Reading Apprenticeship was created in urban, racially, and economically diverse classrooms. By organizing a “Community of readers” in pairs or small groups, students gather to practice talking and writing about what was read and how it was understood, creating a space to listen and discuss diversity and culture in the text. This “authentic” reading approach supports students’ interests and strengths while teaching them to set goals for reading and life, and develop ways to monitor their progress towards these goals. This process aims to teach students problem solving skills through “metacognitive conversations.”

Overall, the program is structured to develop social, personal, cognitive, and knowledge-building processes among diverse secondary students. Reading Apprenticeship can be offered as a stand-alone curriculum based on the self and society (20 lessons), history (16 lessons), and science (14 lessons), or they can be adapted into existing curriculum or into a school-wide program. Program training includes 7-10 days of professional development, or the full 10-day training, over 12-14 months. Both formats include coaching from Reading Apprenticeship staff over a one year duration.

Studies conducted in 2010-2011 with US students grades 9-11 show improvement in student reading skills, behaviour and attitudes.

Greenleaf, C., Hanson, T., Herman, J., Litman, C., Rosen, R., Schneider, S., & Silver, D. (2011). A study of the efficacy of Reading Apprenticeship Professional Development for High School History and Science Teaching and Learning. Unpublished report.

Somers, M. A., Corrin, W., Sepanik, S., Salinger, T., Levin, J., and Zmach, C. (2010). The Enhanced Reading Opportunities Study Final Report: The Impact of Supplemental Literacy Courses for Struggling Ninth-Grade Readers (NCEE 2010-4021). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.