate way.

2. Catch-Up and Keep-Up Strategies: Core5 ensures pupils master essential reading skills while continuing to develop comprehension and fluency. This dual focus prepares pupils for secondary school with the confidence and proficiency they need to succeed.

3. Equitable and Achievable Progress for All Pupils: Proven to deliver results, particularly for disadvantaged pupils, Core5 uses innovative technology to provide personalised and impactful instruction on a larger scale.

4. Designed for Teachers, by Teachers: Core5 empowers educators by providing detailed diagnostics and actionable insights, enabling precise and personalised teaching without adding to their workload.

5. Research-Proven: Lexia Core5 Reading has undergone rigorous evaluation to ensure its impact on literacy outcomes is both measurable and meaningful. It is included in the EEF Promising Programmes list, highlighting its proven ability to accelerate progress, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. Unlike programs that are merely research-based, Core5 delivers evidence-backed results in real-world classrooms, giving teachers confidence that their efforts are making a genuine difference.

With Core5, teachers can provide targeted support that equips pupils to thrive as readers, all while making teaching more effective and time-efficient. It’s more than just a reading program—it’s a tool for closing gaps, fostering equity, and empowering educators.

How Gamifying Learning Can Motivate Secondary Readers

Engaging secondary students in reading can be a challenge for educators. At this stage of the learning process, some students may have developed a reluctance to engage with reading due to past struggles, while others might find traditional approaches uninspiring. However, with the right strategies, these barriers can be overcome. Gamified learning is one such strategy—one that taps into the natural instincts for play and achievement to reframe reading as an enjoyable and rewarding activity.

At LexiaUK, we are passionate about fostering literacy for all. By leveraging innovative, equitable approaches, like gamification, we aim to empower educators to create inclusive learning environments where every student can succeed.

Why Gamified Learning Works

Breaking Reading into Manageable Tasks

One of the key principles of gamified learning is chunking tasks into bite-sized, achievable goals. For struggling readers, the thought of tackling an entire novel or lengthy article can be overwhelming. Gamification breaks the process into smaller, digestible steps, such as decoding a paragraph, mastering a set of vocabulary words, or answering a few comprehension questions.

Each small success contributes to a sense of progress, reducing anxiety and building confidence in students who may have previously felt defeated by reading challenges.

Quick Bursts of Success and Instant Feedback

Games thrive on rapid feedback loops—moments where players see the direct results of their actions. When applied to literacy, this might look like immediate feedback on a comprehension quiz or unlocking a new level after completing a set of vocabulary challenges. These quick wins provide a dopamine boost, motivating students to keep engaging and improving.

Building Confidence through Progress

Gamified learning helps students track their progress in a visual and tangible way. Badges, progress bars, and rewards show learners how far they’ve come, encouraging them to push further. For secondary readers, these features help shift their mindset from “I can’t” to “I can” and eventually to “I am successful”.

Provide Differentiated Challenges: Not all students are at the same reading level, so tailor gamified activities to suit varying needs. Adaptive platforms like Lexia PowerUp Literacy automatically adjust to students’ abilities, ensuring that every learner is working at an appropriate challenge level.

How Lexia PowerUp Literacy Gamifies Reading

Lexia PowerUp Literacy is designed specifically for struggling and reluctant readers at the secondary level, blending innovative gamification techniques with evidence-based learning strategies.

Personalised Learning Paths: The program adapts to each student’s strengths and areas for growth, ensuring that they receive content that is both challenging and achievable.

Engaging Skill Practice: Activities are presented as interactive, game-based learning, such as sight word racing, sentence building, and comprehension quizzes.

Progress Tracking and Rewards: Lexia PowerUp literacy includes game elements such as streaks, unlockable levels and competitive, beat-the-clock activities. The learning experience is further enhanced by high quality visual indicators of progress, motivating students to keep advancing.

Real-Time Data Insights: While students engage independently, educators gain access to detailed reports, helping them provide targeted support where it’s needed most. Tracking student progress throughout your secondary school is simple with our myLexia administration tool.

Empowering Readers Together: Your Path to Literacy Success

At LexiaUK, we believe in the power of literacy to transform lives. By introducing gamified learning into the classroom, you can spark a love for reading in even the most reluctant students, fostering skills that will support them far beyond their school years.

Ready to explore how Lexia PowerUp Literacy can elevate reading engagement in your school?

Get in touch with our team to discuss your goals and discover how we can support your journey towards literacy for all.

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Why Confident Readers Make Confident Learners

Reading is much more than a skill—it’s a gateway to understanding the world, unlocking potential, and building a foundation for lifelong learning. For school leaders and educators alike, prioritising literacy is key to fostering both academic success and personal growth in pupils. Confident readers often become confident learners, and in turn, this confidence supports better engagement, wider progress, and positive outcomes across the curriculum.

In this post, we’ll explore the link between literacy and learning confidence, discuss its impact on pupil outcomes, and provide actionable strategies to promote reading at the school and classroom levels.

The Connection Between Literacy and Confidence

Children who are confident in their reading abilities tend to carry that confidence into other areas of their learning. The ability to read fluently allows pupils to engage with texts across all subjects, from science experiments to history lessons. This understanding fosters a sense of achievement and autonomy, empowering pupils to participate more actively in discussions and group activities.

The ripple effect is profound. A child who feels capable when tackling a challenging book will often approach other tasks, such as solving maths problems or writing essays, with the same belief in their abilities. Confidence in reading equips children with the self-assurance to persevere, problem-solve, and explore independently.

Literacy: The Key to the Curriculum

For many pupils, the ability to read and comprehend written materials is essential for accessing the full breadth of the curriculum. From deciphering exam questions to following instructions for a science experiment, reading underpins success in every subject.

Yet, pupils with low literacy levels face significant barriers. A lack of reading confidence can lead to disengagement, frustration, and a widening gap in achievement. The good news is that focused reading interventions can transform not only a pupil’s academic outcomes but also their overall attitude towards learning.

By prioritising literacy, schools can create an environment where all pupils—regardless of their starting point—have the tools they need to thrive.

