SPECIALIST NEWS

Vol. 17 No. 3 March 2026

Reading in the Content Areas

DEVOTION

You Can Handle the Truth

For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of His saints. - Proverbs 2:6-8

Even if you haven’t seen the film, you have probably heard the classic line from the movie, “A Few Good Men,” starring Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson. Cruise plays Lt. Daniel Kaffee, a Navy attorney who is defending two Marines accused of murder. In the film’s climactic moment, Kaffee is examining Colonel Nathan Jessup, base commander at Guantanamo Bay. Kaffee suspects that Jessup had given an order to haze the deceased Marine, and that the two men who followed the order unknowingly triggered a medical condition of their victim, accidentally causing his death.

The problem is, Kaffee can’t accuse Jessup of this crime without creating significant legal consequences for himself. The examination is a cat and mouse game to see if Jessup will take the bait and admit his own guilt. Colonel Jessup is a strong, confident leader, but he is also arrogant and revels in displaying his power. His confidence comes from his training and in a total, almost maniacal belief in himself and his own abilities. This self-driven strength that led him to his lofty position within the military would ultimately be his undoing.

READ ENTIRE DEVOTION

SPECIAL EDUCATION UPDATE

Reading in the Content Areas

Reading Rockets provides an overview of content area reading, what it involves, and why it's so important. Disciplinary reading, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing strategies are all discussed. Multiple classroom strategies with links are also provided. Click here to learn more.

TEACHING TOOLKIT

"Literacy for Students With Special Needs", by Middle Web, discusses a variety of supports to help students with special needs read content area texts. The focus is on providing a base of knowledge, opportunities to build fluency, and comprehension activities. Click here to read the article.

Teaching "active" reading skills to high school students can help them retain important information. An article by Edutopia offers strategies that students can use before, during, and after reading. Read the article here.

Also by Edutopia, "Shifting Your Approach to Teaching Math Word Problems", offers several strategies, progressions, and scaffolds to help students successfully tackle word problems. Click here to learn more.

WORTHY WEBSITE & APPS

The National Center on Improving Literacy is a comprehensive literacy website that offers a wide variety of resources. The Schools & Districts tab provides information on evidence-based approaches for screening and teaching students with literacy related difficulties. A list of topics on the left side includes additional links and resources. The topics are: Alphabetic Principle & Phonics, Comics, Dyslexia, Fluency with Text and Comprehension, Instruction & Intervention, Learning to Read & Write, Phonological & Phonemic Awareness, School & Family Collaboration, Science of Reading, Screening & Assessment, and Vocabulary. Visit the site here.

Super Teacher Worksheets is a site that offers reading comprehension worksheets on a variety of topics for kindergarten through middle school. Each worksheet includes a passage, comprehension question and, depending on the grade, a vocabulary activity and writing prompt. A couple of free worksheets are available in each category, otherwise an annual subscription costs $25. Visit the site here.

Read Along by Google is a reading comprehension app that allows children to read engaging, short stories while an in-app "buddy" listens and assists with accuracy, pacing, and difficult words. Appropriate for ages 3-9. Free on Google Play. Click here to learn more or to download the app.

BOOK LOOK

Teaching Reading Across the Day, Grades K-8, by Jennifer Serravallo, published by Corwin, 2024. The book connects the science of reading with practical, evidence-based instructional strategies. The author provides ways to help educators integrate reading instruction across the curriculum. Click here to order directly from the publisher or here for ordering options from Amazon.

LUTHERAN SPECIAL EDUCATION MINISTRIES

www.luthsped.org