Overview:
The decoding threshold is a significant factor that hinders the ability of older students to comprehend text. Despite the expectation that students master basic reading skills by third grade, many continue to face challenges with reading well into upper elementary school and beyond. A recent study commissioned by the Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF) has revealed a troubling trend: 44% of grade 3–8 teachers report that their students frequently have difficulty reading the instructional materials used in classrooms.
To understand why so many older students struggle, AERDF’s Reading Reimagined program collaborated with ETS Research Institute to explore the connection between foundational literacy skills and reading comprehension. The new study builds on a 2019 discovery by ETS scientists, which highlighted an important barrier to reading proficiency known as the “decoding threshold.” The report, titled The Decoding Threshold: Measuring the Roots of Older Students’ Reading Difficulties, emphasizes that the decoding threshold plays a significant role in hindering older students’ ability to comprehend text.
The decoding threshold represents the point at which students can read text accurately and fluently enough to focus on comprehension rather than word recognition. When students fall short of this benchmark, they struggle with understanding complex, grade-level text. The study found that even with continued instruction, students below this threshold often fail to make significant gains in reading comprehension.
“We know that many students nationwide are struggling to comprehend grade-level text after third grade,” said Rebecca Sutherland, Associate Director of Research for AERDF’s Reading Reimagined program and co-author of the report. “This study provides critical insight into why some students are getting stuck. If a student is unable to decode longer, more complicated text, all of their attention will be devoted to decoding, leaving little mental energy for comprehension.”
The research, conducted in collaboration with ETS, used ReadBasix®, an ETS-developed reading assessment, to evaluate students’ decoding abilities. Findings underscore the need for early identification and targeted intervention. Kadriye Ercikan, Vice President of Research at ETS, emphasized the importance of addressing decoding skills: “This partnership demonstrates the immense impact we can make when research is combined with actionable solutions. The report highlights the critical importance of identifying students who need help with decoding skills, enabling teachers to better target their interventions.”
The report also outlines the need for ongoing support in other aspects of reading, such as vocabulary, background knowledge, and critical thinking skills. By addressing these areas, students can improve their overall reading proficiency and tackle increasingly complex texts. For more details on the decoding threshold and Reading Reimagined’s research, visit AERDF’s website.