Getting Reading Right for Older Learners

The Challenge of Older Readers

Across classrooms, teachers know the frustration of watching a child reach upper primary or even secondary school still struggling to read fluently. For these pupils, the demands of the wider curriculum quickly become overwhelming. Texts are harder, vocabulary more complex, and every subject increasingly depends on literacy. At the same time, many older struggling readers feel embarrassed when asked to return to ‘babyish’ resources, creating a cycle of low motivation and dwindling self-esteem.

Without age-appropriate, intensive support, the gap only widens. The Reading Framework recognises this, stressing the need for ‘further timely and targeted support’ for older pupils who are not yet reading fluently. In other words: doing more of the same, or waiting for pupils to catch up, is not enough. Schools need tools that deliver structured intervention, build confidence, and restore pupils’ belief in themselves as readers.

What the Reading Framework Requires

The 2023 Reading Framework sets out clear expectations for supporting older readers. Key requirements include:

• Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP): older struggling readers still need explicit phonics instruction, taught cumulatively and with attention to morphology and etymology.
• Timely, targeted intervention: structured support that is focused, intensive, and capable of closing gaps quickly.
• Fluency and automaticity: frequent practice to build speed, accuracy, and confidence.
• Language and comprehension: structured vocabulary, syntax, and challenging texts to deepen understanding.
• Frequent, cumulative practice: daily repetition and rehearsal of grapheme–phoneme correspondences (GPCs).
• Assessment and monitoring: regular checks on speed, accuracy, and progress.
• Motivation and engagement: fostering the will as well as the skill to read, with opportunities to build positive reading identities.
• Trained staff and appropriate programmes: interventions must be efficient, scalable, and age-appropriate.

This framework sets a high bar, but it also creates clarity. The question becomes: how can schools and families deliver all of this in a way that is both rigorous and realistic?

How Aski Raski Responds

• Timely and Targeted
  • Aski Raski provides intensive, structured, age-appropriate intervention at school or at home. Every task offers immediate feedback, helping pupils close gaps quickly and experience success from the very start.
• Phonics at the Core
  • Building on the SSP approach, the programme explicitly teaches grapheme–phoneme correspondences, step by step. The sequence is cumulative, progressing through morphology and etymology so that older pupils engage with content that feels rigorous and age-appropriate.
• Practice that Builds Mastery
  • Predictable routines, daily repetition, and carefully designed tasks reduce cognitive load. Pupils rehearse key patterns until they are automatic, building confidence through visible progress.
• Personalised Pathways
  • From the initial baseline assessment, learners follow individualised routes. Progress is continually monitored, with detailed reports showing accuracy, speed, and errors. Teachers retain oversight, while pupils experience tailored learning.
• Easy to Implement
  • Designed for efficiency, Aski Raski is digital, easy to deliver, and requires minimal adult intervention. Teachers and families can trust the programme to provide high-quality support without extensive additional training.

Why It Matters

Aski Raski is the answer to the challenge that has long troubled schools: how to support older struggling readers with resources that are age-appropriate, motivating, and effective.

By aligning closely with the Reading Framework, Aski Raski provides schools with confidence that they are meeting statutory expectations while also empowering teachers with practical tools. Pupils benefit from structured, personalised support that closes gaps, restores confidence, and helps them see themselves as readers again.

For systems, this is significant. It means the hardest-to-reach learners are not left behind. It means teachers can focus on teaching, knowing that targeted intervention is running effectively in the background. And it means that literacy is strengthened for every child, at every stage.

For more information about Aski Raski and ILT Education’s product range, please visit: https://www.ilteducation.com/uk/aski-raski/