Adopting a Literacy-for-All Mindset

Equity in literacy means ensuring that every pupil—regardless of background, ability, or starting point—can develop strong reading skills. For many schools, this requires a shift from a one-size-fits-all approach to a more personalised and inclusive strategy. To achieve this, the following steps can be taken:

• Identify Needs: Use data to pinpoint groups of pupils who may face barriers to literacy, such as those with English as an additional language (EAL), pupils with special educational needs, or those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Once you’ve identified these groups, ensure that interventions are designed to address their unique challenges.
• Personalise Support: Offer tailored interventions that cater to different skill levels and learning styles. For example, visual learners might benefit from graphic organisers or illustrated texts, while auditory learners may respond better to listening activities or group discussions.

• Provide Diverse Resources: Use a variety of materials, including digital tools and age-appropriate texts, to engage learners at all levels. In addition, offering a mix of group activities and one-to-one support ensures that no pupil is left behind.
• Create an Inclusive Culture: An inclusive school culture that celebrates diversity in literacy can make a big difference. Use texts that reflect the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of your pupils, making reading relevant and relatable.

Integrating Reading into Every Subject

Embedding reading across all subjects is essential to fostering confident learners. Disciplinary Literacy, which focuses on the specific reading and writing skills required within each subject, can help children make connections between their literacy skills and their understanding of various subjects.

Here’s how to integrate reading seamlessly into every subject across the curriculum:

Adapt Reading Strategies for Each Subject: Each subject has its own language and methods of communication. For example, history often involves analysing text with a focus on cause and effect while science relies on reading technical vocabulary.

Create Cross-Curricular Reading Opportunities: Incorporate reading tasks into various subjects to show pupils how literacy skills apply beyond English lessons. For example, use non-fiction texts in science to explore topics like habitats or forces, or historical letters and diary entries in history to bring key events to life. By embedding reading into different areas of the curriculum, pupils develop a deeper understanding of subject content while strengthening their comprehension and critical thinking skills.

Foster Vocabulary Development Across Subjects: Teach subject-specific vocabulary explicitly, incorporating morphology to help pupils understand and use academic language. For example, break down terms like “photosynthesis” into its Greek roots—photo (light) and synthesis (putting together)—to deepen understanding. This approach not only builds confidence in using complex vocabulary but also equips pupils with tools to decode unfamiliar words independently.

Integrating Reading into Every Subject

Embedding reading across all subjects is essential to fostering confident learners. Disciplinary Literacy, which focuses on the specific reading and writing skills required within each subject, can help children make connections between their literacy skills and their understanding of various subjects.

Here’s how to integrate reading seamlessly into every subject across the curriculum:

1. Adapt Reading Strategies for Each Subject: Each subject has its own language and methods of communication. For example, history often involves analysing text with a focus on cause and effect while science relies on reading technical vocabulary.
2. Create Cross-Curricular Reading Opportunities: Incorporate reading tasks into various subjects to show pupils how literacy skills apply beyond English lessons. For example, use non-fiction texts in science to explore topics like habitats or forces, or historical letters and diary entries in history to bring key events to life. By embedding reading into different areas of the curriculum, pupils develop a deeper understanding of subject content while strengthening their comprehension and critical thinking skills.
3. Foster Vocabulary Development Across Subjects: Teach subject-specific vocabulary explicitly, incorporating morphology to help pupils understand and use academic language. For example, break down terms like “photosynthesis” into its Greek roots—photo (light) and synthesis (putting together)—to deepen understanding. This approach not only builds confidence in using complex vocabulary but also equips pupils with tools to decode unfamiliar words independently.

A Vision for Literacy with Confidence

Schools that prioritise literacy see a profound impact on their pupils’ outcomes. When reading is embedded in the school’s culture, pupils gain not only the skills to access the curriculum but also the confidence to be curious, explore and express themselves.

This transformation often starts with leadership. By championing literacy initiatives, school leaders can create a school-wide focus on reading that benefits every child, fostering a thriving, inclusive community where all learners can succeed.

Partnering with LexiaUK for Literacy Success

At LexiaUK, we believe in Literacy for All. Our mission is to empower schools with evidence-based tools and strategies to transform reading outcomes for every pupil. From targeted interventions to whole-school solutions, we provide the support schools need to make literacy a priority.

If you’re ready to unlock your school’s potential through reading, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us today to discuss your needs and discover how LexiaUK can help you achieve your vision for school-wide literacy success.

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Literacy Spotlight – Meersbrook Bank Primary School, Sheffield

Our Star School for January is…

Meersbrook Bank Primary School, Sheffield!

We spoke to Claire Brammer, Teaching Assistant at Meersbrook Bank School. She told us how they have utilised Lexia Core5 and the myLexia reports to boost reading skills and motivation in pupils of all abilities.

How did you first come across the Lexia program and what led to the school’s final decision to purchase?

Lexia was introduced to us by our SENCO at the time. It came into school as just a few licenses at first and that’s how I adopted it, by testing it with some of the children that I supported at the time. The children really got into it. They made great progress, and before long, we rolled it out across the school. We quickly worked out that it wasn’t just for SEN children, by actually, our gifted and talented children could be pushed by using Lexia because it worked at their level. It didn’t matter if they are above their year level because it worked with them. It then quickly became a thing that we used across the school with a focus on our older children.

What do you feel makes Lexia stand apart from other reading skills software products on the market?

I think it’s the fact that it assesses the child and works at their speed. If they are succeeding, it will move them through the levels faster and when they reach their ceiling or a sticking point, it then focuses on that skill until they have got it and allows them to move on. One thing I really like about Lexia is that it isn’t just a multiple guess. Some online programs tend to work on a ‘trial and error’ model which allows them to guess, but Lexia doesn’t let them do that. It will take them back when they are struggling and give them more practice based on that skill, rather than just giving them the same questions over and over.

I also like that it provides you with the one-to-one interventions if you need them. So, it will flag up that a child is stuck and at that point you can print off a one-to-one intervention lesson. They can be delivered by anybody because they are so self-explanatory, you do not have to be au fait with Lexia to deliver it. You can print it off and hand it to any adult in school and ask them to spend 5 minutes on a skill with a child. It just help support them within that skill set that they are struggling with. It’s not just a computer-based intervention.

