Ad Lit Needs Assessment initial findings

During the Fall 2025, the Center for Adolescent Literacies conducted focus group research with educators in the Charlotte region working with students in grades 4-12+ to learn about literacy and literacy-related learning issues for youth they serve. The goal of this was to gain insights into the kinds of instruction and support schools and adolescent-serving organizations provide as well as support and services they need to further their work with youth.

Focus groups were conducted in Zoom and transcripts of those interviews were analyzed identifying some themes including:

• Teacher support. Teachers of adolescents said they need support in helping youth grades 4-12+ whose reading abilities varied widely. They noted that vocabulary and comprehension stood out as key challenges to literacy and learning. Participants said that teachers need sustained professional development that addresses these kinds of challenges.
• Data and curriculum. While there are calls for data-driven instruction, data collection varies widely and changes often, teachers said. There was agreement that educators at the upper elementary, middle, and secondary levels need to build consensus what data is meaningful and to train teachers grades 4-12 on how to use that effectively. Additionally, participants said that often expectations for curricula were too rigid and did not allow for flexibility needed to address the variety of learning needs among students.
• Digital literacies. Respondents noted the overall increased use of technology but also that students’ attention spans have decreased. They raised questions about the link between technology and engagement in learning. Teachers also were uncertain about the use of AI in teaching and learning.
• Literacy is a cross curricular issue. Participants echoed longstanding calls that literacy is an interdisciplinary issue and that middle and high school teachers across subject areas need education and professional development in reading and writing within their disciplines.
• Writing. Participants pointed to a lack of time and support for writing instruction that becomes compounded as students move through grade levels.

These findings are consistent with research that highlights the interdisciplinary and multimodal nature of literacy and the need for more explicit support for reading and writing across grade levels and subjects. The Center is using this data to develop relationships with educational partners and to develop professional development opportunities to help address these needs.