AdLit.org is a national multimedia project offering information and resources to the parents and educators of struggling adolescent readers and writers. AdLit.org is an educational initiative of WETA, the flagship public television and radio station in the nation's capital, and is funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York and by the Ann B. and Thomas L. Friedman Family Foundation.

The Importance of Reading Widely

High-quality summer programs keep students engaged in learning, help develop talents, and foster creativity and innovation. Use this checklist to find the perfect summer program for your child!
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Choosing a Book in the Comfort Zone

Reading in the "comfort zone" means that students read well enough to understand a text. Here's a simple technique that students can use to find out whether a book is right for them.
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Summer Fun Booklists

Browse through our summer reading lists to find books that let tweens and teens relax a little and have some adventures!

Summer Fun books »
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Featured Strategy

Paragraph Shrinking

Some strategies are not just for school! Even though it's summer, you and your reader can still work together on an important literacy skill: summarizing. "Paragraph shrinking" doesn't require special reading materials, and enables readers to practice summarizing using materials of their choosing. This simple oral strategy involves reading for a specified period of time, summarizing passage content and key points, and identifying the main theme or concept. Click the link for more information and a video of the strategy in action!
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Featured Glossary Term

Media Literacy

From the Center for Media Literacy , "Media Literacy is a 21st century approach to education. It provides a framework to access, analyze, evaluate, and create messages in a variety of forms, from print to video to the Internet. Media literacy builds an understanding of the role of media in society as well as essential skills of inquiry and self-expression necessary for citizens of a democracy."

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Featured Resource

Four Tools to Help Avoid Summer Learning Loss

Summer learning loss can take a toll on students' achievement. One effective way to avoid it is to encourage students to keep reading over the break. This review covers four apps and e-reading platforms that engage kids in reading. Some offer stories and audiobooks, others track reading progress.
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Research & News

Hispanic High School Graduates Pass Whites in Rate of College Enrollment

A record seven out of ten (69%) Hispanic high school graduates from the class of 2012 enrolled in college the following school year, which was two percentage points higher than the rate (67%) among their white counterparts, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. These positive trends in Hispanic educational attainment also extend to high school, with the level of dropouts (14% in 2011) at half of what it was in 2000 (28%).

AdLit.org is funded by:

the Ann B. and Thomas L. Friedman Family Foundation and Carnegie Corporation of New York. The statements and views expressed are solely the responsibility of the authors.