The children also like that it marks them instantly, so it gives them that instant feedback. They haven’t got to wait until the teacher marks their work and gives it back the next day which for a lot of our children is too long and they can lose interest. With Lexia, its an instant reward or correction for them and I think that seems to work really well.

It’s also the way that we can track it easily. It isn’t something that we have to then assess and analyse. It does it all for you and you can print out all your reports just be clicking the right button!

How is Lexia used in your school? Please provide details of your daily routine and how you ensure that you reach recommended usage as well as which pupils use the program in school.

We’ve used Lexia in many different ways over the years and we have used Lexia for quite a few years now! The current model we are running, which at the moment we feel works well, is that the children will have access to the computer suite for the first 20 minutes of the day. The children come straight into the Lexia Lesson so they have got 20 minutes of Lexia in the morning. We can facilitate all of our Key Stage 2 children in this way, whether it’s Year 3’s or Year 6’s, there is always an adult on hand in that room to support those children, usually myself. Once they know how to use Lexia, we give them the opportunity to have at least 3x 20 minutes slots within the school week.

We also, particularly with our younger children, build it into our guided reading carousel within the classroom. So at least once a week they will have a Lesson session in Guided Reading as well.

When a child is added to Lexia, the information is sent home to parents for them to be able to access it from home. We have having quite a good uptake this year. We’re not a school that sends home homework beyond reading and spellings. So, for our Lexia children, they can access Lexia from home as a homework. A lot of the parents like it especially since you can get it in different devices like iPads.

When they come in first thing in the morning, they settle down and get on because they enjoy it and they want to get their next certificate and show they have completed a task.

I will then keep an eye on where they are using myLexia and if there is anything that needs to be delivered individually, I will either pull them aside during that morning slot, or it will be passed to the class teacher to deliver during the day.

Describe the impact that Lexia has had on your pupils. Have you noticed a positive change in their motivation to succeed in literacy? 

They absolutely love Lexia and will ask me every day if they can do more tomorrow! You can see them in class, doing a piece of writing and suddenly they will say ‘I know how to spell this, it was on Lexia yesterday!”

We have some Year 3 children who are quite new to Lexia this year,  but since leaving the phonics programme, were struggling with phonics and reading. Now, I’m watching them fly through the Lexia levels. Lexia seems to be the way that they prefer to access phonics teaching.

Children who have found phonics and reading difficult, they can be a bit down and they don’t want to read, but they want to come in and do Lexia and earn their next certificate. They are coming to me on a Monday morning to let me know they earned a certificate over the weekend.

Also, the parents are messaging saying that their child is wanting to read at home now, and wanting to do Lexia at home now so they can read them the sentences and passages to show them what they can do.

We are only at the end of their first half term with Lexia, but it’s nice to see their attitude towards phonics, reading and spelling is very different to what it was at the end of Year 2. They are much more positive about what they can do.

We even have Year 6’s asking if they can continue Lexia in Secondary school!

Can you give an example of a Lexia success that sticks out to you?

At the beginning of last year we had a new child starting who joined us from Korea so English was a second language for him. We popped him on to Lexia because it gave him that daily input of the English language that the teachers was not always able to give him one to one. By the end of the year, he completely caught up with the rest of his class and he is flying high now!

We used Lexia with him, not because he was a low ability child, but just to give him that exposure to the English language, the spellings, the written word, and everything he needed to be able to access the classroom learning.

How have you used rewards to motivate and celebrate success on the Lexia program?

The Lexia Certificates are very popular. They really like having their Lexia certificates.

For the children that have progressed slower through the levels because they have reached their ceiling so they are not getting certificates quite so often, we use Class Dojo in school. We can use those smaller rewards when they have completed a section or activity, or if their attendance in the Lexia sessions is good and they have managed to complete plenty of minutes. They will earn points for those types of things.

Like a lot of schools, we do special mentions and stars of the week at the end of the school week, so we make sure to include the Lexia children into things like that as well. Often, I will include a child who has reached their target for the week or have completed all their minutes as my star of the week. Things like this can really motivate the children and they will start coming to me the following week telling me they have 50 minutes so far this week and it’s only Wednesday! They want to be recognised for their work too.

How useful have you found the myLexia reports in terms of demonstrating progression and informing planning?

The reports are totally invaluable. They’re absolutely brilliant!

We use them to inform our parents at meeting and parents’ evenings. If we have parents’ meeting coming up, I will always make sure that I’ve printed off the most up-to-date reports for teachers to talk through in their meeting.

For SEN pupils who have EHCPs, it’s always printed off and fed into their paperwork there.

I like to be able to log on and see which children have been accessing and for how many minutes. The fact that dates when they have completed it, it makes it easy to see when they are accessing from home too.

Last year, for the first time, we printed the parent reports and sent them home. The parents absolutely loved having those and I think it encouraged some of our parents to get their children to access it from home. We noticed a big uptick of use over the summer which was great!

If we get a message from a parent asking what they can be working on with their child, its great to be able to log on to myLexia as see they need to work on prefixes and suffixes, for example. So, it really helps with them.

I like how much is available with myLexia. I am a bit of a button-clicker so every time I open it up I will find something else that’s useful. At first, some teachers saw it as a bit of an extra job within a teacher’s week but, it can be time-saving. Now, teachers are accessing it during their planning sessions to access the additional resources, reports and Lesson Plans. Lots of the resources and activities can be used with a group of children or whole class so it doesn’t just have to benefit the Lexia children. myLexia has become integral to feeding into teachers’ classroom planning. It’s helped get more of the teachers on board with Lexia. Instead of the students disappearing off to their Lexia sessions and coming back, teachers are understanding what is happening in those sessions and take part in it more.

What main piece of advice would you give to a school that was just getting started with Lexia?

I think the main thing is fitting it into the school day. Giving it that time and fitting it well into the school day is important. Lexia is not very adult labour intensive so it’s about not being afraid to use it with larger groups. Now that the children are trained up and know how to use it, I can have 40 children come to me in the IT suite at the same time. It doesn’t matter whether they are in Year 3 or Year 6, for those 30 minutes, all 40 are engaged, they’re all progressing and they’re all learning at their level. Giving that time to training the children to use it and giving them that input means that in the long run, you can reach so many more pupils.

What feedback have you had from your Lexia pupils?

