Read Stop Write

Unlock the Power of Reading & Writing

Empowering students from grades 4-8

What is Read STOP Write?

Read STOP Write is a novel approach to reading interventions for students in upper-elementary and middle school grades. Our program is designed to integrate instruction in foundational skills (multisyllabic decoding, morphology, vocabulary, and fluency), reading comprehension, and writing within the context of authentic informational text reading to improve fourth- through eighth-grade students’ reading achievement and motivation for reading informational text. Read STOP Write can be used as a whole-class supplemental program or a small-group intervention.

Why Read STOP Write?

Improved Comprehension

Read STOP Write has been shown to improve informational text comprehension and writing quality compared to alternative instruction in diverse rural elementary schools.

Reading Skills

Read STOP Write has shown evidence of promise in improving word recognition and decoding skills, oral reading fluency, and silent reading comprehension in diverse urban elementary schools.

Drives Motivation

Read STOP Write can prevent declines in students’ motivation to read, including their self-concept as readers and value for reading informational text.

Cross-Curricular Integration

Read STOP Write integrates literacy instruction with science and social studies content, demonstrating a strong rationale for building content knowledge.

Increased Exposure to Texts

Read STOP Write exposes students to complex informational texts with instructional support, demonstrating a strong rationale for improving general literacy achievement.

How Does Read STOP Write Work?

Multi-Component Approach

During each lesson, students use a six-step routine to: (1) Read the text to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words and identify the main idea and details, (2) Summarize the main idea and details, (3) identify the Text structure, (4) Organize ideas and details, (5) Plan to write about the topic, and (6) Write an informative paragraph about the topic.

Researchers looking at a document with a magnifying glass

Research-Based Strategies

The six steps in Read STOP Write include evidence-based practices that target prior knowledge, word recognition, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing, and motivation to read, drawn from the body of research referred to as the science of reading.

Emphasis on Authentic Texts

The authentic informational texts in Read STOP Write are used with permission from ReadWorks.org. They address grade-level science and social studies topics and meet text complexity expectations for “stretch” texts in grades 4-8.

Ideal for Grades 4-8

Read STOP Write integrates instruction that supports “learning to read” and “reading to learn” simultaneously. It addresses next generation learning standards in grades 4-8.