The poor performance of American students on state and national tests of reading comprehension is a well-recognized educational challenge and one that is difficult to address. Poor comprehension represents a multifactorial problem that is impacted by numerous reader, text, and task factors. Among the reader factors, the role of background knowledge has been particularly absent in conceptualizations of comprehension problems. Also, the specifics of what is read and for what purpose are typically given little consideration. To address these issues, a multidimensional model of reading comprehension is reintroduced and its implications for the identification, assessment and intervention of comprehension problems will be discussed.

It is well known that in order to be a skilled reader, individuals must be able to recognize and decode words with efficiency, as well as engage in linguistic processes for discourse-level text (i.e., reading comprehension). Aside from these processes, studies have shown that domain-general processes, particularly executive function, are linked to reading success. However, our understanding of the exact role of this domain-general cognitive control system in the brain in reading development and disabilities, as well as in reading intervention, is still emerging. This presentation will review neuroimaging and behavioral findings that focus on understanding how executive function relates to reading development and disabilities. Implications for reading intervention will also be discussed.

Syntactic knowledge, the ability to understand a variety of grammatical structures within the context of a sentence, supports students’ reading fluency and comprehension of text. This session presents research on syntax and explains its critical role in comprehending complex text. Armed with this understanding, educators learn how to teach their students the functions of sentence parts—words, phrases, and clauses—in order to show them how to unpack the meaning of sentences they encounter in text. Participants will also learn tips on how they can support students’ reading fluency and comprehension by teaching phrasing and sentence structure with a focus on oral language and written expression.

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ALTA Chapters are a great way to network with like-minded ALTA-certified professionals in your area. Are you in a leadership role in your state or regional Chapter? Are you interested in volunteering in a role for your Chapter? Would you like to start an ALTA Chapter in your area? This session will address how to start a Chapter as well as how Chapters function within ALTA. Participants will be briefed on policies and procedures for existing Chapters as well as learn more about the new Chapter Handbook.

The scientific literature surrounding the science of reading is vast and ever-growing. This presentation will focus on the following questions: What do we know about the science of reading? How do we know what we know? When should current evidence be weighed against previous findings? What considerations should educators make when interpreting and applying scientific evidence in their classrooms? We will discuss the current state of the literature, the basics of intervention science, and the appraisal of scientific evidence. This presentation will then conclude with a synthesis of evidence for treatment modifications that may help to support variable learner profiles.