The children absolutely love it. They are always asking me if they are doing Lexia today. We don’t close our register until 9am and a lot of our students didn’t show up to school until 9am. Now that they know they’re doing Lexia on certain days, they are the first children at the gate because they want to get in quickly to get their full 20 minutes on the program. It has significantly improved their motivation, they are eager to come in and get logged on so they can get started.

They love that it is so visual and the cartoon style, as well as the little animations they get when they finish a task. They also love that they can learn some facts about the animals on their level screen, They want to get to the next level so they can learn some new facts and take them back to class to share with their teachers! They don’t see it is as work, they want to come and ‘play’ Lexia.

They also like that its catered to their level. They know it’s not going to give them something too difficult and, if it does get too difficult, then it’s going to guide them through at their pace and give them the information they need.

Is there anything else you would like to add regarding why you think Lexia has been a success in your school?

I’ve worked in this school for over 20 years, and I have done Lexia for quite a few of those years. But every year, when we come back, it looks slightly different, and it has been updated. It doesn’t use the same content and images that were used 10 years ago, it keeps changing with the children’s interests. Every year, I am excited to see what has been updated and how it keeps growing.

Your School Needs a Lexia Coordinator

Allocating a dedicated Lexia Coordinator is one of the most effective ways  your school can get the most out of Lexia Core5 Reading or Lexia PowerUp Literacy. A Lexia Coordinator oversees the day-to-day running of the program, making sure it’s been implemented effectively. But what does that look like in practice, and how can schools ensure this role has the impact it deserves? In this post, we’ll explore the benefits of having a Lexia Coordinator and offer practical tips for success.

The Key Role of a Lexia Coordinator

A Lexia Coordinator is the key link between your Lexia program and your school’s operations. Their primary responsibilities include:

• Ensuring Consistent Program Usage: A Lexia Coordinator keeps the literacy program at the forefront of teachers’ daily plans. They encourage regular usage across classrooms, ensuring students are engaging with Lexia consistently to make progress.
• Data Monitoring and Reporting: myLexia provides detailed data on student progress. The Lexia Coordinator monitors this data to identify where pupils need additional support and shares these insights with teachers to shape interventions.
• Supporting Staff: The Lexia Coordinator acts as a resource for teachers, answering questions, offering guidance on how to use the program, and sharing strategies to improve results.
• Liaison Between School and LexiaUK: Coordinators bridge communication between your school and LexiaUK, keeping staff informed about updates or best practices and ensuring any technical or educational queries are addressed quickly.
• Celebrating Success – The Lexia Coordinator plays a vital role in promoting the celebration of milestones among staff and students—whether it’s printing and awarding certificates, posting celebrations on social media, or sharing achievements with parents. This recognition helps keep students engaged and proud of their progress.

Tips for a Successful Lexia Coordinator

Assigning a Lexia Coordinator is the first step, but how do you make sure the role is as effective as possible? Here are five practical tips:

1. Choose Someone with a Passion for Literacy – Your Lexia Coordinator should be someone who is committed to improving literacy outcomes and has strong relationships with staff and students. A literacy champion can inspire others to engage more actively with the program, making sure it becomes an integral part of the school’s learning environment.
2. Allocate Regular Time for the Role – It’s crucial that the Lexia Coordinator has dedicated time to manage the program effectively. Whether it’s during planning periods or INSET days, ensure there is time set aside for them to monitor data, review student progress, and address any challenges.
3. Encourage Regular Data Reviews – Lexia’s data insights are one of its most powerful tools. Regularly reviewing student progress allows the Coordinator to identify trends and patterns, ensuring students who are falling behind are given the right support. Set up weekly or fortnightly data reviews to keep everything on track.
4. Offer Ongoing Training and Support – The role of Lexia Coordinator isn’t a ‘set it and forget it’ position. Make sure they have access to ongoing training from LexiaUK, including resources, webinars and videos. Annual training is included as part of your school’s Lexia package, so there is nothing further to pay to access ongoing support.
5. Maintain Open Communication – It’s vital for the Lexia Coordinator to provide regular updates to staff and leadership. By sharing progress reports, celebrating student successes, and addressing areas for improvement, the Lexia Coordinator keeps everyone engaged and aligned with literacy goals.

Why Your School Needs a Lexia Coordinator

Allocating a Lexia Coordinator is a practical way to maximise the benefits of Lexia programs in your school. With a Coordinator in place, you ensure that Lexia is being used effectively, student progress is regularly tracked, and teachers have the support they need to succeed.

If your school has already appointed a Lexia Coordinator or is thinking about doing so, we’re here to help. LexiaUK offers comprehensive training designed to empower your Coordinator, helping them to thrive in their role and ensure your school gets the most out of our programs.

Get in Touch for Lexia Coordinator Training and Support

To learn more about how LexiaUK can support your Lexia Coordinator with training and resources, reach out to our team today. Whether it’s through our webinars, one-to-one support sessions, or detailed guidance on data usage, we’re here to ensure your Lexia Coordinator is fully equipped to make a lasting impact.

Unlocking SATs Success with Lexia

Standardised assessments like SATs are a crucial milestone in every pupil’s journey, assessing core areas such as reading, writing, and maths. However, for many students, especially those struggling with reading proficiency, SATs can be a daunting hurdle. Reading is the foundation upon which other subjects rest. Without strong literacy skills, students will find it challenging to interpret questions, follow instructions, or engage with written content, ultimately affecting their performance. Addressing this challenge early on can make a big difference to overall performance in SATs and as they enter secondary education.

The Literacy Challenge in SATs

According to the Department for Education, around one in five children leave primary school without meeting expected reading standards. This literacy gap not only impacts SATs but also influences long-term academic success and self-confidence. A lack of reading proficiency makes it harder for students to understand exam questions, which are often embedded in complex text. Students who struggle with reading comprehension may also face difficulties in grasping key concepts in other subjects such as maths or science, as these areas frequently require interpreting written instructions or problem-solving questions.

Schools are increasingly focusing on how they can bridge these gaps early on, particularly through reading interventions. Developing strong literacy skills is not just about preparing for SATs; it’s about empowering students to access the entire curriculum, engage with learning, and feel more confident in their abilities.

