Timing Matters: Leveraging Temporal Contexts for Interpreting Reading Progress

Improving reading outcomes for students with reading disabilities/difficulties (RD) has been commonly studied relative to 'what' a reading intervention entails. Here, we offer a broader perspective on 'when' we implement reading services to improve our interpretation of reading progress. We address several aspects related to timeframes (i.e., temporal contexts) to contextualize reading changes associated with score increase or decrease trends. First, we review learning trajectories that can provide baseline expectations for reading and changes among students with RD. Second, we call attention to fade-out effects, which describe the positive impact of intervention programs gradually neutralizing in the years following program completion. Third, we discuss learning outcomes associated with suspended formal schooling, including the expected summer vacation from school and the unexpected COVID-19 school interruptions. We highlight the value of contextualizing reading progress in broader circumstances and conditions for readers.