Although most young children seem to master reading skills in the early grades of elementary
school, many struggle with texts as they move through middle school and high school. Why do
children who seem to be proficient readers in third grade have trouble comprehending texts
in later grades? To answer this question, Nonie Lesaux describes what is known about reading
development and instruction, homing in on research conducted with children from low-income
and non-English-speaking homes. Using key insights from this research base, she offers two
explanations. The first is that reading is a dynamic and multifaceted process that requires continued
development if students are to keep pace with the increasing demands of school texts
and tasks. The second lies in the role of reading assessment and instruction in U.S. schools.