Supporting Reading in Preparation for SATs

1. Identify Early Literacy Gaps
   
   Conduct regular assessments to identify students who may be falling behind in their reading development. Early identification allows for timely interventions that can prevent the gap from widening as SATs approach.
2. Targeted Reading Interventions
   
   Provide focused reading support that addresses students’ specific needs. Tailored interventions targeting areas such as phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension can ensure that pupils receive the specific instruction required to strengthen their literacy skills effectively.
3. Encourage Reading Across the Curriculum
   
   Encourage reading beyond English lessons. Engaging with texts in science, history, or maths builds familiarity with academic language and the types of complex texts they will encounter in their exams.
4. Monitor Progress Regularly
   
   Use data-driven approaches to track progress and adjust support as needed. Regular monitoring helps teachers understand whether interventions are working, and which areas still need attention.
5. Boost Confidence with Measurable Success
   
   Encourage students to celebrate their reading progress. Building confidence through small, measurable achievements helps students feel prepared and capable when they face the challenges of SATs.

How Lexia Core5 Reading Can Help

Supporting your pupils’ reading development is crucial for unlocking SATs and future academic success, and Lexia Core5 Reading provides practical solutions to each of these key steps. With built-in formative assessment, Core5 helps teachers identify early literacy gaps by automatically evaluating students’ reading skills and adjusting instruction accordingly. The program’s targeted interventions offer personalised support, focusing on specific areas like phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension to ensure that students receive the instruction they need most. Core5 also encourages reading across the curriculum, providing practice with a variety of texts and academic language, which helps students tackle subject-specific challenges in SATs.

Additionally, Core5’s real-time progress monitoring enables teachers to track student performance, making it easy to adapt support as needed. Finally, the program’s measurable progress features help build confidence, offering students regular opportunities to celebrate their reading achievements, ensuring they are prepared to succeed in SATs and beyond.

To learn more about how Lexia Core5 Reading can help your students unlock their full potential and succeed in their SATs, explore our programme and discover why thousands of schools have confidence in Lexia to deliver results.

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Literacy Spotlight – Herne Junior School

Our Star School for December is…

Herne Junior School, Hampshire!

We had a fantastic conversation with Lynne Tandy, Lexia Coordinator and SEN Assistant at Herne Junior School. She shared her journey with Lexia, from first discovering it over lockdown to cultivating the positive, successful and energetic Lexia sessions she runs today with her pupils.

Watch and read the full interview below.

How did you first come across the Lexia program and what led to the school’s final decision to purchase?

When I came into the school and interviewed it was already in place. I had never come across it before and the school were keen to continue using it. It was a big learning curve for me to look into it and at the time, it was being used as an early morning intervention with Year 4 and Year 5.

I started in 2019 and, when COVID hit, I used that time to look in depth at Lexia and that’s when I found that all the doors opened. I started to properly grasp how it worked and where we could go with it.

As the children were working at home, I started up by contacting parents to try to encourage them to continue on Lexia at home every week. I emailed every child via their parents to let them know that I was checking up on their success, their minutes, completed units and if there was anything they were struggling with. I could email home the Skills Builders or Lessons and certificates. I would also put positive images and gifs in the emails. It inspired the children and I could see when I looked back on their progress how much more they had done because they knew I was monitoring it. That was how I first really hit Lexia.

From then on, as we gradually came back into school, my role was to deliver it to Year 4 -6 for 2-3 mornings a week each. Once I started that, I noticed that not completing Lexia every day was having an impact on their learning. I suggested instead that we have each year group complete Lexia Monday to Friday morning for a half term each. The children would come in early and we would provide a breakfast snack and complete some units on Lexia. I found it worked well to celebrate the units they were completing rather than their minutes. It would blow their minds finding out just how many units they were able to achieve!

What do you feel makes Lexia stand apart from other reading skills software products on the market?

I originally came from an infant’s school so I’ve never really come across a reading program like Lexia. Obviously, they do phonics in Key Stage 1 but Lexia is the complete package that breaks everything down. I often find that when they do their Auto Placement test, some of then can find their starting level fairly easy but there are some clear gaps that need to be plugged. I have found in the past that if those little gaps aren’t plugged, they can become wider, immeasurable gaps by the time they get to upper Key Stage 2. I feel that when they do Lexia in their first half term, they are plugging the gaps but they are also gaining confidence because they are achieving and setting themselves up to succeed. I think that is really important.

I think Lexia is just the whole package. I find the Skill Builders helpful too. I had a child that I was working with this morning who was struggling with High Frequency Words, so I gave them the Skill Builder to do at the start of the session as a warm up. Once he returned to the program, he was no longer struggling and he was able to move on.

How is Lexia used in your school? Please provide details of your daily routine and how you ensure that you reach recommended usage as well as which pupils use the program in school.

Each term we use an assessment tool that tests the children’s reading ages. We have a cut off for each year group and any children that are below that reading age will be identified as needing Lexia.

Most children are able to attend the early morning sessions, but for the children that can’t we still give them Lexia but I will work with the class teacher to fit it around their day in class. I will still monitor them in the same way and pop into class or leave them a little note letting them know that they are doing well and acknowledging the units they have completed. It really helps!

Describe the impact that Lexia has had on your pupils. Have you noticed a positive change in their motivation to succeed in literacy? 

They are very keen to share their progress. In the past, I felt that some children were just sitting there struggling and not asking for help. But now, they ask for help and there is more positivity. They are keen to share their achievements with teachers and I will go into their classrooms to present their certificates and prizes, so that success is shared in the classroom. The other children notice and you can see them physically lift out of their chair because the feel so proud of their achievements.

We’ve got 2 children in particular this term who have moved up 3 levels and one has done 1119 minutes and the other one has done 936 minutes. It blows me and my colleague away! It is just an absolute joy to see their faces and their determination. Whereas before when they were only accessing it for 2 or 3 days, the continuity wasn’t there. I feel now we’ve got it right for us here at Herne and our children. We are definitely on a journey, a positive learning journey for them.

It’s a team effort, really. It’s not a stand-alone thing and we are not just on our own. It’s shared with the whole school, and everybody knows about it.

