Supporting Struggling Readers: How General and Special Educators Can Strengthen Literacy for Every Learner

Strong literacy skills open the door to academic achievement, independence, and future opportunities. Yet millions of students across grade levels, cultures, and disability categories struggle to read. Many require specialized instruction, targeted interventions, or accommodations to grow as readers. As literacy expectations increase across the curriculum, the responsibility for supporting these students extends to both general and special education.

For general educators, this means understanding early warning signs, using evidence-based strategies, and collaborating effectively with special education teams. For special educators, it requires expertise in structured literacy, assessment, and individualized supports. When both groups work together, students benefit from a seamless and coordinated approach that accelerates reading achievement.

Why Literacy Instruction Must Be a Shared Responsibility

In today’s inclusive classrooms, students with reading difficulties, including those with specific learning disabilities, dyslexia, language impairments, or attention challenges, spend most of their day in general education settings. This means general educators are often the first to notice when a student struggles with decoding, comprehension, fluency, or vocabulary.

Special educators bring specialized skills in intervention design, progress monitoring, and structured literacy methods. But their work is most effective when reinforced consistently in the general education environment. Shared understanding and aligned instruction prevent fragmented support and ensure students encounter high-quality literacy practices across the school day.

Recognizing Early Warning Signs

Early identification is one of the strongest predictors of reading success. General educators can play a critical role by monitoring signs such as:

• Difficulty connecting letters and sounds
• Limited phonemic awareness
• Slow or inaccurate decoding
• Poor reading fluency
• Challenges with comprehension or retell
• Difficulty following multi-step written directions
• Avoidance of reading tasks

When teachers flag concerns early and bring them to the appropriate teams, students receive help sooner, reducing later academic struggles.

Using Evidence-Based Approaches That Support All Learners

Although students with reading difficulties often require individualized instruction, many evidence-based approaches benefit the entire class. Strategies such as:

• Systematic, explicit instruction in phonics and phonemic awareness
• Structured opportunities to build vocabulary and background knowledge
• Repeated reading and fluency practice
• Scaffolded comprehension instruction
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies that offer multiple ways to access text

These practices strengthen the reading abilities of struggling learners while accelerating growth for all students.

The Power of Collaboration Between General and Special Educators

Strong literacy outcomes depend on coordinated teamwork. Co-planning allows educators to:

• Align intervention goals with classroom instruction
• Reinforce decoding, fluency, and comprehension skills throughout the day
• Ensure accommodations are implemented with fidelity
• Share progress monitoring data and adjust instruction accordingly
• Identify additional supports, including assistive technology

This shared approach prevents students from receiving disconnected messages or inconsistent expectations.

Leveraging Assistive Technology and Accessible Materials

Many students benefit from tools that make grade-level reading more accessible. These may include:

• Text-to-speech software
• Audiobooks
• Digital materials with adjustable font, contrast, and spacing
• Graphic organizers
• Word prediction tools

Accessible materials not only support students with disabilities but also enhance equity for multilingual learners, students experiencing fatigue, and those who need a different entry point to text.

Together, We Can Strengthen Literacy for Every Learner

Supporting struggling readers is a shared responsibility and opportunity. When general and special educators unite around evidence-based practices, early identification, and collaborative instruction, students gain the skills, confidence, and independence they need to succeed.

This year, Exceptional Children’s Week celebrates “Turn the Page to Possibility: Literacy Success in Special Education.” Plan a celebration for your school or district with CEC’s toolkit and get ready to support literacy for all!