Examining the Effects of CommonLit’s Before, During, and After Reading Framework on Middle School Students’ Reading Comprehension of Informational Texts

• Jazmin Solis, Elementary Teacher Education, University of Delaware

• Teresa Hickok, , University of Delaware

Jazmin Solis-Gaytan

Title: Examining the Effects of CommonLit’s Before, During, and After Reading Framework on Middle School Students’ Reading Comprehension of Informational Texts

Abstract: Reading comprehension continues to be a significant challenge for many middle school students. According to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), only 30% of eighth-grade students performed at or above the Proficient level in reading, which emphasizes the need for effective reading instruction. The Before, During, and After Reading Framework is a research-based instructional approach that prepares students for reading, actively engages them during reading, and reinforces comprehension after reading. 

This study examines how the use of the CommonLit Reading Program’s Before, During, and After Reading Framework affects middle school students’ reading comprehension of grade-level informational texts. Using a one-group pretest-posttest design, the study investigates changes in students’ reading comprehension following four weeks of instruction. Participants include 10 eighth-grade students who received approximately 75 minutes of daily instruction in one English language arts class. Instruction incorporated CommonLit lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, videos to build background knowledge, technology tools, text-dependent questions, and exit slips designed to support students before, during, and after reading.

Students completed CommonLit informational text pretests and posttests to measure changes in reading comprehension. Although the study is limited by its four-week duration and small sample size, it provides preliminary evidence on the effectiveness of CommonLit’s instructional framework. The findings are relevant to teachers who need practical, technology-supported strategies to improve comprehension of middle school informational texts. Preliminary results indicate small gains in students’ reading comprehension following the intervention. Based on these encouraging findings, LYTE Scholars will continue to examine the long-term impact of CommonLit’s Before, During, and After Reading Framework on middle school students’ reading achievement.