It was important that we got the teachers feedback when we increased the Lexia time and they were behind it 100%. They said that they could see that improvement and they were keen to maintain it. I know that the teachers next half term will do everything they can to ensure the children continue to get access to Lexia once they finish with me. Any spare time in class will be used and we send letters home, reminding them how to access it at home.

Can you give an example of a Lexia success that sticks out to you?

We had one young lady who came in very quiet. She needed a big boost of self-esteem. Now she bounds in every day. She has completed 1119 minutes on Lexia and has gone up 3 levels. She was recently off school for over a week due to illness and she was still working from home. When she came in this morning I was able to say; “Even though you’ve been poorly and its great to have you back, you have been working at home and that is impressive!” I love the way that no matter where I am and I can check at any time.

This is the first term she’s done Lexia, so it has been all new to her and her family, but they have really taken it on board. It’s nice that the family have encouraged her as well. It’s been a team effort to encourage and promote her reading.

How have you used rewards to motivate and celebrate success on the Lexia program?

We celebrate success every day! Both me and my colleague work together to bring humour and 100% positivity into the sessions. We encourage them to celebrate each other’s successes, so they all clap for each other and say well done when they reach the next level. They share it and we make it a total team effort. They respond to it well.

Any little thing that I can think off, I will do. I might print some stickers out that say ‘Ask me why Mrs Tandy gave me a house point.’ So that they can say ‘because I did so many units in Lexia today’.

Next Friday, I have a rewards session for them so I have some sensory play with some slime and bouncy balls. Before they log on they will have a quick sensory play session and they will go and do their Lexia.

At the end of this term, they will make a Christmas tree decoration that they can take home and share with family. It’s about showing them that there is a reward for their hard work. I think that is really important for them to feel that they are recognised.

I also do headteacher certificate so if they blow me away, at the end of term, I will give them a big certificate and they will go and share it with the Head, the Deputy or the Assistant Head as well because it’s important to share that success around the school.

It has got to be 100% positivity. I can’t let it drop. I want the sessions to be positive, energetic and enthusiastic all the time. It really sets them up for the day as well. They have got to leave the session in a positive frame of mind. If we notice that they are not feeling like they have achieved, we will sit with them and talk it through. Sometimes I will make visual prompts for anything they struggle to remember, like consonants and vowels. That way they can take it back and use it in class and transfer those skills.

How useful have you found the myLexia reports in terms of demonstrating progression and informing planning?

What I find interesting is all the detailed reports that you can get. I put it in date order and find the reports that can be adjusted to see the date, area of learning, the rate at which they are learning, their accuracy and whether they need support. I find it all really, really helpful. I love the way that no matter where I am, and I can check at any time. It’s an absolute bonus.

Before everyone comes in, I look at all the reports and check their attendance and how their minutes are going. If they are dipping, I can find ways to address it and speak to the children. Recently I had one child who did their auto placement activity and was placed lower than I was expecting. I let her work through and monitored her using the reports but found that she was zooming through. Using the data we decided together that, actually, should we try the auto placement test again? She improved and came back to it at a better level for her. Therefore, she’s going to start her Lexia journey much more confidently feeling like she is placed where she needs to be.

The teachers use the reports for parents’ evenings too. I will print out the parent reports so they can share it with the parents as well.

We are now trying to implement training for our Learning Support Assistants to help them understand it a little bit more and to encourage them to have a look because it is available to all the staff.

What main piece of advice would you give to a school that was just getting started with Lexia?

Give yourself the time to properly look at the program and how it works. If you know a school that is already using it or if you’ve been recommended it by another school, it’s good to have a look at the results they have had. Before you start, it’s good to start off with a small group of children or even create a test account for yourself so you can really discover what is available on Lexia because it is so vast and varied. Giving yourself that time is important. You need that personal input time to understand the content and be able to deliver it properly to promote confidence and that positive learning experience.

I felt that my Annual Review with LexiaUK was really helpful as well. It’s something that I hadn’t engaged in before. I had had the initial training, but I found the chat about our Implementation plan helpful to enable me to target. My adviser emailed me a copy that I was able to take to my review with SLT and use to create goals for my personal achievement.

What feedback have you had from your Lexia pupils?

They absolutely love it! I have just sent letters out to Year 5 who will be starting Lexia next half term. I think they got a bit confused because they came in early this week ready for their breakfast snack, They couldn’t wait to get started! I’ve given them their details and completed auto placement with them already so they can do it in class if there is time.

We’ve just stopped one 7-week block of Lexia with one group, and they are constantly asking ‘when are we coming back?’ Even if they are coming in early and the weather isn’t so great, they still come in with enthusiasm and just crack on. There is no hesitation. I have to be there at the door before the Lexia time starts because I know they are going to be early!

Is there anything else you would like to add regarding why you think Lexia has been a success in your school?

I think changing the timetable to it being a daily program has made a massive difference because of the continuity. When they finish in the morning, they know where they are up to when they come back the next day.

I also make sure to keep an eye on the progress bars in the program. They have to complete the green line before they log off so they keep their progress. It’s a good way to end the session too because they have ended on a positive and they can come back the next day knowing exactly where they are up to and apply learning from the day before. I’m always talking about the green line and use it to encourage them to keep going. They pick up on everything that you say so it has to be positive!

Technology and Modern Literacy Interventions

As secondary school educators work to close literacy gaps and raise academic achievement, the increasing complexity of the curriculum often leaves some students struggling to keep up. Literacy challenges don’t just impact English lessons; they affect learning across all subjects. Addressing these gaps is essential for ensuring every student can access the full curriculum. However, with tight schedules, limited resources, and the broad range of ability among students, providing tailored literacy support is a significant challenge.

So, how can schools efficiently support diverse student needs without overwhelming teachers or stretching resources?

Understanding the Literacy Challenge in Secondary Schools

When students enter secondary school, they are expected to handle more complex texts and subject-specific vocabulary. Students still developing basic literacy skills often have trouble  engaging with the curriculum, hindering their performance across many subjects. This makes it critical to ensure that students continue building foundational literacy skills alongside developing more advanced ones.

Providing consistent, individualised literacy support within the constraints of a packed school timetable is a common struggle. Teachers need strategies that are practical, efficient, and capable of addressing varied learning needs in the classroom. This is where technology can step in to provide a meaningful solution.

The Role of Technology in Supporting Literacy Development

Many schools are finding that digital tools offer valuable ways to extend support to students without overburdening staff. Technology provides a way to supplement classroom instruction and support self-directed learning, particularly with literacy interventions.

One key advantage of using educational technology is that it allows students to learn at their own pace. Adapting to individual learning needs, technology-based programs can target specific gaps in a student’s skills, helping them make progress without falling behind their peers. This personalised approach also frees up time for teachers to focus on students who require more direct intervention.

Personalising Literacy Support with Adaptive Learning

When it comes to literacy, no two students are the same. Some may struggle with basic reading skills, while others need help refining their comprehension of complex texts. Schools are often aware of these literacy challenges among their students, but find it daunting to identify specific issues then implement tailored solutions—especially with limited time and resources. Furthermore, delivering a one-size-fits-all solution is often ineffective and can lead to students falling further behind.

Practical Steps for Implementing Technology-Based Literacy Interventions

Here are some practical steps for schools looking to implement technology in their literacy strategies:

1. Identify gaps early: Regular assessments can help identify students who are falling behind. Digital tools can automate this process, providing real-time insights into students’ progress.
2. Blend Learning approaches: Combine classroom instruction with self-paced learning activities. This allows students to work independently on their literacy skills while still receiving guidance from teachers.
3. Utilise data: Technology offers a wealth of data on student progress, enabling teachers to make informed decisions about interventions and focus their efforts where they are most needed.

4. Engage students with interactive content: Digital literacy programs often include interactive activities that keep students engaged and motivated to improve their skills. These features frequently offer effective reward schemes that enable progress milestones to be celebrated.

By adopting these strategies, schools can provide more tailored support to students, helping them build the literacy skills needed for academic success.

Why Lexia PowerUp Literacy?

At LexiaUK, we recognise the importance of personalised literacy interventions that support a range of needs in secondary students. This is why we offer Lexia PowerUp Literacy. Designed for secondary school students, PowerUp offers personalised literacy support in three key areas—word study, grammar, and comprehension.

Using adaptive technology, PowerUp adjusts to meet the unique needs of each student, whether they’re struggling with foundational skills or working on higher-level comprehension. Lexia is backed by trusted research and has been proven effective in real-world classroom settings, providing educators with confidence in its ability to deliver results.

The program provides real-time data and progress monitoring, helping teachers identify where additional support is needed without adding to their workload. By integrating technology like PowerUp, schools can enhance their literacy strategies, ensuring every student gets the right support to thrive academically.

Leveraging the right technology can make a significant difference in how schools address literacy gaps. Lexia PowerUp Literacy offers a scalable, effective solution for delivering tailored, impactful interventions, making it a valuable tool for secondary schools aiming to raise achievement and ensure literacy for all students.

Discover more about Lexia PowerUp Literacy

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Supporting Early Literacy Development in Key Stage 1

The early years of primary school are pivotal in shaping pupils’ long-term literacy success. As educators, our mission is to help children become confident, independent readers by the time they leave primary school. However, for many pupils, the journey to mastering reading is not a straightforward path. While phonics, particularly Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP), has been a fundamental part of early reading instruction, recent research and feedback from teachers suggest that a more balanced approach can yield better outcomes.

The Role of Phonics—and Its Limitations

SSP has become the cornerstone of reading education in Key Stage 1. For many pupils, this systematic approach works well, helping them decode words and build early reading fluency. However, research suggests that solely focusing on phonics can sometimes stifle a pupil’s broader engagement with reading. Teachers often find that pupils progress at varying rates, making it difficult to maintain the same pace for all learners. This can lead to frustration among both pupils and teachers, especially when a purely phonics-based approach isn’t enough to capture the interest of students who are ready for more comprehensive reading challenges.

Moreover, research reveals that while SSP is essential, it should not be the only method of reading instruction. Pupils also need exposure to higher-level comprehension skills, vocabulary development, and the enjoyment of reading for meaning and context from an early age. A balanced approach, where phonics is supplemented with explicit teaching of comprehension and critical thinking, is increasingly seen as more effective in the long term.

Why a Balanced Approach to Literacy Matters

A growing body of research suggests that while phonics is essential, it should be one component of a broader reading strategy. In addition to decoding skills, pupils need to develop vocabulary, comprehension, and the ability to engage with text on a deeper level. This balanced approach, where phonics is complemented by explicit teaching of these higher-level skills, can help pupils become more confident, well-rounded and engaged readers.

For example, reading comprehension tasks encourage pupils to make sense of what they read, going beyond phonics to develop skills like inference, prediction, and summarisation. These skills are crucial for navigating more complex texts in later years, and starting early can prevent pupils from hitting a plateau in their reading development.

Enhancing Phonics Instruction with Additional Literacy Support

For schools dedicated to SSP, the idea of introducing supplementary methods can be daunting. Yet, many educators have found that supplementing phonics with other literacy resources doesn’t detract from their existing core curriculum approach, but instead enriches it. A balanced approach—where phonics instruction is complemented by comprehension, vocabulary knowledge and critical thinking tasks—helps prevent reading from becoming dry and formulaic. Instead, it turns literacy into a more engaging, multi-dimensional experience for young learners.

By supplementing their chore SSP programme with additional skills like fluency and comprehension, schools can provide pupils with opportunities to develop all the essential skills that work alongside phonics. For example, by engaging with reading comprehension activities, pupils can start applying what they have learned in phonics to new contexts, making reading both relevant and enjoyable.

Supporting Teachers with Practical Solutions

One of the greatest challenges teachers face is accommodating the varying learning speeds of their pupils, particularly in a phonics-heavy curriculum. Not all pupils will grasp phonics at the same pace, and some may need additional support to keep up. This diversity in learning needs can put pressure on teachers, who may feel that they need to create extra interventions or adjust their lesson planning to ensure no one falls behind.

Using adaptive tools that personalise learning can help alleviate this pressure. By offering tailored support that adjusts to each pupil’s individual needs, teachers can ensure all pupils make progress without the need for additional planning or resources. This can be especially helpful in schools where time and staff capacity are already stretched.

Preparing Pupils for Key Stage 2 and Beyond

The ultimate goal of any Key Stage 1 reading program is to prepare pupils for the more complex literacy tasks they will encounter in Key Stage 2 and beyond. By embedding a balanced approach that includes phonics and comprehension from the start, schools can ensure their pupils are not only proficient decoders but also confident, independent readers.

Introducing Lexia Core5 Reading: A Balanced Literacy Solution

For schools looking to enhance their phonics programs with a balanced approach, Lexia Core5 Reading offers a proven solution. Core5 seamlessly reinforces existing phonics instruction while also providing explicit teaching in comprehension, vocabulary, fluency and text analysis. This ensures pupils develop a full range of reading skills from the start, setting them up for long-term success in literacy. Designed by educators for educators, Core5 offers personalised learning pathways, helping teachers manage diverse learning needs without adding to their workload.

By supporting both phonics and higher-level reading skills, Core5 ensures pupils not only learn to read but also understand and enjoy reading, making it a valuable addition to any school’s literacy strategy.

Learn more about Lexia Core5 Reading

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Literacy For All: Closing the Attainment Gap

Faced with the diverse literacy needs of their students, secondary schools are grappling with the challenge of delivering the right level of support to every pupil. With tightening budgets and a shortage of literacy specialists, many secondary schools are facing significant challenges in providing the literacy support their students need.

Lack of funding means schools often struggle to hire enough teachers, teaching assistants, or literacy specialists, which in turn limits the scope for tailored literacy interventions. In response, some schools have turned to hiring primary staff to address literacy gaps in secondary students, but these staff are not always readily available or equipped for the complexities of secondary-level literacy demands. This highlights a critical need for innovative solutions.

Leveraging technology can offer a time-efficient and cost-effective way to meet these literacy challenges, enabling schools to provide personalised, adaptive support without the need for additional specialist staff. When literacy is prioritised across the whole school, it becomes a powerful tool for unlocking students’ potential in every subject—from interpreting complex instructions in maths to comprehending scientific texts. By integrating technology-driven solutions, schools can bridge the gap and ensure literacy remains a foundation for academic success, for all students, even in resource-constrained environments.

Prioritising Literacy as a Foundation for Success

Most students arrive at Secondary having been taught to read through Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP). However, when pupils reach Key Stage 3 and face the challenges of the secondary curriculum, it often becomes clear that not all have fully developed the foundational reading skills necessary to progress. In many cases, reading deficiencies are masked and the underlying issues are not always related to phonic knowledge. Some pupils may appear to be decoding words correctly but still struggle with comprehension, fluency or vocabulary.

When literacy is at the core of learning, students are better equipped to engage with complex materials in subjects like maths, science, and history. For example, understanding word problems in maths or grasping technical language in science depends heavily on strong reading skills. School leaders can play a vital role by promoting literacy as a key driver of academic achievement in every subject area.

Building a literacy-rich environment doesn’t just mean focusing on reading during English lessons. It’s about integrating literacy support into all subjects, helping students develop the ability to interpret and analyse text, communicate effectively, and understand subject-specific vocabulary. This is where the concept of disciplinary literacy becomes essential.

Disciplinary Literacy: Integrating Reading Across the Curriculum

Disciplinary literacy—the ability to read, write, and communicate effectively within different subject areas—has become increasingly important in secondary education. Each subject has its own specific language, texts, and conventions. Whether it’s understanding historical documents, interpreting literary texts, or solving word problems in maths, students need to develop subject-specific literacy skills to succeed.

One way to support disciplinary literacy is through interventions that expose students to a wide range of texts spanning multiple subjects. This approach helps students not only improve their reading comprehension but also learn how to apply these skills across the curriculum. In addition, explicit instruction in morphology—particularly in Greek and Latin roots—can be highly effective in building subject-specific vocabulary.

By understanding the structure of words, students are better equipped to decode unfamiliar terms, which enhances their ability to grasp complex concepts in subjects like science, history, and geography. For example, teaching a student the Greek form, ‘poly’ unlocks the meaning of several subject-specific words such as polygon, polysyllabic and polymer.

When schools integrate these literacy strategies, they empower students to navigate academic texts in any subject, helping them build the skills and confidence needed to succeed across the board.

Overcoming Time and Resource Constraints

For many secondary school leaders, a major challenge is finding the time and resources to dedicate to literacy support. As secondary schools face tight scheduled and a full curriculum, it can be difficult to allocate the focused time and attention needed to support every struggling reader. On top of this, the shortage of literacy specialists means that many schools lack the staff needed to provide targeted interventions.

While some secondary schools are turning to primary-trained staff to address this gap, these individuals are not always available or prepared for the complexities of secondary-level literacy challenges.

However, technology offers a way to make literacy support more accessible and efficient. Digital literacy tools can provide personalised learning paths for students, allowing them to work on the specific areas where they need improvement. These tools can also reduce the planning burden on teachers by offering ready-made resources and progress monitoring tools. By leveraging technology, schools can ensure that more students receive the literacy support they need without requiring additional staffing or class time.

Adaptive Teaching for Diverse Needs

Secondary schools often have a wide range of literacy abilities within each year group. Some students may still struggle with basic reading skills, while others are ready for more advanced content. Meeting these diverse needs requires an adaptive approach, ensuring that each student receives the right level of support to make progress.

One strategy to address this is through personalised learning, where students are assessed on their specific skills, and targeted interventions are provided based on their individual gaps. This kind of adaptive teaching can help all learners, regardless of their starting point, to make meaningful gains in literacy.

Literacy for All – How Lexia fits into your Whole School Literacy Approach

For schools looking to implement a practical and effective solution, Lexia PowerUp Literacy offers a research-proven approach that integrates disciplinary literacy, personalisation, and adaptive technology. PowerUp helps secondary schools support a wide range of literacy abilities by providing targeted instruction in reading comprehension, decoding, vocabulary, grammar, and fluency. Through its use of personalised learning paths, PowerUp allows students to work at their own pace while teachers receive actionable data to inform classroom instruction.

By integrating PowerUp into your school’s literacy strategy, you can take practical steps toward closing attainment gaps and ensuring every student has the literacy skills needed to succeed across the curriculum.

Discover more about Lexia PowerUp Literacy

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